Nikolai Baskov: Finding your woman is a great success for a man. With whom exactly from the "greatest of this world" do you know

He admitted that for a month in January he rests all alone.

Instagram Nikolai Baskov

There are often reports in the press about luxurious gifts that fans give you. Apartments in Moscow, a mansion in Spain, apartments in Turkey, luxury cars. Is it true?

True, even a few years ago I was presented with a star named after me. I am very pleased with the attention, I am very grateful to these people. But I will not comment on the gifts, I would not like to discuss this topic. I myself love to make gifts, cheer people up, give them joy. The main gifts to my closest people - parents.

Last year, for example, I gave mom and dad a tour to Europe. For them it was real. romantic trip. In fact, I would really like to meet a woman and live with her for at least as many years as my parents. And so that after many years of life I would want to go on a romantic trip with her. It seems to me that to find your woman - great luck for a man.

Of course, I give gifts not only to my parents, but also to those people who surround me. After all, I have friends, my team. And although we no longer believe in Santa Claus, we still hope that New Year will bring happiness. In general, I really love this period of time - from December 31 to January 7, fabulous Christmas days, when we make wishes, we expect that next year will be better than last.

Concerts, meetings with fans, people's love. What are the disadvantages of your profession?

That I don't see my parents much. But we have a tradition in our family: if I return home, they always go to meet me at the airport. Even if I find myself there for an hour or two, this also happens, because often I get to Moscow only for a connection. Mom and dad still come to stay with me at least this time. I don’t even celebrate the New Year at home, because on this night I always work.

What do you give yourself for the New Year?

November and December are the most difficult months of the year for all artists, there are a lot of concerts, filming. A real marathon, so I have already developed such a tradition on January 1 to fly away to rest. I give myself a whole month of "doing nothing". Resting, recovering, preparing for new job. On my holidays, I always travel alone. This year I want to go to the Caribbean, where the climate is great, the weather is great, the beach is clean and the sea is warm.

You are 37 years old, you are not married. What's stopping you from finding your perfect match?

In this sense, I am a fatalist. No need to specifically look for anyone, fate itself will bring you together. You can walk down the street and meet the girl of your dreams. And if it's yours, then you will feel immediately, at first sight.

Are you jealous?

I am very jealous, like all men. And you seem to know that this is an unhealthy feeling, but you can’t do anything with yourself, you are jealous. We are all the same. I would say that love is generally a huge job. And if you are lucky and you found your woman, then mutual love This is a lot of work for women and men.

Love is work, but hate?

I can't say I've never experienced this feeling. Feelings of mercy and kindness are closer to me. For example, I admire what a good deed is now doing. As part of her Volochkova program for children, Nastya gives dozens of free concerts. She is still recording a new album. I believe that a person needs to be realized. Nastya is now at such a stage, her heart asks, her soul sings. After all, in ballet she did everything. If you go out into the street and ask the name of yourself famous ballerina, everyone will answer: "Volochkova".

July 06, 2016 Nikolai and Sophie are well together, but they are in no hurry to go to the registry office.

It's almost the middle of summer, and the Basques haven't really swum yet. Work! In October, he ordered to wait for big concerts in the Kremlin, so now he rehearses from dawn to dusk. And another 40 years is coming soon - it’s not customary to celebrate, but it’s impossible not to think about these special numbers for a man ...

"I feel like I'm 23"

— Nikolai, summer is in the yard. Are you going on vacation?

“There will be no vacation this year. Unless I will break out for a few days - I have global concerts coming up. The Kremlin will host my show, which is called "The Game". All forces are thrown there, it is necessary to rehearse! The show will be solid, bright. Yes, and September is dense: both the festival of humor in Sochi, and the New Wave in the same place. And also the children's "New Wave" in Yalta in August. The dates are all booked. Plus, my project on television in a new format - "Saturday Night" - will also take a lot of shooting days.

- And I saw a photo on your Instagram - you have a healthy fish in your hands. Are you a fisherman?

Yes, I love fishing. And various extreme types of recreation too. And he used to go skiing. But it's all spontaneous when friends call: "Let's go diving with us!" If there are two or three free days why not take a break from everything that surrounds you?

- On the poster of your new show, you take off your mask. What is he, the new Nicholas?

- And you will find out at the concert. In the show, I try on the masks of different heroes - people who believe in love, are disappointed in it, fight for it, sacrifice themselves. Each of us uses masks in life depending on the situation. Probably, we are natural only at home when we fall asleep in our own bed. And when we wake up.

At upcoming concerts, the artist promises to show his real self

- You used to always celebrate your anniversaries with pomp. And this time, I heard that on the eve of your 40th birthday, you plan to run away from everyone. Do you support superstition?

- It's a frontier. Both physical and psychological. Like most men, I don't want to celebrate 40 years. Most likely, I will go somewhere for a few days, just to be alone, to spend this time alone with myself. Without mask.

Do you take this figure calmly or with some horror?

“It’s not calm, but I can’t change anything. It remains only to go forward. There is no way back. I feel myself on the strength of 23. Wrinkles, however, give out a little.

"I needed a break"

- What is the most important event in life for you - that's right, the peak of happiness?

- If I were offered to repeat the path that I went to my age, I would not agree. I would choose whichever is next. It is impossible to say at the age of 40 about your main achievements, because you take a different approach to actions, relationships, reconsider life situations, behavior in them. Yes, 40 years is a lot of baggage. And I want to scatter half of this baggage in my 40s and take only the most positive with me. And leave everything unnecessary.

— You seem so airy, successful. Is there a lot of unnecessary accumulated?

- Yes, there is not a single person on earth with an easy and happy fate! I have not met such people. Maybe that's why my show is called The Game. It is much more pleasant to play happy, even if it is given through difficulties.

With the most dear people: father Viktor Vladimirovich and mother Elena
Nikolaevna in childhood and now

- Have you ever experienced a feeling of boredom from the fact that everything has already been and there is nothing to wish for?

I haven't toured in seven years! At 22 I entered the stage of the Bolshoi Theatre, at 24 I gave my first concerts in the Rossiya Concert Hall, I had a busy tour schedule. And then I realized that I needed a break to prepare for something else to say to the viewer. I needed a break. And now, thank God, it is technologically possible to show the show that you want. Not just an artist standing on stage. Forces, money, a lot of directorial work have been invested in the "Game". And there is no boredom. So many ideas! It would be enough, most importantly, for all health.

- Many years ago you had a legendary interview with Rolling Stone magazine, when you agreed to drink alcohol during the conversation. Are you still capable of such hooliganism?

— I would say that it was not hooliganism.

Maybe a performance?

- Youthful stupidity. From me, as from any artist, you can expect anything - the artist is always unpredictable.

- Since childhood, you have been living in the world of spotlights, bouquets from fans. You probably don’t touch life at all?

