From casuals – to artists

After some little recovering from economical crisis in 1998, that almost destroyed all Russian entertainment industry, the show-busyness faced another problem – the lack of new names. By that time the majority of so called super stars of pop-music were “far after 40”. And not numerous young stars sparkled only due to the sponsorship, but shined little, not long and didn’t heat at all. In general, the revolution situation appeared, everybody spoke about, including big TV bosses from central channels. On weekends and holidays the television fed Russian viewers the same pop-bubble-gum, which was chewed by the dinosaurs of the pop, who were rather boring for the public. The ratings of TV pop-sets fell very low even at the period of New Year vocations (the most prime-time period), and general producers of the channels started to urgently search for the way to keep the people at the screens. Temporary, the musicals saved the situation, where the artists “raced for two hares” or acted devils, Ukrainian boys and girls, musketeers and Cinderella. But the quality of the scenery and the acting skills, and the music was bad, thus Russian viewers quickly lost interest in it. The musical formats, bought in the West, as usual, helped – “Star Factory” on First channel and “People’s Artist” on “Russia”. “Those two shows cardinally differs from each other”, - the producer Eugeny Fridland says. “Star Factory” is mostly the reality show, where the process of star-making is shown, and “People’s Artist” is the TV vocal competition, an analog of the show of soviet television “Hello, we are looking for talents”. Many of our stars passed through that competition, including even Alla Pugacheva and “Piesniari” band. There is also “New Wave” in Jurmala, but there we see only the top of the iceberg. “People’s Artist”, in its turn, shows all stages of vocal competition from the casting to the final concert. Finally, it is the competition of sole performers, not bands. It is necessary singing not hip-hop or other genres. Finalists can occupy the music they like after the contest, but in frames of the TV project they must demonstrate their vocal abilities”.

According to the rules, only the winner, who got the majority of viewer votes, gets the professional contract. It means the capability to the record the album and the promotion on “Russia” channel. However the musical producers of the project “People’s Artist” Eugeny Fridland and Kim Breitburg took difficult but humane decision: to continue the work with all artists of “PA”. Beside the winner Alexey Goman, Alexander Panajotov and Alexey Chumakov, who took second and third places, the work continued with six remaining girls, forming the band “A Sortie”. All named collectives have the contracts with FBI Music company, as the winner of “PA-2” Ruslan Alekhno.

“The choice of the public and the professionals” often differs from each other”, - Kim Breitburg says.-TV viewers often estimate not the professional skills, but charm, communicability, other qualities, which we don’t regard. We thought Panajotov would win in first “People’s Artist”, but Goman won with huge gap. People liked him for the natural charm, which is impossible to imitate. In general, Alexey is very purposeful, trainee guy, recently he improved much – he started to move and sing better. Ruslan Alekhno is similar to him a lot from that side of view – very accurate too, he receive the advice right and never take offence on notes”. In the December of last year, the first album of Alexey Goman “Russian guy” was released, the base of the disk was consisted from same light, sentimental ballads as the title song, which gave the title to the album. The composer Kim Breitburg defines the level of Alexey Goman as “something in the middle of “Piesniari” and best representatives of San-Remo”. “Alexey is many-sided performer,- Kim Breitburg estimates the singer. – He can sing and dance fashionable dance music, and simple songs for home listening. Both, the love lyrics and the songs about Russia, are completely logical in his performance. When Goman sings about the Russian guy, “who doesn’t burn in flames”, you believe him. He has good open face”. “That song’s title could be just “Nice guy”, - Kim Breitburg smiles. – I think, he greatly influenced the popularity of this song by him self, which is rare. Usually, the good songs become the hits whoever signs it.” This year will see the album releases of other “People’s Artist” finalists – “A Sortie” band, Alexey Chumakov, Alexander Panajotov. All the singers repertoire is almost ready, even at Ruslan Alekhno (the winner of last year “PA”) there are 9 ready songs.

These days the third set album “People’s Artist. Unusual” was issued, which can prove the huge potential of the performers graduated from that TV project. The disk includes popular hits (“Balalayka, “Petersburg-Leningrad” and other), and absolutely new songs, the majority of which surely will become the hits. Those very performers shall make the concurrency to “mature” stars.
The majority of jury members of “Eurovision-2005” selection competition, that took place in February on First channel, remarked the song of Kim Breitburg “Balalayka”, performed by Chumakov and Panajotov. Their duet was the most “format” for the “Eurovision” from the side of the song, made in euro-pop style. Beside that, there was the original and spectacle turn on the song. “In spite of the fact, that “Eurovision” is considered to be the competition of the songs, - Kim Breitburg thinks. –In reality, it is not so. It is mostly the competition of concert turns. As more bright id the turn, the more votes it gets. I recorded “Balalayka”, and the original dance turn was made for it, it wasn’t folk style but still there were Russian tunes in it. The very best thing for “Eurovision”. In any case, “Eurovision” is the pop-mainstream, in spite of the attempts of some performers to show there some other music – rock, ethnic, etc. Concerning our national final, there was no main discussion, on my opinion. The system of viewers voting left some scent of deceit. For example, in Moscow it was very difficult to call and vote. I think, Dima Bilan sang good, and ours Panajotov and Chumakov, and “A Sortie” band looked worthy. The latter sang surprisingly unite and with drive. I know how difficult to sing when there are six voices not one. Today, I consider “A Sortie” as the best girls band, regarding the look and the vocal data of the girls.

The composer and the producer predict the rapid rise of Chumakov, Panajotov and Alekhno careers at well. In spite of the young age, they are already mature artists with wide range of creative expressions. Each of the guys has composer’s ambitions. But, it is yet, according to Breitburg, rather complex and intricate songs, as usual, at beginner authors. That is the unshadowed by thoughts about commercial success creativity, Kim thinks, it is not the special writing to guess the hit. On vocal preferences Alexander Panajotov is closer to George Michael and Elton John. Alexey Chumakov is displaced to more brutal music a-la Tom Jones. Beside that, Alexey greatly handle the role of compere, he has instant reaction and good sense of humor. “Speaking about Alekhno, - Breitburg says. – I see the singer with production turns. He is different all the times. On my opinion, his best performance on the competition was the turn on the song of Pauls “Charlie” (from the repertoire of Laima Vaiculee). Some days ago I wrote the dance song for him in country style – “Elusive Joh”. I think some kind of actor-singer can turn out of him. No doubt, all the guys have the future. The generations of the artists smoothly change. I think, if Goman, Chumakov, Panajotov and Alekhno work on them self, and not be stupid, it will take couple a year to reach the top for them.

“2M” magazine #8(132)