Dima Bilan: “I had to deal with myself”

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Dima, you have been giving solo concerts in Moscow on February 14-15 for several years now, it has become a tradition. But this year it’s not just concerts, but anniversary shows. What interesting things are you cooking?

Yes, these dates are already reserved for me. (Laughs) Annual, a kind of reporting, concerts. A snapshot of what has been done in twelve months. Now I feel the need to get some specific works, tracks that have not been heard for 10-15 years, the audience needs this. Some “generational” things that are associated with youth and the joy of meeting. Music is energy, vibrations, impulses that can, like a time machine, immerse us in memories. There will be star guests-participants, there will be a high-tech – as always – show.

What old songs will we hear?

For example, “Tosca”, “How I wanted”, “Hours”, “I remember you”, “Congratulations”, “Hug me” will also sound – my duet with Nikki Jamal, an Azerbaijani singer, winner of Eurovision. These will be modern interpretations with the preservation of familiar intonations.

When you started your career, released the first track, what did you dream about at that moment, what threshold did you set for yourself? To receive some kind of award, to perform in the Kremlin, to gather a hall for a certain number of spectators?

Of course, I dreamed of stadiums. And they were in my life. But now it is no longer at the forefront, now some kind of qualitative penetration into the souls is more important for me. I want to be a friend to the listener, I want to see the meanings. These are not common words. The meaning to love, to be loved is the fuel of the artist. Vertical take-off, movement is important, but horizontal, when DNA penetration occurs, is more important. And I really want through time, through decades to be such a socially-forming link.

You are now at an interesting age: you are still young, but at the same time you already have vast experience behind you, serious achievements. Do you still have the courage to dream? Or dulls with age, goes into a different quality?

Dreaming is equal to living. Because if there is no dream – that’s it, goodbye, this is the end. But I stood at a crossroads, it was like that, and quite tough. Landing, loss of bearings – everyone goes through this, and it would be strange enough if a person did not break even once. This happened to me recently, and the people who are watching me have seen it. But I think that it is much more correct when such a breakdown, growth, transformation from a boy into a man occurs, to recognize it and accept it.

You release duets with young artists, last year there were releases with Lyusya Chebotina, Marie Crimbreri. How do you work with them?

I see in this a kind of continuity of generations, and, in my opinion, this is normal. I have always said and continue to say that music does not like show-offs. And if you close yourself to something new, stop taking risks, then you stop dreaming, you become one-dimensional. And you need to strive for multidimensionality, I think. It’s always very energizing.

Do you feel the difference between generations?

Well… if only we are talking about some technological things. But as for energy, I have it quite young. And the rest I try to maintain and develop.

I had a lot of interactions with bloggers, very young artists. So it is necessary that at some point it does not seem that the bronze gleams on your skin. In this thread of communication, I meet a lot of cool professional people who follow the trends in music, editing, and so on. I try on their knowledge for myself, but I do it in such a way that it resonates with my essence.

When you started your career, you needed to get a serious musical education, and after that you had to work hard in order to achieve success. And now anyone can become famous in an hour, just by posting a video on the Internet. Don’t you think that there is injustice here, and a person to whom success comes so easily is unworthy of it?

Each generation has its advantages, but something is taken away. The artists who are coming to success now have their own trials, and, to be honest, I don’t envy them. I know many musicians who cannot decide who they really are, what style they belong to and what kind of musical direction, what kind of energy charge they carry, since there are a huge number of options. Remember the expression from “Pokrovsky Gates”: “When you go out on the stage, you need to strive for one thing: you need to tell everyone immediately – who you are, why and why.” In a huge amount of information and options, there is a sea of ​​u200bu200bopportunities, this is both luck and the main difficulty – it makes it difficult to choose.

Artists of my generation and older were afraid to become hostages of one role, to be associated with one song. Today’s artists every day seem to be driving along the highway and can endlessly rearrange from row to row, change directions, risking losing their identity.

Tell us about your younger sister Anna. She is an aspiring singer, do you help her in her career?

I took on some responsibility when she was just choosing where to go. He helped with admission, traveled to America and talked with teachers. Helped financially. But I believe that each person must fill some bumps himself, otherwise he will not reach success. So I try not to get too involved in her career. In fact, she helps me a lot. She has a huge number of friends, acquaintances, very creative guys, and she introduced me to several musicians, thanks to whom I made big projects.

Do you plan to record a duet with her?

I won’t have time for the next concert, but in general it is in the plans.

Does she want to build a career in Russia?

