The first season of the project “The Voice. 60+" reached the knockout round, which will determine the finalists of the show. In the first two episodes, the mentors recruited their teams at the blind auditions. According to the rules of the season, each teacher was supposed to take four contestants, but Pelageya was able to get an exception and recruited five participants.
It became even more difficult for her in the new stage. As for Leonid A, Lev Leshchenko and Valery, they completed their teams in accordance with the regulations.
The rules of the knockout stage are very simple. Each of the participants performed a song, and half of them made it to the finals. In the case of Pelageya, three were eliminated.
The round was opened by the team of Valery Meladze. By the way, Valery’s main assistant was his brother Konstantin, who himself will soon sit in the mentor’s chair in the seventh season of the main “Voice”.
The first to appear on stage was 61-year-old Sergei Pivovarenok with the song “Eternal Spring”, which he first performed, and then it was sung by VIA “Veselye Rebyaty”. Meladze accurately selected Pivovarenka’s repertoire, which is distinguished by its classic Soviet pop timbre. The contestant impressed the audience and was escorted off stage with shouts of “Bravo!”
For Gennady Kim, the mentor selected the legendary Beatles “Come Together”, which opens the great album “Abbey Road”. And I must say that Meladze again accurately fell into the image of a participant in the project, who looked very organic on stage and caused an even more violent reaction from the audience.
Natalia Spevak performed the song “No need to call love” from the 1940 film “My Love”. The knockout stage coincided with the participant’s birthday. The only professional musician in Meladze’s team naturally performed the famous jazz standard “All of Me,” which was performed by such jazz legends as Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald.
Meladze did not intrigue the audience for long and quickly announced the finalists from his team. They were Natalia Spevak and Sergey Manukyan.
The next team on stage was Pelageya’s team. opened the performances of his band with the song “They blinded a woman in the cold” by the rock group “Resurrection”. Olga Muravina sang the famous romance “Shine, Shine, My Star.” Perhaps its most famous performance is by Anna German. Pelageya did not change the image of the next participant Lidia Muzaleva and gave her folk song“I believed, I believed, I believe.”
Oleg Pastukhov, who distinguished himself as a gentle tenor, performed the famous Italian song “Giamaica” during the blind auditions. Pelageya’s choice is not entirely clear, because Pastukhov does not have classical bel canto. Well, the composition itself is primarily associated with the incomparable. Natalia Butusova got the song “Don’t offend me.”
Pelageya felt the unusual situation in which she found herself - sending home three contestants at once turned out to be the most difficult thing.
As a result, after much deliberation, the mentor chose Lydia Muzaleva and Olga Muravina.
After Pelageya, the time came for his wards to solo. performed the famous “Oh, That Girl,” demonstrating a confident and clear baritone. With Viktor Zuev, the mentor did not experiment and retained the Italian image of the participant, offering him the composition “Buona Sera Signorina” by the American jazz singer Louis Prima.
80-year-old Evgeny Strugalsky sang famous song“For Three Years I Dreamed of You,” which was one of my favorites in the repertoire. Navruz performed “Ricardo’s Serenade” from “Dog in the Manger.” He sang it in the famous film.
Lev Leshchenko noted the performance of all his players and chose Evgeniy Strugalsky and. Akhmedov, who dropped out of the project, an artist by profession, gave the mentors their portraits.
At the end of the show, the host of the show announced the most intriguing team of Leonid Agutin, consisting entirely of professional musicians. He was the first to appear on stage with the song “I Can’t Dance,” performed by and. surprised everyone with the song “Fantasy” by the famous funk band “Earth, Wind & Fire”. Leonid's father Nikolai Agutin performed his own composition “Mama”.
The evening was concluded by one of the most famous bluesmen in the country, Nikolai Arutyunov. He sang the 70s hit “Can't Find a Reason” by British rockers Atomic Rooster.
Agutin, having chosen a very strong lineup, put himself in a very difficult situation - to choose two. The mentor chose Nikolai Arutyunov without hesitation, but hesitated with the second one.
Agutin thought for a long time and finally chose his father, explaining that the audience in the hall would most like to see him. Leonid complained that he could be “accused of patronage,” but chose Nikolai Agutin.
The singer revealed very juicy details from personal life. Thus, Agutin admitted that the best sex he had with Angelica Varum happened only a year after the wedding, and also shared that he and his wife really like to experiment intimately.
Not everyone liked the frank confession of the 49-year-old artist. While almost all media outlets immediately parsed the interview into quotes, many Internet users noted that Leonid did not fit into the format of the program and it was unclear why Dudya’s choice fell on him. Agutin a day later heated discussions I decided to comment on my appearance on the popular Internet show.
“I was with Yura Dudya for an interview. Very popular on the Internet and, what can I say, a talented young journalist. Already an iconic figure of the present time. He didn’t quite go to his own field. I am not a dissident, not rock, not rap, and not a desperate swearer. In general, there is nothing honest about me.)) I admit, I agreed because the program is very popular. Of course, there were some provocations, slippery topics and political issues that I hate discussing. As a result, he received a lot of negativity, although Yura himself is a polite and well-mannered person. It’s just impossible to be good to everyone. To be completely honest, I really wanted to see how it happens. Just feel it for yourself once, when in a day a program with your participation is watched by 3,000,000 people and given 70,000 likes. True, there are also 10,000 dislikes. But these people also enjoyed it. Because not loving, being irritated and considering oneself smarter is also an emotion. The main thing is that I had to sing this so that so many people would watch me on You Tube in one day?! I don’t have such shocking songs))),” the musician wrote on his microblog on Instagram (the author’s spelling and punctuation are given unchanged. - Note ed.).
Leonid Agutin and Angelika Varum
Leonid Agutin became a guest of Yuri Dud
Let us remind you that earlier great interview Yuri Dudya was given by Alexey Serebryakov, known for his roles in such controversial projects as “Penal Battalion”, “ Load 200" and "Leviathan". In particular, the actor spoke for the first time about why he decided to adopt two boys from an orphanage and talked about meeting his wife. But the public’s close attention was attracted by other words of the artist, who rarely communicates with journalists.
