Interview with Vika Tsyganova. Vika Tsyganova

A beautiful and charismatic woman. With a bright temperament and a strong name - Victoria. A singer who is sincere in her songs, not intended for any specific audience. They are loved by a variety of people, often having nothing in common except that they are fans of Victoria Tsyganova, a singer who is honest about her work and loves it. And most importantly, he respects the audience and his talent.

We met Victoria in Moscow and went to the village of Myshetskoye, where she lives and speaks about with pride. About myself - very simply and not without irony and excitement - about my husband Vadim. Talking to Victoria is easy - no posture, no image, no condescension.

- Victoria, are you the captain’s daughter?

It turns out that way. I was born on October 28, 1963 in Khabarovsk. My mother is from there, and my dad is from near Leningrad. Having received a military education, he went to serve in the Far East, in the Pacific Fleet. My childhood was completely carefree; I grew up in a large, very friendly family. My grandmother had eight children, and I had three aunts, four uncles and many cousins. My grandparents built Komsomolsk-on-Amur, and then moved to Khabarovsk, and the street they built themselves was called Victory Street.

Victory Day was their favorite holiday, there was a good tradition: on May 9, near our house, under a huge spreading bird cherry tree, they set the table. All the relatives and neighbors gathered and brought food. Anyone passing along the street at that time could sit at our table, have a drink and a snack.

- Did your family love music?

Our family was very musical. Grandmother played spoons and balalaika. Grandfather plays the accordion and accordion. and they played a duet. I used to think that everyone should be able to do this. We arranged folk songs into voices and sang. It always seemed completely normal to me. Today I understand that singing, having hearing is a gift from God.

- How did your parents meet?

Mom was still in school at that time, and dad came to Khabarovsk on vacation, and they met at a dance. Dad told the poetic story of their meeting. Mom was buying a ticket to the dance floor, and then dad saw her. “She bent down to the cash register window, and the light was shining from it, I saw the snow-white face of this girl and was immediately captivated,” he recalled. My mother really was a very beautiful woman. And dad looked after him for a whole year, went to his parents, wrote letters and poems. And when my mother graduated from school, they immediately got married.

True, before that she entered a pedagogical school. This was the parental condition. But my grandparents immediately accepted my dad and loved him until the end of his days. My dad was a very cheerful, sociable person. Very kind and handy - he sewed our fur coats, hats, and made furniture himself. He could salt fish and tan skins. There were many other talents. Dad drew wonderfully, he had an absolute ear for music, he played the piano and guitar. And in a jazz band on lead guitar.

He was accepted into the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts without exams, but his grandfather, his father, was a very strict man and an avid communist. He said: “Yurka, all these composers, artists - they are drunkards. You will go to military school." And dad went. Although, of course, there are drunkards everywhere.

And at home we had paintings that my dad painted; he was amazing at landscapes and portraits. Above my bed hung a portrait of Beethoven redrawn by my dad. I fell asleep under his stern gaze. Then, when I was studying at music school, I looked at him all the time and he inspired me.

- Did you like studying?

Everything was very easy for me. I shouldn't have been forced to study. Of course, my favorite subject was literature. I have always written very good essays. And I still sometimes write essays, stories, and travel notes.

I always have a notepad with me, and sometimes I’ll sit down and write something. I try to train myself, not to be lazy. In general, my parents gave me good internal discipline.

- Didn’t your first love distract you from your studies?

It happened to me quite late, in my second year of college. I was already an adult young lady. Everyone already had fiancés, even children were born. And I only have my first love. He studied at our institute, now he has become a famous actor, plays in a very popular theater. At that time he was already married and had a child. Of course, I struggled with my love for a long time, cried, worried. I couldn’t break up my family - it’s not in my rules. But the Lord separated us, he graduated from college, and I was still studying. Then we corresponded, but not for long.

Before my second year, my first love somehow didn’t work out. The boys I went to school with were not interesting to me. In the music group where I sang, there were good guys who were obsessed with music, but to say that I was in love with any of them is not. These were more friendly hobbies.

- What kind of music did you perform in the ensemble?

The first songs I sang were written by Alexander Morozov. Thirty years later I met him and recorded the album “My Blue Flowers...”. And my debut song, which I sang in the eighth grade, was “Old Fire” to the words of Leonid Derbenev, whom I later also met.

- Are you an actress by training?

I graduated from the Far Eastern Institute of Arts with a degree in drama theater and film actress.

- Is it true that upon admission you sang the first verse of the song “Oh, the wide steppe” three times?

I just didn’t know the second verse. And the students who worked in the dean’s office told me that they usually don’t listen beyond the first verse, they stop me. Well, I went away reassured. I sing “Oh, you wide steppe.” I sang the first verse - they didn’t stop me. I think to myself: “Well, I’ll sing it again.” She sang again. Don't stop! I’m singing for the third time and I’m already falling silent. I ask: “Should I sing again?” The dean became indignant: “I didn’t stop you, so sing.” I was somehow scared, I said: “Well, I’ve already sung the same thing three times.” They were slightly embarrassed: “Okay, that’s enough then.”

Basically. I was accepted into the institute only for high marks in the certificate and for the second round. But the fact is that at the time of admission I suffered from terrible speech defects - I had a strong lisp and could not pronounce half of the hissing words. I have a naturally incorrect, very deep bite. Therefore, I was accepted into the institute, in general, in spite of myself. And this was my serious achievement. And when I sang later, the words of the listeners “What impeccable diction she has!” were great praise for me.

- How did you achieve such diction?

I went to a speech therapist for six months. Moreover, it was necessary to earn money for visits to the doctor. And while all the girls from my class were still sleeping, I woke up early in the morning and went to the theater, where I worked as a cleaner. I remember sometimes you’re walking, there’s such a wind, it’s cold. .. Once I slipped, fell, broke my butt, I’m sitting on the asphalt and crying. If I didn’t have time in the morning, I came to clean the offices in the evening, after the performance. It was quite late, the performance ended at the beginning of ten.

And it was scary - the theater was empty, it seemed that a werewolf or monster would appear from every wing. And the most unpleasant thing was that when people left the theater, rats came out. This is where the real horror began. The city is sea, and there are hordes of rats. And as soon as it became quiet, they scampered across my freshly washed floors - greasy. fattened, And I screamed in fear at the whole theater and ran away.

- Then you wanted to be an actress, not a singer?

I thought that I already knew how to sing, there was nothing left to teach me. Our institute had both vocal and music departments, and artists studied. And we all communicated with each other. They posed for artists, could sing in an operetta, and worked part-time in a choir with vocalists.

