Alsou

Alsou (born 27 June 1983) is a Russian pop singer. She became famous across Europe after finishing second in the Eurovision Song Contest 2000 with her song “Solo”. Alsou has since released multiple hit albums, ventured into acting, and even co-hosted the Eurovision Song Contest final in 2009.

Early Life and Family in Tatarstan

Alsou, which means “rosewater” in the Tatar language, was born in the town of Bugulma in the Tatarstan region of Russia. She comes from an influential family. Her father, Ralif Safin, is of Bashkir heritage and was a top Lukoil oil executive and a member of the Russian parliament’s Federation Council. Her mother, Raziya, is an architect of Volga Tatar descent. Alsou grew up with two older brothers and a younger brother in the family. The family moved to Siberia when Alsou was one year old.

At five years old, Alsou asked her parents for a piano and began attending a private music school. Her father’s work led the family to live in Moscow, and later they spent time in New York and London, where Alsou attended an arts college. Despite living abroad during her early teens, she often visited Russia and stayed connected to her Tatar roots.

Music Career and Album Milestones

At 15, Alsou was introduced to music manager Valeriy Belotserkovskiy, who was blown away by her talent. She began working with him the next day. Alsou’s self-titled debut album Alsou was released in September 1999 and became a huge success in Russia. The album produced hit singles like “Zimniy Son” (“Winter Dream”), “Vesna” (“Spring”), and “Inogda” (“Sometimes”). By 2000, the debut album had sold over 700,000 copies in Russia. Off the back of this success, Alsou became the first domestic artist signed to Universal Music Russia.

In 2000, Alsou gained international attention when she recorded her first English-language single, “Solo,” to represent Russia at Eurovision (detailed later). After Eurovision, she embarked on a major tour across Russia. On her 17th birthday, she performed a special open-air concert in her hometown of Bugulma, where an estimated 86,000 people gathered to watch her perform. 

Albums in English and Russian

Alsou also attempted to break into the Western music scene. In 2001, she worked on her first English-language album, also titled Alsou. The lead single “Before You Love Me” reached No. 27 on the UK Singles Chart. However, the album’s release in the UK was canceled by her record label. Another English single, “He Loves Me,” came out in Germany later that year, but with limited success. As a result, Alsou refocused on her Russian audience. Her debut Russian album was re-released in 2001 and 2002 with new songs, and she toured throughout the former Soviet countries in 2002.

In January 2003, Alsou released her second Russian studio album, titled 19. The album was well received. It sold over 500,000 copies within a few months and spawned popular songs such as “Vsyo Ravno” (“Anyway”) and “Vchera” (“Yesterday”). That year, Alsou won the Best Female Artist award at Russia’s Muz-TV Music Awards. To support 19, she performed concerts across Russia and other countries, including Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan.

Second album and comeback

Alsou spent much of the mid-2000s working on a second English-language album called Inspired. She collaborated with high-profile producers and even toured as a supporting act for the boyband Westlife. However, the project faced setbacks. Despite filming a music video for the single “Always on My Mind,” the album’s international release was ultimately shelved by her UK label. In a surprising move, Alsou later distributed Inspired to members of her fan club for free in 2013, giving the shelved songs a limited release. During this time, she also recorded a personal song called “Miracles” for her wedding in 2006, which was only given to guests as a souvenir.

2008 and after

After getting married and starting a family, Alsou took a short break from major releases. However, she made a strong comeback in 2008. That year she released her third Russian album, Samoe Glavnoe (“The Main Thing”), which featured the hit ballad “Nebo” (“Sky”). Additionally, in late 2008 Alsou recorded an entire album in her native Tatar language, titled Tugan Tel (“Mother Tongue”). This project was very special to her. It included traditional Tatar songs and new material in Tatar, and she used authentic Tatar instruments and a choir in the recordings. Alsou donated all proceeds from Tugan Tel to charity in order to support talented orphans in Tatarstan.

Alsou continued to evolve her music in the 2010s. In 2011, as a young mother, she released a collection of lullabies and children’s songs (the album Feya Dobrykh Snov, meaning “Fairy of Kind Dreams”). She then returned to pop music, releasing a fourth Russian pop album Ty – eto svet (“You Are the Light”) in 2014 and a fifth album Pisma, prishedshiye s voyny (“Letters from the War”) in 2015. After a few years’ pause, she released her sixth Russian studio album Ya khochu odetsya v beloe (“I Want to Dress in White”) in 2020. These later albums show Alsou’s versatility and her ability to balance music with her personal life.

