Manija group. Singer Manizha: “My father was ashamed of me because of my profession
Singer Manizha filmed super popular videos with a mop and forced strangers to sing on the streets. The 25-year-old artist loves to surprise the audience. Apparently, thanks to this, the army of her fans is growing by leaps and bounds. The singer's music is liked by Vera Brezhneva, Polina Gagarina and many other stars Russian stage. The first 15-second video with songs, the girl began to record and upload on Instagram out of hopelessness, being depressed. As a result, she got a full-fledged first-ever instagram-album “Manuscript”, and on May 20, Manizha will give big concert on the stage of the Ice Palace. The singer told StarHit why she didn’t communicate with her father for 10 years and why she is still ashamed of her mother.
You became famous thanks to Instagram. What unusual things had to be done for the sake of popularity?
Each video is hard labor and pleasure. I remembered two videos - one filmed in Moscow, the other in New York, when I asked passers-by to sing with me. For several days I walked the streets like crazy with a phone, a tripod, a sound recording device, approached everyone in a row and said: “Hi, my name is Manizha, let's sing together!” I wanted to show that it is not necessary to have musical education to make a great video. It is enough to agree and surrender to childish spontaneity. I managed to meet different people: some immediately refused, but there were those who, completely out of tune, got so high!
Have you consciously aspired to become a star of the Network?
To be honest, I started making videos out of desperation. I participated in an international project, worked in England, recorded at the studio with Michael Spencer, he worked with Kylie Minogue, I had a contract for one album. I did a great job, giving it four years of my life. And all this led to nothing. Due to the financial crisis that hit everyone, the project was closed. Being depressed, I returned to Moscow. Literally went crazy. And she came up with a game: upload a video once a week to decorate Monday. I asked: “People, what song do you want to hear?” Then I chose the one that I also liked, made a cover, marked on the video the “winning person”, that one - his friends, and further along the chain. A month of such work brought 10 thousand subscribers. Instagram has become my springboard, where I also met part of my team, with whom I now work. I want to be an example for those who do not dare. Prove that from Instagram you can stand on the stage of Ice. We don't need radio stations or investment locomotives...
Do you keep in touch with your fans?
They are the basis of my existence. I try to answer everyone: in private messages, by mail, everywhere. True, it is more and more difficult to do this, because now there are a lot of them. For me, this is a way to understand what to do next.
Changed something after critical comments?
I had a precedent. On May 9, 2016, she made a video for the song "Dark Night". There was a huge discussion, I received a lot of criticism. She answered all the spiteful critics: “Thank you very much. It probably shouldn't have been done." And surprisingly, they immediately changed their minds. People just wanted attention, they didn't expect me to answer them.
Are there famous people among your fans?
I have a good relationship with Vera Brezhneva. Once I reposted my video - and it was incredibly nice! Polina Gagarina, Timur Rodriguez, Anfisa Chekhova also wrote that they like what I do. The rapper L'One came to the concert - and he did not even ask for an invitation, but simply bought tickets - for himself, his wife, and his child. I am glad that among my listeners there are fellow musicians.
To which of modern stars do you equal?
I love Alla Borisovna Pugacheva very much - especially her early records. I love Zemfira too! Vanya Dorn is awesome. Now there are many interesting artists who make cool music.
And from foreign who do you like? As far as I know, you even stood on the same stage with Lana Del Rey?
It was about three years ago, I sang with her as an opening act in the same "Ice". We sent the recording to the casting. And Lana's management invited us. It was funny when, later during our performance, her assistant ran up to the sound engineer and asked me to be quieter, they say, too cool to warm up. But it didn't work out that way. After the concert, Lana came to my dressing room. She said that she liked it, they say, I'm cool, I should continue in the same spirit. We chatted for half an hour, hugged and congratulated each other on a successful performance. I also worked with musicians Jamiroquai, Robbie Williams: all very humble and kind guys.
You managed to live in London, Moscow, but finally settled in St. Petersburg. Why?
Let me start by saying that I was born in Tajikistan. When I was one year old, there were military actions, and my mother moved me to Moscow. So my whole life has been and remains here. And I came to St. Petersburg five years ago, looking for myself. I became friends with musicians, with whom we later created a band. Many people generally think that I am from the Northern capital. I can't say that this is the only city where I manage to create. But there are places where I feel freer, where there is less running around, worries, you can concentrate better. Petersburg is also the most delicious city for me. There are amazing cafes. I am a coffee lover and love to have breakfast - this is a certain ritual for me. If I don't have breakfast, the day is going to be a mess.
How did your mother react to your constant moving to different countries, cities? Are you ashamed of something in front of your mother?
She took everything hard, dissuaded. But she had no choice - she realized that she needed to let go. I didn’t tell her many things later: how difficult it was for me there, lonely. Was very funny story in childhood. Remember the series "Wild Angel"? There Milagres always drank wine and talked with Jesus. And she asked him for something good. Once, as a small child, I drank wine at home: for my family, for the health of loved ones, thinking that this was some kind of connection with the Almighty. How my mother scolded me then! And I was so offended that she did not understand - after all, I did it for her!