I can’t answer for her, but I think so. She aspired here, very eager to come here.

Dima, during the photo shoot you mentioned that you are now leading a healthy lifestyle…

Trying. In recent years, life has left me – I went through a serious external and internal transformation. It all started with a broken leg, then there was a difficult “covid” year… A difficult period for all of us, a real test. I took on a lot and, apparently, overestimated my strength. I lost many spiritually close people, pivotal ones, without whom this life at the moment turned out to be very empty. I understand that this has happened to many, but now I am talking about my own experience. One of these spiritual friends for me was Alexander Borisovich Gradsky. Just knowing he’s gone devastates me…

This loss was colossal, and I lost control, so to speak… I was staggered. I had to deal with myself in order to understand how important it is to notice in time the signals that the body, life, the Universe, fate itself sends to you.

Not so long ago you moved to a new house in the suburbs. Have you finished the renovation yet?

No, and I’m not sure that I will finish it, perhaps even selling the house. This building is essentially an investment, a move towards my dream home that has yet to be found.

And what is it, Dima Bilan’s dream house?

It must be near the water. Near a river, near running water, or near a lake. Not a hermit’s house, but quite secluded. Perhaps even an estate near some village, because I am a person from the Caucasus, I grew up there. I know what farming, living creatures, birds are. And I am very drawn to all this! I love land, water, all these “local” things. When you have your own hectares, soil, you do it – it’s just incredible. This is the dream house. And I will definitely come to this.

That is, life in the metropolis is not your story?

I love the metropolis, but home is different. Home is a place where you can hide, hear yourself, your feelings and thoughts more clearly.

You have a hotel near Kolomna. Is it a business or a hobby?

Either way, it generates income. I wanted to do something understandable and practical or something, for people. This is a guest house, it has 3 stars, it is called “113th verst” – and it is located there. At first it was a toy, but now it is useful to people, and it’s wonderful, just wonderful. I’m interested.

Are you planning to open a hotel chain or is this an isolated case?

I plan, yes.

Do you often have friends at home?

Very. It is always a pilgrimage. I have several bedrooms, guests can come and stay for a couple of days.

At the same time, you have repeatedly said that you love loneliness.

And one does not contradict the other, it is not a constant. In a sense, I unite people close to me – they come to me from different countries, we are going to be a big company …

For barbecues?

And not only. I love coockie so much. It is also always interesting to try some new dishes, get acquainted with culinary traditions.

Who are these people?

These are jazz musicians, violinists, poets, opera performers, people of art – a very diverse and multifaceted company, with most of whom we have been communicating for decades. We are connected by many memories, meetings, important life stages and events.

You have repeatedly said in interviews that your close friends are people who have been tested over the years. And now you repeated this thought again. Given the events of the past 2-3 years, did you have any disappointments in any of them?

There were moments when we did not agree, there were disputes and disagreements, but I tried to remain neutral. I myself did not unsubscribe from anyone and did not refuse, did not leave someone without understanding. If you are going through tests together and you are smart enough to understand that there is something fundamental, root, uniting between you, then some things can be relegated to the background. With someone, our paths diverged due to different worldviews, but I always leave the possibility of a reverse. I did not have global disappointments in my loved ones.

You are not a categorical person, you try to consider everything from different angles, take into account polar opinions. What human act can you not forgive?

I approach life as an explorer. I dissect, I look, I observe the context in which we now live, what times. I can withdraw without judgment.

It’s easy to pull away when it comes to strangers, but what about those closest to you?

You can even forgive betrayal, this is also an experience. If a person repents, understands his mistake, he will only be grateful for forgiveness. But, of course, if you were betrayed unconditionally, the person must be cut off. I’m not a saint and I can erase a person from life.

What do you think will help you get through difficult times? Kindness, understanding…?

Faith. Let it sound for someone on the verge of delirium, but faith is the core, the spirit, it is the starting point. It seems to me that a person is now much more ready to feel and see. Sometimes there is a defocus, and something fundamental, some kind of foundation, floats away from under your feet. And it has always been so – if we turn to history, we will find many similar examples. And in such times, faith saves, it becomes a support. Why does a person come to God? Because faith is the real, basic and original tuning fork.

Style: Ksenia Dorkina

Make-up and hairstyle: Svetlana Shaida

Producer: Olga Zakatova

Photographer’s assistant: Pavel Vedenkin

Stylist assistant: Elizaveta Shishkina

Producer assistants: Elizaveta Kondakova, Sofia Rastorgueva

We thank the Marriott Grand Hotel for help in organizing and conducting the shooting