Oleg Gazmanov

Soviet-Russian singer (born 1951)

Oleg Gazmanov Олег Газманов
Oleg Gazmanov in 2010
Background information
Birth name	Oleg Mikhaylovich Gazmanov
Born	(1951-07-22) 22 July 1951 (age 72) Gusev, Kaliningrad Oblast, Soviet Union
Genres	pop, pop folk, Russian chanson, Soft rock
Occupation(s)	Singer, composer, actor
Years active	1980s-present

Website	www.gazmanov.ru

Musical artist

Oleg Mikhaylovich Gazmanov (Russian: Олег Михайлович Газманов; born 22 July 1951) is a Soviet and Russian singer, composer and poet, specializing in patriotic and nationalist songs, as well as songs which cover more conventional pop themes. Gazmanov is leader of pop group "Эскадрон" (Squadron). His songs have been covered by others in the Russian chanson style, such as Mikhail Shufutinsky. He is also a Candidate for Master of Sport of the USSR in gymnastics and is well known for his acrobatics performed during live shows, especially at the beginning of his musical career in the early 1990s.

On 18 March 2022, Gazmanov sang at Vladimir Putin's Moscow rally celebrating the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation from Ukraine and justifying the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.^[1] In April and May 2022, Gazmanov participated in a series of concerts organized in order to support the invasion.^[2]

In the nationalist song Сделан в СССР (Sdelan v SSSR) (en. Made in the U.S.S.R.), which was performed at the 2022 Moscow rally and released originally in 2005, Gazmanov glorifies the communist past of today's Russia while presenting Lenin and Stalin as national heroes.^[3] Furthermore, the song proclaims the post-Soviet countries (such as Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, and the Baltic states) as all part of the same country (that being the Soviet Union).^[4]

Personal life

He said that his father was Belarusian and his mother was Jewish, but he himself feels Russian.^[5] He is married twice and has three children, his son Rodion, his stepson Philip and his daughter Marianna.

Sanctions

In July 2014 Gazmanov was banned from entering Latvia by Latvia's foreign minister Edgars Rinkēvičs allegedly "through words and actions having contributed to the undermining of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity".^[6]

Commenting on the Latvian Foreign Minister's decision, Gazmanov said, "This gesture right before the opening of the New Wave festival in Jurmala endangers the entire cultural and economic relations between our countries."^[7].

In August 2015, the Security Service of Ukraine placed Gazmanov on the list of artists whose activity posed a threat to Ukraine's national security.^[8]^[9]

In August 2016, the Lithuanian government also denied his entry to Lithuania at Vilnius airport.^[10]

In February 2023 Canada sanctioned Oleg Gazmanov for being involved in Russian propaganda and spreading misinformation relating to the 2022 war in Ukraine.^[11]

Popular songs

"Ofitsery"
"Moskva"
"Nikto krome nas"
"Moi yasnye dni"
"Eskadron"
"Esaul"
"A Ya Devushek Lyublyu"
"Dozhdis'"
"Dolya"
"Na Zare"
"Svezhyi Veter"
"Edinstvennaya" (by Philipp Kirkorov)
"Tuman"
"Zagulyal"
"Greshnyi put" (by Valery Leontiev)
"Belyi sneg" (by Valery Leontiev)
"Moryachka"
"Baltiyskiy Bereg"
"Zabiray" (duet with Sofia Rotaru)
"Proshay"
"Vpered Rossiya"
"Sdelan v SSSR"

Awards

Candidate for Master of Sport of the USSR
Meritorious Artist of Russia (1995)^[12]
People's Artist of Russia (2002)
Order of Honour (2006)^[13]

Awards
World Music Awards
Preceded by 1991 Valery Leontiev	Best-Selling Russian Artist 1992 Oleg Gazmanov	Succeeded by 1993 Laima Vaikule

References

^ "По приколу пошли, не всерьез". Meduza (in Russian). 18 March 2022.
^ "Гастроли патриотов. Как кремлевские эксперты и шоу-бизнес зарабатывают на концертах "Za Россию"". BBC (in Russian). 11 May 2022.
^ Russian pop star in tune with the U.S.S.R., nytimes.com, May 9, 2005
^ Lyrics of Сделан в СССР (Sdelan v SSSR) (English translation)
^ "Себя я ощущаю только русским.,, Фанаты были ошарашены узнав настоящую национальность Газманова". 8 May 2023.
^ "Russian Pop Stars Banned from Entering Latvia over Ukraine crisis". The Moscow Times. 21 July 2014. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
^ Oleg Gasmanov is not going to the "New Wave 2014" Official website, July 21, 2014, at web.archive.org
^ Ministry of Culture named Russians who threaten Ukraine's security, Ukrajinska Pravda, August 8, 2015 (Russian)
^ Ukraine confirms "blacklist" for Russian artists, eurovision.de
^ "Į Lietuvą neįleistas Sovietų Sąjungą šlovinantis ir šalyje nepageidaujamas Olegas Gazmanovas". 17 August 2016.
^ "Canada sanctions Russian propagandists, singers, actors, musicians, and Wagner Group media". Retrieved 5 February 2023.
^ Указ Президента Российской Федерации Б.Н. Ельцина от 25 апреля 1995 года № 411 «О присвоении почётных званий Российской Федерации». Archived 1 November 2014 at the Wayback Machine // poisk-zakona.ru
^ Указ Президента Российской Федерации В. Путина от 19 июля 2001 года № 892 «О награждении государственными наградами Российской Федерации». Archived 17 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine // document.kremlin.ru