MOSCOW , April 2, Anastasia Silkina. Iosif Prigozhin has behind him the creation of successful labels and promotion of artists, recognition of colleagues and professional awards. In an interview for his 55th anniversary, which the producer celebrates on April 2, he spoke frankly about how Russian show business has changed.
— Joseph Igorevich, you have been in the music industry for more than 30 years . Did she disappoint you?
— I can say that putting a song on the radio is sometimes equivalent to a military operation.
Until recently, there were many artists from Ukraine who were put on air to the detriment of ours. We gave more opportunities to those who betrayed us today and left Russia. Plus, some mysterious young people have appeared who have nothing to do with their profession — bloggers. We are not against it — time dictates it. But it is impossible to compete with obscenities. If you don’t swear, then you’re not “fashionable.”
There was a situation when Valeria decided to leave the stage. He says: “Yosya, I’m not on the same page with these people.”
— What stopped?
— In the current circumstances, fortunately, various representatives of the industry have shown their true colors. The place has cleared up, and real artists have more opportunities to create. There is competition, but it is now at a normal professional level.
— How are you doing with touring today? Are there any invitations for Valeria from abroad?
— We are still not allowed to travel abroad, since we are citizens of the Russian Federation. We don’t even try, because it will cause irritation and additional prohibitions.
As for touring here, these are colossal risks. In case of cancellation, expenses for logistics, hotels, advertising, and hall rental will not be reimbursed. We are hostages of pandemic events or the threat of terrorist attacks, as now. In order not to put our partners at risk, we try to minimize travel. But we maintain a presence on television and hold corporate events. And we live a little more economically — we no longer need, for example, to invest in children’s education.
—Are you canceling Valeria’s tribute concert with the participation of young artists on April 17 in Moscow?
—We are faced with a choice. We may be criticized for holding this concert. The social media community has already intimidated everyone.
Now look: the artist works not only for himself, but also for his teams. For example, for some it is 70 people. Multiply by the number of family members, and you will understand how many people receive their livelihood from the star's performance.
— You were criticized for arguing that artists lost their earnings during the pandemic. Let's briefly explain to commentators how the financial side of show business works.
— Expenses for one concert in Moscow can reach 40 million rubles: advertising, rent, technical equipment. At Valeria's anniversary concert at Crocus last year, 350 people worked. The big shows you see on TV put an artist in the red if there are no sponsors. He earns this money through corporate events and other performances.
This is an enterprise that employs a huge number of people. And the artist is the person who gathers the audience. But for some reason everyone thinks that money from ticket sales goes only to the star.
— The Year of the Family has now been declared in Russia. Your couple with Valeria can be used as an example: no scandals or rumors usual for celebrities.
— We are for traditional values and a strong family. On the twelfth of March it was 21 years since we were together. There are really few people in our industry who can boast of such long-term relationships. And I want to say that my love for her remains the same as 21 years ago. We raised six children between us, and we already have two grandchildren. We gave the children the freedom to choose their life path, but we said: “Wherever you are and whatever you do, you must love your homeland.”
— Is it difficult to combine personal life and work all these years?
“I could have chosen any career path, including political, but I chose to serve Valeria. She is a great, worthy artist, working with whom requires great attention.
But at work we work, and at home we are a family. Naturally, we are completely different, with our own views on the world. Everyone has gone their own way. She had her trials, I had mine. But even in the most difficult times, when my mistakes could have affected her career, she was there and did not betray our love. She was patient and kind. We are not just husband and wife, but great friends.
— Your wife is a well-known promoter of a healthy lifestyle. Do you support her in this or maybe feel some kind of pressure?
— I would probably be an ugly big guy if it weren’t for her. I once said that I want to see her at 99 years old. To which she replied: “For your dream to come true, you also need to live a long time. And for this you need to at least take care of yourself and eat right.” It is important in old age not to feel like a helpless old man, but to be an emotional, nimble guy. You need to be in shape.
— How will you celebrate your birthday?
— Against the backdrop of the tragic events at Crocus, it is wrong to organize some kind of bright celebration — this grief has affected us all. So there will be a modest dinner with friends and acquaintances.
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