Having moved to St. Petersburg, did you provide for yourself?
My mother still helps me financially to this day, although this is no longer required. Now I earn, I do not beg. But in the passport I constantly find my mother's "gifts". Sometimes I say: “Mom, I need such and such amount of money.” And she always tries to send more! And so constantly. When I moved, I had a goal: to grow up, to stop being a child. I must say that I have always been under the tutelage of the elders. She started making music at the age of 12. At 16, she already gave concerts, participated in a pop project - it was a real school. And from the age of 18 she began to write songs. But I wanted to get even higher education...
Alexander Malich: Perhaps, in our musical field now there are no such artists as Manizha. This is an amazing example of how, at a very young age, with the help of her own efforts, talent and energy, Manizha ended up where she is now. On the covers. Ahead of the concert in Ice. A cool album was recorded (Manizhi's debut album Manuscript was released in 2017 - approx. "Paper"), and I think you should give her a round of applause. Manizha, good evening.
Manizha: Hello.
AM: For the first time I heard Manizha a long time ago: I have a friend Andrey Samsonov, he is a producer. It seemed to be 2011.
M: Yes, at the beginning of 2011 we met Andrey. I remember that it was also an acquaintance with St. Petersburg: it is very cold, but at the same time the entire Nevsky is flooded with sunshine. And, to be honest, I remember St. Petersburg the most sunny city on the planet.
AM: He is like that.
M: Over the past few years, I have seen the sun less and less. But the feeling remains the same. I remember that day well, because I did not sleep for about two days and we had to record the Assai album then.
AM: Did you come to St. Petersburg to record this album?
M: Yes. So we met Andrei Samsonov. When we finished recording, we wanted to lie down on the mat and sleep. And the guys said: "No, you must see Petersburg." I exhaled and went for a walk. I looked at the Neva at night and suddenly realized where so many creative people drew inspiration from. And that's when my love for Peter happened.
AM: Andrey called me at that moment: “I have such a voice in the studio now, you will be stunned!”. And Andrey recorded a lot of things, worked with such people as Mumiy Troll, Zemfira, BG and so on. And when he told me this, I, of course, listened. And even then, in 2011, it was obvious that you had an absolutely fantastic voice.
M: Thank you.
AM: Where did you come to Petersburg from?
M: From Moscow. At that time, I had just graduated from university. I am a child psychologist by training. School ended, and it was necessary to think about what to do with life next. I associated it with creativity, but did not understand where I should go and what to do in general. I was very close friends and friends with the guys from the Assai Music Band team. Then they offered me to take part in the recording of a new album. And then I met a lot of musicians. It spun and spun, I began to spend most of the time in St. Petersburg - and wrote most of the songs here.
AM: you gave great interview"Dog", where they said that mom is your mentor in good sense this word.
M: Yes Yes. My mother is also a designer, and I always wear clothes that she makes with her own hands. Mom from the very beginning was and remains a person who believes in me, helps and creates the conditions in which I can do what I feel.
AM: That is, from childhood you saw ahead creative career?
M: I won’t say that from childhood I immediately realized that I would become a musician. I just liked doing things. I was an absolute black sheep at school, I did not develop relationships with classmates. All I wanted was to finish school as soon as possible and go to university. IN School of Music I did not go. I thought: well, why am I going to spend so much time on music, I need to learn something else. And I went to see a psychologist. And, probably, only from the age of 22, that is, the last three years of my life, I understand what I want and where I'm going.
AM: That is, the recording from "Assai" - it was like this: "You sing cool, and we have an album here."
M: Yes, I liked music and my friends played it. It was quite spontaneous, I would say. And then everything turned into a serious story, because we started working on new material. The group Krip De Shin appeared, which lasted less than six months. Our paths parted because we did not understand what we wanted. Everyone wanted something different. And I wanted to leave, because it seemed to me that the music that I write would be understood only there. A lot of people told me that I'm crazy and no one here needs my music.
AM: And then you went to London.
M: Yes. Luckily, I met incredible person who created the international project. I took part in it as a singer, then suddenly I began to write a lot of songs within the project. After about a year of cooperation, we were in England, working with English producers and musicians. The project was aimed at moving beyond the borders of Russia. We can say that we postponed it, it did not happen for two reasons. The first reason... Sings:"It's you". In general, it was very simple - money. Second, I leaned my head against the wall and realized again that I didn't know what I wanted. Everything is in England, everything is cool, everything works out - but it doesn’t work out. That does not work? Can't answer the question who am I. Well, and so fate developed that I was just looking for an answer for a year.
AM: And your education as a psychologist does not help you answer this question?
M: It helps, but it's not enough. Of course, I know all this very well. And, moreover, the worst thing is that I know myself very well. It is sad. Because I understand what is coming from, why I react to some things in a certain way. It becomes difficult to change. When you try to answer the question "Who am I?", it seems that you need to study yourself from the inside - and everything will work out, but it becomes even harder. There's no longer a fight for the faint of heart.