We went to the musicians for a session. The education was varied. And the theater was right next to the institute. But the most remarkable thing is that our institute was located in the same building with the regional party committee and we had a joint buffet. Therefore, they fed us very tasty. But, when I was already in my last year, this regional committee moved, and, accordingly, the buffet left with it, and we had to go across the road to the canteen of “Dalryba” - the Far Eastern administration.

- How did you finally start performing as a singer?

When I received my diploma. I needed to get a job somewhere. And just then one boy came to us. He was from Moscow and after the conservatory served in the Far Eastern orchestra. He came to the guys and said: “I can get them into a musical theater, I’m friends with the director, I know Khachaturian...” He also knew one of the leaders of the Jewish Chamber Musical Theater. I grabbed onto this because the theater belonged to the Far Eastern Department of Culture, was located in Birobidzhan, and the artists lived in Moscow.

And in my fourth year, I decided to go to the capital for the winter holidays. I think I’ll find this guy, maybe something will work out? I often visited Moscow and St. Petersburg, watched new productions, that’s how it was with us. We made money from Christmas trees and went to watch premieres.

I bought a ticket, arrived in the capital, and called this friend. We met, he brought me to Taganskaya Square to the Jewish Chamber Musical Theater. I showed up at the artistic council, they deliberated for a long time: somehow I sing unprofessionally. but such charisma, such temperament, everything is so convincing. And they took me. Naturally, I was jubilant. I didn’t even think about the fact that I had neither housing nor registration. That’s it - the road to Moscow is open, I thought. I arrived in the summer, rented an apartment, started working in this theater, and my happiness knew no bounds.

But then the situation changed: the Iron Curtain collapsed, the theater began to be invited to other countries. Our team was very small: 25 people including management. The first tour in Germany - and half of the troupe did not return. Then - Hungary. Yugoslavia, and the theater practically collapsed, and I was left without work.

Then there was the Youth Musical Theater. which belonged to the Magadan Philharmonic. I worked as a leading artist. I sang well alone, and there were a lot of vocal parts in the performances. And I received applause everywhere, they even gave me flowers. My first tour was along the Kolyma highway. And when they now scare me with Kolyma, Magadan. I say: “Well, guys!” Then we traveled all over Kolyma, performing at gold mines for prospectors. I remember these tours very well. It was freezing cold, we traveled in a PAZik or UAZ, slept on iron seats, and were frozen through.

And our stage was something like a barn with benches. A curtain like curtain, behind it are dressing rooms. toilet is outside. But we were paid well. When we arrived in Magadan after Kolyma, it seemed to me simply an earthly paradise. The room was warm and hot water was flowing. And so - just hills. We performed for prospectors and drove from mine to mine - we drove up to the canteen for prospectors, which means we stopped for a parking lot. And the store shelves looked like this: there was some piece of fat, margarine, frozen fish and gold - jewelry. You don’t have money for gold, and there’s nothing to eat. Romance!

- Was it at that time that you met your future husband?

I first heard about Vadim on one of these tours, to Sochi. I remember that in the morning, suddenly there was a revival in the team: “Oh, Vadim is coming!.. Tsyganov is coming!” But I didn’t know him, I thought: “Well, he’ll come - and okay.” The troupe consisted mainly of guys from GITIS. And there were about eight or nine of us in total - “Bremen” musicians. And the director was a very cunning guy. I worked as both an actress and a costume designer, and this director safely put my salary as a costume designer into his pocket, and paid me only the acting rate.

And then Vadim arrived and took everyone to eat barbecue. He has always been a wealthy man. Since childhood I knew how to make money. When he later told me how, as a teenager, he dived for fish under a hydroelectric power station in Volgodonsk and got some incredible catfish weighing a hundred kilograms, my heart bled.

I might never see my husband.

So: there was a lot of time left before the evening performance, and Vadim took everyone for a walk around Sochi. And I had to iron suits and comb my wigs. It was hot, the costumes became completely wet after each performance, and they simply had to be resuscitated. And my colleagues were walking and relaxing. And so everyone swam, ate, and returned. And this same Vadim throws his wet towel on my ironed suits... I wanted to strangle him. But I couldn’t because I was upset and crying. It was time for me to put on my makeup, but here I had to iron the costumes again.

In the evening, after the performance, there was a feast again, Vadik treated everyone to beer, wine, and barbecue. I remember that I had a small paper cup in which I asked him to pour me beer. This is how we met.

Then our director left for America, leaving us to our fate. I probably earned him a lot of money as a costume designer. (Laughs.) Our theater collapsed. Vadim appeared in my life a little later. Before that, a lot of things happened... At one time I worked in Ivanovo, and it so happened that everything began to collapse for me: career, work, love. The ground was disappearing from under our feet. I had a fight with my loved one and realized that it was forever. He committed a betrayal that I did not want and could not forgive.

I was very worried, and at that moment I was lucky to meet and work with Evgeny Pavlovich Leonov. This is a very bright page in my life. Previously, there were such “hacks” when famous artists came to the province and organized evenings and creative meetings. Yes, this still exists. And so Evgeniy Pavlovich and I also traveled to collective farms in the Ivanovo region and performed. People sat in padded jackets, hats, felt boots, and the halls were always full - such a great artist was received with a bang. I played two excerpts with him, and I’m very proud of it.

I also sang a song from “Belorussky Station”, and he really liked my performance. Leonov encouraged me all the time. Six years later, we accidentally met Evgeniy Pavlovich during a concert, and he called out to me in the voice of Winnie the Pooh, calling me by my maiden name: “Zhukova, where are you going?” I was so happy: “Do you remember me?” - “Well, what about it? You are my partner!”

We worked with Evgeniy Pavlovich for five days, three performances a day. Then he left, and I realized that I had nothing to do in the theater. There was no contact with the main director. I came to the theater when there was another director there - Efim Davydovich Tabachnikov, the man from whom I studied. He was well versed in Russian literature and drama, and was a truly creative person. And when he left, the new leader began to introduce his own laws. He was not an interesting director, and after Efim Davydovich he seemed like a white moth to me.

In addition, he did not behave quite decently towards me. At that time I was friends with Tatyana, a costume designer, she was a gypsy. I have been afraid of gypsies since childhood. My grandmother scared me with them, she said: “A gypsy cart will come, they will kidnap you, make you sing and steal.” I thought: I can still sing, but stealing is both incomprehensible and scary. How can I steal if I don’t know how?

