Manzhia, a Russian-Tajik singer, is coming into a wider spotlight after her performance at the Eurovision Song Contest 2021. She was born on 8 July 1991 in Tajikistan. Her mother was a fashion designer and psychologist, and her father worked as a doctor. Her father initially discouraged her from pursuing music, believing that it wasn’t a suitable career for a Muslim woman.
However, after her family fled to Moscow due to the civil war in Tajikistan, she began studying piano at a music school. Eventually, she began private vocal training and started her vocal career at age 12. She competed in children’s singing contests. Later in her education, she graduated from Russian State University for the Humanities with a psychology degree.
Next, her musical pursuits were as a part of different bands, and she eventually moved into a solo career. In 2016, she began producing multiple singles, and her debut studio album Manuscript released in 2017. Since then she has released more singles, and another album in 2018 titled ЯIAM. The album title uses both Russian and English to express the thought “I am me.” The album was heavily focused on personal identity, which is often a challenging subject for people from minority populations and particularly for people who come from mixed minority populations.
In 2021, she represented Russia in the Eurovision Song Contest with her song “Russian Woman” and placed ninth. She described the song she performed as a manifesto against prejudice and for more women’s rights.
Manzhia is an outspoken feminist and is supportive of the LGBT+ community. Her performance at Eurovision created controversy among conservatives in Russia, who actually filed complaints with authorities over her song “Russian Woman.” She uses the song to attack stereotypes put on Russian women and to fight the misogyny and xenophobia she has experienced as an immigrant in Russia. Nationalists also protested having Russia represented by ethnic Tajik.
In 2019, Manzhia also began a campaign against domestic violence in Russia. Part of this project included the creation and release of an app that helped victims of domestic violence. It includes a panic button that can call authorities as well as other resources, such as nearby emergency shelters for women.
She has been inspired by the strong females in her family, including her mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Her mother beat patriarchal traditions generally seen in the rural areas of Russia by being highly educated and having a career. Her great-grandmother was known as the first woman in Tajikistan to remove her headscarf. Manzhia is greatly influenced by her grandmother, who encouraged her musical career and helped pay for lessons.
Lyrics to “Russian Woman”
Эй, ха
А, а, а
Э-э
Хм
Поле, поле, поле, я ж мала
Поле, поле, поле, так мала
Как пройти по полю из огня?
Как пройти по полю, если ты одна?
(А-а-а) Ждать мне чьей-то ручечки, ручки?
(А-а-а) А кто подаст мне ручку, девочки?
Испокон веков, с ночи до утра, с ночи-ночи
Ждём мы корабля, ждём мы корабля очень-очень
С ночи до утра, ждём мы корабля, ждём мы корабля
А чё ждать? Встала и пошла
(Ха-ха)
(Хей-хей)
(Ха-ха)
(Хей-хей)
Every Russian woman needs to know (Ха-ха)
You’re strong enough, you’re gonna break the wall (Хей-хей)
Every Russian woman needs to know (Ха-ха)
You’re strong enough, you’re gonna break the wall (Хей-хей)
Что там хорохорится? Ой, красавица
Ждёшь своего юнца? Ой, красавица
Тебе уж за тридцать, алло, где же дети?
Ты в целом красива, но вот похудеть бы
Надень подлиннее, надень покороче
Росла без отца, делай то, что не хочешь
Ты точно не хочешь? Не хочешь, а надо
Послушайте, правда, мы с вами не стадо
Вороны, пыщ-пыщ, прошу, отвалите
Теперь зарубите себе на носу
Я вас не виню, а себя я чертовски люблю
Борются, борются
Все по кругу борются, да не молятся
Сын без отца, дочь без отца
Но сломанной family не сломать меня, ау
(Ха-ха)
(Хей-хей)
You’re gonna, you’re gonna break the wall (Ха-ха)
Р-р (О-о-о)
Every Russian woman needs to know, uh (Ха-ха)
You’re strong enough, you’re gonna break the wall (Хей-хей)
Every Russian woman needs to know (Ха-ха)
You’re strong enough, you’re gonna break the wall (Хей-хей)
Эй, Russian woman, ха (Ха-ха)
Don’t be afraid, girl (Хей-хей)
You’re strong enough, uh (Ха-ха)
You’re strong enough (О-о-о)
Don’t be afraid (Don’t be afraid)
Don’t be afraid (Don’t be afraid)
Don’t be afraid (Don’t be afraid)
Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid
Борются, борются
Все по кругу борются, да не молятся
Сын без отца, дочь без отца
Но сломанной family не сломать меня, ау
А, а
Э, э
(А, а)
О-о-о