AM: Since we are at the university, I have to ask questions from the category: “And when did you realize that you wanted to be creative?”. So at 21?
M: No no. I have been making art since I was 8 years old.
AM: But it is impossible to understand at the age of 8 what you will do?
M: Impossible, yes. Let's call the number 21. I like it.
AM: OK.
M: It definitely wasn't at 15, because then I had just entered the university. I graduated from high school very early because I went there early. And, in general, I didn’t have much of a childhood. So when I graduated from university, I was 20 years old. The year when I recognized myself helped me a lot. And from the age of 21 she began to engage only in creativity.
AM: We have a "kangaroo" here, which we will give for best question. And you sign on it. Is it possible?
M: With pleasure.
AM: There is an expression: DIY, Do It Yourself. No one really understands what is behind this. In the case of Manizha, what is included in these three letters?
M: Do it yourself without fear. The whole Instagram story started with an iPhone and paper tape. Although no, the paper one was later - when I discovered that it leaves no traces. The phone was always sticky because I glued it to the tripod. There was also a wall in the room, which I covered with backgrounds. I bought them at a stationery store. I began to get great pleasure from discounts in stationery stores. You know, it's very expensive, as it turned out. I'm just shocked at how much paper and glue cost. But there was nothing to do, and my sister and I cut out the scenery together in the evenings, and the next day we put the iPhone. Then I did not have equipment and we caught sunny days in Moscow. I shot videos, edited them on my phone, posted them immediately on Instagram, and got a response. And so in two months there was a very large increase in the audience. Completely organic and honest. People tagged their friends, themselves, their moms, dads, uncles, aunts on my Instagram. I watched how about a thousand comments were typed in a day. For me, it was a shock after all these words like: “Manizha, no one needs your music, who will listen to it at all?” And I sang in English.
AM: Do you think it doesn't work in Russian?
M: This is my favorite topic. I specifically provoked you to this question.
AM: If you have any other topics that you want to provoke me, let's go right away. So it will be faster.
M: I will say this: English is the most accessible language. This is the first. Second, it is very easy to write on it. You just need to practice it, practice pronunciation, listen to a lot of good music - and, in principle, in five years you will learn how to make high-quality content. As for the Russian language, it is an incredibly beautiful and complex language. And it's ten times harder to write a song on it. For me, this is a serious one - now I’ll say English word- challenge.
AM: Everything here is all right. It's from The State University.
M: Yeah, I've got it.
AM: Calcher Capital.
M: Here we are joking, joking, but I think in Russian. And I sing songs in Russian to my nephews when I lull them to sleep. And I understand that this language is primordially in me forever. He lives in me, and I write in Russian - less often, but I treat every song that I write in Russian with awe. For me, this is a real memoir, which is difficult to share, because you are very naked. But, fortunately, there is support and someone says: “Come on, come on, you have to, you have to!”. Otherwise, I don't think I would have released anything.
AM: Just on the table.
M: Yes, I wrote a lot on the table. If in English music we have enough movement, dynamics, harmony, then in Russian-language songs we first of all pay attention to the word. And the Russian language is complex, non-melodious. If English is very light and soft, then you need to learn to sing in Russian. I, like many, sing in Russian with a strange accent. And I'm working on it. I try to learn new sounds in Russian.
AM: Often, when translating into Russian, it turns out that English songs do not sound. Even Michael Jackson - with all due respect to his greatness.
M: Nicki Minaj released a song. She sings there: "Ass, ass, ass." And I'm thinking: what will happen if we translate it into Russian?
AM: as something.
M: And this something is shaking on the screen. Okay, we're at the university, sorry.
AM: Oh, yes, these walls have not seen such a thing. So, when I asked about DIY, in general, I did not mean instagram. Instagram is a tool. It seems so to me. And DIY is about music in your case.
M: About everything. It's not just about music. I can't call myself a specific musician. I'm interested in everything - I'm interested in art in general. Music is the language I have chosen today. If in five years I realize that I don’t want to speak it or I can’t, then I’ll choose another one. If I want to shoot a video and make it now, sometimes I don't even have a song. She comes then to the video. It happens the other way around: I just sit and write some poetry or a story on the table. I recently discussed with my girlfriend how hard it is when you can’t pull something out of yourself. And thank God it works. Because all those problems that remain in you since childhood need to be processed. I realized that I have a resource for this: I remove it, work with it, or accept it.
AM: Is music still a business? Anyway.
M: Of course, music is a business. Everything is produced.
AM: This is your second favorite question, I know. Tell us then how everything is produced.
