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Q: ...may appear not one or two, but maybe four, or more than five similarly ardent fans who will chase you, knowing the story you told a lot of times.
A: I thought about it… I have the best audience in the world. People who love my music, communicate with me, give me gifts, but all this has its limits.
I only know just one girl like this in the world, who really understands that she interferes not just with me - It’s okay, I’m a guy,
but she interferes not just with me, but also with my parents - as I sing in my song - and my friends, she calls them.
But, now she finally does not call them anymore, after this clip. Now she is a little ashamed. Now she calls only me. It’s also a victory.
Q: But can you imagine, when she will stop calling you, but in Russia there will appear fans who will also be calling you.
A: There are girls in Russia who got my number, but they do everything in moderation. Sometimes they call me, give me gifts, but these all have limits.
These are the same... like when I, for example, wrote a song a year ago about the girl I fell in love with. And the other girls didn't start to bother me because of this.
Everybody understands that this is a story about this girl from Israel. Girl… She is already a woman, nearly 35 years old.
Q: Thank you
A: The story is from my life. I always write songs about exactly that, what happens in my life.
Despite the fact that the song is this sort of text, I thought to make a music video a little bit more extreme than I have before.
So we filmed in a nuthouse… sorry? … it was an abandoned hotel, it was even more horrible.
The music video was filmed by my favorite video director from Ukraine, Alexander Filatovich.
It is a very aesthetically beautiful music video, where I tell my whole story about the girl from Israel who chases me for three years.
Soon it will be three and a half years. Soon it will be an anniversary. She watched the music video and she liked it, so we are all glad…
Maria Boulavina: … she has achieved her goal.
A: Yes, she has achieved her goal, and I wrote a new song. So, I hope that you will also like it.
M: So, let’s applaud before we see the music video.
A: ...Captain talks like “Ladies and gentlemen, we have arrived in Moscow. We hope that you will have a nice evening, and thank you that you are with us”.
I feel nostalgia! Yes! It's sad, but pleasant.
M: We have one more question.
Q: I'd like to return to the moment of the fan’s pursuit. At what critical moments came her persecution, except for her visit to your parents?
A: Once she held my hand at a press-conference. There were a lot of children, and initially I was very glad. And she began to hold my hand and would not let go.
I tried not to rage, because there were a lot of little children, who watched me with wide eyes. She also looked at me with such eyes, and I tried not to rage about it.
I thought, “Alex, wait for the music video”. But it’s okay, it’s my trouble.
But when she starts calling my friends, and calling and calling again, saying that she wants to live with them, to stand near their house.
Then I feel ashamed, because it was me who has chosen this life. I chose this career, and I am very-very happy with it. But my friends didn’t choose it, that’s why it is insulting for me.
Q: Did you try to talk with her?...
A: No. Yana can tell you about this.
Y: If I speak honestly, it’s hard to imagine a more foolish person. As a spectator I can say that she calls regularly.
Alex can’t even call anyone, because the mobile network is always occupied by incoming calls, which are trying to be delivered.
She sends him messages, messages on voicemail, and besides, her messages looks like, “Alex, when will we talk?...” or the next one,
"Alex, why don’t you want to be my friend?" or, “Alex, I like you. You also like me and you know how we will be happy” etc. Stuff like that, incoming during all twenty-four hours.
M: But to change the number…
Y: Sorry, but I have the impression that she doesn’t attend the bathroom, doesn’t eat, doesn’t sleep, because it occurs during the whole twenty-four hours.
A: Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov, Shostakovich, they are all Russians. My mom raised me by these composers.
M: What about a tour? Are there any specific cities where concerts will be?
A: No, it's ... I just have refused some offers from TV-shows in Scandinavian countries, so now I have free schedule. And now we've sent messages to all my partners that I am free in March and April.
There will be not just Moscow, but also other Russian-speaking countries like Ukraine. Also, I am making plans in Scandinavian countries, but not in Russian language.
(To Yana) Say it louder.
Well I can say that. It always happens that I jump from one country to another. For example, there will be 48 concerts in December in Scandinavian countries.
M: In what period will there be 48 concerts?
A: During 22 days. M: 48 concerts during 22 days…
A: No, wait, I'm not good in math... during 24 days. 2 concerts per one day. M: Is it hard?
A: No, no, no, I will perform with two other Scandinavian artists.
M: Christmas tour? A: Yes.
A: Yana, can you help me? Y: I have already said everything…
Q: Please, tell us detailed information about the tour.
Y: Look. Now, Alex has 48 concerts in Scandinavian countries, and in the next year he will have concerts in European, Balkan, Baltic and Russian-speaking countries.
Now we are having negotiations for Alex to take the maximum time for all these countries, because they called us constantly, but Alex either had busy dates or they called in the last moment.
