Alexey Romanov: “Anya Pletneva and I love each other! Alexey Romanov - the new king among composers There should be only one artist in the family.

Vocalist of "Vintage" got his first sex experience in pioneer camps

The other day in the rotation on the radio appeared a new song known for its sexual image of the group "Vintage" - "Roman". We could not miss such a great opportunity to talk with the author of the music of the new hit and the vocalist of the band Alexei Romanov. True, the conversation went not only about creativity, but also about personal life. Handsome Alexey is not too willing to talk about the most intimate, but he made an exception for Express Newspaper.

The history of the creation of the new song is very interesting. We wanted to record a trio with two famous singers. And then our soloist Anya Pletneva from Switzerland flew in, listened to the song and said: “I will sing alone!” - says Alexey. - Anya's intuition is very important to me. Even our meeting with her was not accidental. After all, we met during the accident right on the street. I then drove only three months and crashed into a Skoda. Waiting for traffic cops. And at that time Anya Pletneva was passing by. She saw me, got out of the car and immediately offered to work together. No, it had nothing to do with sudden passion. She, of course, knew who I was and wanted to do a joint project.

And then I accidentally saw it and thought: “Oh, Romanov, wonderful!” It's just that sometimes you go down the road and think about something, and suddenly you see that it's lying around. Why not choose...

Almost nothing is known about Alexei's personal life. Therefore, we did not miss the opportunity to ask him a few juicy questions. The conversation was unexpectedly frank.

The sexy image of "Vintage" is our attitude. Thus, we express all our hidden and not hidden emotions. But not needs. They are usually sold by people up to the age of 24. Then adult life begins and some games and fantasies begin. And it's much more interesting. The fantasy world is sometimes better than reality, - shared Alex.

When did you first start thinking about sex?

Years at 12-13. But these were not pornographic or erotic fantasies, but just some pictures. My first sex experiences took place in pioneer camps. All these kisses in wooden houses… True, at first I did not like kissing. It was somehow incomprehensible, uncomfortable. But everyone did it, which means I had to. And I had my first sex at 15. She was a little older than me, and we met in the company. It had nothing to do with first love, it just came out as a matter of course. It turned out unusual and strange, because there was no physiological delight. I think at this age it is generally difficult to get full pleasure. Probably, for everyone, this is just a satisfaction of interest. And the first love ... Everything was quite banal.

I was already an artist, but the girl had nothing to do with show business. We met for a year, for me it was quite a long time. And then I had a lot of novels at the time when I sang in the A-Mega group. This happened on tour and in general everywhere and always. I guess I had a new girlfriend every week. I think that they all wanted a long-term relationship, but then it was simply impossible with me, I was completely unprepared for this. And now sex without love is unreal for me. In the absence of any feelings, he brings tremendous disappointment. Because you want, first of all, to satisfy yourself, and the person next to you is not particularly interesting. Well, perhaps just as a test subject or used. And then you feel only disgust.

- That is, you tied up with such a life, then that you fell in love very much?

Yes, I met a girl at a party of mutual friends who became my wife. I got married at 25 and we've been together for seven years. My daughter is now in first grade. I didn't plan all of this ahead of time. It’s just that by that time everything had settled down in my head and I was tired of the wild life. I wanted stability, although when we met and even lived for a year, I had not thought about it yet. But it was love at first sight. I am generally very amorous and still fall in love. But I can't change my wife.

- And who do you love?

I sincerely love Anya Pletneva. And she must be in love with me. But our feelings with her are much deeper and higher than those based on sex.

- But on tour, probably, fans besiege you ...

And I lock myself in my room and surf the Internet. The only thing we do is meet the fan clubs. These are, as a rule, teenagers who still know little about sex.

- But you are for them, I think, a sex symbol ...

No, I'm not a sex symbol. I don't go to parties and I'm a reserved and private person. Most do not know at all that I work in the Vintage group and that suits me. I enjoy the fact that I can go to the store and quietly choose products for two hours without signing autographs. So if a fan girl comes up to me and says “Alexey, I love you!”, I’ll just hug her. Fatherly...

But the image of a very sexual group was fixed behind Vintage ... I recall frames from the video for Bad Girl, in which Anya Pletneva hugs a naked male ass. By the way, the priest was, by chance, not yours?

Shocking is part of the work and a kind of just a performance. It's just that there has never been such a scandalous group on our stage. It's always nice to break stereotypes. And yes, I confess: it was my butt who starred in the video. But Anna didn't see anything. Everything was well covered up front.

I still envy her...

Come on, men are no different from each other. But I don’t think that we will show the male fifth point again in any clip. Even mine. Come up with something new and more exciting.

- Erotica or porn? Would you do such a film as an experiment?

There is only one porn movie that deserves my personal attention and that is Caligula. But since then, no one has dared to repeat the same story. And as beautiful as it is, no one else could show sexual intercourse. It’s not that I watch a lot of porn… By the way, I’m quite skeptical about it at the moment. For me, it's like a zoo. And before we tried on porn films. But my only conclusion after such experiments is that these strange postures are very uncomfortable.

The hitmaker of "Vintage" told how the accident actually started the group, and admitted that Yuri Usachev taught him a lot.

Lesha Romanov is a modest person. He wrote at least fifty songs that the whole country sings, and at the same time he rejoices that few people recognize him by sight. Behind him - work in America with Sergei Krylov, cooperation with Yuri Usachev, work in the popular "Amega". But most importantly, he is one of the two people who make up the backbone of the super-actual Vintage group. He and Anya Pletneva.