Eurovision Song Contest and International Fame

Alsou’s big break on the international stage came at the Eurovision Song Contest 2000 in Stockholm. Only 16 years old at the time, she represented Russia and performed the upbeat pop song “Solo.” She earned an impressive second place finish, out of 24 countries. This achievement instantly propelled Alsou to pan-European fame, as millions watched her Eurovision performance and voted for her. “Solo” went on to sell over 100,000 copies, becoming one of the best-selling singles in Russia’s history.

Thanks to Eurovision, Alsou became well-known beyond Russia’s borders. She was invited to numerous European TV shows and events. Moreover, in October 2005, she was one of the artists invited to perform at Congratulations: 50 Years of Eurovision, a special gala in Copenhagen celebrating the contest’s 50th anniversary. Alsou performed “Solo” once again on that stage, five years after the song had made her a star.

Alsou’s relationship with Eurovision continued in later years. In 2009, she took on hosting duties for the Eurovision Song Contest when it was held in Moscow. She co-hosted the grand final broadcast, smoothly handling live presentations and even delivering parts of the show in fluent French. Further, Alsou remained involved behind the scenes: in 2015, she served as one of the jurors on Russia’s national jury panel for Eurovision, helping to evaluate that year’s entries. 

Acting and Television Work

In addition to music, Alsou has explored acting and television presenting. She made her film debut in the British horror-thriller Spirit Trap, filmed in 2004 and released in 2005, alongside actress Billie Piper. Alsou played one of the lead roles and also contributed to the movie’s soundtrack: her self-written ballad “Teardrops” plays over the closing credits. The film itself received poor reviews and had a modest box-office performance, but it was Alsou’s first experience acting in a feature film.

In 2006, Alsou starred in a Russian historical drama film titled Vivat, Anna!. This movie was part of a series about Russia’s monarchy. Alsou once again lent her musical talents to the project by recording a song for the soundtrack. The melody from that song was later used as the introduction track on her Samoe Glavnoe album.

Alsou has also appeared on television as a presenter. Notably, she co-hosted the Eurovision 2009 live televised final (as mentioned above). Over the years she has been a frequent guest on Russian TV variety shows, music programs, and award ceremonies, further showcasing her charisma beyond singing.

Controversies, Breaks, and Career Changes

Throughout a career spanning over two decades, Alsou has balanced her professional life with personal milestones. In the mid-2000s, after a rapid rise to fame, she took a step back from the international spotlight to focus on her family. She married businessman Yan Abramov in 2006 and had two daughters by 2008, which led her to slow down her output and live a quieter life for a few years. This period saw her pivot toward projects closer to home, such as recording songs for films and preparing her Russian-language comeback. Later, in 2016, the birth of her son marked another happy chapter, and Alsou again paused large-scale musical activities for a short time. These breaks in her career were voluntary and showed that Alsou prioritized family when needed, before returning to recording and performing with renewed focus.

The Voice Kids

One notable controversy struck in 2019 and put Alsou in unwanted headlines. In April 2019, her second daughter, Mikella, participated in The Voice Kids in Russia. Mikella was declared the winner of the season after receiving 56.5% of the votes in the live final. However, the result immediately raised suspicions. Many viewers and media observers believed the vote had been rigged in Mikella’s favor due to Alsou’s celebrity status and her family’s resources. The public outcry led the broadcaster, Channel One Russia, to launch an investigation. It was soon revealed that there had indeed been massive automated voting (using bots) to boost Mikella’s vote count. As a result, the channel took the unprecedented step of canceling the contest results and nullifying Mikella’s win. This scandal was a significant setback for Alsou’s public image. She kept a low profile for a while after the incident.

Despite these challenges, Alsou’s career has proven resilient. She has reinvented herself at times – for example, recording a children’s album and exploring jazz influences, showing versatility beyond mainstream pop. In 2007, she even briefly entered politics by joining the United Russia party, though she remained primarily focused on her music and public appearances. 

Philanthropy and Ambassador Roles

Alsou has leveraged her fame to support charitable causes and serve as a cultural ambassador. In recognition of her charitable work, UNESCO appointed Alsou as an Artist for Peace in July 2011. This honorary title was given to her for her commitment to helping vulnerable people around the world, her efforts to support early childhood development, and her dedication to UNESCO’s ideals. 

Alsou has shown generosity and pride in her Tatar heritage in equal measure. Proceeds from her Tatar-language album Tugan Tel were donated to sponsor orphans in her home region, as noted earlier. She often incorporates Tatar culture into her performances to share her roots with a wider audience. In one instance, Alsou reportedly refused any payment for her performance, stating that she wished only to sing for the honor of her homeland. This gesture endeared her to many, as it demonstrated her loyalty to her community and culture.