Naturally, we had to refuse in most cases. That’s why we planned such concert tours in the next year.
Q: Is it a tour with an all-Alex concert program, not to support this music video?
Y: No, not to support the music video. Now we vist Moscow to communicate with journalists, to attend the broadcasts of television and radio, to talk about the music video, because a lot of journalists have tried to seek some interviews …
A: ...It’s interesting, is it possible to organize such a concert in Moscow. Are there any chances?
Borislav Strulev: Absolutely. Now is the time when I’m producing and making such projects all over the world and now there is such an aspiration of connection, which called for a cross-over.
It’s classical music, which acts as an accompaniment with some unusual musical instrument or style.
The combination of styles in very important. I’m a director of the music festival in Belgorod where it happens.
… Michel Legrand comes in with a new stage image, and makes special music processing. That’s why, right now near the witnesses, I invite you when you will have time etc.
Combination of chamber orcgetra, video series, certain themes… I’m very glad that you as a prizewinner and musician,
as a multi-genre musician opened to anything, who wants to be musically polyphagous, and appear on stages of different countries, not just focus on one. It’s a big plus of every musician…
A: Wow! Thank you.
BS: Because there are many promoted musicians that are one-sided unfortunately.
A: Very nice. BS: … And that can't be said about Alex. So, Bravo!
A: I’m glad to listen to it. Because now I have understood in time, as an artist, that the best happiness for a performer is to cooperate with other artists.
Boris Kazinik: In the summer we cooperated with one unique project of Michael Kazennic's, called “Fathers and sons”.
It had great success in Yurmala, where many celebrities performed, and Alex showed himself as a classical and folk musician.
He performed Norwegian music and Hungarian music, like a real Hungarian gypsy fiddler. It was his incredible performance.
And now a question. In this music video they put a straitjacket on you. Please, tell us, how did you prepare yourself morally before this?
On my mind, it’s not easy. You had to get into the role, but in the same time not to feel claustrophobia.
A: No, I wasn’t afraid of claustrophobia. Not to feel ashamed was the most morally hard for me.
It was a little bit embarrassing for me. I thought, “Oh, God! Alex, there are people who are really unhealthy, and need help, and here you are showing off."
But it was my idea, and therefore also easy for people to muse upon like: “Maybe let’s rethink and we will not to do this”.
But, the biggest purpose and main goal of my task, was not to ask a lot of questions. I decided to make such a music video, so everything that I did I had to do it for 100%.
K: Thank you. And to the theme of this project.
There is an interest to continue this project in other cities of Europe and Russia, that’s why we will talk after the press-conference about whether we could include some concerts of “Fathers and sons” in your upcoming concert tour.
A: Yes, or in summer maybe.
BK: Conception is very important, because it is about the possibility of connecting different generations by classical music. And not only that, but also by Alex's songs.
A: Thank you.
A: (about "Buranovskie Babushki")...to sing in native language, but finally they turned it in their favor: a little bit in English, a little bit in Udmurt. Everybody liked it.
In Norway it was broadcast on the radio. Although no one understood, but everybody liked it. I want something like that in Russia.
M: Maybe to connect something with Russian folk…
A: Yes, maybe even with Buranovskie babushki.
M: Dear friends, today we have an important event. A painter, Arseniy Vlasov, is present at our press-conference.
Today, Alexander will paint a picture with him. He will participate in the creation of an artistic object.
A: I will try not to screw up it.
M: It will be a connected creation. Arseniy Vlasov and Alexander Rybak will now create a picture.
We will use a stand instead of an easel. I suggest all representatives of the media to come there and to record this event, because it will be interesting.
Maybe, come here, cause there is more light. I think, it’s possible to move it.
I will talk about Arseniy Vlasov. Arseniy Vlasov is a modern young painter. His pictures are in collections of famous people, like the singer Madonna, Takeshi Ketana.
They bought Arseniy’s works. Also in collections of Russian sportsmen Fedor Emeljanenko, Vitaliy Klitschko…
A: Is there more water? BK: Separately, yes? Yes.
BK: Alex, and now pour all this on the picture.
A: Yes, express-art...
A: ...it can be a fiddler...May I? Or do you not want?
AV: Why not, it's great. We can start to draw a face here, and then a violin on it.
A: It will be like two different.. Yes, wait a second.. Black.
R: …Will you perform in Moscow or in some other city?
A: No, my public is very well-mannered, and other girls also found my number and sometimes they call me, but it has a limit.
I don’t know this girl. She is crazy and persevering. And of course she has a lot of money, because she follows me…
R: Maybe she has such a hobby…
A: I respect a hobby. I also have a very important hobby: LEGO.
A: … It’s not her…