Just "Vintage" released a new album "Decamerone" - daring, provocative, bright. Already caused the darkness of controversy on the Internet. And on November 8, "Vintage" will show a new show at the Ray Just Arena, the name "Forbidden World" is worth something ...

- How many children do you have, Alex?

Two for now two. The daughter went to the fifth grade, and the youngest turns three in October. My daughter goes to an English school.

- Do they have music lessons? It seems like all schools canceled them ...

It seems there is. At least in the first three classes, she definitely had them. As for the last year, I don't know. When I myself went to school, we taught music from the first grade to the sixth, and I really liked these lessons. I remember that in the fifth or sixth grade I even replaced the music teacher. I took the records of the Beatles, Arabesques, something from the classics, even tried to sing something at the piano ... But still no one listened to me! Usually schoolchildren were skeptical about this lesson - like if you like music, you are a nerd. And there were no ensembles or groups on the basis of the school. I went to study at the Palace of Pioneers on Polyanka, where at the age of 12 I studied at the VIA Druzhba. And then a chain reaction began - at first I had a fake "Tender May", then a semi-"Tender May", and off we go. By 1993, I had grown to the team of Sergei Krylov.

Oh, I recently saw him at Five Stars in Yalta. Moreover, he walked importantly, because he introduced himself as a producer of one of the participants in the competition.

You will laugh, but he also produced me at one time! It was very funny. Seryozha is generally a very interesting person, with his own principles, numerology and other things. And then Krylov had such a show "School". I came out of it, the singer Bush and Yulia Nachalova, widely known in gypsy circles.

- Did she still have a story with the Morning Star show?

Yes, it went in parallel. I didn’t get anywhere except in the USA. I was 16 years old, the collapse of the Soviet Union had just happened - it was very cool! Right now I don’t want to fly there, I have nothing to do there. And then - it was the most, I was there at the right time. I absorbed like a sponge everything that happened around Sergei Krylov and his friends. And among his friends were very famous musicians. Krylov recorded his albums there, and the atmosphere was wonderful. For example, I met Dr. Dre, who is now a rap mastodon, but then he was nobody. We sat and chatted. It was like this at this studio - at night Michael Jackson wrote his album HIStory there (at night because it was cheaper), and during the day - Sergey Krylov with cash pockets full of cash. It was fun! We go to a clothing store for overweight people - Luciano Pavarotti goes there ... Seriously, I could not give out something creative then, I was young. But a lot of what I absorbed in America influences what I do now.

And I’ll say my biggest thanks to Krylov for introducing me to Grozny and Shlykov, with whom I subsequently made Amega.

- Passed from hand to hand?

I signed with ZeKo Records in 1994 and Amega was formed in 1998. For four years, I was actually “closed”. I now understand that some projects need to mature, endure or wait in order to be able to fire on time. And then? You are 15-16 years old, you beat with a hoof, rush forward, accuse the producers of doing nothing ... It's generally funny when artists blame producers. If it's a success, then it's like a great artist, and if it's a failure, then the producer is unusable.

- So many people think! But why weren't there any of your songs in "Amega" at all, just songs of Andrey the Terrible?

I can understand him. Andrei was interested in promoting his songs, it was interesting for him to engage in creativity. I made my modest contribution - already at the stage of producing and recording. But the success of the songs is, of course, entirely the merit of Grozny.

He shared projects in his head - "Amega" will be a guitar pop group, and "Brilliant" - a purely girl project?

Yes, he is generally a great mathematician and strategist. It's strange to me that he's out of sight now. After all, it was Andrey who created the first girl band in the country, and it was at the same time with the Spice Girls - the ideas were born at the same time! Moreover, the first two albums of "Brilliant" are excellent works, not only from a commercial, but also from a creative point of view. I especially like the first "There, only there." Grozny was then an advanced person, he listened to current music, on Fridays we went with him to the then fashionable Titanic club, to various jazz clubs. Olya Orlova sang excellently there, fantastically overtones. The girls were successful, not right away, but in a year everything worked out. Now it's hard to imagine that at that time the "Brilliant" were not only a popular, but also a fashionable band with an up-to-date sound.

And "Amega" was rather the alter ego of Andrei himself - what he would like to do on stage if he himself was an artist. He did the project for me. Now I can talk about it honestly and frankly. But - no one needed the ugly little black boy on the stage, they needed a picture for visualization. Picture for sale! Oleg Dobrynin was found - a handsome man, stately blond, our salvation in yellow boots. He then did not have a very successful career as a musician, but now he teaches vocals, and honestly earns his living.

The third link was missing, and the arrival of Lena Perova was still invented by me. Grozny said that we need a guitarist, we will find a guy, a fashionable guitarist, and we will launch in a month. That is, a purely male group was implied. And at that moment Lena Perova was released, she led the program "Party Zone". I call Andrey - why a guitarist, let there be a guitarist, and here is Perova. Terrible jumps up to the ceiling - excellent, but it's unrealistic, will you agree? I'll try. And Lena just quite easily agreed.

- Why is it easy? She left the Lyceum with a scandal?

She was a superstar at the time. For the first six months, everyone perceived us like this as the Amega group and Lena Perova. From a media point of view, Lena did a tremendous job for the team! Of course, the group went on tour right away, instantly. Invitations to all the top programs followed, plus her brother Serezha Suponev already worked on Channel One, and at every opportunity he tried to push us into any channel programs.

- Was she pulling the blanket over herself?

Not! We all pulled the blanket over ourselves, and Grozny and Shlykov acted as parents, telling each child that he was the most beloved. And Lena honestly worked for a year and six months, realized that she had nothing to catch, and left. She is a real person in general. She taught me a lot, both good and bad. Both should be experienced. We then had a fun, eventful, almost sleepless life.