M: No, well, not everything is produced. I have a couple of memorized answers. I encountered this and realized one thing: today the viewer has become different. He cannot be bribed. We are all very sophisticated. True, we have already seen and see a lot. Not only beautiful, but also terrible. And if they try to sell us something artificial, we may be hooked for some period - for fun, but this product will not remain in history. Only those who say honest things remain - and sing about honest things. And this is not easy: not to play a role, but to say what you really feel. And tell the listener about it all the time. It is very difficult, but if you have chosen it, then there is no turning back. Of course, businessmen will criticize me now and say that everything doesn’t work like that and you can get around it 20 times. But I am a very lyrical, creative person. And I believe in honesty. I still think she can make your business a success. There is also such a fashionable topic abroad, when producers say: I did Bruno Mars, but I helped Jackson. How can you believe a man who says he made Jackson? He made his style of performance, charisma and energy? There are projects that are really done. You think: yes, here is a well-produced story. You believe in it and admire the scale. But I would like to think that in the first place and in the first place is always talent and ability to work.
AM: Dmitry Nagiev usually says that he has 42 classmates. He appeared on television and counted. Scrolling through something on the phone.
M: You are everything on the phone.
AM: I'm looking at the questions from the chat.
M: And I thought you were texting there.
AM: Yes, with my wife. By the way, at Manizhi new clip Instagram, you can check it out.
M: Came out today.
AM: Yes, question. Here, some are turning to you.
M: Right.
AM:“When did you first write your songs in Russian and English?”
M: I now remembered my first song. I was 9 years old. There were such words: “Why don’t you love me, why are you silent again? You will never forget me, you will never forgive me." Sorry, I don't remember who it was for.
AM: Maybe the guy is still suffering - from the 2nd grade. "Your place of power in St. Petersburg?"
M: You know, there are a lot of them. The most beautiful street is Pestelya, I love the Stieglitz Academy very much. I say to the security: “Oh, I’m going to the store to buy stationery.”
AM: Now everyone knows how to get into Mukha.
M: My dream is to perform there. I watch the students draw there. This is just an incredible place.
AM: In the same place, in general, the transition from one Petersburg to another: from Pestel to the Field of Mars.
M: I really like this area: it's so different and cool. And it's so beautiful in summer. You turn around - and suddenly you see some corner of France.
AM:“How would you promote yourself in the 60s, when there was no Instagram yet?”
M: I would like to see what others are doing. They knocked at the studio and said: "Take me." They made their way. Maybe I would go outside to sing. People then paid attention to street musicians.
AM: I think it was easier back then, actually.
M: I will not say that it is easier, but the flow was really less. I think it was more difficult. Because you can count the performers of that time on your fingers. And today there are so many.
M: Yes it's true. To be honest, I envy the people of that time for one simple reason. All those people who were close to music are not necessarily musicians, and those people who simply loved it saw how it develops and changes. First heard of Pink Floyd, for example. What are we doing in music now? I don't think we're doing anything anymore. I envy this feeling: you are the first to hear it.
AM:“Was there anything that opened up the creative flow in you? After all, they say, you can’t become a genius if you haven’t experienced shocks. ”
M: Why such sad questions?
AM: Next question. “Is it possible to make sure that your work is seen without resorting to SMM?”
M: I think not.
AM: SMM only?
M: Not only SMM. But without SMM, it's somehow too radical. Why go to extremes? This is one of the tools that helps to communicate what you are doing.
AM: But you on Instagram, at concerts and in life are completely different personalities.
M: This is the secret. This is called "versatility". A person will not be able to read your portrait in a second: never social media will not replace face-to-face communication. And concerts, for example, in my life are a resource from which I get energy.
AM: We are asked if you learned to sing.
M: I have studied a lot. I took courses of ten sessions to understand the method, learn it and move on.
AM:“Tell me, is Manizha your real name or for Instagram?”
M: For Instagram! My name is Manizha, my mother called me that. "Manizha" in Persian means "tenderness". I don't think my mom predicted the existence of Instagram 25 years ago.
AM:"On what musical instruments can you play?"
M: None professionally. I can play the piano, find my own harmony. Now the guys are forcing me to play so that I can perform. I can pick up something on the guitar. WITH different tools can find mutual language, but, unfortunately, I am not professionally friends with any.
AM:“What can make you change the style of music? If your mom says that the song is so-so, will you feel sad?”
M: The main thing is that my mother liked the song. There are, of course, disagreements, and it is always difficult. But we try to come to a common vision and compromises. I still care what they say to me, although it may not look like that. Of course, I can not listen and do it in my own way. But I need to hear the man's opinion.
M: They rarely write nasty things to me, and if they do, I don’t communicate with such people. I just text them "thank you". I really try to respond to comments, now there is a little less time. But I try to watch what people write in Direct. Previously, I took criticism more sharply, it was very painful. Now I look at those who say something to me. Because when you work 24/7, you understand who can tell you something and who can't. Those people who themselves work 24/7 on their project, on their music and generally understand it - they can tell you something, and you can listen to them. They definitely won’t write about it on Instagram and, most likely, they won’t even tell you anything. Or they will tell you in person. I like to enter the audio recordings of a person who writes something to me on VKontakte. It gets a little easier.
AM: We'll move on to microphone questions a bit later. It also annoys me that all living people are here, and I read questions from the phone. It seems to me that we are in some kind of dystopia.