And when I was alone, I looked out from under the gate and locked the bolt so that the gypsies wouldn’t steal it. But Tatyana destroyed my ideas about gypsies. She told me: “Vika, go to church, pray and light a candle to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.” It wasn’t entirely clear to me at the time, but I went.

There was no one in the church; the service had already ended. On this day it was the feast of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. And I cried for a long, long time, complaining about my difficult fate. I had nowhere to go. Pride and vanity did not allow me to return home. I left to conquer Moscow and should be the first. The test of pride and ambition is very difficult. And in the temple it was so warm, cozy, and at some point I felt that I felt better. She left comforted and calm. I wrote a statement at the theater and left for Moscow.

-And then Vadim appeared in your life again?

I remember it was before the New Year. Two days after my return from Ivanovo, his friend Igor called me: “Vika, this is such a guy! He is a famous manager. You must come urgently." At that time there was no word “producer” yet, but the word “manager” had already appeared, which, however, also didn’t tell me much. But it brought me into slight euphoria and fear at the same time. I said: “Igorek, do you know what time it is? Half past three in the morning. Let’s call this manager tomorrow and I’ll come.” I waited the whole next day for a call. It came quite late.

I was collected by the entire communal apartment. They made a fuss - they gave me a new blouse and sprayed two drops of perfume on me. Local alcoholics gave me five rubles. And I went from Lesnaya Street near the Belorussky Station, where I lived then, to Vadim in Medvedkovo. And for five rubles it was possible to get there only during the day. I remember well that I was being driven by a dark blue eight and the driver was talking to me very excitedly.

Apparently, he didn’t really want to go for five, but he had some plans for me. And I began to tell him that I was going to see a famous manager... That’s when I realized that the driver was drunk. All the way I held him back so that he wouldn’t drive somewhere and rush at me. We finally arrived at Polyarnaya Street, and there we met with Vadim.

-What did he look like to you?

A very businesslike, active, assertive and interesting man. And I was amazed by his poems. On the first evening when we met, I sang Russian folk and Cossack songs to him. And I saw that it made an impression on him. I felt a kindred spirit, he wasn’t playing, he wasn’t pretending. If people love jazz and Western music, why would they care about Cossack songs? Their soul will not respond to them, but Vadim really liked it.

In response, he began to read his poems to me. We’ve been together for 25 years now, we’ll soon be celebrating our silver wedding, and I now understand that back then in Medvedkovo it was a moment of revelation. Vadik is indeed talented and very sincere in his creativity, but he didn’t read his poems to everyone, but here he saw a girl for the first time... I listened to him and cried.

I didn’t go home then, it was already late at night, and Vadim offered to stay with him. He rented a one-room apartment and, which made me completely delighted, took starched sheets from the closet, made me a clean bed and said: “I’ll lie down on the sofa, and you are here.” Don’t be afraid, no one will hurt you.” And he didn’t pester me with any pleasantries.

- How did your relationship develop?

At first there was no question of love. Only work. Vadim wanted to place me somewhere. Took me to different groups, to producers. Somehow he brought me to a very famous person, and he became too interested in my personal life. What hurt my future husband, although we then had a brother-sister relationship. And Vadim decided: “I will do everything myself.” Well. Apparently, he reasoned that the girl seemed to be prominent and could sing well. and everyone likes it - this will come in handy yourself. (Laughs.)

And one day Vadim and I came to the Theater on Malaya Bronnaya to see composer Yuri Pryalkin. Yuri really liked me, he said: “Good girl, let’s try to write something to her.” And Vadim began to write for me. The group “Sea” emerged. With the composition “Caravel of Love” we got on the “Song of the Year-89”. The radio helped us here. There was a program on “Mayak”, something like the “Desk of Orders”, where people wrote letters with requests for their favorite song to be played.

And “Caravel of Love” took first place. We then beat Alla Pugacheva with “Lake of Hope”. Interesting. that we even went to Bulgaria for a rock festival. Although our group was completely pop. We were received very well. On the way we had a serious accident. The next day I went on stage with a bandaged hand, a bandaged leg, but in a leather jacket, and lit it up so much that the rockers sat, afraid to utter a word.

Gradually, our professional relationship with Vadim grew into a personal one. We got to know him better, and it turned out that he, like me, was experiencing a personal tragedy at that moment. It was at that time that his girlfriend left Vadim. He studied at the same school with her. Vadik was very capable, talented, he was accepted into all universities, but she was accepted nowhere. And he helped her enter the theater institute, rushed around with her everywhere, arranged for her, until she one day announced to him that she was leaving for a well-known theater administrator.

And then, although I broke up with my lover, I still had nowhere to go; I had to share the same living space with him in a communal apartment. And Vadim suggested: “If you have nowhere to live until you find an apartment, you can stay with me...” And he and I began to live in this apartment, and then looked closely at each other. Naturally, I started cooking for him and feeding him. It’s not that I used any tricks to win his heart, it’s just that my mother taught me how to cook very tasty food, and I did it with ease.

His old girlfriend didn't cook for him. I put the apartment in order, put up new wallpaper, and he probably liked it, he appreciated it and decided to propose to me. And as soon as I saw him, I felt reliability in him. A man who knows how to make decisions and take responsibility. And then, Vadim is my favorite name. Also some kind of sign. After some time, Vadim proposed his hand in marriage to me, and I became Tsyganova.

- And your solo career began?

In fact, the group “Sea” was already my solo project. After all, only I sang, the rest are musicians who still work with me.

- You and Vadim have been together for 25 years. How did you do it?

The main thing is love and patience. Both Vadim and I are both creative people. Sometimes it’s quite difficult for us, there are just battle scenes to sort things out. He wants it this way, and I want it differently. But I learned to give in to him, to humble myself. And he, in turn, immediately asks for forgiveness and is ready to consider my proposal and listen to my point of view. And then, we are married to him, which means there is God’s support. God always gives a person signs that help him not to go astray.

In addition, Vadim is a passionate and very extraordinary person. His talent is evident in everything he undertakes. My feelings for my husband only become deeper over the years. Vadim is endlessly interesting to me, he delights me and never ceases to amaze me. It is absolutely impossible for me to imagine that my husband could be someone else. Vadim and I have a spiritual relationship. This is the person closest to me and a true man, next to whom I am not afraid of anything.

- Why are you rarely seen on television lately?

I've been over this for a long time. What can you do here? Just beat talent over mediocrity. As I told my balalaika players: “Let’s hit the glamor with balalaikas!” I studied my profession, I heard assessments of my skills from great people: Isabella Yuryeva, Evgeny Leonov, Yuri Lyubimov.