Thus, Alexey Serebryakov called “strength, arrogance and rudeness” the main components of the national idea of Russia. “I think if you drive 30-50-70 kilometers from Moscow, you will see many elements of the 90s. One way or another, neither knowledge, nor intelligence, nor enterprise, nor dignity are the prerogative of the national idea. National idea are strength, arrogance and rudeness,” Serebryakov said.
The piquancy of Serebryakov’s statement was added by the fact that the actor has been living in Canada for several years. He moved to Toronto in 2012 with his family. According to him, in order to raise children in a different ideology, in Russia he was not satisfied with the unfavorable social situation and the growth of intolerance. The actor does not hide the fact that “nobody needs him” in Canada, and therefore often accepts job offers from domestic film makers. The number of such, however, threatens to decrease in the very near future: both social network users and Alexey’s eminent colleagues were outraged by Serebryakov’s words.
Alexey Serebryakov
And for many years in a row they celebrate the holiday on stage. And a few days later they fly to America, where their daughter lives. TN asked the artists about what it is customary for the Agutin-Varum family to give to each other, how to raise a child at a distance and what is the secret of a long marriage.
—Are there American traditions of celebrating the New Year?
Angelica:New Year There is practically no welcome here, only the Russian diaspora gathers in restaurants and celebrates for ten days in a row.
Leonid: New Year's week- a terrible thing. There are many acquaintances in the city, it should be noted that there is some kind of continuous struggle for survival going on. (Laughs.) You can heal later normal life: play tennis, swim in the sea.
And, of course, happy moments when you get to hang out with Lisa. She usually spends time with friends, as a 14-year-old should. Only if I say: “Daughter, are you having lunch with me today” will she stay at home.
— For many years in a row you have been celebrating the New Year on stage. I wonder when you exchange gifts? Do you leave them at home under the Christmas tree?
Angelica: Not every gift will fit under the tree. (Laughs.) I don’t like surprises - I like to choose gifts for myself in advance. And I myself always ask what to buy for whom, so that later no one has to feign polite delight. In our family, everyone prefers to order gifts. We can exchange them at least on January 4, at least on the 26th - it’s unprincipled.
Leonid: I actually prefer to give rather than receive. It's such a pleasure to find something cool, something that dear person will be happy to wear it. If my wife says: “I saw a stunning ring...”, I’ll happily go and buy it, because Mani (that’s what Leonid calls his wife. - TN note) has no ridiculous habits, she never asks for something on a stupid whim.
— Leonid, I think you gave your wife an apartment last New Year?
Angelica: I chose it myself, tired of the smell of the old house and the neighbors' cats. When I started a conversation with my husband that it would be nice to move, he supported it.
- IN new apartment Have you already put up the Christmas tree or is there no point since you will be flying away for a long time anyway in early January?
Angelica: We decorate the Christmas tree as early as possible. In our old apartment, the Christmas tree “lived” with us for 10 years. I always dressed her up with delight, she was so beautiful. I remember seeing it in the window and really wanted to buy it. They tell me: “The Christmas tree is not for sale - it’s the decoration.” I had to leave my coordinates: what if they change their mind? And I was very happy when the store called back and said: “Take it.”
— Do you remember how you celebrated the New Year as a child?
Leonid: For some reason I don’t remember very well... At the same time, I had a happy childhood, everything was fine. When I look at my childhood photographs, I am amazed: I don’t smile in any of them, not in any of them... The only son in the family, everyone around me was always shaking, my mother praised me more than scolded me. If my father made comments, it was to the point. Agree - ideal conditions, but at the same time I grew up as such a gloomy boy. He was plump, strong, gloomy... And he constantly beat up his classmates. Of course, the parents thought that something was wrong with the child... But with me it was all like that. You know, like in that joke? When the boy did not speak until he was four years old, then he said: “The porridge is burnt.” - “Why were you silent before?” - “There was no precedent - it never burned...” (Laughs.)
Angelica: When I was little, we had a budgerigar, Petrusha. Tame, affectionate, we even ate from the same plate with him. I was upset that he didn’t want to talk. Petrusha loved the pre-holiday bustle, and when my mother and I brought home the Christmas tree and began hanging the toys, he sat on my shoulder and watched. Once upon a time this story happened. We decorate the Christmas tree, and my mother, a pedant to the extreme, hangs the toys from branch to branch to achieve complete symmetry - a row of balls, a row of icicles. It seemed that everything was already perfect, but, stepping aside, she said every time: “Something is not right, something is not right...” And suddenly Petrusha fluttered up, hovered over the ball and shouted: “Something is not right - O!" A couple of months later he was already repeating an incredible number of words: “Petrusha wants to have dinner. Give Petrusha a guitar... Put Petrusha in pajamas.”
I also really loved decorating the Christmas tree at my grandparents’ place. They kept vintage toys, each is a real work of art. Balls of incredible colors, glass dolls of impossible beauty. The ceilings were three and a half meters high, and my grandfather always bought a huge Christmas tree. He stood on the stepladder, and my grandmother and I carefully handed him toys. Then he came down, took out of the box Santa Claus and the Snow Maiden, who were about a hundred years old, wrapped in tissue paper, and allowed me to install them under the tree.
Nothing remains of all this splendor. I only took a few toys with me to Moscow, but I lost them in my nomadic life. To say “pathetic” is to say nothing. Because the toys evoked a sea of emotions. Under the Christmas tree on January 1st, incredible gifts were always waiting for me - mostly things: their relatives sent them from abroad. In the sixth grade, I became the first owner of Velcro sneakers in the city. You have no idea what it is! They looked at me like I was an alien. High school students were on their heels, trying to figure out how to put on these “molded shoes without laces”?!
— Can you please your daughter with an ultra-fashionable new thing?
Angelica: No, Lisa is indifferent to girlish joys and dresses informally and conservatively. She would like a new guitar, a microphone and a convenient microphone stand. This is something to please our daughter at 14 years old.
