When Ani Lorak — Ukraine’s Eurovision 2008 singer — stepped onto the stage at last week’s Golden Gramophone Awards in Russia, the Ukrainian media went crazy about her dress. Sadly it was for all the wrong reasons. Rather than praising her floor length gown made of red roses, they alleged that she had copied the idea from fellow Ukrainian Eurovision star Mariya Yaremchuk. As you’ll recall, Miss Yaremchuck rocked the red floral look in her music video for her single “Do Tebe”.
Here’s the dress that has been the source of so much shade:
The dress definitely resembles Mariya’s gown from her music video. But the concept of using flowers — and specifially red roses — as a costume isn’t exactly new. We can think of at least one bearded drag queen who bathed in a tub of red roses ahead of Eurovision 2014. Yes, as with Ani and Mariya, Conchita served up flower-on-flesh realness.
Mariya responds to the allegations
While the Ukrainian press was bending over backwards to cover #DressGate, Mariya was undergoing surgery to remove her appendix. She wasn’t paying attention — and she certainly wasn’t angry at Ani Lorak (that’s Karolina backwards) as the press would have you think.
Speaking to “Today” at the M1 Music Awards, her first public appearance since her surgery, Mariya lashed out. “These reports about Ani and I are completely distorted,” she said. “I would never criticise Ani for her dress. I’ve followed her music for years. I wish her luck and every success.”
Drama over. No shady ladies in Ukraine!
You said it yourself: “the concept of using flowers — and specifially red roses — as a costume isn’t exactly new” so even if Ani was deliberately copying someone, Mariya didn’t invented the dress made out of roses.
As usual, another case of the media trying to blow things out of proportion with childish accusations of plagiarism, but kudos to Mariya for her reaction.
And just like the previous commenter said, both look gorgeous in their respective dresses!
Don’t the press just adore drama?
Both dresses suit both artists very well and they’re both beautiful. Let’s just leave it at that, eh? 😀