Margarita Sukhankina told how she was set up by fans: “I was horrified”

– There is nothing left until the new year, what are the results at the end of this year?

— The most important result of the year is that not even a month has passed since I was awarded the title of Honored Artist of the Russian Federation. This is the story I’ve been waiting for long enough. I have been singing on stage for more than 50 years, you can say that I am the person who has never earned anything other than singing and has never done anything professionally except singing. Therefore, for me, of course, this title is a grand gift for the New Year, it is very important and status-bearing. Although my friends have already said that I have long been a folk figure for them. But we will strive to receive the title of People’s Artist after some time.

Another result – my new song “Time to Remain Human” has been released. I timed it to coincide with the Year of the Family (next year has been declared by the President of Russia as the Year of the Family – author’s note) and the dance hit “At the Disco”, which has already sounded on the radio and on dance floors in the country.

Well, in general, the results of the year are as follows: we are doing well. The children are growing up, everyone in the family is alive and well, we work with my team, go on tour and give joy to people. The outgoing December is full of New Year’s corporate parties and filming. I’m trying to get everything done. 2024 is my year, because I was born in the year of the Dragon.

—Did you somehow celebrate your award, I hope?

— We noted, and we do it every day (laughs). In fact, although there is a decree on my award, I have not yet been given a certificate and a badge (I don’t know what they give there yet). They said that within a month all the documents would be prepared and the award ceremony would take place. I don’t know where this will go, it’s different for everyone. Some are invited to the Bolshoi Theater, some to the Ministry of Culture, and some to the Kremlin. In short, I’m waiting. But people always congratulate me anyway. Wherever we appear – for example during a tour – fans come up and say good words. It’s all very nice.

– Margarita, remember your most incredible New Year in your life?

– Oh, this is when we were dragged to perform on the island. There was a corporate event for a very large serious organization, and people from this organization wanted to celebrate the New Year with me. It took us a very, very long time to get there: first by plane, then by boat, then almost by sleigh, and we also climbed some mountain. Moreover, when we were sailing on the ship, a small storm began, and I could not stand the pitching well, and I began to get seasick. In short, it’s a long story. We got there completely disassembled. And then it was just as long and difficult to get out of there. But everything ended well! Everyone was happy.

– Do you remember your most unexpected gift?

– And there was also an unexpected gift in my biography. One crazy fan had the imprudence to give me such a present: a small, weightless handbag, all so exotic, and inside it was an equally weightless box. At first I thought there was some kind of perfume or something like that.

That fan asked me to open the gift only when I get home. Moreover, he almost shoved it into the car window when I was already leaving. And so I got home, I was shaking the box and suddenly I heard something moving there. Of course, I was simply horrified. She carefully opened it and saw two small living birds. Later they told me their name, something so exotic, I don’t remember now. Little red, beautiful birds, as it turned out later, a boy and a girl.

But here you need to understand that I have a lot of animals at home: cats, a dog. We hid these birds in a carrier, but all my pets immediately became agitated and began walking around this carrier. We didn’t know where to put it – we put it on cabinets and hid it in different places. And all this time we were thinking about what to do with the birds, because it is clear that my animals would not give them life, they would simply kill them. They constantly hunt on the street, catch and bring back their prey, I literally save the poor birds from their clutches.

– And what did you do?

“I literally puzzled over what to do, until I remembered that I have a relative who has a bunch of parrots at home. He, too, like me, lives in a country house, and he has a whole “parrot room” created there on the top floor. I called him with a question about how to save the birds, he offered to bring them to him. Since then, this “gift” has lived with my relative. The birds are happy there, I visit them, they now have three chicks, so the process has begun.

But in this regard, I want to say that it is impossible to give such “living” gifts, because it is not known what kind of situation a person has at home. But we are responsible for those we have tamed. Therefore, I just want to ask that no one gives me any more living gifts.

— Tell us how you usually celebrate New Year’s holidays. Will there be anything special this year?

– You know, in light of recent times, when everything can change at one moment, I am not planning anything. If we used to draw up some kind of schedules, now there is nothing like that. We live one day at a time: I woke up in the morning, performed, the day went great. So the phrase: “If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans” is more relevant today than ever. Of course, we can plan something, but it’s not a fact that it will happen. I will work all New Year holidays, including New Year. Delight your favorite audience. And I will celebrate the first of January at home. I’ll invite guests, order champagne, light fireworks, and make wishes!

Last year, after the New Year holidays, we absolutely spontaneously just got into the car, drove to Sochi and spent a great time there, a whole week. The weather was fantastic, we swam in the heated outdoor pool, the sun was shining, everything was in bloom. That was incredible!

— Do you want to go somewhere else this year too?

— After the New Year in January there will be a lot of work with my team, so it won’t work out. We also got a little puppy at home, one might say, like a small child, who you can’t leave with friends. This dog was thrown out, we picked him up, and he turned out to be quite active in character. But, of course, there will be a holiday. Of course, we decorate the house and decorate the Christmas tree. Of course, there will be Olivier salads and all that jazz. And we won’t limit ourselves to one night. Children are already writing letters to Santa Claus, although they know where the gifts come from. So the holiday will be, as usual, good and cheerful.