- And what happened in the interval between leaving Amega and the famous accident with Anya Pletneva?

Time for rethinking. I somehow thought that the drops in my life are detrimental to the psyche. I just spoke to the president of some republic, flew on his private plane, landed in Moscow with a $50 fee - and went by minibus to the Water Stadium. This is the problem with all production projects, it's hard to live with. In the "Lyceum" they paid 100 dollars. Of course, there were many concerts, and a decent amount was collected, especially for a young man, but ... Alcohol begins, extinguishing internal problems with something else. Although there were no creative problems, I realized myself. Then Lena Perova left, there were fewer concerts, discord began ... And you feel like a material for use, a manufacturer. I decided to leave. He moved to his grandmother, and lived with her for a year on her pension. Enough, she somehow managed. I even tried to get a job as a seller in a clothing boutique - they didn’t take it. And thank God they didn't!

I tried to use the money of Ira Shipilova, a former PR person for the Brilliant, to record some material. I went to Yuri Shmilevich Aizenshpis, it was a funny story. And he says to me - well, why didn’t you come to me a week ago? And I just got a new boy, Dima. Bilan, of course. And Aizenshpis also told me a very important phrase that I remember and remember every time. Even I, Aizenshpis said, cannot put this song of yours on the radio. If you write a song that all the radio stations put on, you will tear everyone! I still live under this slogan.

But another Yura still managed to put my songs on the air, this is Yura Usachev. Cooperation with Eva and Yura has already gone with me as a solo artist. But a colossal image mistake was made - we began to make cheerful dance slobbery music, it was formatted, radio stations took it, but people didn’t need it. They have not yet had time to wean themselves from the guitar "Amega" with me, and they are given sweet Ken in the clips with me. I still don't like watching those oily clips. Songs were played on the radio, clips were played on TV - but there were no tours, I didn’t go anywhere for half a year. "Ten kisses", "I won't look for you" under the name Alexei Romanoff. They are well known, but they are not associated with me now. The image was without a core. Even then it was clear to me that this was not the case. Yura did everything he could. But he thought that a little more guitar alternative would throw me out of the radio format. In those years, he was actually born, the same format.

I wrote more and more songs, Yura Usachev paid me for them, and even a little more than in Amega. He didn't make a lot of money though. And then my daughter was born ... We tried to live on $150 a month, buy diapers, and my wife's parents also helped. Then Katya Lel, Alsou began to sing my songs, and then my main hit was released by Nepara - “Cry and Look”. Then there were many other artists, I worked more and more on my own and moved away from Usachov.

And then we come to that accident. From the fee for three songs for Alsou, I just bought my first car, and from Yura. More precisely, Yura bought his wife a new car, and gave it to me the old one. I was in seventh heaven! I could not imagine that I would have my own car, and even almost a jeep - Honda HR-V. She was only 8-9 years old... I was happy.

And I gouged the bumper ... In general, Anya already has her own version, that it was she who drove into me! She remembered her, believed in her, and tells everyone in an interview.

- How was it really?

I parked, handed over backwards. And drove some "Skoda" with a woman driving in the ass. Well, the second month behind the wheel. And Anna was passing by at that moment! And here I am, almost crying over my bumper, and then some small creature in a fur coat jumps out of a passing car, which stretches along the floor for another one and a half meters, and shouts to me - hello! I don't even look, keep mourning the bumper. And she - how great that we met! Well, yes, - I sadly look at the bumper. It's all bullshit, come on, I want to work with you! she screams. It's just that Anya was driving by, and she saw a living Romanoff standing. And then I went to the Moscow Art Theater for the concert "Guests from the Future." Then he repaired the car under insurance, and what happened with Anya Pletneva and I is already known to everyone.

When you agreed with her, then about what? Wanted to make a girl project, or a guitar project, or a purely electronic one?

In the first album we were looking, we didn't want to be like other pop projects. We were a bit alternative, separate from everyone. They tried to create something new using Western models. In addition, Anya sang in a completely different way at the Lyceum, they laid out everything according to voices, it turned out “Leisya, song”, and I rather wanted Nina from the Cardigans - half-whispering, noir. And to some extent, we succeeded.

It was hard to straighten my hair. Anya did not want to, she is curly by nature, she resisted for six months, but agreed.

- What for? To distance themselves from the "Lyceum"?

She is very kind with curly hair! She is so kind in real life too. But we needed a more aggressive, more sexy look. People are buying a picture! In the first album, we made Girl Power, such a self-made girl, all by herself, a loner. And by the second album they also achieved sexuality, they parted there in earnest ...

- Nearby were "Guests from the Future", the same Westerners - did not look back at them?

The difference is that Yura Usachev came out of DJs, he always makes dance music. And I'm from pop culture, focusing on Kylie Minogue, Madonna and the then defunct Lady Gaga. I prefer a more personal, personalized and more pop story. By the way, the first album was not commercially successful, only the song "All the Good" reached 13th place on the chart. Some good reviews came out, and rather in advance - it seems not bad, but we'll see what happens next. I always read reviews, it is important for me, it gives me food for thought and influences my further actions.

- What conclusions were drawn from the reviews?

I realized that I need to write an album about what people think about every day. What interests each person, what does he think about several times a day.

- That is about sex? And focus on Madonna?

About sex. But Madonna doesn't have a Sex album. And her album Erotica, by the way, is the most disastrous. And "Vintage" album Sex turned out to be the most commercially successful. But the main thing is that in the first album the concept of the group was only guessed, and in the second it has already crystallized. What is sex? We lay it out on the shelves: it happens like this, like this and like that. It turned out a product that is interesting to everyone - they can scold or praise it, but it is interesting.