— Lisa has lived in America since birth and does not read Russian at all. Have you ever regretted that you made the decision to leave her to be raised by Angelica’s dad?
Leonid: This is how the circumstances developed. There is no point in regretting. But now we need to think what to do about it. It's hard for me personally. I have been working with words all my life, I have read stacks of books and know a lot of things. I would like to give it to my daughter, but the language barrier prevents her. And I cannot fully appreciate her wonderful literary abilities. English is not my native language, although I speak it quite well. Lizin, a literature teacher, praises her; she writes really good mature texts. There is another reason for my worries. Because Lisa is growing up in a different culture, my successes are invisible to her. Whether I am a world weightlifting champion or a composer writing for American artists is a different matter. But my music or poetry is not very close to her.
Angelica: There are undoubtedly disadvantages to the fact that Lisa lives thousands of kilometers away from us, but there are more advantages. First of all, Miami has a wonderful climate. Secondly, in my opinion, a separation from celebrity parents is beneficial for a child. Lisa adult girl, it roughly represents the scale of our popularity. This year we brought her to Moscow to receive a passport. I saw that she was bothered by close attention strangers, although she endured everything steadfastly. And she clearly doesn’t want to be “Agutin - Varum + 1”. I like her self-esteem.
— In February, Lisa will turn 15. Do you perceive her as a child or as a girl?
Angelica: As an adult, of course. She already has a boyfriend (I hope my daughter won’t be offended that I revealed this secret). I know that it is important for her that the person is smart and has a good sense of humor. And in this sense, she was lucky with Stone. He is two years older and, in my opinion, a good musician.
Leonid: I'm afraid for Lisa. In my mind I understand that everything is fine with her. She created a rock band and composes songs. We have a talented and intelligent daughter beyond her years, very emotional, sensitive... I am so afraid of everything that awaits her: first love, a broken heart, and worries. Her buddy Stone is naturally a guitarist and naturally hairy. He drives a dead 1967 Mercedes, which is manually started. How not to worry about your girl? Although when I was her age, my life was full of rock and roll. Poor mom! (Laughs.)
Angelica: Recently our grandmother alarmed everyone. She called: “Oh, something is wrong with Lisa and Stone. I do not know what to do. Call her". I should have waited, flown in, taken a closer look, and only then tried to talk, but I couldn’t stand it, I called and heard: “Mom, calm down. You're scaring me. Don’t talk to me about this - I’ll figure it out myself.”
— Can your daughter be rude to you?
Angelica: Never to any of us. But she knows how to manipulate dad very well. And he does it so subtly that he doesn’t even notice and reacts to his daughter like a rabbit to a boa constrictor.
- Which of you is preparing your daughter for adult life? Who talks about relationships between men and women? Or let her figure it out on her own?
Angelica: Everyone controls her: her grandmother, her grandfather, and Lenya and I. When Lisa fell in love for the first time, she told me this: “Mom, I’m tired of endless thoughts about him, I want to live like before.” To which I answered her: “Believe me, that the music and poetry that you write during this period will be the brightest. When there is emptiness in the heart, there is nothing to sing or write about.” And this conversation was enough for now.
— How often do you go to see your daughter?
Angelica: Five or six times a year. A month and a half in winter, and then on-and-off. I watch her all the time: she’s sociable, she posts photos, songs, and videos online. When she feels bad or something doesn’t work out, and I feel it, I approach quietly, like a cat to a sick person, start conversations on unrelated topics, and she gradually comes up with a conversation that is important to her.
— It’s often like this: parents only monitor grades and whether the child has eaten or not. There is absolutely no time for heart-to-heart conversations.
Angelica: This is the best case scenario. And in the worst case: clean the bedside table, do laundry, go to the store... I remember, as a child, I felt like Cinderella. We lived in Lvov, where hot water they gave me twice a day, and while my mother was at work, I had to wash all the dishes, do laundry, stand in line for six hours butter. I was terribly offended, it seemed to me that my childhood had been taken away from me.
It ended with the fact that from the age of 16 until almost the birth of Lisa, my mother and I had a rather cool relationship. Now I am ready to cry burning tears, having understood my mother and her difficult life situation. I didn’t have enough brains, experience and time to support her. But she is amazing to me. I base our communication with Lisa on the basis of my own negative childhood experience, but I still have to insist on some things related to the household.
— Has Lisa’s teenage self-expression already passed? You said that she dyed her luxurious brown hair either “cherry” or “crow’s wing”.
Angelica: It passed, fortunately. But when it started, I was terrified. Lisa has plump lips, like Lenka’s, and when she painted them with red lipstick, she put on short skirt, torn tights and over the knee boots, I felt scared. Can you imagine: the child is only 13 years old!
I understood that it was useless to fight, you couldn’t solve the problem with violence, you had to survive this hormonal explosion. Besides, what is the basis of my indignation? If you look at it, it’s just awkwardness in front of society. But putting pressure on your daughter for your own peace of mind is a crime.
When Lisa flew to Moscow, I still had to say: “If possible, don’t paint your lips, because our audience won’t understand it. This is how we only paint girls lung behavior." She replied: “Okay, mom, no question.” Now the story with war paint, thank God, is over. She still likes an aggressive rock style, but she practically does not use makeup. And we also moved away from the terrible beetroot shade of hair. Fortunately, I managed to talk Lisa out: “Let's try to change the hair color. If you don’t like it, don’t do it: no, no trial.” My hairdresser Diana somehow found her mutual language, and, to my surprise, Lisa easily agreed to switch to a soft natural color. Although before this it sounded like a categorical no.
- What did daddy say to his daughter?
Angelica: Dad was indignant because she was ruining her gorgeous curly blond hair. She wants to hear only good things from her dad - an extremely enthusiastic “wow.”
Leonid: Lisa has wonderful taste, but she, like any person who is in search, sometimes gets lost. When she wore red hair, it seemed to her that it was so rock and roll. I understood what she wanted to say, but from the outside I saw: there was no special feature in her appearance - it was just ugly. She ruined her hair and looked bad, nothing more. I had to fight. He said this: “Don’t wear makeup, but until you start playing the guitar cool, nothing will help you stand out from the crowd. And for the life of me, a light natural color suits you, but this one doesn’t!”