And for me, the heads of TV channels are not the highest arbiters. When I sing romances at a concert, which Izabella Yuryeva blessed me with, my audience is standing still. I know the value of money and I don’t want to pay for mediocre broadcasts in which people with rubber faces sit and clap each other. I'm not interested. I am for creative exuberance. I had a concert where I worked with the “Soul of Russia” orchestra, with a wonderful conductor Vladimir Shkurovsky. I didn’t walk, but rather flew with wings and received tremendous pleasure from my work.

- But you are drawn to perform in “hot spots”, in Chechnya.

I'm an officer's daughter. And she always sang for the military. In my first album I had the song “St. Andrew’s Flag”, then “Golden Epaulets”. Some people simply invent an image for themselves and create a repertoire for it. My songs are a part of my soul, this is not an invented image. Therefore, when the war began, I had to go there. I needed to understand what it was, I needed to support the guys who shed blood there. The Caucasus is a wound that does not subside, from which blood is constantly gushing. And the war simply crippled my soul. I even wanted to leave the stage, to leave.

-Why?

Having been to war, I realized that there is no justice in the world. But God is not powerful. God is in truth. The situation in show business also upset me. I didn’t want to pay money to be able to demonstrate the talent God had given me. And at the same time I saw completely mediocre people in the front row. It was a difficult moment. I didn't want to sing anymore. But she came to Optina Pustyn for service and met Elder Elijah. He didn't know who I was. Yes, I didn’t tell, I just repented of my sins, said that my soul hurt a lot, that I didn’t want to live according to the laws that the world dictates.

Each person goes through his own trials. One - because he commits mortal sins - robs, kills. And the other one suffers like me, because he is desperate. Despair is also a mortal sin. Father consoled me and asked what I was doing in life. I told you that I sing. He asked what my songs were about. I said: different songs about Russia, about officers, about ordinary people, about life. Life is interesting to me in all its manifestations, and the priest said: “No, no, you still serve, continue to sing, because talent is from God, it must be honestly practiced.” And now, after ten years, I understand how perspicacious the elder was.

I can't do anything else in life. And if what I do finds a response, then I’m doing my job. So it’s a sin to complain about my halls, they are always full. And I am very grateful to Father for that blessing and for his wisdom. Work brings me joy and satisfaction. When I go on stage, I try to accumulate this joy, to give people hope, faith, and love. This is why God gives talent, and through it the opportunity to reach out to people. As my father told me: “Do everything as for God.”

-In addition to singing, you are also interested in fashion design.

Fur outerwear, exclusive women's, children's and men's. Probably, the talent passed on from dad. Actually, my grandfather also sewed outerwear. And not just, but to order for high-ranking officials. And since my childhood, although happy, was low on money, everyone sewed themselves. I also went to a drama school and sang in a musical ensemble. Naturally, I wanted to look interesting and come up with new outfits for every evening.

And fur - because I grew up in the Far East, it’s cold there all the time. They wrapped us in ten trousers, felt boots, fur coats, we walked like snowmen. And I always wanted to make something warm, but at the same time comfortable and very beautiful.

I love dressing up my clients. And I like to involve them in the creative process. My clients are wealthy people, they can sew any branded item, and I am very pleased that they come to me. Author's items are interesting, their creation is more of a creative process, although quite profitable. I always discuss with my customers that part of the money always goes to charity, and people like it.

-Who do you help with money?

I have been friends with the Valaam courtyard for many years; there, in the poorest areas of the Yaroslavl region, there are orphanages - I transfer money to them. For furniture, for medicines, for gifts. We are also not building the first temple. The village of Myshetskoye, where I live, is the estate of Denis Davydov. In 1947, the Church of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary was blown up there, and now we are rebuilding it. It is very bright, spacious, and services are already going on there. Vadim is the headman, and quite a lot of money is spent on the construction of the temple.

-How did you decide to live outside the city?

Even in my youth, I had a dream - to settle on the most central street of Moscow, on Tverskaya. And it came true, we lived there. And then they decided to build a house. We chose Leningradka, next to Firsanovka, where we filmed the video for the song “Love and Death.” The estate of Lermontov's relatives was also located here. And at one time, fascist invaders were stopped in these places. Metropolitan Juvenaly of Krutitsky and Kolomna visited the church under construction on the day of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and said that this place is unique. We do everything here with love and faith.

Interviewed by Olga Bulgakova 1394

We managed to talk with Vika Tsyganova by phone a few days before her concert in Kirov. In an interview with Primary Source, the singer told what she associates our city with, shared her impressions of her recent trip to Crimea and revealed the secrets of strong family relationships. Victoria, will you be coming to Kirov for the first time?

I was in Kirov many years ago. I would like to see how this Russian city has changed, what new things have happened. It's interesting to see what he looks like now.

What do you associate the city with?
First of all, with the Dymkovo toy. I really like her. I have not seen any analogues of the Vyatka Dymkovo toy in nature. They are so kind, they smell of childhood and celebration. They are fabulous. It is very pleasant that they were born on your Vyatka land. I also know that Vyatka was the center of fur production in Rus'.

You recently returned from Crimea...
Yes, I arrived in Sevastopol before the referendum. My first performance was on February 26th. At this time, the mayor Alexei Chalov was elected there. At three o'clock in the morning from Moscow we contacted the city leadership. And in the morning they were already there. Even my mother didn't know about the trip. I didn’t tell her anything so as not to scare her. The concert took place on Nakhimov Square. Despite the fact that it was raining, more than 25 thousand people came to the concert. And after Sevastopol I performed in Feodosia, Evpatoria and Simferopol. While in Crimea, I felt an incredible unity of souls. People have been waiting for this event for 23 years.

By the way, recently the leadership of the Kirov region also returned from Crimea...
It’s great that the leadership of your region is establishing ties with the leadership of Crimea. It is necessary to restore cultural life there and develop tourism. And, of course, your Dymkovo toys must be there. This is a souvenir and a unique representation of Russia. This may seem funny, but in fact, souvenirs are what give an idea of ​​the country. Now it is imperative to support Crimea. The main thing is to have desire and a good heart. Zyuganov often communicates with me and says good things to me. I told him: “If you change your communist slogans, I will immediately join your ranks.” Communism and fascism are equal concepts. Our people have yet to understand this. Gennady Andreevich very often says wise things, but hides behind a communist sign. The communists destroyed churches and destroyed the entire light of the nation. Lenin was a Satanist. He hated everything Russian and Orthodox. This needs to be conveyed carefully to people. Maybe in wonderful Kirov the street names will begin to change. We must know the names of the real heroes. I always feel good when my people feel great. People need to open their eyes to the truth. God is not in power, but in truth.