“Actually, I am a very simple person. For example, I pack my own bags because I want to know what kind of things I take. I have no right to demand responsibility from people for what is purely my personal: clothes, food, something else. Yes, on stage I seem inaccessible, pompous, pretentious. Let me be perceived that way! But I am happy that when people recognize me personally, they say: “My God, you are a completely different person.” And after meeting with me, many treat me differently. They fall in love, they want to be friends, to be around more often. I am very cheerful in companies, I like to create an atmosphere. I like to enjoy life and I want people around me to rejoice.

I'm delaying my marriage so as not to stumble upon the rake again. For me, my marriage has become an open wound.

- When everyone wants to be friends, isn't it tiring?

- Any artist has such a problem: even close friends expect a holiday and fireworks from him. It's laid down by fate. I understand that I have no right to look tired and tortured. People want solar energy. And, if I can give it, I go to meetings, holidays. But if I feel that the batteries are dead, I'd better stay at home and stay alone or with people close to me.

Do you know the feeling of being alone in a crowd?

- Certainly. If the artist does not sometimes feel lonely and stay alone with himself, then he will not be able to go out to people, crave a meeting with them. We must be hungry for fellowship.

- Have you ever had to go out to the public when you don’t feel like it at all?

- It often happens. You can lie in the dressing room without strength. But, as soon as you cross the wings, after 5 - 7 minutes an extraordinary resource is turned on. Forget about everything! I have seen many times big stars- they were standing backstage, and I thought: “Wow, what a tired, barely standing ...” And young women or men fluttered onto the stage! Although many were over 80.

- They say that everything in your show business is built on hypocrisy. The race for leadership, the battle for the ethers ...

- Somehow they took me away from the shooting, I woke up in the hospital and came to my senses for a month. I had peritonitis appendicitis. At that moment, I realized that nothing had changed in my life, nothing had escaped anywhere. And there is nothing more important than health. Therefore, all this swarming ... It's just ambition creative person. If the artist does not have them, then there will be no artist. It's like a sport, you need to approach it calmly. There is a winner, and there is a silver or bronze medalist. Why envy another person? Everyone has their own destiny.

- You often act in films. Doesn't it bother you that you are usually called for roles that intersect with your stage image?

- I love it. Of course, any artist wants to play Hamlet. But that means I'm self-sufficient vivid image if they want to exploit it.

"I do not renounce marriage"

The singer prefers to be happy today and not think about what will happen tomorrow

— Last years you appear everywhere with Sophia. And more than once they said that you have a guest marriage - see each other often, but live separately. Do you admit that someday it will flow into the usual one - with a registry office, a wedding?

- Now we will pass my forty-year milestone, and then life will show. Under 40 I like mine.

- Well, yes, usually men like them, but women do not.

- You know, marriage has become so obsolete ... This stamp in the passport ... No one will give a guarantee. Look how many couples get married suddenly! And how many people get divorced after 15-20 years of marriage?! The last thing that shocked -. No one thought that they would get divorced! Therefore, using the example of many of my acquaintances and friends, I understand that you need to be happy today and not think about what will happen tomorrow.

You grew up in a complete, traditional family. How did you manage to persuade your parents to take it easy that you have a guest marriage? Or are they accustomed to the quirks of an artist son?

- They just had enough of my first marriage at 7.5 years. I had him. It had its pros and cons. The only thing I can say is that there is no need to rush to get married at a young age. Still, it leaves a certain imprint on a person. Maybe someone can happy marriage and people together all their lives. But for me, my marriage has become an open wound. Therefore, maybe I'm delaying the moment of marriage so as not to stumble on a rake again. But I don't hesitate. You can get married at any time. How to get divorced.

- Would you like to have children in the near future?

- I really want children, I think about it. In the near future, in any case, I will have them. I think within a year or two for sure.

- What helps you to bounce back when your strength runs out and you don’t know what to do next? Locking up with a bottle of vodka, call Montserrat Caballe?

— I have a confessor. The man has known me for many years. Close person, with which, if it's hard for me, I just fly, for example, to Jerusalem. When I am in the Holy Land, I have something to talk about with God. This is the moment that gives me the opportunity to re-energize.

- So you are churched?

- When I was expelled from GITIS, I really wanted to enter the Gnessin Academy. Between the conservatory and the Gnesinka there was a little church. Grandmothers were sitting there begging for alms. I passed by, gave it to one grandmother, and she told me: “Son, go to church. Ask for what you want and it will come true." "Whom to ask?" - "Yes, here at Nicholas the Wonderworker." And I began to go every day before entering the church and ask the Savior and Nicholas the Wonderworker to take me to the Gnessin Academy. And, as soon as I did, I realized that faith became an integral part of my life, because I realized that the Lord hears me.

Do you know prayers, do you keep fasts?

— I like to read the Psalter very much, I always observe Holy Week. I fly to Corfu (an island in Greece, famous for its monasteries. - Auth.). I love to celebrate Easter there. Listen, the soul also needs food - spiritual! I love listening to akathists (special church hymns to the glory of the Savior, the Mother of God and the saints. - Auth.). I turn on my headphones when I'm on a plane. It gives me peace and strength.

Private bussiness

Born on October 15, 1976 in Balashikha near Moscow in the family of a military man and a teacher. From the 3rd to the 7th grade he studied in Novosibirsk. From the age of 11 he performed on the stage of the Children's Musical Theater of the Young Actor. Graduated from the Russian Gnessin Academy of Music in the class of chamber and opera singing, postgraduate studies at the Moscow Conservatory, Department of Management of Moscow State University. He was a soloist of the troupe of the Bolshoi Theater, a student of Montserrat Caballe. Winner of many awards, TV presenter. People's Artist of the Russian Federation. In 2001 - 2008 he was married to Svetlana Shpigel, the daughter of his producer. A son was born in marriage, by mutual agreement, the Basques do not maintain relations with him. AT different years Nikolai had affairs with Oksana Fedorova, Anastasia Volochkova. Since 2014, the artist has been dating singer Sophie Kalcheva.

"A game". show Nikolay Baskov.
State Kremlin Palace
October 7 - 8

Rashid Dairabaev is tired of hiding the non-traditional sexual orientation of his ward. In order not to sleep with his wife, Baskov convinced her that both before and after the performance of the aria, one should not have sex for two days ... “Kolya is the most insecure gay I have ever met in my life!” Said the ex-producer of the singer.

Not so long ago, we visited the former producer Nikolai Baskov Rashid Dairabaev in the hospital. The media wrote about unique methodology, with the help of which, after a stroke and a hypertensive crisis, the legend of show business is restored, and they kept silent that the cause of Rashid Yakubzhanovich's illness was the separation from the ward and the reaction to the nasty things that the singer dumped on his producer.