M: I can get my phone now too.
M: I love Karina very much. She is in New York now; By the way, she recently had a birthday, I want to congratulate her. And so we will do 100 projects with her, who knows.
AM: And there was a question about creative crises.
M: I'm terrified of them. And so I go to sleep. For many hours. I need to sleep to calm down. Because otherwise, I'm just being really bad. I become very aggressive, very withdrawn, everything infuriates me. Such puberty. Teenager teen.
AM: Do you write music yourself?
M: Most often yes. Sometimes I participate in collaborations, but I wrote most of it myself.
AM: There was also a question why the song is called "Chandelier". Why not?
M: She is absolutely lifeless. It's all so cool. With pouty lips. Chandeliers I call girls. Probably, there is an image: sparks from a chandelier. How can you exchange your sincere strong feelings for some bullshit? About this song.
AM: How did you understand that you need to do a solo project? “I came and sang with Assai, it was great, but now I have to sing myself.”
M: Even when I sang with Lesha, there was no such thing that I sing with Lesha. We were on stage together. I liked it, it was new interesting experience. This did not prevent me from being Manizha.
AM: Do you understand what is expected of you? And you can't do something contrary?
M: Can. For example, the song "Tired" was recently released. It is sung from a man's point of view, and it was an absolutely spontaneous outburst. Not like what I do. I do not want to initially sew myself into a genre. Do you want - rock, do you want - hip-hop.
AM: Renaissance man concept, version 2.0.
M: Something like that. If you want - give birth to children. It's more interesting than singing. You created man and watch him every day. I felt something similar while raising my nephews. However, I rarely see them these days.
AM: And do not confuse tourism with emigration.
M: I will always remember the day when the first nephew was brought home. I looked at him and understood that he did nothing, and I love him so much - unconditional love. I thought, God, this is great. That's why I want my own family.
AM: I pass the microphone to the hall.
Girl from the audience: Manizha, first of all I want to say that you are an amazing person. I say this not as your fan, but as a connoisseur of amazing people. The question is: the formula for success from Manizhi? Was the path bumpy? You probably did not immediately understand how to do it right.
M: To this day, I don't know, to be honest.
Girl from the audience: What should not be done? What didn't work?
M: To understand what you want, you need to understand what you don't want. What do you hate to get involved in? Half way done, if you've given up on it. And the second rule: do not ignore those things that society seems to impose on you. In my case, you can call instagram. You need to spend time, study such a phenomenon, find out the cons and start using it. Do not ignore, but adapt to your needs. And don't be afraid to take some crazy steps.
AM: And how to come to terms with the fact that Instagram is a vanity fair?
M: You go to a concert and whether people come to you today or not depends, among other things, on Instagram. This is influenced by your manner of filming, communicating.
Student from the audience: Where do you get images for your videos and photos? They are very unusual in color and shapes used.
M: For me, the sequence of shots on Instagram is really important. Now it's broken and I'm nervous. I always think about what colors should follow each other, use a palette, see what goes with what, consult with my mother, because she is a designer. I ask what will happen if you combine certain colors or shapes. I read a lot about art, I study artists. Today, thank God, I have a team that shares my vision - and together we create clips that reflect the essence. Before that it was a one-on-one game. I dream of ideas for clips, and I record them on a voice recorder.
Student from the audience: We are all students, we have our lives ahead of us.
AM: Manizha, of course, is a grandmother.
Student from the audience: What to do if you go through rejection? For example, you are constantly denied a job.
M: In December, when we launched Manuscript, it was very hard. It was so hard that I sat down and thought: maybe, well, fuck him? Doesn't grow. It just doesn't grow. At all. But I kept doing things. You can’t just throw up your hands, because otherwise I would just eat myself. You keep walking on the machine, not getting any pleasure. You cry because you can't. You post a video that you spent millions of effort on and put so many expectations into - and there are 623 views and viewers: “Well. Cool". Then March comes - and life begins to change. It's just that sometimes you can't fight it and it's easier to accept it.
AM:“What is your favorite subject at the psychology department?”
M: Neuropsychology. I also love psychodrama.
Student from the audience: When you performed at the "Gallery" and people passed by on their business, after listening to one song, how did you feel?
M: A concert and a performance at the Gallery are two different things. When people go and think that they need to buy sausages at home, it's more interesting to capture the viewer. And when it stops - and it didn't stop alone - you think, "Wow." I realized one thing: on stage, it is important for me to catch glances that help to exhale: "I'm not alone, I'm not alone." I am lucky that I have musicians who support me on stage.
Young man from the audience: Do you like poetry, do you have a favorite author? Behind you hangs a banner "Everything is possible in St. Petersburg": can you read your favorite poem?
Manizha: I don't like to read poetry aloud. I adore poetry, I love Tsvetaeva, Brodsky very much and I was in his apartment. If you pay attention to the cover of "Tired", you will see that this is a shot on the balcony of Brodsky's house. But I do not like to read poetry: I do it badly.
