Alla Pugacheva, the prima donna of the Soviet and then Russian stage, celebrated her anniversary – on April 15 she turned 75 years old. Five years ago, Pugacheva performed on the stage of the State Kremlin Palace, and Vladimir Putin congratulated her on her anniversary. But after the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Pugacheva left the country, her husband Maxim Galkin was recognized as a “foreign agent,” and the artist herself spoke out in support of him and against the war. Since then, pro-Kremlin media, previously obsequious, have written about Pugacheva only in a negative way.
“Abandoned and forgotten by everyone: Alla Pugacheva’s 75th birthday turned into a real disaster” is a fresh title “Komsomolskaya Pravda”. Pro-Kremlin media have been throwing mud at Pugacheva for a year and a half now: discussing her appearance, her husband and potential tragedies that could befall the singer after leaving Russia. However, this is hardly new for Pugacheva – she trolled the newspapers and in Soviet times.
They tried to persecute Pugacheva even under Brezhnev: she was also criticized for her appearance, manner of performance and, as she and her entourage later said, “hated for her colossal success.” After the singer performed a three-hour concert in Paris, according to her concert director, officials were afraid that she would emigrate from the Soviet Union, and began to put pressure on her with the help of the press. Later she said that she was in despair: “There was no strength,” told She subsequently admitted in an interview with Vladimir Pozner that if the pressure had increased, she might have had to leave the country. But this did not happen.
Alla Pugacheva on the stage of the Olympic Stadium in 1984. Photo: TASS
Pugacheva did not have highly social songs, but her popularity was such that she was listened to more than many public figures. Moreover, she allowed herself political satire. In an interview with CNN When asked how perestroika affected her, she stated: “But I always liked perestroika and glasnost.” In addition, Pugacheva always said that she did not go to bow to officials: “I was not friends with anyone [из правительственных чиновников], I didn’t go to bow to them, they didn’t come to me. I did my job honestly. I knew that my address was the people gathered in the hall. If someone from the government was sitting in the hall, he turned into a spectator for me. That’s all”.
Alla Pugacheva and artists of the Swedish group Herreys on Red Square in 1985. Photo: TASS
Pugacheva always occupied anti-militarist position – be it the Chechen wars or the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Alla Pugacheva did not speak openly about the annexation of Crimea and the start of the war between Russia and Ukraine in 2014, but she sang anti-war songs and never came to Donbass or Crimea after the annexation.
For six months since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Alla Pugacheva maintained a very eloquent silence. She did not give interviews, but left the country, closed her Russian business, went to concerts by anti-war artists and participated in a festival organized by Laima Vaikule dedicated to supporting Ukraine.
At this time, the singer’s husband, artist Maxim Galkin, actively spoke out, for which he was added to the list of “foreign agents” in September 2022. And then Pugacheva spoke out: “I ask you to enroll me in the ranks of foreign agents of my beloved country, because I am in solidarity with my husband, an honest, decent and sincere person, a true and incorruptible patriot of Russia, who wishes the Motherland prosperity, peaceful life, freedom of speech and an end to the death of our children for illusory goals that make our country an outcast and make the lives of our citizens more difficult,” wrote artist on Instagram.
Alla Pugacheva with her husband Maxim Galkin, 2021. Photo: TASS
In Soviet times, there was a joke: they say that Brezhnev is a minor political figure of the Pugacheva era. After the singer entered into a confrontation with the modern Russian authorities, the joke was again remembered on social networks. Only Vladimir Putin became his hero instead of Brezhnev.
Russian propagandists, officials and deputies joined the fight against Pugacheva. On Instagram, the prima donnas are endless pro-Kremlin bots, but she doesn’t seem to care. Sometimes she answers another critic – for example, singer Stas Mikhailov, who recently predicted the return of anti-war artists to Russia on his knees.
In 2024, Alla Pugacheva does not give concerts in the Kremlin Palace, Russian politicians do not congratulate her on her anniversary, and federal television channels do not say anything about the singer. She herself speaksthat freedom is the main wealth, and that she will try to live until the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and truth over slander. And continues to release new songs.