RASHID YAKUBZHANOVICH in the hospital ward

The journalists met with Rashid in a sanatorium near Moscow, where he continues to put his health undermined by show business in order, and asked him to tell the truth about Nikolai. And not the noodles that are printed in glossy magazines.

Many believe that in your relationship with Nikolai, his scandalous interview in the Rolling Stone music publication, where Baskov calls you a thief, traitor and homosexual, played a fatal role. On the Internet until now, at the mention of your last name, all this garbage falls out. Why are you silent? Why don't you react to rudeness? Are you afraid of his powerful father-in-law, Senator Spiegel?

After Nikolai's delirium in Rolling Stone, one well-known investor, with whom I had signed an agreement on the promotion of one R&B team, broke off the 1.5 million contract with me. The parents of the guys, after reading the interview of the star Russian stage, asked the investor to take their children away from me without understanding the essence of the issue. It's just that for them the Basque is an authority, the Basque is a star. Only they did not think about those who lit this star. My parents asked me to get out of the contract as the general producer of the team. So, thanks to Kolya's drunken ravings, at least $1,500,000 of damage was done to my business reputation.

It's strange, because in show business they have long said that Nikolai seems to be gay himself. They don’t write about it just because not a single photographer has yet managed to catch him with his lover. True, after his marriage and the birth of his son, conversations on this topic ceased.

No one just tried to take a picture. I got tired of hiding the fact that Baskov is a real homosexual, but I never paid attention to it. I believe that in the 21st century, whoever wants to, and f ... tsya, excuse me, lives. Kolya is the most notorious gay I have ever met in my life. Of course, as a person who stood at the origins of his career, I know everything, but who cares. This is everyone's personal life. His complexes related to the topic of homosexuality developed from his first steps on stage. That is why he began to intensively push photos with his wife to the press, hence the unreasonable and constant falling on one knee in front of any woman who came on stage to give him flowers. Hence these calls at concerts to give not flowers, but diapers for a child. Hooray! Event! It did happen. After five years living together became a father! Got it, finally!

KOLYA: with a friend, St. Petersburg antiquarian Sasha

Hence his interview. Baskov shouts to everyone that, they say, he is not gay, that he loves women, that he is a hero father. But it has long been known that a hat on a thief is on fire. Although, frankly, I did not understand the silence of Sveta, whom I knew as an October boy and in whose presence this interview was given.

Of course, I'm not afraid of Boris Spiegel. I have developed very warm friendships with this family over the years. I traveled half the world with them, was in all sorts of troubles, learned a lot of good things from the head of the family, a person I respected and kind.

I did not want to react to the attacks of the boy, who was created by Boris Spiegel through his financial capabilities, connections, talent and gift of foresight. Yes, and my friends, respected people, said that I should not pay attention to the PR-exits of the former ward. But it's so insulting when you are silent, and they continue to smear you with mud. This idiotic intelligence, the desire to keep everything inside yourself and laid me on a hospital bed.

- You spent most of the summer in the hospital. Nicholas came to visit you?

In life, the Basques walk "over the corpses." He doesn't need a sick ex-friend.

Wedding: once Nikolai and Svetlana felt behind the producer's back like behind a stone wall

- Why did Nikolai so stupidly, in fact, for no reason insulted you?

Just because. He did not even think to offend, blurted out what came to mind, and his intelligence is zero. We once flew in an airplane for four hours. At the beginning of the flight, I gave him the simplest scanword. He only dealt with them. Before landing, I look at what he guessed, and there are only five words written in the cells.

- How did you meet Baskov?

On the morning of May 9, 1999, I woke up from a call from Boris Shpigel, who announced to me that today we are all going to the Theater together. Soviet army to the creative evening of Alexander Morozov, in which famous artists Moldova, Belarus and Russia.

In the evening we arrived at the concert and, having familiarized ourselves with the composition of the participants, sat down in the stalls. Borya tells me that a young guy named Baskov will soon appear on the stage, whose performance he needs to watch at the request of State Duma Chairman Gennady Seleznev.

Something sexless floated onto the stage, all dressed in white. Zhenya, Spiegel's wife, and I almost fell off our chairs from laughter. And then it sang "In Memory of Caruso." I can't say anything, it was well done. We liked. After the concert, the composer Morozov invited the guests to a buffet table, where Baskov was also brought. He again came in all white, said hello in position, emphasizing that he was a tenor. He said that he should not eat anything, only warm water can be drunk without gas. Zhenya and I laughed for a long time. After this concert, Boris kept asking me, a person from show business, my opinion on what he saw. I was extremely laconic and said that this niche is free and he can occupy it with a good investment of money, with good management. Then Boris Isaakovich offered me to take the place of executive producer.

- How was a star made from Kolya?

First of all, we went with Boris Isaakovich to dress him. Nikolai arrived at the boutique in some tight-fitting short pants. They were two sizes too small for him. Well, we got a bunch of costumes, we give Kolya - try on. He asks to leave the booth and draw the curtain. We are shocked. After all, there are only men in the store. Without waiting for him to call, they pulled back the curtain to see, and he was there without panties. At first I thought - a pervert, and then Boris and I guessed that if Kolya had put on underpants, then the pants in which he arrived would definitely not fit on him then.

It took six months to select songs, costumes, ballet, arrangers, clip makers. There was everything: trips to competitions, meetings with Obraztsova, Kazarnovskaya, and lessons in stage movement, the latter was never taught to him. In a word, he created the image of a positive hero-lover. Created...

CREATIVE UNION: Dairabaev, Spiegel, Basque and Montserrat Caballe...

Soon went dizzying full houses, first places in the charts, fees, from which the boy's head was blown away. He did not believe that before meeting with Spiegel, he participated in morning concerts with me at the Bolshoi and received $ 200 per month of work. Why labor? Yes, because there you need to sing Lensky's aria live. And then I drove past the concert hall "Russia", exactly at 20 o'clock went on stage, danced one or two songs. Why did you dance? Yes, because the tape recorder sings, and the one who should sing only opens his mouth. I put at least 6,000 bucks in my pocket for this, kissed Rashid and hello. SPA salons, manicures, pedicures, masks, endless hair highlighting, leeches, massages. Then until four in the morning a continuous nativity scene.

He comes home, and the performance for Elena Nikolaevna's own mother begins. One - for her, the other - for his wife, amuses, father-in-law. And the whole truth all these years I have.

- Do you mean the second - blue life?

It didn't start all of a sudden. In distant Novosibirsk, he met a gentleman who then headed the Club of Friends of the Bolshoi Theater. He introduced him to conductor Mark Ermler. He, moving to Moscow, invited Baskov to the Bolshoi Theater for the position of trainee soloist. Here it started. Military choir, familiar blue uncles, including the military. Nikolay especially loved the generals, well, they liked him too. By hook or by crook, Baskov gets into the concert group of the composer Alexander Morozov, who introduces him to the daughter of the leading St. Petersburg program "Musical Ring" Tamara Maximova - Anastasia Maximova.