This is such a fatherly tediousness, but what can you do, you don’t always give sweets. She responded: “Well, that’s understandable, dad.” She was probably offended, but who will tell her the truth except me?
Angelica: Lisa has my character, so there can be no criticism of her. Lenya did not understand this right away. I always tried to support Lisa, to find something positive in her experiments. She draws well and was talented at doing her smoky eyes makeup. “Lisa, super! The eyes are beautiful today,” I said, suppressing my protest. At the end of the day, the most important thing is to avoid serious bad habits.
— For Russia, this topic is extremely topical. Angelica, you cannot tolerate alcohol at all. And how do you react if your husband drinks?
Angelica: When we met, Lenya was already an accomplished man with his own bad and good habits, and not a 15-year-old boy.
Until a man drinks his sea, he cannot be stopped. Everything should come to naught on its own. But we have resolved this issue. Lenya, when he wants to party, goes to the studio in Tver, where he arranges sessions with the musicians. Lenka doesn’t know how to go out for a long time, but he has a ge-hey - for two or three days. Of course, half a person returns home. (Laughs.) I will resuscitate him, and then he will be my beloved husband again.
But if some spontaneous things arise: friends’ birthdays, weddings, then I prefer to keep my distance from him - I practically never go to groups where they drink.
Angelica: Yes, all the talk is about this. I’m even a little jealous, because usually at home we talk about joint creative plans.
Of course, this project is absolutely amazing, amazing. But I decided to watch the second season on the Internet when the winner is already known. To calmly enjoy the spectacle without nerves. I got so sick in the first season! By nature I am very gambling. I remember when Lena had to break up with Artem Kacharyan, she cried for 40 minutes.
— Leonid said that you set a condition for him: he would expel participant Anna Rizman, nicknamed Pompon, from the project - he would not let him go home. But Anna - a bright, charismatic girl - was nevertheless expelled... So they allowed her husband home?
— By the way, after Pom-Pom I told Lenka that I still feed her borscht, but I’m not looking at the project yet. If it had been called "Charisma", there would have been different finalists. Still, they remember the sensational story with Sevara. Lenya was then pecked to death.
— Leonid, why was Sevara removed?
Leonid: I’ll tell you one thing: what does an artist need? Be popular. Right? Sevara is the most popular person on the project. Now think about what I did wrong. In my opinion, that's all true.
Leonid: There are no idiots among my friends, thank God. Sometimes girls write on Facebook: “I want to participate in “The Voice.” I answer: “Participate.” Elina Chaga was on my team, and I accidentally saw her photo with a microphone on Facebook and thought to myself: I’m curious, is she a singer or just sings karaoke? It would be nice if the singer is so interesting. Two weeks later, at the audition, I turn around and see that it’s her. I was very surprised.
— Why didn’t you recognize your backing vocalist Angelina Sergeeva by her voice?
Leonid: I've never heard her sing solo. Moreover, she sang Spanish and Cuban songs for me, but here she came out with a Soviet one. I suspect that she just wanted to get to Gradsky and definitely chose a song that I would not turn my attention to one hundred percent, but Gradsky would react to. The calculation is correct.
— Angelica, would you agree, if you were called, to become a mentor for “The Voice”?
Angelica: I think no. I could create bright team, but I wouldn’t have enough self-control - my heart worries about everything that happens. Recently she starred in four programs “ Fashionable verdict“, and not once did I manage to stay within the framework of the format and remain in the role of a beautiful defender.
— Women also get it from Nadezhda Babkina. It's even more interesting to watch.
Angelica: Babkina is always positive, but it can be difficult for me to hide my indignation. For example, I have a complex attitude towards female victims. I cannot understand how one can live for decades in the status of an unloved woman, enduring the bullying and humiliation of an unloved husband.
- Maybe it's the matter square meters or in money?
Angelica: Sacrificing your health and self-respect for the sake of some meters is idiocy. You can go to work, rent a room, be independent and enjoy life. In a word, I couldn’t restrain myself at “The Verdict”, I left my image, I don’t know what will come of it on air. I understand that it is absurd to react so emotionally, but my explosive nature sometimes bothers me.
“You can’t tell from the outside... You seem so peaceful.”
Angelica: It’s very funny when people perceive me as such a calm cat. This means that the years of work on oneself were not in vain. I honestly worked on this half-asleep, phlegmatic image for ten years!
- For what? To look better when paired with your husband?
Angelica: I intuitively felt that Lenka was tired of my leadership.
- And when did it end?
Angelica: It's not over - I'm masking it. When we started having disagreements, I went to my room and sorted out the situation. And every time I realized that it was difficult to live with a character like me. Of course, I didn’t stop arguing and insisting on my own, but the degree became lower.
- So this is the secret of your strong union! This year you celebrated your 13th wedding anniversary.
Angelica: Lenya remembers all our dates better. I only know that we have been together for 17 years, and got married when Lisa was one year old.
- Why not earlier?
Angelica: I didn't want to get married at all. And she didn’t consider Lenya as a husband. When I realized that I was expecting a child, Lenya said: “We’ll get married. What, will my child grow up without a father? No, that won’t do.” I resisted for a long time, and suddenly Lenya fell silent on this topic. It even bothered me. “Laziness, why don’t you say anything about the wedding?” - I ask. He replies: “I’m waiting.” Then I agreed: “Okay, go ahead.”
— You were awarded the Order of “Service to Art” of the first degree with the wording: “For the strength of the union promoting family values" If family happiness is kneaded like dough, what ingredients can’t you do without?
Angelica: It’s very touching about the orders! You should have read the wording before receiving them. If I start talking about family happiness, it will turn out banal. And yet, friendship is at the forefront. Not love, not passion, but friendship. And now everything else is inside her: mutual understanding and the ability to forgive.
— Leonid, what is important to you in the union?