Girl from the audience: I have a question related to poetry. How do you feel about Versus?
M: I am convinced that this new form poetry. Before there were readings, poets gathered, arranged the same battles. There were even duels and deaths. Now we have Versus and I love watching it. It seems to me that poetry lacks a big word, because now everything has become so resilient, smooth. And such roughness as Versus is necessary.
Girl from the audience: Don't you think there's a lot of hate there?
M: Hate is a good thing if channeled in the right way. She can motivate you to do something.
Girl from the audience: You started with a video on Instagram, now you have swung at Ice. How do you see in further development your creativity?
M: As the young man rightly noted, behind my back is a banner with the inscription "Everything is possible in St. Petersburg." Why not collect the Ice Palace? Second: my inner mantra is to become an example for many people not to be afraid to take and swing. Third: the girls and I were discussing in the dressing room that we are crazy, but not stupid. We understand what we are doing. What will happen next? I want the scene to grow, to have more different people. There are ambitions, of course, but I want to see people different nationalities, religions, views. Make music for different languages. Today it is Russian and English. Then maybe Japanese.
AM: Have you done a genetic test recently?
M: Yes, I discovered that I have 32 nationalities. I urge everyone to take this test. You will be shocked - and understand where you get your love for some kind of cuisine or the feeling when you arrive somewhere: “Oh my God, this is my country, my city! I've been here for sure!" This inspired me to do one project that will be released soon, but I won't talk about it for now. The test is a very cool investment, first of all, in yourself, in order to understand who you are.
AM: Test tubes at the end of the hall.
Student from the audience: Are there representatives music industry whom you especially single out, respect, listen to?
M: Their mass. Oksimiron, Ivan Dorn, Zemfira. I took this from the surface. And inside there are still many people whose creativity has not yet been noticed, but soon everything will fall into place.
AM: And when you hear a song well done from your point of view, what emotions do you have?
M: I'm happy. I really miss the music community in our country. People who care about what they want to do and how they contribute to the culture. I think it's really cool to do collaborations to reach more people. Pay attention to good video content.
AM: It's the same principle that you use on Instagram. Then your friends include their friends.
M: Yes, but the point is that the musicians communicate with each other so that they can do more, create a community that will live and prosper. Taking big steps towards the audience who wants to hear good music.
Girl from the audience: Thanks a lot for your creativity. Popularity is a rather ambiguous phenomenon. How negatively or positively did it affect your social circle? How much did you gain and how much did you lose?
M: I think it's not about popularity, but about the fact that with age there are less and less around you. less people who you can trust. As the years go by, we end up alone sooner or later. Each time it's harder to trust a new person: you've already lost someone and you don't want to go through it again. Difficult, very difficult for me. Thank God I have music.
AM: Manizha, you are quoting yourself as a nine-year-old.
Girl from the audience: Manizha, very glad to see you.
M: You have very beautiful earrings.
AM: I was about to say it.
Girl from the audience: You wrote on Instagram that your mom is your team. Is there anyone else on this team from your family?
AM: Thank you for your question, you have a very beautiful dress.
M: I have a very big family. There are five of us with my mother. We were also raised by our uncle. He is a great example for me, because already at a very mature age he began to take pictures. His photographs were featured on the BBC. This inspires me a lot: at the conventional age of 45, a person has just begun to engage in some kind of creative work. We lost our house and moved to Moscow, so the desire to help each other increased. Often my family helps me in my work. My sister for a long time was my make-up artist, and everything-everything-everything. Now next to me is a professional team, which I also call my family. There is safety in numbers. It is foolish to say that you alone can handle everything.
Student from the audience: Name your main achievement and impressive failure.
M: I remembered good story- from childhood. I had an amazing grandmother in my life, whom I really miss. I came for the summer from Moscow. And now it was necessary to clean the pool in our garden. My grandmother tells me: "Put on rubber boots and go clean the pool." And I'm such a Moscow diva: "There are worms, dirt." Five minutes later, I was already cleaning this pool. But I remember the story so much that every time in a similar situation I think: “There are worms. OK. Better to do it. Because it needs to be." This way you feel fuller and stronger.
AM: This is about failure, I understand?
M: Oh, I remember a funny incident. At a concert, I sat down at the keyboard for the first time. She sang the song "Not yours", and she is so dramatic - everyone loaded, I feel the intensity of these emotions. And then I press the wrong chord and speak into the microphone: ...
Applause.
M: I've never been so ashamed. All the beauty of the evening undermined. People, of course, laughed, supported: “Manizha, come on!”. And before my eyes there was only this word and my mother, who says: “How could you!”.
Girl from the audience: Was there a moment in your life when, after watching a movie or reading a book, you felt some kind of creative impulse?
M: You know, I really like Alejandro Jodorowsky. This is such a crazy person who did psychomagic. He is a director - I watched his films and thought how symbolic they are. If I create something, I like to put symbols there. And just the same, Alejandro Jodorowsky is a master of this. His book "Psychomagic" is about how creativity can help in life. As a child, I was inspired by the stories of O'Henry. Then there is Ray Bradbury.