He begins to chase after her, to play the role of a young man in love. But, of course, nothing happens. Nicholas has other interests.

I remember he was eager to go on tour to the Riga seaside, to Dzintari. I wondered why, but it turned out that someone had told him that there was a chic gay club in Riga. Nikolay quickly completed the concert, got his guards drunk so that they would lose their vigilance, and, yawning, allegedly went to bed in his room. Ten minutes later, the powdered one comes after me, together we go to the parking lot, take a taxi and go to Riga to look for Kolya's love.

- In Europe and America, every second star does this. Why hide?

Ask him. Somehow an Italian woman approached Baskov. opera diva and literally said the following: “Kolya, you need to open at the peak of popularity. At this point, people don't care if you're gay or not. But then you can live in peace.

Nikolay Baskov, Sergey Lazarev, Philip Kirkorov

But I repeat, gay, not gay - it really doesn't matter. The point is different. Everything comes down to money. According to the agreement, Basque was supposed to receive 40 percent of all profits and received them immediately from the moment the contract was signed. After that, he seduced the daughter of Boris and Evgenia Shpigel, turned her head and got married. I was against this marriage and spoke openly about it. He said that Baskov is not who he claims to be, that he is only interested in money. And so it turned out. After the wedding, he asks me to persuade Boris Isaakovich to give up the 40 percent due to him in his favor. This is motivated by the fact that he is now a son-in-law, that money is needed for a young family. I talked to Boris and he agreed. He said 20 percent for you, Rashid, and 80 percent for your son-in-law.

Didn't he know that his son-in-law was gay?

Yes, Boris Isaakovich, okay. How does Sveta live with him? That's what's amazing. He told her that for two days - before and after the concert - he was strictly forbidden to have sex. I sat with him in the recording studios until four, five in the morning, we just watched TV, listened to music, laughed. I understood that Kolya was waiting to come when Sveta fell asleep.

Some of his calls are from Spain, where they are Honeymoon left, what are they worth. “Rashidik, I have a holiday. I'm lounging by the pool. Sveta flooded, went to the room, her hair will dry for two hours, and I will go to a restaurant, take a break from my marital duty. You can’t even imagine what kind of waiters are here - you can’t take your eyes off.

By the way, it is true that Nikolai did several times plastic surgery and sucked fat?

These are inventions of the newspaper "Life". Kolya did only teeth and hair. No fat suction. He sat on strict diets, lived in the gym, constant massages and leeches. If necessary, Nikolai always quickly brought himself to good shape. In this regard, he is a hard worker and a great fellow.

It is felt that, in spite of everything, you do not hold a grudge against him and treat him like your child.

I stopped following his work because it hurts me what I see in his performance. I want to ask him: Kolya, why didn’t I sleep at night? To see this horror? I know that he no longer has the fees that he had. His attacks on me are also a PR move so that people read these articles and say, albeit badly, but if only they would speak, if only they would pay for tickets to his concerts.

- So, it means that you are now helping him to collect cash with your interview?

It turns out, yes.

- High relationship. By the way, what are you doing now?

I'm recovering (laughs). But seriously, I'm going to do a new project - singer Maxim Katyrev. A talented person with a great voice. He is a laureate of various vocal competitions, a baritone.

BARITONO MAXIM KATYREV: Dairabaev's new protégé

I don't want to talk about him anymore. I don’t want Baskov to say later that thanks to him I am promoting a new artist. Although, if Boris Isaakovich Shpigel had not had me in his life, he would never have become involved in show business and, accordingly, Baskov would have had nothing at all. And when they say “talent will always find its way”, this is such nonsense! Look how many talented people sing in our passageways and restaurants.

Graduated from the Moscow Correspondence Credit and Financial Institute with a degree in economics.

1988 - 1991 - Director of the All-Union Central Creative Studio for Gifted Children Tender May».

1991 -1992 - director of Igor Sarukhanov.

1992 -1993 - director Vika Tsyganova.

1999 - 2005 - executive producer of Nikolai Baskov.

About the video "Ibiza"

A few weeks ago, Philip Kirkorov and I broke the Internet with our joint creation called Ibiza. Now also the video "Apology for Ibiza" has been released. I'll tell you this: I don't remember ever being scolded like that. Although in my life I didn’t do anything and no matter how hooligans.

Being opera singer and an intern at the Bolshoi Theatre, always going on stage only in tuxedos, tailcoats and "butterflies" and performing "In Memory of Caruso" on the stage, he suddenly recorded a rap with "Murzilki" from "Autoradio". The stylists then dressed me in a crumpled shirt and ripped jeans, it was a shock to everyone. They bonfired me on what the light stands. Seven years ago, at my anniversary, Kirkorov and I sang the song "They Won't Catch Us." There were 500 guests in the hall, the whole color of society, and we went out to them in shorts, in pioneer ties. We understood that our appearance in such a form and with such a composition would tickle the nerves of the audience. But the unexpected happened. For some reason, both me and Philip had their shorts open. In the euphoria of the speech, we, of course, did not pay attention to this. “Oh my,” Kirkorov and I said, after watching the video later, “why the pants are too small!” What started then is scary to remember. Our unbuttoned shorts discussed everything and everywhere. And I already thought that this is the pinnacle, that we won’t hurt people stronger and won’t shake them. But I was wrong.

After Ibiza, we were scolded in a way that we had never been scolded anywhere. At Ekho Moskvy, where they haven’t said anything about Baskov since its inception, Ibiza devoted a whole hour and poured 18 tubs of shit on me.

Frame from the video "Apology for Ibiza" (2018). Photo: instagram.com

In general, with this clip happened amazing story. Society split into two camps. Half of the viewers (and they have already exceeded fourteen million) love this clip very much, half are furious and splashing saliva: “Why did you, Nikolai,” they ask, “remove such a muck at all ?!” And I'll tell you why. My mission is to entertain people. Distract them from the gray days. Stimulate them if they are sad. I am an artist, this is my profession. And when we shot the video, that's exactly what I wanted. And achieved. I am not afraid of being scolded. For 20 years of my career, nothing has been written about me, and I have never sued a single publication, this is my principled position.

The Russia 1 TV channel also took a big risk by putting Ibiza on the air, but as a result, Andrey Malakhov's program, in which the clip was shown (not uncut, of course), received the highest rating. And on the "New Wave" we sang a song from the stage, then went out for an encore, and it was the only encore in the entire history " new wave". And again, the channel's management was not afraid to show our performance, although there was everything that was possible: provocative scenery, girls with fig leaves in a causal place, and boys in skimpy costumes. But this is done on purpose. I am such a person - I can’t sing all my life in the same costume against the background of the same black backdrop. Then I will cease to be interesting to myself.