Leonid: Everyone finds what they are looking for. It happens that a man falls in love with a woman, he likes everything about her: her figure, her hair, her eyes, her way of speaking, her smell. But when the passion ends, he already lacks something, he doesn’t want to go home and live with this woman. And he understands that he should not have built a nest with her, but simply met at the hotel. I personally feel very comfortable in Manya’s and my home. I feel like a baby in warm water. We have long been like brother and sister, family and friends, a single organism. But at the same time, we are also lovers. It’s so good to lie down on the sofa in the evening, intertwine your tails, watch a movie...
So, seriously, when you don’t talk for days, we fight twice in our lives. Little things don't count. For some reason, I vividly remember all those situations when my wife won back her rights, changed me and the rules of our life. She said: “We can’t go on like this, it’s already the limit, it’s hard for me.” The question was not posed bluntly - for example, either your friends, or me, or some other nonsense. But she could say it in such a way that I understood: she really couldn’t stand it all anymore. And the so-called friends, and the huge amount of work that I grabbed, and addictions... But this woman is everything to me! So, dude, we need to change. In response, naturally, like any man, I resisted: like steppe wolves They don’t just give up their territory. (Laughs.)
-What do your quarrels look like?
Angelica: There are no quarrels. Demonstrative grievances - yes. Be silent, sulk.
- For what? To make a person feel remorse?
Angelica: Certainly. What else is it for? That's mostly what I do. Lenka less often. He'd better scream. But I'm always right. And then he gets tired of being offended and comes up: okay, let’s talk. We sit down and explain to each other why we were offended. This is very useful, in silence we take a break from each other, and in conversation we find out that being together is more comfortable than being apart.
If we talk about quarrels over trifles, then each of our shoots ends in a passionate showdown. (Laughs.) Lenya is trying to put on his favorite jeans and somehow have fun with himself, but my persistence prevents him. I am very pleased that we managed to pull him out of the “Cossacks” and bright shirts and dress him in more traditional suits. Although he is depressed, he believes that he has become like a clerk.
Leonid: I always wore “Cossacks” - in summer and winter, like a real cowboy. They are comfortable! But Manya says: “This is impossible - you look like a pithecanthropus.” Actually, I always get ready for filming myself, but sometimes I ask on my own: “How do you like it?” If you don't ask, the wife will remain silent. But since you asked the question, endure the terrible stupid conversation: “To be honest, this doesn’t go with this.” But such words anger me, and the conflict slowly develops. “If you want, I won’t say anything at all, you’re asking yourself,” the wife is offended. But even if she is right, I have to make a scandal just in case, because my dignity is offended. How so? Am I some kind of loser? By the way, at one time I was the standard of style; the whole country dressed like me: bell-bottoms, bright shirts. I was one of those who brought the hippie style back into fashion. I did a lot of things without prompting. Not to say that I have bad taste.
In general, you know, in my life there was no person with the same influence as my wife. Neither the school head teacher, nor my mother, nor the head of the border post - no one could cope with me. Manya is the only person on earth who has such power.
— Crises family life manifest themselves in the fact that spouses feel alienated, although they continue to love each other. Does this happen to you?
Angelica: Alienation - no. First of all, because we are in the same business and are friends.
In difficult moments, work always saved us. Whether you quarrel or not, you still have to go on stage and sing a duet, eye to eye...
When the Jurmala episode happened in our lives (Lenya calls it “my most popular video”) - you probably know what I’m talking about - I refused to perform duet songs for a month. This was one of the most serious crises. We didn’t go on stage together, although we held joint concerts.
— In his interview on this topic, Leonid said that after what happened you spoke very emotionally, went to your mother...
Angelica: Let him think that he is going to his mother. (Laughs.) Of course, I spoke out emotionally, but quite delicately. There were no screams, no insults and no women's hysterics. Only fear that this is the end. I didn’t understand what to do: I couldn’t stay - my pride wouldn’t allow me, and I couldn’t lose my family either. I took a break to figure out what I want and how I should live with it. But, despite the strong offense, she quickly came to her senses. I talked to both mom and dad. We are very close with our parents. And all these conversations helped a lot. Mom said: “Calm down, what are you talking about, what can’t happen!” And dad too: “Well, Marusya, why are you making a tragedy out of it? The man was drunk and was horrified by the publicity of the scandal. Lenya is an intelligent person..."
And I realized that a story in which pride wins common sense, not mine. I am an independent and independent person. And I always built my life so as not to be afraid of anything. For me, fear is equal to death.
— Angelica, in difficult times life situations Do you often turn to your parents for help?
Angelica: No, this episode was an exception. I'm a fighter by nature. As a rule, I don’t need advice; I’m used to figuring out all my affairs myself. And so far there has not been a situation that would drive me into a dead end and a state of despair.
— I wonder what wish you will make when the chimes strike?
Angelica: From year to year we have a set of identical desires, and they all relate to family. We write on a piece of paper, burn it, drown the ashes in champagne and drink. We ask for something intangible: why bother fortune once again? We ask that our family be healthy and happy and stay close to us. We don't want to change anything in our lives.
December 7, 2013, 10:06 pmInterviewed by Andrey Konyaev.
“I have the tastes of my fellow citizens in my ears.”
Leonid Agutin told Lenta.ru about compromises, music for the people and “The Voice”
On Sunday, December 8, at Crocus City Hall there will be a concert Leonid Agutin, dedicated to his 45th anniversary. A couple of weeks before, the singer released new album“The Secret of Glued Pages”, so at the concert, in addition to old things, completely new songs will be performed. However, now Agutin’s pop popularity has been overshadowed by television success - the singer, as one of the mentors, participates in vocal show Channel One "Voice". Lenta.ru talked to Leonid Agutin and found out why people in Russia don’t like the major key so much and why domestic listeners are indifferent to Whitney Houston songs performed by Russian singers.
In an interview with Lenta.ru, Leonid Agutin talked about how he composes and records his music. At the same time, according to the singer, the tastes of Russians often force him to make compromises - to simplify own compositions to an “edible” form. Agutin also explained why it is difficult for a domestic artist to enter the Western music market - it turned out that the artist’s own vanity is not the last obstacle on this path. Finally, Agutin told where the talented winners go various kinds vocal competitions and why “The Voice” is a kind of musical Olympics.