There was also the song "Bad Girl", which is actually a banter, but many took it very seriously. Mostly because of the clip. There should have been a blonde. The following were considered for the role of the blonde: Anna Sedokova, Vera Brezhneva, Yulia Volkova, Tatyana Navka ... Only Korikova agreed. She agreed and hushed up. We persuaded her for a long time, and yet she came to the studio, everything worked out. But as a banter all the same it was not read.

- Not read.

Although the male ass flickering in the face of Pletneva could tell ... By the way, about censorship. In fact, for the first time we did two versions of the video - a hardcore version, which was planned to be shown after midnight, and a soft version. What a surprise it was when at 11 am we saw the hardcore version on the TV screen! The song took first place on the chart. I couldn't believe it!

We generally rejoice and dance to the ceiling when this happens. Because after each video or album there are voices that “Vintage” has run out or “Vintage” is no longer the same. Now and on "Decamerone" it is noticeable. There were two fairly passable albums in terms of numbers - "Anechka" and Very Dance. In Very Dance I did not write music at all, I had a rest, a creative crisis or whatever. Although then he wrote all the tracks himself to the end, because the desired did not work out, and he spent much more energy and nerves if he had done everything himself from the very beginning. Well, that's how it happened. This year I announced that I don’t write songs to anyone anymore, I compose only for Vintage - and immediately rumors spread ...

And I read all this, and I almost already believe it! I really wanted to reset to zero, and do something completely incredible for myself.

- And it worked! "Decamerone" - the album is really out of the ordinary.

Thank you!

Shooting the video "Fresh Water"

The theme of politics, social programs - in almost half of the tracks. Previously, they only sang about prostitutes. Is it like a reaction to what is happening in Russia?

Rather, as a reaction to what is happening on the planet. We have Anton Kokh, a young guy from Samara, who thinks extraordinary and gives out unusual lyrics. He has hard lines. I first heard the track "Crisis", and I really liked it, I wanted to work with it. Aggressive sounding - at the same time very intelligibly.

Can't change the target audience? Boys-girls-bunnies who dance to your songs in clubs - are they not interested? Then for whom?

Don't know! When I released the first album, I was immediately asked about the target audience. I didn't know then and still don't know who it was. Yes, the first half of the "Decamerone" album is not for clubs, and not for city days. I read the responses on the Internet, and I'm glad that thanks to these songs, many climbed into Wikipedia to find out the meanings of certain words - for example, infanta. 90% of listeners do not know that this is the heir to the throne. They have associations with the word "fanta". And I am pleased that people improve their erudition with our help.

This only applies to die-hard fans. Ordinary people meet unfamiliar words in a song, and immediately lose interest in it.

Probably so. But there are other songs for them, and on the same album. I did what I did. I didn't have the task of making an album of 13 namba wang hits.

- Um, why is that?

Because I understand very well that "The Wall of China" will not be a hit. And "Crisis" will not become a hit, even on YouTube it has few views. People don't want to hear or know the truth. It is much more pleasant to be deceived or to live in illusions. I myself live in my own illusions. "Universe" is a beautiful melodic song, although it's strange to hear comparisons with "Tatu", but okay - I love "Tatu". There is a banter in the song "DNA" - banter over mukla.

- Again, this is your target audience!

Yes, I understand it, they go to our concerts. Thanks to working with Eva and DJ Smash, we kind of got into that audience. But in general, our audience has now matured - thanks to the tracks “When You Are Near” and “Sign of Aquarius”.

Anya Pletneva looks amazing. Conserved as a girl. And the new songs are for a more mature audience. Is this preparation for Pletneva's transition to that audience?

Anya looks great. And the children still love her, they just adore her, they consider her theirs. We ourselves laugh at the title of “best youth group”, it is pleasant, funny and generally great for us. Despite our "advanced" age, we like to be young. And nothing prevents us from taking and making some other story!

Moreover, it seems that now Vintage is the hottest band in the country! Well, next to Serebro, let's say. But you all pulled from everywhere - something from the classics, something from Madonna, something from "Guests from the Future" ...

Yes, Yura Usachev taught me a lot. I sometimes use his personal techniques. I absorb everything! It started with Krylov, and off we go. If I talked to Madonna, wow, guys! I would move mountains, I guess. But her CDs are enough for me. Yes, I do rather a collective age. All the music was written before us, and our songs are a relic of memory, my variation on the theme of what I know and heard.

What is a hit? This is a completely guessable story, this is a song that you subconsciously like already before it sounded. And you are trying to find something of your own, personal in it. When millions do it, the song becomes a hit.

Of course, I love Tchaikovsky, Madonna, Polna, Zemfira - and do not hesitate to quote what I like. If it seems appropriate to me. As a rule, I write music with feelings. For example, I really love Michel Cretu, the founder of Enigma and the producer of his wife Sandra from Arabesque, and "The Wall of China" was written under his influence. But there is not a single matching note! It says how I see Creta - how artists write with colors, moods ... Or - ABBA is read in the song "DNA", I did it on purpose so that there was a direct reference to Money, as to the egregor of the current lifestyle.

The last 20 years are eclectic times, after rap there is not a single new musical style. If “Guests from the Future” appeared today, they would still be obeyed.

Yes, if you tweak the sound a bit. De facto, of course, you are right, no new styles have appeared. Lady Gaga has appeared, and she is ahead of the rest in terms of eclecticism. Alejandro's song is literally a quote from Ace of Base, but that didn't stop him from becoming #1 track all over the world.

- And which of the new artists can be named - those that inspire?