And, by the way, Philip and I are similar in this. We are both looking for ourselves all our lives. Philip as soon as he did not shock people - he was red, white, green, whatever - and was not afraid of anything. And note that the interest of the audience in him has not been lost for many years.

About friendship with Kirkorov

We have been friends with Philip for many years. Recently we were on the air with Urgant, and he asked us when we met. To be honest, none of us will remember when it happened. Philip noticed me a long time ago, it was the Musical Ring program, well, that is last century more. And somehow it happened by itself - they began to communicate. And this confrontation of ours, which is talked about so much, is also entertainment. Public game. In fact Philippe is one of the few people I can count on. And he knows it's mutual.

During our communication, we have repeatedly found ourselves in history. One of them stood out in particular. It was the New Year's Eve, we were filming some endless Christmas trees, and after one of the shootings, which ended as always after midnight, Philip says: “I still won’t fall asleep today, there are too many emotions, I need to somehow calm down. Let's go to the cinema?" I agreed, and he said: "Wait, I'll pick you up soon." Calls in. I go down and see - no guards, no driver, Kirkorov himself is driving a small sports two-seater car. He adores her, although it is still a mystery to me how he, with his height, fits there at all. In general, we got into the car, drove to the cinema, left it in the parking lot on the street.

We watched a movie, got out - the car would not start. Well, because we did not turn off the headlights and the battery, of course, sat down. It's cold outside, winter, snow, no one around, half past four in the morning. We go to the road to vote. Philip is standing in front, I am nearby, a little behind him, and you can’t see me from the road (he is still much taller than me). The car stops, inside there are several guys and a girl. Philip says in his trademark voice: “Guys, please help. We have problems. It is necessary to “light up” (start the battery. - Approx. “TN”)”. The driver of the car looks at him, completely stunned, and says: “Listen, you look so much like Kirkorov!” "What do you mean, 'looks like'?!" This is me!” Kirkorov is indignant. The girl from the back seat says with maximum skepticism: “Well, yes, yeah, you are Kirkorov! Only Baskov is still not enough to complete the picture. And then I understand that it is time to come to the fore. I come out from behind Philip and say: “So here I am!” The man in the car, surprised, forgot where his ignition was. Of course, they saved us - “lit a cigarette”, turned us on - but for the entire time of the rescue operation, none of them uttered a word, they were in such shock.

About extreme childhood

The fact that I would become an artist, everyone around began to suspect from my very childhood. I have always been very sociable, and I have always needed an audience - from the very early age. When we went to visit, the owners of the house said to their parents: “Only you take Kolenka with you, otherwise it will be boring at the table without him.” My artistic nature demanded a way out, not always harmless, and I am grateful to my parents for their endless patience. I have never been scolded, no matter what I did. I picked daisies at my grandmother's dacha, put them in a can, walked with him to the trains, made a pitiful face and sold these daisies for a ruble. In high school, I played around near the Intourist Hotel, knew all the prostitutes there by name and in the face, they also knew me and loved me.

I Abdulov, the kingdom of heaven to him, managed to sell the perfume "Fahrenheit". Well, who then did not know the face of the artist Abdulov? Everyone knew. And I knew. And he believed that the artist automatically means "rich man." It's already when I got older, I realized how right I was! (Laughs.) In general, the artist was walking past Intourist on his own business, and I ran up to him, portrayed the holy fool, began to whine: “Alexander, please, we really need money!” There were many of us standing there, but he only paid attention to me and bought perfume as a result.

With father Viktor Vladimirovich and mother Elena Nikolaevna (1982). Photo: From the personal archive of Nikolai Baskov

My nickname was - Artist. When I was 11 years old, I did become an artist - I got into the Children's Musical Theater of a Young Actor, which was then directed by Sasha Fedorov (he is still there, they recently celebrated the 30th anniversary of the theater). A lot of wonderful guys graduated from these walls, and I remember that time with pleasure. So, as soon as I got there, Sasha immediately said: “Kolya, an artist will come out of you. I don’t know what you will become, maybe a singer, maybe a dramatic actor, but you definitely have talent.”

At the Theater of the Young Actor (1988). Photo: From the personal archive of Nikolai Baskov

We went on tour a lot - both around the country and abroad. This nomadic life did not raise any questions for me: I am the son of an officer, and since my father was never a parquet officer, we went through all the garrisons from Germany to Tuva. But Sasha still laughingly recalls the performances that I played before leaving on tour. Mom walks me to the train. It stands on the platform. I lean my forehead against the glass and roar excitedly, straight from the heart. Mom outside the window, of course, is also crying, Sasha, looking at all this, almost roars himself. The train moves off, and as soon as my mother is out of sight, my flow of tears immediately turns off, my face dries up instantly, and, turning to Sasha already quite calmly, I rub my hands happily and say: “Sasha, my mother put sweets there, come on- Let's get started." He wondered how an 11-year-old child could play the grief of parting in such a way.

Once my talent saved our foreign tours. It was in the 1980s, we had many children, accompanied by Sasha. He, as always, let everyone go forward, and he went to the rear. All the children showed their passports, passed, and they told him: “Stop, we won’t let you in!” Something was wrong with him. Sasha begins to rush about: “Comrade Major, let me go, I have 25 children there, how will they leave without me ?!” But the border guard is adamant. And then I understand that it's time. The concert began. I threw myself at the officer, I threw myself on the floor, I sobbed, jerked all my limbs, howled at the whole airport: “Please let our dad go with us, we will die of hunger without him, we will be lost without him.” You won't believe it, but they let us through! And as soon as we were out of sight of the border guards, I, who had been hysterical a second before, suddenly took Sasha by the hand and said in an everyday tone: “Well, where do they give something tasty here?”

About Irina Allegrova and her refrigerator

I have a duet with Irina Allegrova. I love her very much, I was recently with my parents at her concert in Vitebsk. And I was delighted with how the hall met her and how the chorus sang the song “My Wanderer”. Irina did not utter a word, she only conducted from the stage, and the audience sang in unison. And if they ask me what a “hit” is, I will say that this is the song “Wanderer”, which people sing from beginning to end without the participation of the singer herself. I repeat, I highly appreciate her professionalism, but when I see Irina, I immediately remember only one thing - her refrigerator.