Leonid Agutin: On the first day it was in second position on iTunes. And now I don’t even know, I didn’t ask.
In your Lately there are a lot of discs coming out. It seems like there are three this year alone?
Well, I haven’t had a break before for more than three years. But then it seemed like it had burst. I actually did a lot of things this year.
Tell us more?
I had an anniversary concert in Jurmala, thirty-two numbers - everything had to be prepared, new versions for each song had to be written, forty artists had to be assembled and rehearsed with them. In my opinion, it was a landmark event: a three-hour live broadcast on central television, an absolutely live concert. And it went without any problems, simply amazing! A big live concert is not only a rarity for us, but also in the West this rarely happens, because the concerts that we watch on DVD, live concerts, are still edited, mixed, sometimes even rewritten.
And in addition to the concert, there was also recording of a record, preparation for another anniversary concert, already at Crocus City Hall. There are also many numbers to be prepared there. “The Voice” takes up a lot of time.
Where was the album written? Where did they mix it?
We recorded in Tver, where most of my records are, in the SALAM studio. I’ve been working there since ’91, that is, 22 years already. Before I came to them, I only recorded two records - although some records, cassettes - I recorded. But I couldn’t find my sound comrades so that they could create with me, and not just work out time. In general, I found these guys who, without you, good stuff They won’t let me go, in Tver.
Now I can often record some individual tracks in Moscow - you don’t come to Tver all the time. Or we can mix in the States. But the beginning of the process, the creation of the arrangement still takes place in Tver, because I’m used to it. The walls there are original, there I lock myself in for two or three days and give them out.
Well, did you have any references?
Naturally. Every musician has a set of techniques, familiar modes, and tricks. I took Latin, country and blues techniques as a basis. All this was put on its own melodic texture, the result was a symbiosis. But in the end, it was still impossible to do something similar to someone in particular, because pop music is the most difficult genre. It’s good if there is a guitarist who is almost like Paco de Lucia, but at the same time does not copy him completely, but does something of his own. I was lucky to find such a musician. This is Sascha Oltzman, who played all the guitars on the first record. He once worked in the group “Singing Hearts,” in which my dad was the director and tour manager. Sasha remembered me when I was little, and then I met him by chance and asked him to help. And he says: “You can’t imagine, I spent three years in a Spanish pub and got my hands on flamenco, I’ll definitely help you!” I was happy, but I admit, I didn’t expect the level he showed. He's just a genius. And at the same time he plays flamenco, but completely in our way, in Russian.
When you say that, I imagine Am-F-C-E played in a flamenco rhythm.
Well, not to such an extent in our opinion ( laughs). So that you understand what level of musician he is, I’ll tell you a story. In 1994, we filmed the video for “The One Who [Wouldn’t Be Waiting for]” in Spain. We had a free day (it was in Barcelona) and we went to have lunch at Old city. We found a typical tourist place there. A guitarist is sitting there playing, flamenco dancing.
The guitarist played very well, and I asked if maybe he could play with our guitarist. They explained to us that this was impossible, that he had a professional instrument, in general, no way. We sat, began to get ready, and ran into this guitarist in the wardrobe. His workday is also over. And one day Sasha asked him for a guitar just to try it out. And then we sat in this wardrobe for two hours, playing. The guitarist was simply stunned: a man from Moscow, and he plays flamenco...
Fine. How do you perceive your work in the context of the world?
It is very difficult for me to perceive my work in a global context. I am still a person of complete compromises. I was brought up on formats, on Russian radio. I have the tastes of my fellow citizens in my ears. That is, sometimes I have to feel sorry for the audience somewhere, to conclude something in four quarters that could have been done in five. Or simplify some things. Backtrack a little into the complex bridge, and then return to the edible chorus. Just to remember.
I had attempts, even quite successful for the music I made, to enter the international market. Cosmopolitan Life and I once sold very well in Germany. Very good. But I made a mistake and followed the lead of a German producer, who offered to distribute the disc around the world. As a result, large amounts of money were spent on promoting the disc in different countries. It was stupid. We should have grabbed hold of the country that was doing well and put the squeeze on it, but we didn’t do that. But we decided that this is still normal, and we need to conquer Italy, Eastern Europe, America.
Did vanity play a role?
Yes, vanity played its bad role. But it was necessary to become, say, touring performers for one particular European country. And then think about what to do next. Until the release of the next record.
But what happened, happened. It is impossible to enter this river a second time. In general, we had a difficult time with that album: for intellectuals it’s pop music, but for pop music lovers it’s too complicated. It was not clear what to promote through. Not MTV or jazz festivals, that's what it is? Mexican music is usually played on radio stations that play regular country Latin music. That is, completely in a genre where you can’t get into, because you have an accent, because you don’t do things exactly like them, but you need to do things just like them.
When I listen to some Mexican radio, I understand that I, guys, compared to you are just Beethoven, or rather Mozart, any of my songs will be at least something new for you. The song “Island” should be a super hit for you, because none of you even approximately came up with such a song. You are so predictable, everything is terrible, you are even afraid to deviate left or right. But that’s who they are, they don’t need “another” song, they need their own, so that the 180th is similar to the 179th song. And that’s what they like, and that’s what they get pleasure from.
What about digital distribution methods?
You still have to start from scratch. I now have many offers, in particular from the States. Of course, now you don't need to be a young person who Sony takes on a big budget. Now it doesn’t matter how old you are, it doesn’t matter what you play, you will find your consumer. Now, they say, you will sell twenty thousand records and you will already have gold, because this is very cool. But I say: “I’m too old for this.”
You are only 45 years old, why suddenly “I’m too old for this”?
Yes, but I'm terribly lazy to start proving it again. Again, all these tutors, singing in English. I’m constantly proving something here - music is not easy, I’m tormented by the fact that it’s hard to do something mass-produced. But they still know me here. There are a lot of artists in the States who are seventy and popular, but they were once popular at twenty. No one starts from scratch. And I would also like to produce someone myself.
