He’s simultaneously running a cat and dog business, preparing for a theatre production and gearing up for Eurovision 2016.
But on Sunday Russian pop star Sergey Lazarev looked well-rested and totally together as he chatted with wiwiblogger Dayana at the Russian Eurovision Pre-Party 2016.
Despite being the odds-on favourite to win, he’s staying modest and isn’t letting the hype cloud his vision.
“I’m very pleased, but I understand that everything will happen on May, so it’s too soon to be happy and excited too much because the competition will only be in May,” he says. “But thank you very much. I’m very pleased that people love my song, they write very good comments — thank you very much!”
Fans have begged Sergey — full name Sergey Vyacheslavovich Lazarev — to compete at Eurovision for years, and he felt like 2016 was his time.
“This is the right moment and I have a great song. We have a great team. I think this is the right moment for me.”
And while this is most definitely a competition, Sergey is approaching it as a proper gentleman.
“All the songs are very strong — really, really. I already downloaded a few songs to my phone and the singers are strong, so I think it’s going to be very interesting…I hope the audience will enjoy it and we also.”
As you can see above, we spotted him removing his coat to help fellow contestant Ira Losco banish the icy wind. Swoon.
When asked how he is finding the time to breathe, the 33-year-old stud jokes that he is “Robo-Cop” before adding: “I have my country with me and they support me and give me the energy.”
@Anton, do you mean that Russians should boo europeans because they gave a hand to Georgia in that war? hmm. I think you’re wrong with the target 🙂 the only one you should boo for 2 episodes in Georgia is Ukraine. in 2008 we supplied Georgia with rocket launchers and stuff to use it and we downed 3 or 4 of your war jets, maybe it slowed down your invasion in Georgia and you weren’t able to grab it all. and the episode when we softened your responsibility for genocide of Georgians in 1993 in Abhazia by performing first peacekeeping… Read more »
Well Sergey, your country should have given you a decent song…
@Loo
I don’t believe. More like Australia or Malta.
@from the Internet
For the georgian agression for example?
France will become no.1 with the Odds in a few weeks time I believe.
Part from Sweden of course 😉
Christer Björkman says that SVT goal is to reach a 7th victory to equal Ireland. However if that’s the goal this particular year, I’m not so sure.
Btw, Björkman said in a interview that France is his favorite this year 🙂
Russia likes to play the Goliath role every single year with this “one” repetitive thing in the chorus like if they are the voice of Europe.
The storytale never changes.
I guess they will learn someday. Not hating on them.
Loo did svt said if they want to win eurovision again?
Lina
At least Russian in contrast to “tolerate Europe” don´t boo other Eurovision participants at parties in Moscow and at Eurovision 2009.
Why Russians should boo the participants of other countries in 2009?
Which bad affairs for? Just for fun? Or for what? Can you explain or not? 🙂
I’m still believing in european people’s tastes as they show every year, not in odds of people who are bidding with their brains, not voting with their hearts, so…
It’s so easy to put money on Russia when they start with a 96 point advantage (EST, LAT, LIT, UKR, BEL, AZE, GEO, ARM) but there’s always some other country who stands out with the true deserving winner act.
I find this song so 2006 it’s incredible it’s among the favorites. All my love to Russia, but this song should by its own merits rank 15th or lower.
To everyone who claims that Russia is “desperate” to win: Just because Russia takes the contest seriously doesn’t mean it’s “desperate”. Let’s take a look at Sweden for example, another country who takes the contest seriously and one of the most successful countries in esc, they want to beat Ireland’s record by winning for the 7th time, does that also make them “desperate”?
Despite I want Sweden to win with such negativity that involves her I believe deep inside that she cant win again.But we will see…this year eurovision is unpredictable…The things will get clear after semi final 1.Wiwiblogss inform us about itunes.I think that many are curious about how Russia Sweden and France do in iTunes.
@marie
Hope you are right. With a great staging it will be the winner!
@bella
You know I agree with you 😉 Most people here knows the truth as well but denies it!