Victoria, have you always been a believer or did this come over the years?
Faith is also inherited. A person cannot live without faith. My great-grandmother was an Old Believer. Grandmother was also a very religious person. The Cossacks were all baptized. Of course, in our Soviet youth we were far from this. But man has a spirit. He must feel this spirit within himself. Ideology and spirit are two different things. When people live according to their conscience, they participate in the holy message. This means they live according to the Gospel, they live according to the commandments. My family lived by the commandments. She was very friendly and hardworking. Love reigned in her. In this regard, I am a very happy person. My family is very large. But almost all of it is in the Far East. Here I only have my mother, sister, my godchildren and nephews.

Since we are talking during Lent, I can’t help but ask. Victoria, are you fasting?
I try my best. Now I have combined fasting with a diet. Soon I will start eating buckwheat porridge. And now it's just water. I had nervous and stressful trips. I had to eat whatever they gave me, I broke the routine.

How do you restore your strength between trips and performances?
I have a hobby. I have been involved in fashion and clothing for a long time. I sew fur products. I partly demonstrate them myself; I like to dress beautifully. The artist must look beautiful. Now they go on stage in T-shirts, shorts, and panties - it’s unclear how. This is due to poverty and poverty of personality.
And I also have a wonderful home. My husband and I built a bathhouse. We have a wonderful swimming pool. Just before our conversation, I left the bathhouse. Had a great swim. Rest comes in different forms. We'll definitely meet up with friends. Sometimes I can’t communicate with anyone, I’m tired.

One of your hits is “Russian vodka, black bread, herring.” Do you yourself love feasts and cheerful companies?
I used to love it like everyone else. Now it happens less and less. But I love organizing events, bachelorette parties, meetings with my fan club. Also in our family we always celebrate Christmas and Easter. During Easter week we invite guests. We eat, sometimes we overeat. We always paint eggs together for Easter. We also gather annually for cleanup days. Spring is now. Soon we will clean our garden. My nephews and godsons always help me. Lyudmila Mikhailovna, my mother, also helps me. By the way, she is now writing a book about me. I don't know everything about our family. I will be interested in reading it.

Victoria, what did you want to become as a child?
Believe it or not, I wanted to become a heroine mother. Every child is guided by what he sees. My grandmother had eight children. And I wanted to have ten. I dreamed of raising them. Then I wanted to become a doctor. When I finished school, I went to apply and take exams for medical school. But for some reason, in the end I turned around and left. I remember I came and told my mother that I was going to the theater institute to enroll.

Do you remember your first performance on the big stage?
My first solo concert took place in Moscow at the Variety Theater. I also remember my performance at “Song of the Year” in 1989. I performed under my maiden name Zhukova and sang the song “Caravel of Love.” As a result, I took first place in letters from radio listeners and beat Alla Pugacheva herself, who sang the song “Lake of Hope.” I remember that I performed in shorts and a vest. By this I caused a misunderstanding among the presenters. At that time I was a self-confident girl, one might even say arrogant.

Last year you and Vadim Borisovich celebrated your silver wedding. Can you share the secret of a strong relationship?
The main thing is patience, humility and love. You have to learn this. We went through everything and became closer together. I hope the Lord will give me another 25 years to live.

What is your final wish for the readers of the newspaper?
Faith, hope and love!

Despite the fact that this singer is not often shown on TV, she always attracts full houses, and her songs have been popular for decades. Her hits are known to millions of people across the country. Spectators always greet the truly national artist Vika Tsyganova with thunderous applause!

The famous hit “Come to my house”, performed together with the chanson legend Mikhail Krug, brought her great popularity and people’s love. But the singer does not consider herself a star, and her work, first of all, is service to God, her people and her native country. Love for the Motherland and faith are the key themes of her work, which, of course, are based on the Orthodox worldview. Vika Tsyganova spoke about music and Russian patriotic song, her new projects and the difficult path to the Church in an exclusive interview with Orthodox Simbirsk.

EDITOR'S HELP

Vika Tsyganova - singer, actress, composer, designer - founder of the TSIGANOVA brand. Born on October 28, 1963 in Khabarovsk in the family of a naval officer. After graduating from the Far Eastern Institute of Arts, she worked in the theater and acted in films. A wide range of viewers is known as the performer of the hits “St. Andrew’s Flag”, “Love and Death”, “Officers of Russia”, “Come to My House”, “Kalina Krasnaya” and many others. The first solo album was released in 1991. In total, Vika Tsyganova has released more than 25 albums and shot dozens of videos. Married, lives in a village near Moscow. The husband is a poet, producer and artist Vadim Tsyganov.

The singer has given solo concerts in hot spots more than once. For charitable performances in front of soldiers of the internal troops, orphans and disabled people, participation in events to help mothers whose sons died in Afghanistan, as well as repeated trips to Chechnya, she was awarded many certificates and letters of gratitude for services to the Fatherland.He has military and state awards: the medal “For Military Service”, gratitude from the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Armed Forces V.V. Putin for his courage and courage in defending the Fatherland; is a holder of the Order “For the Revival of Russia.” XXI century" and "Patrons of the century".



- Victoria Yuryevna, you are one of the few singers whose work is based on the positions of Orthodoxy. Who writes songs for you?
- The lyrics are written by my husband, the poet Vadim Tsyganov. He is also my producer. We are always together - both in life and on stage. And I sing about the Motherland and love, about soul and courage... I attach great importance to the lyrics. Those songs that I like, they immediately go to my heart. I love Russia, I sing about it and will sing, glorifying my culture, my people and its best traditions. Through music you can talk about Orthodoxy, the soul and what leads it to salvation... You know, nothing contributes to this as much as prayer and voice.

- Your songs, which were written 10 or more years ago, are still relevant now: “Crimea”, “St. Andrew’s Flag”, “Love and Death” and others. How do you explain this?
- I feel that today, more than ever, people need music that calls for thought and is filled with deep meaning. Our country is going through difficult times... I, as a singer, must support my people, awaken our Russian genes, love for our great Fatherland! And the spirit of patriotism today is only growing stronger - I know this, traveling around the country and seeing full halls at my concerts, when both old and young sing with me: “God and St. Andrew’s flag are with us!”

- How did you come to the spiritual and patriotic direction in your work?

- Why were you banned from TV?

