Alla Borisovna Pugacheva (Russian: Алла Борисовна Пугачёва, born 15 April 1949) is one of the most famous Soviet and Russian singers and actresses in the world. She began singing in 1965, and was briefly a member of the ensemble "Youth." Her first big hit was in 1975, with the song "Harlequin." She was the singing voice of Nadia in the classic comedy / drama The Irony of Fate, for which she sang several songs. She later starred in the 1979 musical The Woman Who Sings, a semi-autobiographical film whose soundtrack sold 55 million copies. She went on many international tours and, in the 1990's, launched a magazine, radio station, perfume, line of shoes, and even a brand of potato chips, all named after her. In 2009, after her 60th birthday, she announced that due to age and worsening health, she will perform a farewell tour and then retire from singing.
Her personal life has been extensively discussed in public, notably her many relationships. Her partners have included circus performer Mykolas Orbakas (father of her daughter Kristina Orbakaite), director Alexander Stefanovich and pop singer Filipp Kirkorov, whose own career she boosted. She is still considered the Russian prima donna, and her "colleagues" are Sofia Rotaru and Roza Rymbaeva.
Discography:
- 1978 Alla Pugacheva (released in Japan) - compilation
- 1978 Ala Pugachova. Ogledalo na dushata (released in Bulgaria) - compilation
- 1979 Alla Pugacheva i Iosif Kobzon - split
- 1980 Diskoteka A - instrumental remixes
- 1980 Alla Pugatšova. Huipulla (Alla Pugacheva. At the Top; Kansan, Finland)
- 1980 Alla Pugačevova. Zrcadlo duše (Czech version of Zerkalo dushi)
- 1981 Alla Pugačova (Czech version of To li eshche budet...)
- 1981 Alla Pugatšova. Tähtikesä (Alla Pugacheva. Starry summer; Kansan, Finland)
- 1982 U nas v gostyakh maestro (Our Guest is the Maestro) - live / split
- 1982 Parad Planet - split
- 1983 Million Roz (released in Japan) - compilation
- 1983 Alla Pugačova. Davna pisen (a Czech compilation)
- 1984 Alla Pugacheva - Soviet Superstar. Greatest Hits 1976-84 (World Record Music, Sweden) - compilation
- 1985 Alla Pugacheva - Soviet Superstar vol.2 (released by the World Record Music in Finland) - compilation
- 1988 Pesni vmesto pisem (Songs Instead Of Letters) - split with Udo Lindenberg
- 1989 Paromshik - (Ferryman) (Finnish release of Rechnoy paromshchik)
- 1991 Alla (Ritonis, Riga)
- 1994 Veryu v tebya (I Believe In You) - compilation
- 1995 Put' zvezdy (The Path of a Star) - compilation
- 1996 A 13 CD compilation of songs previously released only on LP and MC
- 1996 Poyot Alla Pugacheva (Alla Pugacheva Sings (songs by Aleksandr Zazepin) - compilation
- 1997 Dve zvezdy (Two Stars; with Vladimir Kuzmin) - compilation / split
- 1998 Syurpriz ot Ally Pugachevy (Surprise from Alla Pugacheva) - tribute
Roles:
- The Irony Of Fate (1976) as Nadia.
- The Woman Who Sings (1979) as Anna Streltsova.
Tropes:
- The Alleged Car: In the song Daddy bought a car... very cheaply.
- Ceiling Banger: The main character in one of her songs can't sleep because of a party going on in the apartment above.
- Cover Version: Pugacheva had covered two Vladimir Vysotsky's songs.
- Did Not Get the Girl:
- The artist in "Million Scarlet Roses."
- Which is based on a Real Life incident in the life of a famous Georgian painter Niko Pirosmani.
- Gold Digger: Stole the title character's husband in "Madam Broshkina".
- Inept Mage: One of her songs is about a novice sorcerer who has a diploma, but in reality, was always lazy in his studies, so he constantly fumbles his spells.
- May–December Romance: Twice. With the latest partner even younger than the previous.
- Non-Ironic Clown / Sad Clown: The subject of "Harlequin".
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Signature Song: - Something about a Rose: "Million Scarlet Roses."
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What Could Have Been: Was the preferred choice of the production team for the role of Svetlana in the original version of Chess, but the Soviet authorities wouldn't allow it. - What Does He See in Her?: As verbatim as four or five millennia of linguistic divergence will permit, as the title character in "Madam Broshkina" wonders why her ex-husband fell for that gold-digging Witch with a Capital "B" in the first place.