This is more difficult for me. I grew up back then! All my hormones-pheromones were laid down in the 80-90s, I still use them. I take new music with a grain of salt. I like Sia, like DJ Zedd who did three songs in Lady Gaga's Artpop. I liked the latest Daft Punk album. And so in the player - Vintage, Justin Timberlake, Guests from the future, Eva Polna, Zemfira, Linda, Madonna, Alanis Morrisette, Bjork, Tchaikovsky, Craig David, Daft Punk, David Guetta, Depeche Mode, Elton John, George Michael, Lady Gaga , Lenny Kravitz, Mariah Carey, Michael Jackson, Mylene Farmer, Pet Shop Boys, Rihanna, Sandra, Seal, Sea, Sting, Stromae and Zedd. Everything!

- Have you ever performed at Kazantip?

It's funny that "Amega" performed at Kazantip, but "Vintage" did not. So it turns out that for organizers with small budgets, the Vintage group is too expensive. This almost always excludes us from the list of festival artists. Smash flies to France for little money to perform there. Serebro was also dumped to get there, to ride around the world. And if we get abroad, then, as a rule, to private parties. There are few open concerts, but they exist.

You didn't have a very good experience with Sony Music. But you yourself do not make attempts to break into some Western festivals?

Anya dreams about it. And I'm more of a skeptic. But what we achieved in Vintage - she dreamed about it, and I, as a skeptic, thought that we would make our way for a long time. And then again - and the song became number 1 in the country. But show business in Russia and there are arranged too differently. It is enough to be in Moscow alone to have all communications. And there you have to be on a constant flight - from Belgium to Paris, from London to Prague, and so on. This must be done by yourself and very carefully. I don't speak English well and I don't speak French at all. I studied this topic, thought a lot.

We recently made a joint track with DJ Sasha Dit - a French-language version of a song from the Very Dance album. The French Universal told him openly - we like the track, but we don't have time to deal with you. Communication problem. Exaggerating, you need to go with these people, drink vodka and talk. And there is no personal contact - there is no understanding why spend your time on promotion. I liked the track though. But how many such tracks are there in Europe? And even in Russia? We have a lot of talented guys. But you have to listen to the track, include it in the mailing list to radio stations ... Why waste time on this if you have not even seen that musician? And yet - everything is possible!

Alena Mikhailova in an interview told me an amazing phrase about you: “This is the top group in terms of radio broadcasts. And with each new song we break through the wall with our heads. Never had one delivered right away. And they are still afraid of tests. And "Vintage" has such a feature - they are always poorly tested in the first weeks. Their songs should be listened to, they are special. And every time you have to persuade to be patient, wait a week - and the tests will be excellent. And it happens with any of their songs.

Yes, for some reason the radio workers decided that I was writing complex music. But I always wanted to write beautiful music that I would like myself. I'm not lying if I say that everything I do - I then listen to it with pleasure, I like it. I've been playing sports all summer to "Decamerone". Listened and analyzed. I am not ashamed of this music, I love it. And in order for me to love her, I myself must like her.

Guru KEN

Alexey has always been very selective and reluctant to communicate with the press. Since January of this year, he has generally remained silent, sometimes posting on Instagram - mainly about the history of the hits he wrote or congratulations on the premieres of his friends. And questions from the public have accumulated, judging by the comments on social networks.

It seems to me that Romanof has become even more productive. Despite or because of the circumstances, I don't know. I, using friendship, tried to find out. Perhaps I managed to get answers to some questions that are of interest to fans. And perhaps the composer Alexei Romanof is simply more interested in moving forward. Judge for yourself.

- The audience is interested in what's new with you, what are you doing at the moment? What awaits listeners in the near future?

- I have more time that I can devote to different artists. And not write songs between tours. I work a lot. For example, with Lolita over the song "Ranevskaya", the second name is "Bury me behind the plinth." We are not in a hurry, we are not in a hurry. We are in the process of recording. We want it to be perfect.

Also with my school friend Olya Orlova, with whom I will soon release the EP “Hello, this is me”, which will include several of my songs, as well as songs by Igor Maisky and Maxim Fadeev.

I wrote a new song for Anya Semenovich - "I want to be with you", which will soon appear on the radio and on the Internet. Olya and Anya are different artists, both are former soloists of the Brilliant group. We are friends, we are all “from the same nest” and have always supported each other.

Of course, I'm glad to be working with Zara again. We recorded a brand new song created especially for her. It's called Peace to Your Home. I hope that it will appear as a single in the summer.

There are several new artists, very diverse. My friends brought me the poems of an eighteen-year-old girl, I was amazed at the depth of thought. I can only compare with the poems of my beloved Eva Polna. I immediately wrote several songs. Now we tried to make some demos and I'm happy with the result. The girl's name is Karina Nazarova. She is very talented and we started cooperation - both as co-authors, and Karina tries herself as a singer.

Of course, the previously announced "Bango and Strike" remain. I continue to think over the details of the project, I wrote two songs. I sent Artyom to the gym to "dry", to lose weight. And vocal lessons. And Sergei asked to go to China for a few months. I didn’t mind, in the modeling business he still earns much more than in music. But in the middle of May we gather in the studio and bring to mind the first song, which we will immediately release to the world. I really like how it turns out!

And of course we continue to work with Alex Malinovsky. Recording his first album.

- Recently, a song from the Agaya project, which you wrote, was released. Tell us about your role in this story.

- This project is distinguished by the fact that it is a completely cosmic girl, not of this world! Very interesting character man. I am very interested in talking to her. I had the song "Game", written with Alexander Sakharov. I thought for a long time who could sing it. And I accidentally gave her as an example how I would like to see her project. Agaya was amazed, she liked it very much. Several songs have been recorded with her, which will be released soon.