Photo: From the personal archive of Nikolai Baskov

Once I came to visit her at some party, there were many guests. Irina is an amazing hostess and loves to cook. Her house has a chic kitchen, a wild amount of dishes, various newfangled gadgets. And her refrigerator is a full-fledged room with an airtight door and shelves that go beyond the horizon. What brought me to this refrigerator? Don't ask! In general, I went in there, and the door closed. And there is no way to open it from the inside. I'm sitting in this icy room, screaming - of course, no one can hear me. The mobile phone does not pick up there. About half an hour later, the people at the table in the living room became agitated: “Something has become painfully quiet, someone is missing.” They began to find out: “Where is the Basque? Didn't he say goodbye?" They went to look for me and it was completely decided that I had quietly dumped in English, but they found my shoes in the hallway. They began to more methodically go around the whole house and found me in this refrigerator. How Ira scolded me is beyond words: “How did you get hurt?” It turned out that, in fact, you can open the door from the inside, but it was on that day that something broke and jammed there. For half an hour I, barefoot and lightly dressed, sat in this refrigerator and still get cold at the thought of what would have happened if they had not found my shoes in the corridor.

About Alla Borisovna and diamonds

Another duet, which I dreamed about for a long time and which I managed to record after all, is with Alla Borisovna Pugacheva. At the "Christmas Meetings" we sang the song "Let's be friends with you" with her. Alla Borisovna was my guiding star, in my youth I earned a living by performing her songs in a restaurant. So, one day I was looking for a gift for Alla's anniversary. I thought that I would give her something original. And then a novelty appeared in Moscow - a machine for cleaning diamonds. Everyone was chasing after her, a terrible deficit. And I decided: this is a worthy gift for Alla. Hurt yourself into a cake - found it! I came to the anniversary proud - how, such an original gift! Alla accepted it, turned it over in her hands and said: “Wow, he gives Rotaru diamonds, and he gives me a machine for cleaning diamonds. I hope that on the next anniversary you will give me something that can be put there to clean.

Photo: From the personal archive of Nikolai Baskov

About Joseph Kobzon

Iosif Davydovich was a standard for me, a model of how to help people. There will never be another person like him. He helped in everything - from going on stage to the funeral. I remember an amazing story. I was invited to perform in some collective concert. I was still completely green, I didn’t have a name, no one offered me money for this performance either, but I was flattered to just speak. I stood backstage and shook with fear. Iosif Davydovich walked past me, patted me on the shoulder and said: “The fact that you are afraid is good. There is nothing worse than going on stage with indifference." It was very important for me to hear it at that moment. I went out, sang a song, returned backstage all wet with fear, and Kobzon gives me $ 200 - a lot of money for me then. I was amazed, I ask: "Why?" And he replies: “Remember, every work must be paid. Only the birds sing for free. I spent dollars then, but if I knew how my life would turn out, I would have kept these two bills as a talisman.

About mysticism and Montserrat Caballe

There was another incident that I remember for the rest of my life. Sasha Fedorov and I and several other guys traveled around Europe and somewhere at the docking point in one of the airports we slept on things in the departure hall, waiting for the flight. Sasha later said that Montserrat Caballe was walking past us. I have been a fan of her since childhood. And then she stops next to me. He puts his hand on my head and says: “What a good boy!” It was a sign, you can't say otherwise.

A little later, I had a dream: I was sitting in the lobby of the Savoy Hotel and holding notes in my hands. And I see Montserrat and Jose Carreras descending the stairs. She suddenly, without saying anything, takes my notes and begins to correct them. Many years later, I met Montserrat: she was looking for a duet tenor in Russia, my producer sent her materials, and she chose me. Blindly, just by hearing a voice. At the first rehearsal, I approached her to meet her, and she ... took the notes from me and began to edit them. I had a stupor! She tells me something, but I can’t answer, because it was already with me! Let's just say there are no miracles...

With Montserrat Caballe (2001). Photo: Global Look Press

I owe a lot to Montserrat. And not only because I performed with her at the best venues in Europe. She taught me a vocal technique that allows me to work two and a half hours live. I remember her master class in Zaragoza, Spain. One of the exercises, for example, was this: you had to lie on the floor on your back, they put a 16-kilogram barbell pancake on your diaphragm, and you had to breathe in a certain way with this pancake on your chest. It was very hard. But this allows me to work out the concert today, even if I am sick or tired. And the audience will not notice that I'm not in the voice.

About adventures on the road

One day we land in Madrid. Madrid airport is one of the largest in the world. From the point of arrival to the place of receipt of your luggage, you travel by train for 18 minutes. We had to transfer to Moscow, and we ran along this airport together with the whole team. And suddenly behind him a cry: “Nikola-a-ay!” I look around - a woman of my mother's age is running towards me. "Do I know you! - screams. - Here you are, definitely Russian and definitely in Moscow! Please, I'm lost here! I do not understand where I should go and where our gate is. Take me with you!" She grabbed the hem of my jeans with both hands and ran after me all the way to the Moscow flight. I couldn't leave her.

But that's not how everyone reacts to me. I remember in 2009 I received the title People's Artist and went to the people - on a tour of cities and villages. I had 13 concerts in the largest Russian cities, and Russian Railways gave me a VIP car, which was all painted: "Nikolai Baskov", "Ship of Fate", "All-Russian Tour". This car was recoupled in each city to another train, we reached the next city, gave a concert there, and in this way we reached Vladivostok. They returned from there, plus 9 kg. Because for several weeks all we did was sit and eat. What else to do? There is no communication, the hauls are long, there is no solid ground under your feet either. And also changing time zones. Somewhere towards Omsk, we no longer understood where we were and whether it was possible to call Moscow without waking my mother.

And one night, somewhere beyond the Sayans, there was a long stop. And I suggest that our people go out and at least just stand on the ground without hearing the sound of wheels. I came out in such a way that at some fashion award I would certainly have received the title of “Person of the Year” for this bow. I was wearing white disposable slippers (the kind hotels usually provide) over black socks, shorts, a T-shirt, and an Armani coat draped over my shoulders. And tousled hair on the head. We are standing near the carriage, we see - a woman in an orange vest is walking along the train and tapping the wheels. He walks, bending low, reaches us, rests his head against me, sees my hotel slippers. Slowly looks up - shorts, coat, hair. And at the same time I stand in the light of a lantern, as if on a stage. And she makes the sign of the cross with a flourish and says: “It’s time to stop drinking!” He leans over his wheels again and walks away, thumping them. Of course, if she had walked smoothly, she would have paid attention to the cars with my photographs and realized that this is me, alive and real, despite thousands of kilometers from Moscow and a strange appearance at three o'clock in the morning. But she was busy with wheels, and who knows, maybe later, after this meeting with me, she stopped drinking ...

Photo: From the personal archive of Nikolai Baskov

About the album "I Believe"

In October there will be a presentation on iTunes of my album called “I Believe”. We did the album “I Believe” for a very long time. It all started with the fact that I saw the poems of the wonderful poetess Irina Lebedeva, who writes on religious topics, and several works touched me to the core. I decided to create songs on them. Interestingly, the music for the symphony orchestra was written by fashionable authors - Seryozha Revtov, Lesha Romanov - composers whose songs, besides me, are sung by Philip Kirkorov, Bilan, Stas Mikhailov, Alsou, Zara, Anna Semenovich and others, and whose hits are now spinning on everyone radio stations. However, we did not come to a result that would suit everyone right away. There were works that I rewrote several times, I didn’t like how it sounded, I didn’t like the arrangement. But in the end, everything worked out.

