Before the lights, before the stages, before the roar of arenas — there was a pencil.
Andrey Batt’s love for art began in early childhood. Even before entering elementary school, his mother enrolled him in an art club, where he began studying visual arts. A creative force herself, she recognized and nurtured her son’s imagination, laying the foundation for a life driven by expression. Drawing was his first language. Storytelling would soon follow.
By the age of nine, Batt had stepped onto the theatre stage for the first time, performing in a school production of Tsokotukha the Fly, based on the beloved work of Russian writer Korney Chukovsky. The applause sparked something deeper — a fascination with performance and presence. Art was no longer just something he created; it was something he embodied.
But at eleven, in 1996, another passion entered the picture: basketball. Batt quickly rose through the ranks, earning a place on his English high school team and repeatedly defeating champions at Moscow and regional tournaments. The court became his new canvas — discipline replacing brushes, rhythm replacing lines. Yet even as an athlete, his creative instincts never faded.
By the late 1990s, filmmaking and hip-hop captured his attention. When he received his first home computer, Batt immersed himself in film editing, graphic design, and music composition. Armed with a VHS camera, he and his teammates began filming their basketball games. What started as documentation soon evolved into direction.
At just seventeen, in 2002, Batt wrote, directed, produced, edited, scored, and designed artwork for his first documentary sports film, Remix Tape. Inspired by the iconic And1 Mix Tapes of the era, the project fused his three great passions — cinema, basketball, and hip-hop — into one bold statement. Working from his bedroom with outdated equipment and no access to platforms like YouTube, he digitized VHS footage on a slow computer and personally burned DVDs for distribution. Hand-to-hand, court-to-court, he built a grassroots following within basketball communities.
Remix Tape 2 followed in 2004, further cementing his reputation as a one-man creative force capable of managing every stage of production.
Music soon moved from background to forefront. Batt began his professional journey as a beat maker, producing tracks for African artists. By nineteen, his productions were playing on major African radio stations — an early sign that his sound was crossing borders long before he would.
In the years that followed, he returned to acting, appearing in Russian commercials and television shows. The pull of performance grew stronger, leading to a defining decision: to step away from professional basketball and fully commit to acting.
In 2010, Batt relocated to Los Angeles to pursue his American career. After appearing in several TV series, family circumstances brought him back to Russia — a reminder that life’s script is never entirely self-written.
Yet reinvention remained his constant. In 2013, he founded the philanthropic initiative Charity Parcel, supporting children and teenagers facing difficult life situations. The same year, he reignited his music career, releasing a series of successful singles. In 2015, his music reached European and Asian charts. A dance remix of his song Letniy broke into the Top 10 in Japan, China, and Taiwan — a milestone that positioned him firmly on the international stage.
In 2016, Batt delivered a symbolic full-circle moment: performing the Halftime Show at EuroLeague, Europe’s most prestigious basketball tournament. The former athlete stood center court — not with a ball, but with a microphone — merging past and present into one powerful narrative.
That same year, he launched his documentary series The Artist’s Adventures, offering audiences an intimate look behind the scenes of creative and athletic journeys. The series resonated globally, earning some of the highest ratings across major movie and TV platforms. It wasn’t just about glamour — it was about the grind.
After the pandemic, Batt returned once again to acting. In 2023, he voiced the lead role of Marty, the charming caterpillar, in the Canadian animated feature The Butterfly Tale, bringing humor and heart to international audiences.
By 2026, Andrey Batt announced the remastered release of the Remix Tape duology — returning to the project that began it all and introducing it to a new generation. It was not simply a re-release, but a reflection of legacy.
Artist. Athlete. Director. Producer. Philanthropist.
Andrey Batt has never followed a single path — because he was never meant to. He built his own.