- You understand that I cannot help but ask about the situation with Anna Pletneva. Moreover, you did not give any comments to the press. There were only blurry uninformative posts on social networks.

- I did not comment because, even after a certain amount of time, it still remains a private matter between two people. Who went through a huge period of life together. They did a great job, made a serious contribution to Russian pop music. Together. Who truly lived this, were proud of what they created, fought for their place under the sun. In view of the circumstances, I try not to think about what happened. I think about our successes, there were many. I think that's right. Now I have a normal, stable emotional state. I stopped worrying and getting upset. I have a clear work schedule.

- So there will be some specifics about the reasons for the breakup?

I don't like the word "gap".

- "Divorce", "parting"? How do you position this situation for yourself?

- This is the decision of Anna Pletneva. At that time, I was ready to forget all the differences and continue cooperation. I called for an end to all mutual claims, urgently to get together, exhale and continue to work together. It was my word. But the decision was not mine. I will not voice the reason, I do not want to. I don't take it seriously. But it happened. From my lips it would look like an accusation, and I do not want to publicly accuse anyone of anything. Everything happened, the facts are a given and nothing can be done about it. Again, I was ready to keep working. For 11 years I have done it honestly and with dignity, sincerely loved my artist, and it seems to me that this was noticeable to everyone. And without this love, of course, mutual with Anya, we would not have achieved any results. Because we started very hard. Together we went through a huge number of obstacles and obstacles, which was extremely valuable for her and for my experience. I don't have a single complaint for several reasons. First: I respect jurisprudence and the law. Second: I myself am a fool - our work was based on friendly and human relations, we did not have legally certified contracts with each other. I'm used to trusting people. Now, from the position of time and experience, I will formalize all relations with beginners and continuing artists legally.

Perhaps the phrase "Talent must be hungry" fits perfectly into my current situation. Thanks to the drastic changes in my life, I have written more than 40 songs since January. I haven't created this much in a long time. I am a person who tries to find something good even in the worst, to redirect thought. At the moment I am absolutely calm.

- Let's summarize purely for the fans: further cooperation with Anna Pletneva is impossible for you?

— I understand the feelings of the fans, but they also need to understand us. Still, in addition to feelings, there are two living people who see the situation radically differently. There are always two opinions, I do not deny this, I only tell how I see it all. Many friends, commentators on the network said that we need to make peace. But we didn't fight! It's just that circumstances have developed in such a way that I do not see the possibility of cooperation for myself, even on a commercial basis.

- Accordingly, the question is: is your cooperation with the new Vintage team also completed?

These are beautiful, wonderful girls! I am very sorry that I will no longer work with them, today Anna Pletneva is their producer. I'd love to take them home, but that's not possible.

— What about cooperation with Velvet Music?

I no longer work with this company.

- What will happen to the songs from the announced album "VVV", which, as I know, was practically written?

- At the moment I live in completely different things. A lot has changed drastically. Accordingly, the plans announced earlier are no longer feasible. There are a lot of good songs left, the album was put together. I will decide the further fate of the songs myself, but later. While I can not say anything. For the reason that I do not yet see artists who could sing them. As soon as the artists appear, the songs will be released immediately. For example, Agaya will sing the song "A free bird in captivity", which was announced in the first edition of the album's playlist. I also really love the song "Huge Heart" and I'm looking for a performer for it. This song definitely needs to be heard.

You mentioned people who supported you.

There are not many of them and I am extremely grateful to them. These are people close to me who were imbued with the whole situation and morally pulled me all this time. This is Lolita Milyavskaya and Roman Emelyanov. It would be very difficult for me without them. They led me morally in every possible way, they said a lot of kind friendly words. Also, Zara, who supported me not only in word, but also in deed, she asked me to write some songs for her for the new album. And employment for a creative person is the most important thing. And the poet Mikhail Gutseriev, who sent me many of his new poems, also understanding the primacy of employment. Many of his poems turned out to be close to me and I wrote music on them. With Arthur Vafin, we were in working contact almost every day. I went headlong into creativity and tried every day to create something, not to be distracted from the process. I am very grateful, they pulled me out of the wrong state, almost out of depression.

— With your composing and producing experience and reputation, isn't it time to open your own production center?

You are not the first person to ask me this question. I am opposed to offices, personnel, images of the visibility of activities. You know, a lot of people rent an office, put a secretary in, print business cards ... And I'm used to just acting! The album of the group "Vintage" "Sex" was made on the knee on the second floor of an unheated dacha. I did not need an office or a business card for this. Or a PR agent. I understand perfectly well that I need to grow somewhere. Perhaps this will result in something, proposals of this kind come to me. From different big serious people. I haven't made a decision about my PC yet. The basis of such a center should be artists and songs. When I have enough of one and the other and the need arises to create a PC, I will organize it. So far, I am comfortable working on my own, with my co-authors, partners, and friends.

- That is, this topic is still in “suspended state”?

— To be honest, I simply do not need such a center! Because the “Production Center of Alexei Romanof” is Alexei Romanof. I don't need attributes for this. Those who want to work with me do it.

- In fact, lately you are the most productive and sought-after composer.

- Maybe. Maybe. I dont know.

- I know. I talk to a lot of artists and they say they would love to work with you.

- I just enjoy it. When I work with artists, I feel each one in a special way, in my own way. Probably, therefore there is a good result. All these years, I feel this way about every song. If I don't like something, I just don't keep making that song.

- Slow down or refuse to cooperate if it doesn't work out?

- Abandon one idea and take on another. I have never refused to cooperate. I'm used to getting things done. I just didn't show artists songs that I wasn't happy with.