A few years ago, there was no even thought that I could get such an album. But everything is changing. I realized that our life is divided into periods, and in each of these periods, something that you never thought of before becomes important. I am a baptized person, I have always been and remain a believer, but I also had to go a certain way and do a certain spiritual work. And to this October 9, I walked for a very long time. You know, there are such meetings that are given from above. On your life path suddenly people appear whom you may never meet again, but they are given to you in order to convey to you some thought, some understanding. So, once in a church, somewhere in the outback, I met an elderly priest, and he said to me these words: “People don’t know how to go to church, they go there, like in a table of orders, with a list: I want this, give me this . And it’s also good if, in the end, a person remembers at all that God needs to light a candle and thank for everything that he already has. People forget that in Orthodoxy there is a concept - a thanksgiving candle to the Lord for his good deeds. This is when a person comes to church and does not ask for anything, he just came to thank him for the fact that he has a roof over his head, his parents are alive, there is a job, that he is loved, that he is needed and in demand. And that's it. He put down a candle and leaves without saying a single word: “Give!”

This priest very clearly articulated what I had felt for a long time, but could not put into words. I thought about it a lot. And, maybe, it became a little more correct to look at life. We really live like this - we whine all the time, there’s just not enough for us, they didn’t give us something all the time, offended us, said something wrong, didn’t let us go somewhere, everything is wrong and everything is wrong. And I woke up one day and realized that I didn’t want to do that anymore. And for several years now I have been living differently: I wake up, get up, thank God that I got up and that this day began. Now I already understand that certain thoughts correspond to each age, and such an understanding of life could not come to me at 25, I had to go through a certain path, including losses and deprivations, in order to learn to appreciate what you have. And now I live with this idea.

Simultaneously with the presentation of the album on October 9, my concert will take place in the Kremlin. This will be a large-scale event - 160 people, a symphony orchestra led by conductor Yuri Medyanik and the Sveshnikov Choir will take the stage. This event will be unique - I do not plan to repeat it or take it around the country. My dream is to play a concert once, film it and let it go down in history. This is not a commercial enterprise, I do not earn money on it. I need to sing songs to the audience, and I do it, first of all, for myself, for my soul.

Famous Russian singer found himself in the midst of a huge scandal

Sensational information appeared in the press that Nikolai Baskov was divorcing his wife Svetlana, the daughter of Russian tycoon Boris Shpigel. And then there's thunder among clear sky there was an interview with former producer Nikolai Rashid Dairabaev about the allegedly homosexual inclinations of the singer. He gave it in response to Baskov's scandalously frank interview with the Rolling Stones music publication, in which the singer claimed that his former producer blue. In general, it started

Basque does not comment. They say he moved from his wife's apartment to a hotel, and the other day he completely flew to Spain. Svetlana, whose advertising agency has been promoting her husband until recently, does not agree to an interview. "FACTS" managed to contact by phone only one of the participants in the scandal, Rashid - a well-known Russian producer who worked with the "Tender May" group, Igor Sarukhanov, Vika Tsyganova. According to rumors, after all the showdowns, he had a hypertensive crisis.

“Kolya was a good guy until his head was blown off by money”

How are you, Rashid Yakubzhanovich?

Thanks, it's better now. Now I am in a sanatorium, undergoing rehabilitation.

A lot of information about Nikolai Baskov appeared in the Russian press in connection with his divorce and your scandalous interview. There was even a version of a planned PR campaign.

Well no. At least it's not a publicity stunt on my part.

They say that in this way you decided to promote a new singer following in the footsteps of Baskov - the current soloist of the Moscow operetta Maxim Katyrev.

Unlike Baskov, Maxim is slim and tall.

Nikolai also built.

Yes, Kolya is short! Maxim is tall and handsome. Baritone. He sang at the Voronezh Opera and Ballet Theatre.

And now, then, also on the stage?

He will work at the intersection of genres - between classics and variety art.

Do you remember good things about Kolya Baskov now?

I am not an evil person. Of course, I will never forget how Kolya, when we just started working together, came to my house with groceries and said: “Can I fry something for you?” It made me very happy. We ate, drank a bottle of wine and sang a duet

I wonder what?

- "What are you standing, swaying, thin mountain ash?" Yes, that's bullshit. Of course, I have a hearing, but I can't sing like a Basque. I did not receive any special education. Kolya is a star! I realized it the moment I saw it for the first time. It was May 9, 1999 in Moscow, at the Theater of the Soviet Army. Boris Spiegel and I came to the creative evening of the composer Alexander Morozov, in which Nikolai also took part. At the request of the Chairman of the State Duma, Gennady Seleznev, they had to watch his speech and make a verdict. And then Nikolai appeared on the stage in a white suit. He was so strangely dressed that I couldn't help laughing. But he sang pretty well. After the concert, we met, and I began to work with Baskov. He was a good guy at first, until he was blown away by money.

star fever called.

Exactly. It began with the recording of his first album - in 2000. And away we go! With the burden of glory, he could not cope.

“Baskov has always felt femininity”

- For four years you were his producer and, they say, broke up because of the TV project "Dom".

Kolya became the host of this program, which had just launched on television. Without saying a word to me! And then he brought a fee of 10 thousand dollars. I say: “Kolya, what’s the matter? What is the transmission? He explained that the members build a house and then someone gets it as a prize. At the same time, the camera works 24 hours a day in the non-stop mode! I say: “You shouldn’t act there! You don’t need everyone to see how you eat, sleep, go to the toilet. What were we fighting for then? What is the Bolshoi Theater if you will lead this obscene thing?!” He says, "Out of the $300,000 I was given for the transfer, I only get ten." I told him: “I don’t care! We have a contract under which I have 20 percent of any financial offer. You acted, for example, as a janitor, received a million - please unfasten me 20 percent. Because I did not come to the finished star! I made it myself!

Not without the help of one of the most influential businessmen in Russia, Boris Shpigel.

Yes, thanks to the finances of Boris Isaakovich. This, roughly speaking, is the person who invested money in Kolya, believed in his talent. I did everything else! Boris Isaakovich is a respected person, a pharmaceutical magnate. He absolutely does not care about Baskov's creative problems.

But after all, he also received interest from Nikolai's performances?