Television is, by and large, anti-Russian, and few people there need my repertoire. And since my beliefs are strongly patriotic and national, somewhere on top they decided that my personality should not be on the screen. There are other fairy tales and other heroes. But for many years I have had my favorite viewer, despite the fact that my songs are not constantly played on the air. And by the way, my audience is noticeably getting younger. It is joyful that our youth are coming to the Orthodox faith and love Russia! They are simply fed up with indifference and indifference, they want warmth and truth. And it’s good that they already realize everything that I only thought about after 30 years... Now I understand that talent was given to me by God. All this does not belong to me, and I must work off my gift. With God's help, we will continue to work, strengthen faith in our souls and in the hearts of the people for whom we write songs and create.

- Usually coming to faith is painful... How was it for you?
- So it was. Painful. I worked in a drama theater, my life and career somehow didn’t work out, my parents were far away, in Khabarovsk, I was completely alone. 1987 - a terribly cold winter, there was nothing in the stores, hunger. I did not get along in the team with the management, with the main director. I had no one to complain to, no one could help or console me. My friend and colleague Tatyana - she worked as a costume designer and was of gypsy origin - said: “Vika, don’t despair, go to church and pray to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.” And I came to church, knelt for a long, long time in front of the icon of St. Nicholas, prayed, cried, asked for help... And suddenly I felt my soul lighten, it brighten inside, the clouds dissipate and such a right peace and confidence comes that everything will be fine !

- Was your family believers?
- I came to church at a conscious age - I was 25 years old. Before that, of course, I had been to church; my grandmother took me to holidays. We always followed traditions - we painted eggs, baked Easter cakes, but no one taught us to pray. There were many repressed people in our family, and questions about faith were carefully disguised. My grandparents were believers - they lived according to the commandments, according to their conscience. Over 70 years of unbelief and abuse of religion and our people, a lot of fear has been sown. And today, with God’s help, we are overcoming this fear and returning to our roots. Thank God, today our people have the awareness that without the Orthodox faith we cannot hold on to this land and we cannot hold on to such a vast territory that our great-grandfathers and grandfathers conquered...

- You flew to Chechnya many times, it was after these trips that you decided to leave your musical career. Why?

Yes, it happened. I just realized that show business and all this glamor is not my thing at all. I didn’t fit in with the pop scene. They started banning me. And I was faced with a serious choice - to do the stage or leave the profession. I decided to go to Optina Pustyn to visit Elder Elijah. I told him about myself, he asked what songs I sing. In my repertoire there were many songs about Russia, including “St. Andrew’s Flag,” with which I went to Chechnya and performed in front of our guys. I admit, it was scary to fly there, but there is this sense of duty and responsibility, we must support our own, be close. And one day I was flying with wounded and killed soldiers, the plane was carrying 200 cargo. And then, returning to the capital, I saw these social gatherings, where alcohol was flowing like a river and people were just going crazy over fat... I was almost in despair, I cried for a very long time and told my father, that I can’t do this and don’t want to make music at all. He cried with me and said: “We still have to sing, we have to work hard. Sing about Russia!” That’s why I still sing, out of obedience. If it weren’t for his insight, not for his love of God and blessing, I don’t know what would happen to me now.

- Can you combine spiritual life and creativity?
- And for me it is indivisible and interconnected. At the beginning of my churching, I went to church for daily Liturgy for several months. The soul was calling. And now, if I don’t go to church at least once a week, I feel uneasy. When I go on tour to new cities, I immediately look for the domes of churches. I’m so happy when I see them, it means I’m home. My creativity is an opportunity to both work for God and bring repentance, confirming faith with modest deeds... After all, what do we often come to the Lord with? With a life disfigured by sins. The Lord begins to cleanse us, comforting pain, helping us fight passions and vices. And then the soul is renewed, light and purity appear. Relief and healing comes. Those who live church life, confess and receive communion, will understand what I am talking about.

- What a blessing that you and your husband are like-minded people. How did you meet?
- I met Vadim in Moscow. And this meeting was fateful for me... We were introduced by mutual friends. I was looking for a job in the capital, and Vadim was recommended to me, saying that he could help. We started working together. My husband is also a creative person, we understand each other perfectly, we look in the same direction! They even got baptized on the same day in the Church of St. Andrew the First-Called at the Vagankovskoye cemetery. Then they got married and have been together for more than 26 years, both in sorrow and in joy. Our acquaintance was providential. From that time on, my life was divided into two periods: before and after my coming to God and meeting Vadim.

- Tell us about your spouse, what does he do? I read that, with the blessing of Elder Elijah, he erected a monument to St. Andrew the First-Called in Crimea.

Yes, this monument stands on Cape Fiolent, the extreme point of Russia. Also, through his labors, a worship cross on Ganina Yama and a chapel were made - all with God's help. Vadim is an amazing person, endlessly talented, and not only musically. He designed and erected a monument to Mikhail Krug in Tver. All the furniture in our house was made by his hands. He even made a chair for the president. An armchair made of bog oak, covered with bear skin, was ordered for one of Vladimir Putin’s birthdays. They say that Vladimir Vladimirovich really liked this gift! To implement his design ideas, Vadim finds unique materials from which he creates real masterpieces. He brings wonderful things and antiques from all over the world and is very careful about history. My husband also helps orphanages, builds churches, implements bright Orthodox projects, and I try to help him with everything! Now he is engaged in the reconstruction of the beautiful monastery of St. Savva of Storozhevsky in Zvenigorod. And this year, especially for the Day of the Baptism of Rus', my husband made a cross from a two-thousand-year-old oak tree with an icon of Prince Vladimir, which flew around the globe several times. We brought it as a gift to the Vladimir Church in Chersonesus.

- Do you live in your own house? Is it true that you have a large farm?
- Yes, we have a private house, our own land, livestock. We are a subsistence farmer: we have goats, chickens, dogs and even a pond where we raise fish, as well as a vegetable garden and a beautiful garden. We can preserve food for the winter and cook it in a real Russian oven! A deep bow to my mom, who lives with us and helps us manage our large household. In general, I am convinced that we need to engage in agriculture and get used to the land! And with the introduction of sanctions against Russia, the moment of truth has come - God willing, we will begin to raise the village. In 1913 we were ahead of the planet in every agricultural indicator. And now we must strive for this - to grow everything that is our own, native, natural. Yes, today science is actively developing: nanotechnology, genetic engineering, which interferes with the law established by God. It’s unclear what they introduce into the products, and we get used to artificial food - we are fed with an overseas surrogate. We forget the taste of the Motherland, the taste of our native land. But Russia still cannot be brought under the “European standard”, no matter how hard we try. Rus' is special, precious and blessed. She has a different purpose... And her strength and salvation are only in Orthodoxy!

