The key facts

  • Kirkorov was criticized by concertgoers in Tyumen for his strange and sluggish state; the singer explained it was due to a high fever
  • Ilya Gurov believes that canceling the concert would have caused no less discontent
  • According to Gurov, the scandal boosted demand for Kirkorov's shows

Support after criticism

Singer Ilya Gurov, in an interview with Gazeta.Ru, backed Philipp Kirkorov after his scandalous concert in Tyumen, where the artist was criticized for his strange and sluggish state. Viewers wrote on social media that they wanted to leave the show and could not wait for it to end, and many demanded refunds for their tickets. Kirkorov himself explained that he had taken the stage with a high fever.

'Two sides of the coin'

Gurov said the situation has two sides: on one hand, satisfied viewers who praise Kirkorov for not canceling the concert, which, according to the artist, launched a wave of popularization and boosted demand for his performances; on the other hand, those who demanded a cancellation. At the same time, he is convinced that if the show had been postponed or canceled, there would have been no fewer disgruntled people: the same people would have been writing negative comments about ruined plans and an inconvenient new date.

The profession demands it

In Gurov's opinion, the profession of an artist obliges one not to let the audience down and to take the stage even with a fever, a sore throat, or sprains. He gave his own example: he once had to shoot a music video for more than ten hours straight in a studio while ill, because the shoot could not be canceled — the crew and actors were booked, there were release plans, and the audience sees only the final result. Gurov called Kirkorov 'a true professional' who did the right thing, but at the same time advised him to take care of his health, since 'he works himself to the bone for the sake of his beloved audience.'