I'm a little confused by the speeds gained now. I have never worked at such a pace. But I understand that I have to do it. To continue to develop.

- So maybe it's morally good?

- Of course! I keep myself busy. It keeps me afloat, there is no place for unnecessary emotions.

- Well, we often communicate and I can say that your mood is more than positive! And you have quite clear prospects, goals and plans.

It would probably be ideal to do some of your own projects. But this requires strength and support. I do not yet see anyone on the market with whom I could work closely. Except for ZION. Perhaps we will release several songs with Irina Shcherbinskaya. I have a lot of respect for her, she is a professional. I think that ZION is one of the few worthy companies left now. They are great fellows.

- Within, practically, just a couple of weeks, 2 tracks of the artists of the Black Star label were released at once, in which your music is quoted. What is your attitude to this and how do you like the result?

- Probably, someone in my place would urgently run for a lawyer, or better for two, given that this is Black Star. But I am extremely glad that this is actually happening. This suggests that I did make some contribution to Russian pop music. And I'm happy about it! Misha Marvin and Emma M had this unwittingly. There is a very small piece from the song "Eva" and I am pleased with it. Both artists are deeply sympathetic to me and this song - “Rewind” - I really like. I have serious suspicions that the song will become a hit. I wish them great success. And if suddenly this little piece of mine helps them, I will be the happiest composer in the world.

With Vander Phil and the song "You are Venus, I am Earth" is a slightly different topic. He uses, in addition to the text, a piece of the soundtrack from the same "Eve". And here I unwittingly am a co-author of this song. A few years ago, Vander Feel himself wrote to me. I referred him to Velvet, which I trusted completely. I myself did not conduct any negotiations. "Velvet" in some ways did not draw up a contract very clearly. Therefore, in the very near future I am re-signing the contract with Wonder Phil without any money. I'm ready for it. And I'm certainly not going to play the "evil uncle", this is not my method. I want music to play. Moreover, I like the song. I know how long this guy has been waiting for Black Star to sign a contract with him - in my opinion, one of the most successful companies on the market now, I admire them in terms of productivity and quality of the content released.

- That is, as a composer you are satisfied?

— I like that quoting is happening. I'm glad about it. After all, I myself really like to make new songs based on any samples. So it was with "Eva", so it was with the song "Pinanero" by the group "Pet Shop Boys", on the basis of which the song "City Lights" by Mitya Fomin was created. But I always cleared the rights, did it officially, legally formalized, I paid money.

- I'm going to once again pester you with a question about your solo performance of songs. Well, the truth is, this question is of interest to many!

- You know, here you both want and prick. Still, I really believe that the stage is the work of the young. By God, I do not want to overestimate myself. Although, of course, I am terribly pleased when the same artists give me compliments, to whom I show a demo in my performance with new songs. You see, there are people who are born to be artists who cannot live without a stage, cannot imagine themselves without an audience. And I'm not an artist. It seems to me that I was there, on the stage, I gave myself up a long time ago - long ago. In the Amega group, in the Vintage group. It seems to me that when going on stage causes nothing but irritation, you should not go on stage. No matter how people ask. No matter how much your ego would like it.

And then, for such publicity you need to be a very thick-skinned person. And I have already used my entire resource of thick skin. I am very sensitive to any criticism. On the opinions of people who are walking, they just throw words and go on. There are two brilliant examples of singing composers in the world: Sia and Zemfira.

Let's end our interview in a beautiful and life-affirming way. You really have a lot of fans, contact them.

— I want to thank all the people who somehow took and take part in my life. It doesn't matter: positive, negative, neutral - they still participate. All the same, they are spectators of this performance. I am truly grateful to them. I will try to justify the hopes of many people and continue my creative activity at some new level for myself. Of course, my music will never be the same and people should be ready for it. Moving forward and new repeaters. Any changes, even if they are sad, are still for the better. They force you to move on. Perhaps because of this, my vision and my musical history will start a new circle. Judging by the songs that already exist, this is exactly the case. I have always fed on the emotions of artists. I am grateful to the people who believed in me as an author and believed in my songs. I am grateful to every artist who sang and sings my songs. Thank you!

The Russian pop group Vintage released their fifth studio album Decamerone. Alexey Romanov - the author of the hits "Eva, I loved you", "Bad girl", "Loneliness of love", the producer and composer of the group told Lente.ru about the secret of creating hits, pirate ratings, a new stage in the life of the group, the formation of a "Russian show business”, that “Pussy Riot” is not music, that the “Voice” project does not allow young artists to stay afloat, and that Zemfira can be used to judge the number of intellectuals in our country.

You have released a new disc, how do you assess it yourself - will it become a hit?

The new album of the Vintage group is called Decameron. It is difficult for us, the soloist Anya Pletneva, as creators, to evaluate it, but we are satisfied with the indicators: on iTunes - first place. The disc went on sale in mid-October and has been available online since the end of July. Physical media has long been irrelevant, since everyone has mp3 players, phones and computers. Unless someone wants a disk in the collection. And there are still some.

But for many, it is still more convenient to download songs from pirated sites, rather than buying them.

Of course. And not only in our country, as is commonly thought. Pirates are everywhere, only in some countries this problem is seriously dealt with, while in others it is not. But on pirate sites, the album is also in first place.

But how? We are watching everything.

Are there any current trends in pop music?

