A biography for Irina Shaykhasn’t been written yet.
“At 14, I'd have given my left arm to be a boy: I thought I was horrible and that no-one would ever find me attractive.”
“I'm very smart, and I have a great team of people around me investing my money. I'm not buying gold - yet.”
“In Russia, we eat a lot of heavy food like potatoes and lots of meat. I can't eat one apple or a salad a day. You wouldn't want to come talk to me if I don't eat. I have to eat, or I am in a really bad mood.”
“I would never do 'Playboy.'”
“You can't just dream about what you want and leave things to chance. You have to get it yourself.”
“I started playing piano age six. I was also singing in the choir, so my mum put me into music school. I went to study there for seven years, but it was not my passion. I quit because I wanted to study marketing. But I can still play piano.”
“When I was a teenager, I experimented a lot with hair colour, and the result was just awful.”
“You can't wear only one dress and be so safe. You have to risk; that's how you learn about yourself.”
“Sometimes I wake up and think I look horrible. And sometimes I see a strong woman.”
“My father was dark skinned because he was Tatar. Sometimes Tatars can look Brazilian.”
“My mom, she's a great cook. You know, pirogue, borscht. I love borscht, and I love Pilemeni, meat dumplings.”
“I'm from a very small village in the middle of nowhere, four hours by airplane from Moscow. Yemanzhelinsk - you wouldn't find it on the map. Don't even try it. It's super, super tiny.”
“If you want to eat chocolate or cakes, you have to eat it in the morning, for breakfast or lunch - don't eat it in the night.”
“This is my favorite area in New York - the West Village is the heart of New York. I could never move somewhere else.”
“Mutual respect is very important in a relationship, and since my work is part of my life, he would have to respect it.”
“I would definitely like to start a family because it's the most important thing in the world and what you should take care of, along with your friends and the people you love.”
“In the morning, I always use a cube of ice on my face - it gives me a natural lift.”
“I'm not a fan of soccer, for sure not.”
“I think success is very hard work, so, you know, if you work hard and you have some success, you have to give up something.”
“I'm in hotel rooms most of the time, and it can be hard to find a hotel with a nice gym. It was important for me to have a workout I could do in my room.”