Lack of knowledge does not interest me 🙂
How great for France to be second in the odds now! 😀
Which countries can win according to me:Russia:Pros:she has money for the host, she will get high vptes from eastern european countries, she gets support from the juries and the song is good.Cons:Politics are against Russia and the song sounds old like asong from 2005. Sweden:Pros:The song is very modern, very different from the others, young people will vote very much for Sweden, she gets support from the juries and she can afford another host.Cons:Sweden won last year and people hate or are jealous of Sweden. France:Pros:She can afford a good show, has a good song and she has many years… Read more »
Russian soap opera.
Maybe mass media and highest powers are trying to make us empty minded, but european people still distinguishes fake from sincere. Last winners tell the truth.
I’m not gay, I’m not a russian hater. This doesn’t get to me and I stand up against all the fuss with my opinion.
@Bella People in Sweden seems to like Russia, but it’s not the biggest favorite. I believe that swedes will feel like the song is dated and feel like yesteryears. Because it does. It sounds like a MF song from the middle 2000’s. Of course people want a 7th victory, but we don’t dare to dream about that just yet 😛 My gut feeling says we won’t, but who knows? We’re still one of the frontrunners so it’s not impossible. I never though we would win last year either so… Sweden will give high points to France. He will get 12… Read more »
Loo what the Swedes are thinking about Russia and Frans? Do people want a 7th victory
@William Adams Lee Adams: From me personally there is NO double standard … I have always complained about this year’s Russian entry, the singer himself and what I still believe is the Russian intention in trying to win Eurovision: pure desperation to clean a damage image and not a honest and authentic musical intention whatsoever – this is 2008 all over again. Now you choose to believe whatever you wish to .. this has always been my stand on the Russian participation this year. And I am wondering how much “booing” will be thrown at Sergey this year … There… Read more »
@bella Yes, I can see Sergey be the Aram of the year as well. He has a bigger chance than Aram ever did though as the Aram hype was build up by the armenians and not by the rest of Europe. Sergey has a strong support in whole Europe. We can call it now, it’s a three horse race this year. Russia, Sweden and France 😀
Bella, Aram mp3 – bad life!
Russia has a good song.It will be in top 5.But Sweden and France deserve the win more.I think that Sweden or France will surprise us and win.Armenia in 2014 was favorite but took the 4th position. Maybe Sergeys fate is gonna be the same as Aram.
Lina ,don’t pay attention, they dislike everything that is connected with Russia))).”cheap, old, boring”- whole they vocabulary. ITS soooo funny!:DD. Generally,a lot of people love this song . So that the chances of winning is big)
Lena, you are so right. But we understand that they are just victims of the anti-russian propaganda. Well, let them hear Jamala, their “the voice of the freedom” forever :))) And yeah, vote for the assosiation with Ukraine on the referendum in Netherlands )))
He is goodlook guy but the song dissapoint me, go top be high because is Rusia , but dont deserve to win , no
Wow! So much hate to Russia´s representative because of the politics! At least Russian in contrast to “tolerate Europe” don´t boo other Eurovision participants at parties in Moscow and at Eurovision 2009. Thousand people came and will come again to the concert of openly gay Adam Lambert at 18 April 2016. I´m going by the way too:) good luck with your hate…
@from the Internet
Because its the right moment for him in terms of music career and not political situation.
I will vote for France , The country of the human rights!
I really can’t understand, why he constantly repeats “this is the right moment for me”. Does he know anything about what happens it the world, and how it treats the country he’s going to represent? Does he really think that people will vote just for his entry, but nor against his country? Why the right time for him is 2016, but not 2013 – before anti-gay law in Russia and before Russian aggression against Ukraine? It seems, he’s too far from reality … like many other people who think that you can do what you want and be likeable in… Read more »
He can sing, he can dance, he can act, he can charm – but his song isn’t good enough to win, political factors notwithstanding.
Two things to consider: 1. Odds mean very little considering there’s 200 million viewers who are potential voters. Why you have Russia and Sweden always up there? Because of their history. When a country gives you solid stagings every single year and is considered a powerhouse, they always get the benefit of the doubt unlike the rest of countries. Just need a decent song to be up there every single year. 2. I don’t see Russia winning. They will be up there just by the diaspora vote (as always) but they’re missing the most important thing: the moving factor. Last… Read more »
At this point last year Sweden was third in the odds…
We were even the favorite to WIN 2014 until the VERY end of the final day. Odds CAN and have been wrong, but someone in the top 3 usually wins.