- Victoria Yuryevna, you and your husband organize sea trips. What was your recent trip to Crimea on the legendary brigantine “Saint Victoria” about?
- Our campaign was dedicated to the great event of the Baptism of Rus' and the fact that the Crimean peninsula with its legendary Sevastopol entered its native harbor - reunited with Russia. For me, a big discovery was that the Baptism of Rus', in fact, took place in Chersonesos! After all, it was here, on the Crimean peninsula, that Prince Vladimir was baptized himself and his squad. And only then did he go to Kyiv to baptize all the rest of the people in the Dnieper. In Crimea, on the shores of the Russian Sea, the footprint of the Apostle Andrew the First-Called remained and the first Orthodox church was built! Here Equal-to-the-Apostles Cyril saw the Gospel written in “Russian letters,” and these symbols formed the basis of the Slavic alphabet. Crimea is an amazing spiritual place, and it is gratifying that today the reunification of the original Russian lands has begun, to which we dedicated our campaign. And for me personally, this was a real test of overcoming myself, my fears, my lack of faith, my cowardice. After all, when you are alone with the elements, completely new sensations open up to you: more complex and deeper, but at the same time simpler: either you fight fear, or rejoice in grace. After such a hike, you understand yourself better, you understand your soul better. Thank God, my spiritual strength and faith have strengthened. I want everyone to experience this...

- How did you receive the blessing of Elder Elijah for this campaign?

All our endeavors are blessed by Father Eli and are carried out according to his holy prayers. And this time the elder said about Crimea: “The Russian land begins from here” - and blessed our campaign, which was organized by the “Creative Workshop of Vadim Tsyganov” from July 16 to July 28, 2014. Our good friend, the famous traveler Father Feodor Konyukhov, was on the ship with us. We went from Montenegro, where the right hand of John the Baptist is located, to the island of Corfu, where Fyodor Ushakov fought, and then to the city of Patras, where the relics and cross of St. Andrew the First-Called are located. They sailed through the Mediterranean, the Aegean, Adriatic Sea, then through the Dardanelles and the Sea of ​​Marmara - to today's Turkey, and in the past Byzantium, and finally came to the native shores of the Black Sea. And our route ended with a festive concert!

- What is the mood of the residents of Crimea now?
“I can’t express in words what kind of spirit people have there, how united we are!” The audience came up to me after the concert and thanked me for my support, which is so important to them, as it serves the spiritual unification of Russia! We have flown to Crimea many times before, including in February-March of this year, to support the residents of Sevastopol during difficult times for them. As for the mood of the Crimeans, I will say that transition periods are always difficult. 23 years of waiting for the residents of Crimea are aspirations, dreams, hopes, but the reality can be different... Perestroika in Crimea may be painful for ordinary people. Living in a foreign land is one thing, but when you return to your home, you realize that not everything is in order here either. Therefore, I wish the residents of Crimea strong faith, humility and fortitude. Crimea is a unique land, and the people here are unique. And it is the Crimeans who are called upon to strengthen all Russians in the belief in the victory of good over evil! And today this is extremely important: to consolidate in the consciousness of the Russian people that the mother of Russian cities is not Kyiv, but Sevastopol and Chersonesos, where there is a spiritual beginning, the place from which the Baptism of all Rus' came. We must show the whole world the power and depth of our faith, the unity of great Russia!

- Tell us about your new album. Will there be premiere songs after such exciting events?
- Yes, we are already working with a unique composer Ninoslav Ademovic - arranger of Goran Bregovic and the Gipsy Kings. Together with him we are recording a new album in Italy at Adriano Celentano’s studio. We are creating a new Russian song culture, for which we attract the best forces of the musical world, attracting them to Russia. Today it is important to revive the patriotic song, which helps to live and strengthens faith! And I am grateful to God that He sent us a comrade-in-arms - a musician like Ninoslav, who is simply obsessed with Russian culture. He knows all of Tchaikovsky, knows all of the Russian classics, and how he understands Cossack Russian songs is beyond words... God willing, very soon you will hear the fruits of our cooperation. We will delight the audience with new songs for the glory of God, for the glory of our native country!

- At your concerts, in addition to songs, you also talk to the audience about Orthodoxy, touching on important spiritual and moral topics. Is this some kind of sermon?

If we accepted Baptism and became Christians, then we must be warriors. We must burn with the light of the soul, be fiery, in order to ignite and ignite the hearts of people. Everyone in their place, with their talent and capabilities, is called to preach Christ! We must strengthen our faith and not be indifferent. You need to go to your roots, grow spiritually and set high goals for yourself. Our people are seeing the light, coming to the meaning of their existence. Godlessness is a thing of the past. People understand that without faith there is no salvation, no life. “A Russian man without faith is rubbish,” wrote Dostoevsky. The whole world does not want to live according to conscience, but we know how and will! Otherwise we will die. I just feel very sorry for non-believers who suffer in their loneliness because they live without God. I can give many examples when people have everything, but do not have God. These are unhappy people. Yes, with the blessing of my confessor, I really take advantage of every opportunity and opportunity to tell people about faith, about Christ, to interest them in Orthodoxy. And believe me: it is a great joy to confess Christ!

- On November 28, your solo concert will take place in Moscow at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior! What will it be dedicated to?
“I am happy that this concert was blessed by Elder Eli, who gave me instructions to take care of my native land, soul and children. I’m not interested in just singing songs, I always need a goal. I thought for a long time about who and what to dedicate this concert to. And it was as if a decision came from heaven. I was born on the day of remembrance of the icon of the Mother of God “Spreader of the Loaves” and in the light of recent events I thought, why don’t we start glorifying our dear rural workers, our farmers and all the people who tirelessly do hard work and revive agriculture in our country? They do everything so that you and I don’t go hungry, and this is a special category of people! The program of our charity concert will include the kindest, brightest and most heartfelt songs, which I gratefully dedicate to these amazing people! And I pay special attention to the spiritual and moral side of this concert - after all, this is the basis that leads to the revival of the best qualities of the soul of the Russian person, love for the Motherland and their land.

- Victoria, was there a situation in your life that especially confirmed you in your faith?
- There was a lot in my life... We experienced a ten-point storm, and Somali pirates attacked us, and accidents, and serious illnesses. Remained alive. God bless! Every time I am convinced of the power of prayer and am sure that one must trust only in God. And all circumstances, even the most sorrowful and terrible, occur according to God’s will and are useful for our soul. God leads us to salvation. I survived a very serious illness. That pain is simply impossible to convey. And when I lay in the heat for several days, with a temperature of 40, under an IV, I felt more than ever the powerful spiritual support of everyone who prayed for me... Tens of thousands of people these days visited my website, supported me, and submitted notes to churches and monasteries throughout Russia ! And I felt that I was about to get up, and I got up. I was begged for! No amount of money can buy this, nothing can measure this great miracle. How can you not believe after this?