But how! At first. Until the Basques began to put pressure on my “corn”. This happened after his wedding with Sveta Spiegel. He says: “Rashid, please go and talk to Boris Isaakovich. You are friends!” I came: “Boris Isaakovich, you have the only daughter, to whom Kolya is married. Well, why do you need these 40 percent? Your business is much more serious ... "The first time he sent me, dear mother, obscenity! Four days passed, Boris Isaakovich called me: “Well, he says, you are right, as always. Let him take 80 percent, and 20 percent is yours. And - go ahead, happy to you ... "

Did he agree because of his daughter?

Of course, mostly because of Svetlana.

Did he like Baskov's union with his only child?

Because Baskov already in those years slipped notes of homosexuality. Do you understand me? It felt feminine.

A lot of people have noticed it, but

And I didn't hesitate to talk about it. And Boris Isaakovich as well. I begged: “Well, what are you doing? Don't agree to their marriage!"

He could not influence the daughter?

Sveta threw tantrums! She said that she was in love with Kolya, he was in love with her, and I just envy their happiness! This was also the indirect reason for my resignation. Families began to “nag” me from different sides: Baskov, or rather Baskov, and Spiegel. Everyone except Boris Isaakovich! He was always on my side because he is a wise man. I said: “Guys, I have been living for so many years, do you really think I don’t see who and what he is?” I traveled half the world, I was a director " Tender May”, Igor Sarukhanov and Vika Tsyganova. He went on tour with everyone, from Alla Pugacheva to Montserrat Caballe and Joseph Kobzon.

That is, during the tour, you saw the habits of everyone.

That's it! Together with Kolya Baskov, we went to gay clubs in Riga and St. Petersburg

Have you read the scandalous interview that Baskov gave to the Rolling Stones magazine, which talks about your gay?

This was the beginning of the current scandal. I have been silent for four years! I did not want to tell the details of Baskov's personal life. But after the publication of the article in the magazine, respected people with whom I started working began to call me and refuse to cooperate. I signed a contract with an Erenby team from Mogilev, and one and a half million dollars fell into my account for their promotion!

Quite a few

But the mother of one of the boys threw a tantrum when she read an article in the Rolling Stones about my homosexual tendencies. She began to say, they say, where is the guarantee that I will not start pestering her son? I replied: “From Baskov’s side, this is a slander! I have NEVER touched it! God forbid! Crazy, right? But no one listened to me, and I lost money. Colossal! Of course, I got really pissed off. And when my response interview was published in the press, Baskov's entourage began to call on the phone and threaten me ... Never mind, I will endure any threat - I am a brave person. I raised Baskov, and I will destroy him. This bastard!

Maybe you shouldn't freak out like that? Kolya, giving an interview, was very drunk.

It doesn't justify it! And then, I know Baskov. He won't allow himself to get drunk to the point of recklessness so that a respected magazine like The Rolling Stones will talk nonsense! After all, the publication is read by a solid audience. Kolya perfectly understood to whom and what he was giving. I decided to get into a rock and roll party in order to lure this viewer to myself.

I was surprised that his wife Sveta was also present at this interview!

She loves him dearly!

Think so far?

Yes, no matter what. Kolya is her first man, whom she fell in love with at the age of 18. Besides, her father long-awaited child. Becoming a father, Baskov accomplished a great feat for his part! To be completely honest.

Basque - homosexual?

Absolutely right. I have irrefutable facts about which only the former environment of the singer is aware: backing vocals, security. After all, he fired everyone who knew something unseemly about him. A terrible intriguer. He came to me for a salary, took, say, 30 thousand dollars and said: “If my mother asks, I received only five!” For the other twenty-five, he had his own box office.

“Montserrat Caballe’s“ balls ”came out on her forehead when she heard what soundtrack Nikolai was singing to”

What was the ultimate desire of Kolya Baskov?

World fame! He wanted to sing at the center of world musical culture in New York - the Metropolitan Opera and Covent Garden in London. Boris Isaakovich even sent Kolya and me to Rome. Russian Ambassador to Italy Nikolai Spassky agreed with Etteri Volontiri, a well-known Italian producer, who took us to the La Scala Theater and introduced us to one of the leading tenors. Baskov asked: "How much do you get for a game?" - "About 10 thousand dollars." - “And for this you have been singing here for so many years ?!” On this note, we parted ways with the tenor. And when they left the theater, Kolya said: “God! Why the hell do I need this? I'd rather sing and dance and get 10 thousand dollars for a couple of songs with a soundtrack in the concert hall "Russia" than I'll tear my voice. Let it go to hell!” And immediately went to the stage.

Nevertheless, Montserrat Caballe herself fell in love with him.

It's completely different! Montserrat loved him like a child. She is 74 years old, and Kolya is handsome, young. In 2000, Montserrat came to St. Petersburg, where she gave a concert at the Ice Palace. But the tickets didn't sell very well. The director of the Ice Palace called me and asked: “Old man, we don’t have a collection, and Basque is very popular now. It is impossible for him to come and speak in the first part? I say: “Of course, but on the condition that he will sing in the first part, Caballe in the second, and then they will perform one composition in a duet. It is necessary for our image." We were paid for the road, the hotel and were given 10 thousand dollars of the fee! At the time, very good. Tickets sold out within three days.

So, you stood at the origins of the Montserrat-Basque duet?

Absolutely! True, Montserrat's "balls" crawled out on her forehead when she heard what soundtrack the Basques were singing to. It was a complete out! Boris Isaakovich asked her to take care of Kolya, offered her money. Montserrat is very offended. But then she performed in the Kremlin and nevertheless agreed: “Let Kolya come to me, we will study ...” We flew to her in Barcelona all together - me, Boris Isaakovich, Kolya, Sveta.

Is it true that Baskov and Kirkorov have a long-standing conflict?

They constantly quarrel, then reconcile. They have their own Madrid there. They wish each other health, but in fact, I think this is a lie. Because if one of them died creatively, the other would be very happy about it.

What do you think, what actually caused Baskov's divorce from his wife?

I think this is Sveta's decision. She "left" him, finally plucking up the courage. Alas, after the break with Kolya, I do not communicate with the Spiegel family. Only with Boris Isaakovich, and that is extremely rare. Kolya walks over corpses all his life, using people in one way or another. After all, he so hoped to receive the title of People's Artist of Russia by the 30th anniversary! But they didn't. It’s not the same with us as it is with you, in Ukraine - once, and the Basque people have become ... Why does he need Sveta now? Rumors that he was a homosexual stopped after the birth of a child. There was a wife, now he is himself. Kolya wants to spend money, relax, travel freely and eventually get rid of Boris Isaakovich's guards and people. Don't hide anything. He is now unbound! Buy yourself Vacation home and ... walk, empress! Forward! As for concerts, he hasn't had a producer for a long time. He sets his own prices. He became insolent terribly, although he won’t even pronounce the word “meow” live.

Why haven't you been singing for a long time?

What do you! All just records

P.S. At any time we are ready to give Nikolai Baskov the opportunity to express his opinion on this scandalous situation.