Alla Borisovna Pugacheva (А́лла Бори́совна Пугачё́ва), pronounced "Pougachyova", born April 15 1949 in Moscow, Russia, is perhaps the best known musical performer in Russia, her career having started in 1965, and remaining strong to this day.

Although still popular in Russia and some former Soviet republics among the older generations (35 plus), she is also widely disliked, not least for the amount of airtime given to her by the Federal channels (hugely disproportionate considering her now waning popularity), and the continual manufactured gossip about her in the Russian tabloids. For many she epitomises the stale, repetitive state-controlled pop-culture fed to the population through the Russian media.

Professional biography

Pugacheva was born to mother Zinaida Arkhipovna Odegova and father Boris Mikhailovich Pugachev in Moscow. At the age of 5, she participated in a concert held in the Kolonnyj Zal Doma Soyuzov hall, the most prestigious hall in Russia. In 1956 she entered the №31 music school, attached to the Ippolitova-Ivanova music college. She went on to study in the №496 school, finishing her studies there in 1964. She then studied in the choral-conductor department of the Ipolita-Ivanovna music college, and in 1965 she released her first song, titled "Robot". The song was recorded for the State Radio "Good Morning!" programme and was very well received.

In 1966 she finished college and toured with the group "Yunost" in Western Siberia. The following year she started to work as a piano accompanist in the State Circus-Musical college. She provided the leading vocals to a number of bands, including "New Electron", part of the Lipetsk State Philharmonic Society, in 1966; "Moskvichi" in 1971; Oleg Lundtrem 's band in 1972-73; and "Vesyoliye Rebyata" in 1974-75. Throughout the period, she also recorded notable songs for numerous movies, including "King-Deer", "My Dear Boy" and "3-Minute Train Stop". In 1974 she received the 3rd place prize in the 5th All-Union competition of music artists, which was somewhat of a disappointment for her. However, her steep rise to stardom was soon to follow, and in 1975 she received the prestigious Bulgarian "Golden Orpheus" prize for her song "Harlequin". Following her success in Bulgaria, Alla released a record called "Alla Pugacheva Singing" in that country.

In 1977-80 she worked with the group "Ritm" and played the leading role in the movie "A Woman That Sings". The film was very popular, reaching out to an audience of 55 milion people. In 1978 she also received the "Amber Nightingale" prize at the Sopot International Song Festival in Poland for the song "Kings Can Do Anything" from the movie.

A slew of further awards, records, movie roles, and growth of popularity followed, most notably the title of "National Artist of the Soviet Union", the highest honour that could be bestowed to a musical artist, awarded to her in 1991. While the lesser titles of "Accomplished Artist of the Russian SFSR", and "National Artist of the Russian SFSR" had been already awarded to her in 1980 and 1985 respectively, the government was hesitant to award the highest honour for a long time. This was mainly because of numerous statements and actions on her part that were incosistent with the Party's agenda. While never directly opposing the Soviet regime, her outspoken and unrestrained manner of behaviour, such as saying "Cheer up! Ho Chi Minh may be dead, but I'm still alive!", at a concert held on the day of Ho Chi Minh's death, would have constituted grounds for regulatory action or even arrest. However, because of fears of public retaliation, the government did not risk taking any action, adopting a cautious stance instead.

After the break-up of the Soviet Union, Alla expanded her ventures, launching a magazine called "Alla", "Alla" perfume and the "Alla Pugachova" shoe line. She also received further awards from the government, presented by President Boris Yeltsin, including the "Government Award for Achievement in Literature and Arts" in 1990, and the "Service to the Motherland of the 2nd Class Order" in 1999. In 1994, Alla also received a plate with her name on the "Square of Stars" in the city of Yalta in Ukraine. In 1997, she represented Russia at the Eurovision Song Contest in Dublin and finished 12th with the song "Primadonna".

In recent years, Alla has participated in the popular television reality talent show Star Factory, similar to the Pop Idol format, which has spawned series like American Idol.

Personal history

Alla's personal life gets continual coverage in the tabloid press. Her weight and rumours of extramarital relationships have been particularly popular points of discussion in such publications.