Now no one is interested in the identity of the performer. People listen to music, choose something for themselves, save it on their phone or somewhere else, and they don't care who does it and why. Like fast food. And this is normal, now such a lifestyle. The days of superheroes are over. We see the fragments of history in the person of Rihanna or Lady Gaga, and everything else is DJs and completely faceless bands. There used to be Jim Morrison, Paul McCartney, Freddie Mercury, Michael Jackson, and they were all Mickey Mouse flaunting their whole lives. Each has its own character and its own manner. This is no more. Now it is customary to release singles, they work from several months to six months: they dance to them, meet, fall in love, then they gradually migrate to the storerooms and ten years later they are released on retro compilations. And those who “get hooked” on this or that group are already following its news, songs, concerts.

What kind of audience is hooked on you?

The Vintage group has gathered its army of fans in eight years. With every album comes a new generation of fans, and I don't mean age. If the album is a dance album, then 12-18 years old, and if the Decameron is an older audience, thinking people. It's nice that they get into Wikipedia when they hear unknown words. "Infanta", for example. I read a lot of reviews. Maybe what I say will sound a little arrogant, but we are a little engaged in the education of our contemporaries, especially the younger generation, which, by and large, is not interested in anything.

Why is the time of superheroes over?

The mass market replaces everything. Globalism. I guess that's why high fashion is dead. When Karl Lagerfeld finishes his show in Milan, a ship with patterns is already sailing to China. Who is faster, he is on horseback.

Are there big differences between our and Western show business?

The West is very different. America is the birthplace of show business. This is such a closed and divided market that no one - neither our European nor Chinese colleagues - can get there for any price. This is the same as for one of the ordinary Russian guys to get into the White House. That is, never. Everything is very clear there. If you are a young talented girl Stephanie Germanotta, then you are signed to a lifetime contract, and you are on a permanent tour. You constantly perform, you record new soundtracks on the plane, you sleep when they prick you, then they prick you again - and you go on stage, sing, then they prick you again so that you fall asleep and so on. I'm exaggerating now, but in America, show business is a machine. It's easier in Europe. There is no such thing. And we have a tasty market even for European artists, many of whom want to get here, because the market is underdeveloped and brings a lot of money in terms of digital sales. Of course, it cannot be compared with America, everything is a hundred times more serious there, but nevertheless I am pleased that our market is being formed. Although until recently, "Russian show business" was a dirty word.

Image: provided by the press service of the Vintage group

Why are they killing people like that in America?

There are a hundred times more. They work on their own and on the world market. Of course, they are less interested in Europe, because America covers absolutely everything. We can't get there. To Europe, maybe. Tatu just did it. They came out on ABC in T-shirts “no war”, then it was relevant, and it was a PR move. Although they have a gold disc, in my opinion. But this is an exception.

And Pussy Riot.

But it's not music. Recently, Madonna said that she likes the music of Pussy Riot. But, to be honest, I don't really believe it. They were all so supportive that she had no chance for a different opinion. I'm not talking about the human factor, I'm talking about music. Maybe they are great guys, but the music is bad. It's not music at all. It is unlikely that they aspired to become musicians in a full-fledged sense.

So I think that politics and music are categorically incompatible. You can break firewood in one direction or the other. Where politics begins, music ends.

What kind of music do you listen to yourself?

No new names in my iTunes: Zemfira, Madonna, Alanis Morissette, Björk, Tchaikovsky, Daft Punk, David Guetta, Depeche Mode, Elton John, George Michael, Lady Gaga, Leni Kravitz, Mariah Carey, Michael Jackson, Mylene Farmer, Pet Shop Boys, Rihanna, Sandra, Sting and so on. I was brought up on the music of Michel Cretu - the man who created "Enigma", "Arabesque", invented Boney M. At the same time, I adore classical music, I draw a lot from Tchaikovsky. Of the latter - Belgian artist Stromae, Australian singer Sia, who worked with David Guetta, and now released a multi-platinum album in Australia. I don't listen to everything, it's hard to get me hooked, but I love a rich melodic line.

And who is interesting from Russians?

Zemfira. "Tatu" tore the whole world and my brain, including, long ago, in 2000. It is difficult for me to single out contemporary artists. Rather, I can name the producers: Maxim Fadeev, Konstantin Meladze, Potap, Alexei Ryzhov from Disco Crash. These are guys doing the same thing as we are: they make music for our country. This is the backbone. In an age when there are no superheroes, producers come to the fore.

But no one knows them, and on Saturdays they can safely go to Auchan - this is a huge plus. I would like some of the artists to surprise me, but so far this is not happening.

I do not pay attention to it. For me, everything related to the show and the human factor is all "Star Factory". How many performers these programs give a huge head start, and then thrown out into the street. Of all the participants in various television shows, only Polina Gagarina is now afloat. The Vintage group is categorically against participating in any shows: a circus on ice, stars in a zoo ... I perfectly understand how popular they are, you can break a good jackpot and promote yourself. But can we be popular only because of our music?

An unexpected position for you in the world of pop music...

And we also have alternative pop music. We have devoted our whole life to pop music, we really like it, we have done a lot to improve its quality in our country. Pop music can be intellectual. There are many examples. But everyone has stereotypes. Pop music is two stomps, three slaps, I love you, but you don’t love me, blood-carrot-love (other rhymes, in principle, do not exist). But rock is super-quality and intellectual. But in all segments there are exceptions.

Do you think Zemfira is pop or rock?

Zemfira is an element. This is a poet, our great contemporary. If it were not for her, everything would look very sad. I love her very much, and I'm glad that she purposefully does not make commercial records, that she does exactly what she wants.

But her records are on sale.

Not like the first three. It's one thing when the whole country bought you out, it's another when it's just a fan club. But Zemfira has a very large fan club. According to Zemfira, one can now judge how many intellectuals there are in our country. We need to find out what sales her latest disc has - that's how many there are.