Well, you yourself complained about compromises. And there they could try something new. We would not limit ourselves to the opinions of listeners.
This is almost word for word the arguments of those who are trying to persuade me to leave. They say that there you can, without thinking about the format, do it as you want. Like, you have a lot of Russian fans, they will understand. I explain to them that Russians are structured differently. Russians don't need a record on English language. You know, when Marc Anthony recorded a rather average, drab record (with electronic pipes), he performed with it at Madison Square Garden. So, he packed two full Madison Square Gardens. 90 percent of them were Latinos, who didn’t care that they didn’t play live! A man sings in Spanish in America, he’s ours, we’ll come and say “Viva Cuba!” Viva Argentina!
Russians say it a little differently: “Oh, you might think, you might think, well, I don’t know, now you’ll be a star in America!” There is no such thing as: “Ours, here we are for him now!” Ours must know its place. Sing in Russian, don't start this show off. For an American, your accent will be funny, cute, but for a Russian it will be its own, Russian, they don’t like it. There’s no need for this, just go ahead, do what you do and don’t show off, please.
It seems to me that all the time! ( laughs). I constantly think about the project. It’s not even a matter of how much time it takes to rehearse, but the fact that your head is constantly in the process. It’s quite difficult to put together all these programs so that the numbers are interesting and each person from my team is presented in a favorable light
Do you set yourself the same goal - to represent everyone?
Yes, sure. It is very important to me that the guys get the most out of this project. It should become an event for each of them. Well, as I said, I want to work with some of them later. I won’t name names now, otherwise the geniuses themselves may not want to.
Does the attention to you from foreigners have anything to do with your participation in “The Voice”?
Yes, this is a global network, a corporation. If you participate in this project, then it is considered that you are a recognized person in your country, and that’s cool. You need to understand that judges in different countries always sit in approximately the same order. That is, Gradsky sits in the place where Tom Jones sits, Dima Bilan sits in the place where someone from R&B or rap music sits. There is always only one woman on the jury, and I sit in the place of the pro, about my age, that is, about 40 years old. This is necessarily, regardless of the country, the far left seat.
Recently I was in Miami, at the Criteria Hit Factory studio (I helped my daughter record an album, her band is Without Gravity). Everyone knows me well there. And so, when we were recording, the studio chief came running and said: “Voice, you’re great, I saw everything.” They don’t care, and in Iran there is also a Voice, no matter where. They don’t just hire you to this office, as they say.
I came up with a number, " Barefoot boy" will be in such a slow samba. There will be a huge unfolded bridge on Portuguese, which my whole team will sing in chorus. A minimum of twelve people are needed to make this sound. Better - more. This will be their participation, thank God, no one refused.
There are several other famous guests we can’t live without. I can’t sing “Airports”, I can sing it in concerts, but I can’t sing it on TV without Volodya ( Presnyakov - approx. "Tapes.ru"), simply not good, ugly, and boring.
Did you know that this song is quite popular in karaoke? Like “A Glass of Vodka” by Leps or “Without You” by Mikhailov.
Yes, yes, I know. There was a whole story with this song - we whole year carried on radio stations. The radio stations said: “What are you talking about? Dark forest! What are you, rock? It's complicated". There's a major key, then a chorus in minor key.
To push this song, Volodya and I went with her for almost a year to all the filming in Ostankino, to all these Days of National Economy Workers, prefabricated hodgepodges under plywood. We showed the video, my director wore the song on the radio for six months. As a result, she became popular because of television. Then they took her on the radio and bam - “Golden Gramophone”!
And then a couple of years pass, I carry new song- “The time of the last romantics.” And what do they tell me? Right. That it’s difficult, no, it’s not necessary.
You said about the major. With us folk music either sad or very sad. Look, even funny children's songs - “They teach at school”, “The Blue Car”, about a wizard and Gena’s birthday - all in a minor key.
In our country we have a very strange attitude towards the major. It’s branded, it’s musical, it’s modern to make sad ballads in a major key. “Airport”, in principle, also gravitates toward a major key. But there is a minor chorus. If there is no minor chorus, that's it, nothing will work. But I have songs - “The Time of the Last Romantics”, “Toys”, so they are in full major. Pure, signature major: blues moves, lowered steps, a tendency towards some kind of expanded chords. But for some reason this kind of music has not taken root in our country...
How do you feel about Internet piracy?
How should I feel about piracy? No way. Yes, this shouldn’t interest me. This is beyond my competence.
That is, if you see your song on someone’s wall on Vkontakte, you, unlike Sergei Lazarev, do not feel horror?
No, I can experience this horror if I have already reached an agreement with the release company, and the song appeared before the album was released. This, of course, is wrong - they will also think that I did it, leaked it. And I have a contract. And everything else is not my concern, but the concern of the producing company, let them worry.
And, to be honest, I didn’t notice that they listened to a lot of music on Facebook. Mostly they look at the photos. They might appreciate the poem. And I’m not on other social networks.
I don’t know myself, but I probably don’t want to. There must be another person who will do everything in a new way. I'm afraid I'll get bored, but I basically did what I could. Did well. Someone needs to replace me.
Yes, and it’s mentally hard for me - every six months. The first half of the year I prepared Jurmala, the second I worked on “The Voice”. When to live?
How do you like the second season?
Good, successful and stronger than the first. This is a competition for professionals, but what's the fun then? This is not a “Star Factory”; they don’t teach you how to sing here. Here, in the first round, only those who can sing are selected. Who can sing? Who has experience?
Was it easier when people were chosen in a blind round? Have you ever imagined who you would pair up?
No, I didn't. I don’t have a principle: take the skeleton and then throw it away. This is not good, in my opinion. I recruited everyone absolutely intelligently. Then it’s very difficult to part, but nothing can be done. I spend a lot of time on psychological training so that they understand that we are doing a concert, we are doing a show. The main thing is to be part of something very good. This is more important than being the best at home, within four walls. That even performing with the best once or twice is already very cool.