The so called “RIGHT” stats is indicating success for Sweden so I’m not worried at all. Russia can very well take a landslide, the only problem are the juries. Will they fall for a dated song? I don’t think so. The juries knows what’s right in time. I don’t think they will kill it, he will be in their top 10, but I doubt he will win it. France can very well win the jury. This is NOT like in 2009 or 2012 (or even 2013 for that matter) it’s more like in 2014 and 2015. It will all come… Read more »
Every day we are closer to eurovision more afraid I am about the idea of Russia winning. (As Loo said well only Sweden or France could stop Sergey, rightfully so). But, I don’t know why.. but I’m starting to have a dejavu about what happened in 2013 and I don’t want to.. Emmelie was the favourite by default because that entry despite of being quite dated and cliche it looked like an eurovision kind song that wins.. and we know what finally happened. And Russia looks the same way. Hopefully this will not happen again and juries will vote wisely… Read more »
Critticca, Bets on Russia do every day. If not set, it would have long ago fallen from 1 place.
Sergey Lazarev is Signed to Sony Music and if you consider the amount of SME labels and other affiliated labels, you know that “music is money for the record company” and everybody else on its food chain. Lazarev has official fan clubs in many of the participating countries and he’s probably the most recognizable Russian pop star outside of Russia and the CIS. The team behind Lazarev which includes Kirkorov and Kontopoulos almost won in 2008 for Ukraine and just like 2008, the lyricists for the song are Americans. When you have an international team with significant backers, benefactors and… Read more »
The more I think about it… the more easier it is to predict this years outcome. Just look at the stats people, it’s Sweden Vs. Russia Vs. France 😛
There are a lot of countries who can surprise and get a good result but it’s pretty obvious that one of the three I mentioned will win.
I do like Sergey’s discography. He had way more interesting material the past yet he choose to send a dated entry instead..
And that’s why Russia is sitting at #1 the bookies..because your own country is placing the bets even before the song & artist was announced. I get that Russians really wants to win again but they’re kinda trying to deceive us ESC fans(and potentially the juries) into believing that their song is worth the top marks…
The song is catchy, has cheesy lyrics and a great music video, some of the ingredients that a pop hit needs. Seriously, I guess if this was the Swedish entry, it would be everybody’s favorite.
My final prediction for the running order. Hope I get something right 😉
1. Moldova
2. Netherlands
3. Finland
4. Croatia
5. Russia
6. San Marino
7. Hungary
8. Greece
9. Armenia
10. Montenegro
11. Azerbaijan
12. Estonia
13. Iceland
14. Cyprus
15. Malta
16. Bosnia & Herzegovina
17. Czech Republic
18. Austria
1. Ireland
2. Macedonia
3. Switzerland
4. Latvia
5. Australia
6. Belarus
7. Israel
8. Serbia
9. Lithuania
10. Poland
11. Belgium
12. Georgia
13. Norway
14. Albania
15. Denmark
16. Ukraine
17. Romania
18. Slovenia
19. Bulgaria
The amount of focus given to this fellow is beyond my understanding … if only the song deserved it … but not even that …where are all those OGAE 12 coming from … it’s too much a Kardashian show … no substance. He just wants to be the egocentric troll Dama Bilan became in 2008 …. and there is an international image Russia wants to clean as if that could have erase the damage the country causes by standing on those same anti-humanity values they consider to be the Russian traditional values. BS!
Måns did NOT say they will talk alphabetically about refugees, but they will surely let the crisis Europe is facing atm have a impact in some of the moments of the show. I promise you that Sweden will make something REALLY special this year. It’s going to be a spectacular show!
Mans said they will talk about the refugees on May 14. No words on that ?
Running order is delayed and will be announced on friday instead of tomorrow…
This song starts out so fantastic and then after 10 second it’s like putting a needle in a ballon. Pofh! And it’s all gone! Seriously the host nation worked so hard (yeah, really) to make this a modern competition. And to think this is the favourite is so…well, sad. And talking about Sweden, they said tons about the interval acts, the theme, style of show etc. Why’re you not interested @William Lee Adams ? This poor year the only ones with star quality are the hosts!
… un artista umile e di grande talento