kqlatrik (Artem Zelentsov) — an international artist who has evolved from TikTok lip-syncs to avant-garde soundscapes. His work is a raw, uncompromising reshaping of identity through music, fashion, and fearless self-expression.
Artem Nikolayevich Zelentsov was born on August 27, 2006, in Kyiv. He spent most of his life in Poltava, raised by a single mother — his father did not participate in his upbringing. Over his school years, Artem attended four different schools and completed 10 grades.
He first gained popularity on TikTok by posting viral lip-sync videos to tracks by 5mewmet, DJ Trippie Flameboy, and others. During this period, Artem publicly expressed opposition to the Ukrainian Armed Forces and President Volodymyr Zelensky. After leaving the country, he was met with a wave of threats and hateful messages.
In 2024, Artem launched a clothing project in collaboration with Russian designer Milana Smirnova, but the collection was never released.
In 2025, he announced a shift to avant-garde music:
Under the pseudonym kqlatrik, he releases music in English with French slang.
His signature tag is a scream — "merde". He has not explained why he chose this.
Artem lives with an autoimmune disorder, apathy, suicidal tendencies, OCD, dyslexia, and Tourette’s syndrome.
Living in Rennes, France, he says:
Today, kqlatrik is a fully independent international artist.
Avant-garde, dark, tense, and uncompromising.
His image is an extension of his music. Style is a form of rebellion.