Interviewed by Nadezhda ZEMSKOVA.

Newspaper of the Simbirsk Metropolitanate "Orthodox Simbirsk"

The audience's love for Vika Tsyganova has remained limitless and constant for many years. Each person, listening to her songs, can look at himself from an unexpected side. Her work makes you think about life. Her songs are always a heart-to-heart conversation, very personal and honest. Our conversation with her turned out to be just as frank and honest on the eve of the big solo concert, which will take place in St. Petersburg on October 3 at the Oktyabrsky Concert Hall.
Victoria Yuryevna, you are a person who has his own civic position. How important is it for an artist today to have a point of view on current events in the country?
“Pushkin also answered this question: “You may not be a poet, but you must be a citizen.” The artist is given talent by God, and the stage is his platform. The artist projects his behavior onto the public; fans are formed under the influence of the idol’s talent. Therefore, a person entering the stage must be brought up in a correct understanding of good, evil, and the spiritual concept of life. Patriotism is a sincere conviction, a person’s attitude towards his state, homeland, people, culture. And the artist must demonstrate and broadcast this to the public, influence it with his creativity, songs, behavior - everything together.
The Russian Ministry of Culture is going to create a register of patriotic music. Do you think this will contribute to the “promotion of domestic and Russian musical art on a global scale” and increase the “cultural and educational level of the population”?
- Provided it is done with love. In our country there are many different “unions of writers, journalists, composers.” But I, as a person who is outside this framework, can say that there are “unions”, there is a Ministry of Culture, but there is no culture in the country. And if this is done without love, without a soul, and only for money and profit, then neither our Russian people nor any others will need it. This must be a sincere desire to preserve the spirit of the people. A creative patriotic movement should help rise to high spiritual values. And if people are involved in this and will cut money, then nothing good will come of it. The result will be a pseudo culture. You can write songs about your homeland and still not love it. This is my conviction of a person who does not belong to any camp and who himself has earned the right to have his own point of view, position and freedom in this life.
Is there an action in your life that you are proud of? Tell us about it.
— My concert on Nakhimov Square in Sevastopol, which took place on February 25, 2014 in honor of the return of Crimea. And my visit to Odessa on the anniversary of the liberation of the city from the Nazis. I'm proud to have come there. There have been many such events in my life. As the saying goes, “man proposes, but God disposes.” And if you are driven by high intentions, sincerity and love, then everything in your life is arranged in such a way that you can express yourself. And if a person does not have any internal high attitudes, then he will never accomplish anything special. I've been to war many times. I went there in order to share the fate of the guys: soldiers and officers who were there. I needed to understand the hardships of war, go through strong emotional outbursts, tension on the verge of life and death, in order for the songs to be born. You can, of course, just sit down and write. But the most valuable thing is when a person who knows how to write music and poetry can also share these powerful emotions with people close to him, first of all I’m talking about the officers and soldiers to whom I sing. That's when real songs are born. Maybe today they are not so in demand, but they are like those people who serve, fulfill their duty, they are not visible, but they are there. People need these songs. I receive many sincere words of gratitude, after which I want to live and work further. Especially when these words are spoken to you by a person who serves on a nuclear submarine, its commander, you understand what they are worth. These people don’t just throw words to the wind and don’t crumble in gratitude.
During your creative journey, you changed your stage image several times. Was it a search for yourself? Which Vika will St. Petersburg see on October 3?
- The real one, as it is and as it has always been. There are many facets in a person and in life too. And if you are a living person, then you perceive this life fully and from different sides. Everything that is characteristic of the Russian soul and character is characteristic of me. And self-absorption on the one hand, and audacity on the other, and humility. And all this is in my songs, and is reflected in my images. The most important thing that I value and cherish in myself is that I do not deceive myself. And when I have moments of falling and frustration and dissatisfaction, I try to be honest with myself. Thank God that for this there is a temple, the secret of confession and simply a connection with God. You can pray, repent and cleanse yourself. You need to approach the viewer with good feelings and emotions, but I am a living person, and nothing human is alien to me. And the struggle of passions and despondency - all this is in me and all is reflected in my images.
Tell us about your collaboration with the famous Serbian composer Ninoslav Ademovic, with whom you recorded the album “Far, Far Away”. What was new and unusual in the creation of the album and how will you surprise your fans?
“The fans who love me, I think, will sincerely rejoice at this union, because the main thing is our meeting with him. Ninoslav Ademovich is a patriot of Russian culture, a passionate admirer of painting, music, Russian history, and the Orthodox religion. It is very pleasant to work with such a person. There is no need to force anything. You simply give him a creative impulse, and the person deciphers it, conveys it and adds his own to it. And the end result is a very powerful result. I really like his songs “Russian Steam Locomotive” or “Far, Far Away”, “Drop”, I think that these are world-class things. These works will have a long life, they will gradually reach the public. And they will take their rightful place in a person’s soul. These songs are very lively, bright, rich, colorful, emotional and honest. Our cooperation with Ninoslav continues. And now we have enriched our ranks with the Italian maestro Fio Zanoti and we hope that our union will bring good and kind fruits. In any case, I have been waiting for this for more than 20 years. As our friend Valentin Gaft says: “The one who knows how to wait wins.”
Victoria Yuryevna, what makes you feel joy and delight? What inspires you?
— Brilliant people cause joy and delight. I am inspired by nature, meetings and, of course, creative pain. Sometimes I don't sleep at night because I'm so excited by my ideas, by the fact that there are so many interesting things in life, but I'm upset by the understanding that life flies inexorably. Although after 50, I think life is just beginning, because the taste for life and its understanding comes, the meaning clearly crystallizes and is defined. But at the same time, time compresses and flies quickly. And there are still a lot of ideas and desires to realize. I enjoy every day, which brings new meetings and emotions. A creative person cannot live without emotions. A new day brings information that excites me for a positive or negative reaction. The body lives fully, and sometimes excessively.
When I asked whether the concert at the Oktyabrsky Concert Hall would be any different from performances at other venues, Victoria Yuryevna honestly answered that everything would be as always. It doesn’t matter to her what stage she sings on: in the cities of Ivanteevka or Priozersk. Everywhere you need to work honestly and bring joy to people.

Interviewed by Maya Pavlova.