Russian Shanson grew out of a folk-influenced musical tradition developed by Russian serfs. Originally, the genre was very wide and touched on all aspects of life. Under the USSR, shanson became most associated with prison culture and documenting the darkest parts of life. Developed mostly by the uneducated for the uneducated, its poetry tends to be simple and musical accompaniment basic and somewhat repetitive. Today, the genre is still widely popular, with oft-cited influences on Russian rap and hip-hop. However, it’s also controversial due to its often rough language and basic themes – see this Short History of Russian Shanson on our site for more information.
Languages: Search for shanson performed in Russian or Ukrainian.
Maksim Leonidov (Максим Леонидов) is a Russian singer originally from St. Petersburg. Best known for leading the popular Soviet band Secret (Секрет), he has also led a solo career in Israel and Russia. Leonidov’s parents both worked in theater, and he grew up surrounded by theater and music. He attended music school in St. Petersburg, […]