AM: Finally, I must ask you why you are in Petersburg. In Moscow you have a base, a family.
M: Anyone creative person you need a sense of freedom to create. In St. Petersburg, I feel freedom. It was like that from the very beginning, from the first day I arrived. That is what happens to this day. Here I wrote a lot of songs. Source is here. I can be alone here. Petersburg calms me down a lot, and I come back here all the time.
AM: See how everyone applauds.
Applause.
AM: We need to decide who we will give the “kangaroo” to.
M: I also have gifts. I know for sure that I want to give the first prize to the girl who asked the question about the Gallery. Hands out a kangaroo. Then he takes out his prizes: Manuscript vinyl records. It seems that the girl who received the "kangaroo" was upset.
Winner Girl: I have a player.
AM: Manizha, we must start with the one who has the player.
Players raise their hands.
AM: Let's remember the questions. We had questions about books and films, about creativity and motivation, about the strongest creative failure ... A question about the formula for success.
M: You have a phenomenal memory.
AM: She's going to reset now. As soon as we change the scenery, I will generally forget what we talked about.
M: And who asked about the place of power in St. Petersburg?
AM: This girl is in... He stumbles. In a beautiful fur boa.
M: Can I do something bad? Addresses the girl from the first row. You smiled like that all evening. Now let everyone know how to do it: everyone sits in the front row and laughs.
AM: I see here the only person in costume. I don't know him, but he came in a tie to meet you.
AND . All materials of the project are collected.
For the first time will give a big solo concert in Moscow in the Hall of Columns of the House of Unions - he will perform hits from the debut album Manuscript and new songs that no one has yet heard. We decided to ask the popular Instagram singer 15 candid questions. She answered very honestly.
You became famous for Instagram. Did you purposefully go there for fame?
No. In fact, when I started Instagram, I had no such goal. It was an ordinary Instagram of a person who writes music. Such an itinerant musician who travels from one country to another and writes songs. Then I started making musical collages for my friends. They began to tell me to do this more often, and everything turned into a system. Every Monday I posted videos that people found interesting.
Creativity for you is...
The opportunity to feel yourself in this world in your place, to feel the buzz from what you are doing.
How many people are working on the Manizha project?
Many write that an English or American marketing company, a super-cool advertising agency is dealing with me ... This is all nonsense. I work with six musicians, two managers and a key partner of the project - MS Production. A main man- this is my mother, she is a leader and inspirer.
Are you signed to a major label or do you work on your own?
I work on my own, I don't have a label deal, I'm against big labels in general. It seems to me that if you know what you want, then this can be achieved without the help of a label.
How much do you spend on art per month?
If we talk about time - a huge amount. If we talk about money - a huge amount. (Laughs.)
Yes, I never let anyone lead them. Only on VKontakte or Facebook can a manager help me. But I led and continue to manage Instagram myself, and I answer comments and direct messages myself.
Are you nervous before going on stage?
Yes, on the one hand, excitement is a nasty feeling, but on the other hand, it is a great motivator, because it helps to get together and do everything 150%.
Which is more difficult: performing in front of a small audience in a club or in front of a large number of people?
In front of a small number of people in the club. I hate performing in clubs, especially when someone at the bar starts to prepare a cocktail during your performance. I remember how people were making noise, not listening, eating, and every time I went on such a stage, everything inside contracted, and I asked the universe to stop it. It doesn't matter if it's 150 people or 100 million. The main thing is that these people do not eat and listen to me.
Who helps you in creating stage and everyday style in clothes?
Mom, she is the creator of the Modar brand, which means "mother" in Farsi. We collectively call her clothes hugs, because they give a sense of security and protection on stage.
Do you have a genre crisis?
Certainly! I hate this feeling and it's hard to fight it. I still don't know the recipe.
Do you write songs yourself, or do you have a team of songwriters?
Manizha Davlatova is a Tajik pop star, a performer of songs in the style of Persian pop music.
The girl was born on December 31, 1982 in the Tajik USSR, in the city of Kulyab. Manizha became the 4th daughter in the family. Showed from childhood musical ability, sang a lot, was fond of foreign languages. After studying at school number 8 in the city of Kulyab, she became a student of the faculty foreign languages KGU.
Lucky case helped the girl get closer to her dream of becoming a singer. In the second year of Kulyab University, in order to receive a credit in English language, Manizhe had to perform a song in English before a commission from the Ministry of Education. The student chose the soundtrack for the film "Titanic", which impressed the teachers. The girl was offered to transfer to pop faculty Institute of Arts, but her father was against such a choice, and Manizha chose journalism.
In the third year, having moved to Dushanbe, she entered the faculty of journalism at TSNU. Living in the capital of Tajikistan, the girl took up recording own songs in a manner close in spirit to Persian music. Davlatova chose this performing style after getting acquainted with the work of the Tajik singer and composer Zikriollokh Khakimov, who became the young singer's mentor.
