R. Abdykadyrov was born on January 12, 1941, in the village of Kyzyl-Bulak, located in the Kara-Kulzhinsky district of the Osh region. He was awarded the title of "Honored Artist of the Kyrgyz Republic".
The master, who created more than two hundred songs, passed away at the age of 53 on September 12, 1994, without realizing all his creative plans.
Ryspay's contemporaries nostalgically remember their meetings with him, take pride in their acquaintance, and admire his talent, although some attempt to distort the facts about his life, sometimes adding their own speculations.
A conversation took place with Ryspay's daughter, Syuita Abdykadyrova, about her memories of her father. She noted that he played a key role in her upbringing and introduction to art, composers, and writers. "My father was not only a melodist but also had a passion for world music. He shared stories about artists and writers with me, and I thought he was the perfect person. He always wanted me to receive a musical education, which he was unable to achieve. I have 16 years of experience in music, and I consider myself a professional. I often traveled with him on tours when he wrote poems for children that I performed," Syuita shares.
She also recounted the story of her parents' meeting. "My mom and dad met in 1968 at a youth gathering. Since then, my mom waited for his songs on the radio and dreamed of marrying him, despite the fact that he already had a family. Relatives perceived this as a joke. Fate brought them together when my father came to Osh, and my mom was working in cotton picking. The age difference between them was 10 years. My father had two previous wives, and he has three daughters. We keep in touch with them," she said.
Syuita added that creative people strive for beauty and live by their feelings. "My mom always took the rumors about dad with humor. When beautiful girls appeared at their workplace, she jokingly said that maybe one of them would catch Ryspay's eye. She never restricted his freedom. There were no strict rules in our family, and I grew up in a friendly atmosphere," she recalls.
S. Abdykadyrova is confident that her father was known as an honest and decent man who always spoke the truth to people's faces. "He could quickly recognize dishonesty in people and was not afraid to express his opinion. People respected him despite his strict character. He was called 'erke bala' [‘the spoiled one’]. My father knew how to appreciate ordinary people, and when guests came to our house, he happily sang for them. These qualities were passed on to us, his daughters. We never used his surname for personal gain," she added.
She also mentioned that various rumors circulated about Ryspay, including those concerning his health. "Some claimed that he had his tongue cut out or suffered knife wounds, but even criminals respected his creativity. Once, when my mom ordered a fur hat, a person who did not know my father approached her and snatched it away. Rumors began to spread, causing a lot of discussions," she recounted.
S. Abdykadyrova noted that after each new song, rumors would arise that it was dedicated to some beloved. For example, the song "Biz ekööbüz" ("We Two") was written for her mother. When rumors emerged about the song "Almashym," her father smiled but later removed it from his repertoire.
She added that Ryspay's grandchildren do not seek to present themselves as his descendants. "We want to have girls, while he always dreamed of having a son," she said, noting that the youngest son bears the surname Abdykadyrov. Her father suffered from pulmonary tuberculosis since 1970, and in his last days, he wanted to communicate with people and visit relatives. He told her mother that he would wait for her for 10 years after his death, but after that time, she also passed away," Syuita concluded.
Syuita also reported on the recent publication of a six-volume collection containing memories of Ryspay. "It includes stories from people who knew him. I was surprised and even outraged when I read some moments. For example, it describes how one of the party secretaries supported our father, although in reality, he created difficulties for him and did not allow him to perform. My father cried many times because of him. The story needs to be told correctly, without distortions," she emphasizes.
Additionally, Syuita noted that modern performers of Kyrgyz pop music often choose the same popular compositions by Ryspay, while others, such as "Ak bulut," "Koshtooshu," and "Ay tumar," remain unrecognized. "If I were a singer, I would choose those songs," she added.
Syuita, who is 50 years old, has three children and holds the position of Deputy Dean for Social and Educational Work at the Faculty of World Languages and Culture at one of the universities.