In 1969 she married circus performer Mykolas Orbakas, and in 1971 she gave birth to daughter Kristina Orbakaite , who is now also a popular singer. She divorced Mykolas after 4 years of marriage in 1973.

Alla then married film director Aleksandr Stefanovich in 1976, and starred in a few of his movies. The union was dissolved in 1980, after drawn-out legal proceedings on the division of property, with Alla's luxurious flat in Moscow being the heart of the debate.

In 1985, after years of living together, Alla married producer Yevgeniy Boldin , with whom she had numerous professional collaborations. They filed for divorce in 1993, stating that their professional lives interfered too much with their personal life.

In 1994 she married singer Filipp Kirkorov .

Discography

Albums

• 1976 Alla Pugacheva & Vesyoliye Rebyata [Алла Пугачева и Веселые Ребята]
• 1978 Mirror of the Soul [Зеркало души]
• 1979 "Harlequin" And Others ["Арлекино" и другие]
• 1979 Alla Pugacheva & Iosif Kobzon [Алла Пугачева и Иосиф Кобзон]
• 1980 Rise Above the Hustle [Поднимись над суетой]
• 1980 Disco A [Дискотека А]
• 1980 More to Come... [То ли еще будет...]
• 1981 How Worrysome This Road Is [Как тревожен этот путь]
• 1982 You Have a Maestro Guest [У вас в гостях маэстро]
• 1982 Parade of Planets [Парад планет]
• 1983 Ah, How I Want to Live! [Ах, как хочется жить]
• 1983 Million Roses [Миллион роз] (released in Japan)
• 1984 Alla Pugacheva - Soviet Superstar (released in Finland)
• 1985 Watch Out! (released in Sweden)
• 1985 In Stokholm [В Стокгольме]
• 1986 ...Happiness in Private Life [Счастья в личной жизни]
• 1986 I Came and I'm Talking [Пришла и говорю]
• 1987 He, She, and Rain [Он, она, и дождь]
• 1988 Songs Instead Of Letters [Песни вместо писем]
• 1989 Ferry Captain [Паромщик]
• 1990 Alla [Алла]
• 1991, 1992 Christmas Meetings '91 and '92 [Рождественские встречи]
• 1994 I Believe In You [Верю в тебя]
• 1994 Gentlemen, Dont Hurt Me [Не делайте мне больно, господа]
• 1995 The Path of a Star [Путь звезды]
• 1996 A 13 CD compilation of songs previously released only on LP and MC:
  • Over the Sharp Needles of the Bright Flame [По острым иглам яркого огня]
  • Ah, How I Want to Live! [Ах, как хочется жить!]
  • And That's What All My Sadness Is [И в этом вся моя печаль]
  • Only in Movies [Только в кино]
  • That's Tomorrow, But Today... [Это завтра, а сегодня...]
  • Ticket to Yesterday's Show [Билет на вчерашний спектакль]
  • Rendez-vous on the Way [Встречи в пути]
  • On the Road of Expectations [На дороге ожиданий]
  • Ponderings by the Fireplace [Размышления у камина]
  • That Happened One Time [Это было однажды]
  • Lady From the Coutryside Outpost [Барышня с Крестьянской заставы]
  • Alla Pugacheva in Stockholm [Алла Пугачева в Стокгольме]
  • Songs for the Encore [Песни на бис]
• 1996 Alla Pugacheva Sings [Поет Алла Пугачева] (songs by Aleksandr Zazepin )
• 1997 Two Stars [Две звезды] (with Vladimir Kuzmin )
• 1998 Yes! [Да!]
• 1998 Surprise from Alla Pugacheva [Сюрприз от Аллы Пугачевой]
• 2001 River Tram [Речной трамвайчик]
• 2002 Was There a Boy? [А был ли мальчик?]
• 2002 This is Love [Это Любовь] (with Maksim Galkin)
• 2003 Live Peacefully, Country! [Живи спокойно, страна!]

Singles

• 1997 Primadonna [Примадонна]
• 2000 White Snow [Белый снег]
• 2000 Madam Broshkina [Мадам Брошкина]

External links

• Official site of Alla Pugacheva (in Russian)
• Unofficial Alla Pugacheva club (in English & Russian)
• Alla Pugacheva discography (in Russian)