There is the singer Nyusha, who won “STS Lights Up a Superstar.” She didn’t disappear at corporate parties and even seems to be singing. But she sings at 10 percent of her capabilities - after all, she can do the blues, and in general. What do you think will happen next with the participants of “The Voice”?
Blues, jazz, soul, funk, r&b and very strong, powerful voices- this is the same for us as sports competition. This is perceived only within the framework of the competition. While the competition is going on, it is very important who can sing Whitney Houston better. And everyone who loves chanson, who loves Russian rock, who loves Russian pop music, gathers during this Olympics, the Russian Voice Championships - they are interested, they like it. But as soon as the competition ends, no one needs Whitney Houston anymore.
It is very strange. We have quite a lot of foreign music.
That's what I talked about. They can, but ours can’t. Simply Red come and assemble the Olympic. Simply Red. Melodious but complex. But quite simple for me. For me this is elementary. I can do it just like this. ( Snaps his fingers). But I can't do this. No thanks man, that's what Simply Red is for.
And what's the reason?
This is a question I cannot answer. I just know that it is so. And at the same time they constantly say: we can’t do that. How can we do this if you, the listeners, don’t allow us to do this, you don’t want to hear it from us? The radio doesn't take this from us. We want to do something more complicated - even the same three chords, but taken differently, pressed in a different rhythm, done in a different harmony. But you want to listen to what you are used to. How can we become stars without doing what you're used to? We can not. With our intelligence and talent, sit at home and shout "I unrecognized genius!” We refuse, guys. And if you want to listen to this, then we use our techniques that we know, more or less interspersing them with yours, but without humiliating ourselves too much, so that you can understand.
Let's say you are an engineer. They will ask you: are you a good engineer? And you respond like this: they just haven’t understood me yet, that’s why I haven’t built anything. How? That means you're a bad engineer. The more you get, the better you do your job. That's why we have to do it this way.
It's a vicious circle. As for cultural acquisitions, everything is gradual, little by little: this song became a hit, but this one didn’t. You didn’t spend anything on this one, which was a hit, it just took off, but on this one you spent eighty thousand dollars on a video. It was shown for two weeks and that’s it. But she is in my life. This is my job, and there are those five percent of listeners who paid attention to this - they felt less sad, those who understand. Still, we have something like that, something sacred. The artist has it, you know. I am obliged to pamper these people, who are not remunerated, although it costs me money. But I make up for it with some other things. That's all. A song about a driver, for example.
Here you are at 45. Where do you see yourself in another 25 years?
Don't know. The main thing is not in a coffin.
Well, for example, where will you live? Here? You have a daughter in America. Will he come to mom and dad, like to a village, to Russia?
Very complex issue. Life changes quickly. I just want my children to live without global upheavals that could turn them forever into the worst side. And that's the main thing I want.
Are you going to bring her back to Russia?
No. I just don’t want to go and change everything about it now, at this stage. Thank God, she doesn’t forget Russian, that’s the only thing I ask of her now. Otherwise, life goes on, if she herself wants to come at twenty, she will come. I won’t touch it on principle, so that there are no shocks. Including political ones.
She's there with her grandparents. Aren't you worried about her?
Of course I'm worried. I don’t want anyone to hurt her, someone to break her heart. I think any father worries about his child.
I remember myself at 15 years old, I was sure that I was smarter than my parents. Like, help me here, and then I’ll do it myself. She's exactly the same. You know, I really wanted a son, but I got a daughter, with all the abilities that I would like to see in a son. And maybe this is better than if a son were born, but with a different character, mind, and so on. At the same time, I am very worried about her, because I see in her all the same complexes, some dangerous tricks that she can run into throughout life. Her openness, her warmth, her attitude towards people, her vulnerability, her constant creative state, her state of living in an imaginary world.
All this is difficult and dangerous, and even more dangerous for a girl than it was for me, for a boy. I don’t know where all this will lead, I don’t know who she will become, what career she will choose. Perhaps she will not be a musician at all. She actually has very powerful literary abilities. The fact that she writes lyrics is one thing. But she also writes prose, her teachers even specially called me to school and said that she should study literature more closely. She has talent, she can start writing seriously soon. Again in English. It's hard to go through this. I myself am a person who works with words and well knowledgeable in literature and history. She cannot understand in detail what I am doing, and I cannot understand in detail what she is doing. It's not very...
Do you listen to modern music?
No, I don’t follow, I listen to whatever comes up. Mostly near-jazz music and, to be honest, more old stuff.
Do you follow politics and economics? Are you reading the news?
Well, yes, I'm an adult. For example, Ukraine is a very important country for me. I am, of course, scared about what is happening there. But politics is a very long and serious conversation. Probably even more than we talked about. They just call me, I have to go.
Musician Leonid Agutin's interview with video blogger Yuri Dudu caused a lot of noise. The artist kept pouring out revelations - he told how, after a hellish drinking binge, he got into a fight in an American strip club, and recalled sex games with his wife. “I decided that I needed to experiment in the bathroom, and I almost drowned my wife. That was funny. I could barely pump it out, really. There is something to remember,” for example, the artist admitted. In short, the interview caused a great resonance. And how does the singer himself evaluate it?
ON THIS TOPIC
“Very popular on the Internet and, what can I say, a talented young journalist,” Leonid shared his impressions of the meeting. “Already an iconic figure of the present time. He didn’t quite go to his field. I’m not a dissident, not rock, not rap, and not a desperate swearer In general, there is nothing honest about me. I admit: I agreed because the program was very popular. Of course, it was not without provocations, slippery topics and political issues, which I hate to discuss. As a result, I received a lot of negativity, although I myself. Yura is a polite and well-mannered person. It’s just impossible to be good to everyone.”
“To be completely honest, I really wanted to see how it happens. To feel it for myself once, when in a day a program with your participation is watched by 3,000,000 people and given 70,000 likes. True, there are also 10,000 dislikes. But these too people enjoyed it. Because not loving, being irritated and considering oneself smarter is also an emotion. The main thing is that I had to sing this so that so many people would watch me on YouTube in a day?! I don’t have such shocking songs,” the artist concluded. .