Music
Davlatova's first track was the song "By the River", which was recorded shortly after Manizha moved to Dushanbe. Soon the first album of the singer "Sarnavishti man" (My destiny) and three clips appeared. The singer showed selectivity to musical and poetic material, so the process of creating songs lasted a long time.
The girl created the texts for some songs herself. Manizha wrote poems for the musical compositions "Dili Dardmand" (Sick Heart), "Yeri Dilozor" (Beloved Torturer), "Bidon" (Know). For the track "Busa" (Kiss), the words of the Afghan poet Horun Roun were used.
The premiere of the first album took place at the concert "Surudi Sol", which took place in Afghanistan in the city of Mazar-i-Sharif. In 2002, the debut solo performance took place in the homeland of Manizhi in Concert hall Republic "Borbad". Davlatova prepared for the performance for a long time. In building stage image the singer was helped by stylist Mavlyuda Khamrayeva, with whom Manizhi began a long-term creative relationship. Davlatova's famous curls have become a role model for young Tajik women. Manizha has been recognized as a trendsetter in Tajikistan and Afghanistan.
The audience of the neighboring state fell in love with the young Tajik singer. Davlatova was also invited to Kabul. The fame of Manizhi is explained not only by creativity, but also by her open commitment to the observance of Sharia law. The girl can often be seen wearing a hijab. But Manizha does not always wear an outfit for Muslim women. The girl also puts on European clothes, jeans and trouser suits.
In 2007, a number of events occurred that had a negative impact on creative biography singers. The girl's father, who was the only support and protection for the family and daughters, died. And after another concert in the capital of Afghanistan, Manizhey, the special services became interested and began to persecute. The girl was suspected of having links with the Asian mafia, which she categorically denied in her own interviews.
Manizha fell into depression and stopped appearing in public. The situation was aggravated by a terrible accident, as a result of which two boys, twin brothers, died. By this case Manizha was held as a suspect, and despite the fact that the girl was acquitted, accusations of Davlatova in an unintentional murder on the road appeared in the press.
The girl hardly got out of the crisis, releasing her second album, dedicated to the memory of her father, the central composition of which was the song "Padar" (Father). The artist recorded the track in a duet together with Rustam Shazimov. clip for this musical composition immediately got into the playlist of the Tamoshow TV channel dedicated to Asian music. The second album also includes the songs "Zi chashmoni to memiram" (in a duet with Khabib Khakimov) and "Osmon boronist".
For three years, the singer did not appear on stage, continuing to create songs for young colleagues in the shop. During this time, the girl created a number of hits for, Suraya Mirzo, Jonibeki Murod and Khabiba. Manizha Davlatova wrote the music for Zainura Pulodi's track "Daph Mizanem" and sang the part of the backing vocalist during the mixing of the composition at the JC Records Studio.
Personal life
Manizha Davlatova does not advertise the details of her personal life. Periodically, rumors appear in the press that an Afghan became the girl's husband. Journalists also expressed suspicions about the singer's romance with.
But, as the singer herself claims in an interview, such speculations have no basis. Online "Instagram" there is also no confirmation of her marriage on the artist's personal page.
Manizha Davlatova now
In 2016, Manizha Davlatova recorded a number of tracks, among which the most popular were Maro Meshinosi, Behuda Horam Mekuni, Zi Man Behuda Meranchi, Ishki Man.
Now the artist is recording new songs, performing at private celebrations, weddings. In 2017, the hits “Hey Dust!”, “Soli Nav”, “Vatan”, “Kuchoi” appeared in the singer’s repertoire.
Almost 200 thousand users have already subscribed to the blog of this girl. If you are not one of them, then this review is definitely for you.
Manizha Sangin- a Muscovite who moved to the capital of Russia back in early childhood from Dushanbe.
She is the first singer in the world who began to "make" musical collages - full-fledged art products, consisting of several (usually nine) beautiful video pictures and chic polyphony and polyphony.
My musical career on Instagram, the singer began with 15-second clips shot with her own hands: at that time it was simply impossible to make minute clips. The girl immediately decided to upload videos on Mondays. After all, Mondays, as a rule, no one likes, and therefore Manizha intended to make this day of the week kinder and brighter.
The girl was the first to come up with the idea of shooting musical collages on video. Photo: personal archive.
For a few recent years the girl wrote more than 100 of her own compositions - in English and Russian. In parallel - began to cooperate with the best contemporary musicians and sound producers in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Los Angeles and London. Word of mouth quickly spread the news of an extraordinary singer. Internet users from all over the world began to follow her work. And now all these people (Manizha herself calls them not listeners, but “hearers”) are looking forward to the release of the girl’s first album. Rather, it would be an Instagram album, which, however, will be available not only on Instagram. It can be purchased both in iTunes and in the Yandex.Music application.
In the meantime, while waiting for the record, we have carefully studied the singer's blog and compiled for you a rating of the ten most popular of her videos. Enjoy, music lovers, future and present.
