Sergei Arutyunov performed world hits on a Kremlin scale

At the end of last year, Sergei performed in the Kremlin with a program of classic world rock hits, and then presented the public with a show of the hits Modern Talking and Pet Shop Boys. The mix, I must admit, turned out to be very specific. Still, despite the fact that Thomas and Dieter, and Neil and Chris are heroes of approximately the same time, their reputations differ, probably like wine and grape juice. It was with approximately these considerations that ZD turned to Sergei Arutyunov, asking him to present his view of music from different planets in one program.

“As a child, I really loved both Modern Talking and Pet Shop Boys,” the singer and composer honestly admitted. “They have a lot in common, characteristic of that time, but the difference is primarily that some are Germans and others are British. Pet Shop Boys songs are built on nuances, on double and sometimes triple bottoms, on subtleties and conflicts, including lyrics and arrangements. Modern Talking is all about it, in a good way. Everything is sweet and romantic. When I was preparing the program, I tried to level out their differences. To do this, I made all the arrangements again, with respect for the original, but with an understanding of what year it is. Plus a symphony orchestra as a way to Russify the material as much as possible. Russian symphony is our global brand, and I decided to make it the basis for this program. If we talk about personal sympathies, then Thomas Anders is closer to me. After all, I sang with him, we performed and a few years ago we even shot a joint video for Cheri Lady. This may sound a little pretentious, but I can confidently say that Thomas brought the super-sweet synth tenor into fashion. His tonal legatos create incredible atmosphere, and without all of this, Modern Talking would not have become so successful. So I’m for him.”

During the show, Sergei intelligently kept silent about his sympathies, rewarding everything he performed that evening with compliments. To the imported hits, local hits were also added, which Rodion Gazmanov, Alexey Romanov, the groups “Technology” and “Astero” sang together with Arutyunov. But the main attractions for the public, of course, were the songs whose performers are now behind the Iron Curtain. Although there were also those in the hall who had not yet lost their touring illusions. “You don’t see what’s happening, what Modern Talking?!” — the Kremlin watchwoman sternly asked two ladies who asked when Thomas and Dieter would come out. “We hoped so much…” the experienced fans babbled with tears in their eyes.

If we do not take into account the current touring context, we can say that the pop classics of the end of the last century sounded very confident and even sweeping. Sergei Arutyunov went through a solid vocal school, including under the guidance of his father, the leader of the League of Blues group Nikolai Arutyunov, and his voice does not at all spoil the popular hits. And, of course, there was some symbolism in the performance of Go West in the Kremlin interiors. Especially considering that in the nineties the video for this Pet Shop Boys song was filmed on Red Square. It turns out that the paradoxical connection between the members of the British duo and local totalitarian symbols is still not weakening. Some kind of mysticism…

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At the moment, Sergei Arutyunov is probably one of the most famous cover artists in the country. According to the artist himself, this situation is more likely a coincidence than the result of a well-thought-out strategy, however, broad musical interests, of course, contributed to filling the repertoire with hits of all stripes.

“In addition to the already mentioned Modern Talking and Pet Shop Boys, I have always adored Queen, Scorpions, as well as the song “At Dawn” by the Alliance group, the hits of the Hi-Fi group, the great compositions of Evgeny Krylatov. It so happened that I received the rights to these songs and when I sing them, I feel a feeling of flight, as if I had returned to childhood,” says Sergei. “I started singing when I was twelve years old, or so it seemed to me then.” True, when I tried to show this to my dad, he very calmly, without a negative message, said that I didn’t need to practice vocals. And at that moment he was absolutely right. Nothing worked for me. I was a fairly late developing child with a late voice mutation and simply could not control my singing. My father told me that I could write songs or play the piano, after all, not study music, which I did for a long time, having studied to be an economist. But at some point the singing still overtook me. I remember this moment well. I was living in the Czech Republic at the time, went to a Whitesnake concert, and then decided to try to sing along to the piano in much the same way. And it seemed to work. I called my father, sang to him, and he said that we could try further. So I got a group with which we started performing in taverns, where, of course, you quickly gain experience. And then there was the show “The Voice”, and when I went on stage with my father, he was already confident in me, otherwise this would not have happened.”

The blues and rocker environment in which Sergei spent his childhood, of course, left its mark on the formation of the tastes of the future singer. However, unlike his father, whose devotion to the blues was largely uncompromising, Sergei does not attach sacred significance to musical styles. Apparently, music for him is more of an exciting adventure, and in search of fresh emotions, Arutyunov Jr. looks in absolutely all directions. However, blues for Sergei is still more than just world classics.

“Dad recorded me as a child, barely able to speak, trying to imitate the melody from Willie Dixon’s great blues Hoochie Coochie Man, performed by Muddy Waters. Everyone told me that my dad is the father of Russian blues, and thus I had a brother in the form of this very Russian blues,” Arutyunov Jr. ironically says. — True, today there is not much blues in my life. Of course, there is the Blues League, the group that my dad left me, and I will always be involved with it. Now I don’t have as much time for it as I would like, but when I perform with those same dad’s musicians, I become myself. It’s a pity that this doesn’t happen very often yet.”

The increased public attention to cover concerts gives a clear perspective to those who have mastered this format well. Now rock and roll and pop shows from Sergei Arutyunov are a tempting tour offer, so the musician does not stay in Moscow. However, his own repertoire is also important for a musician, although in the current situation he can afford to take his time with it and accumulate potential hits.

“I perform a lot with songs that I didn’t write myself. But I write and perform my own,” says Sergei. “I just always proceed from the idea that if the public wants to hear a familiar hit more, then I’d rather perform it.” And although I have dozens of my own songs, they are played on the radio and at my concerts, I haven’t gotten bold with them yet. But I will continue to write, perform my songs at concerts, and when I feel that they are ready to become competitors to already known hits, I will actively offer them. I promise”.