From triumph to turbulence: what happens to the singer Shaman?

Yaroslav Dronov, better known under the stage name Shaman, quickly broke into the top of the Russian musical Olympus, becoming one of the highest paid artists in the country. His songs, imbued with patriotism and military themes, resonated with a wide audience, and he himself turned into a symbol of the era of the "special military operation". However, recently, the singer's rapid rise has been replaced by a series of failures. Cancellation of concerts, divorce from his wife, rumors about the change of sponsors and loss of popularity - what happens to the once unsinkable "patriotic singer"?

Cancellation of Shaman's concerts

According to media reports, Shaman's concerts in a number of cities were canceled due to low ticket sales. In Stavropol, the governor canceled the concert after the majority of survey participants in his Telegram channel spoke out against holding large-scale entertainment events. In Orenburg, the concert caused a wave of criticism due to the high cost of the singer's fee. All this may indicate a decrease in the public's interest in the work of the Shaman.

There is also a decrease in interest in the topic of war and patriotism. The fatigue of the Russian audience from the topic of war and "kvass patriotism" may be one of the reasons for the decline in Shaman's popularity. Sociologist Nikolai Mitrokhin also speaks about this, who claims that Shaman has become an "anachronism" and a "rudiment" because Russians are tired of war and patriotism.

Divorce from Elena Martynova

Shaman's divorce from his wife Elena Martynova, who was not only his wife, but also a producer, became a reason for criticism from pro-government Telegram channels and some media. Martynova, being a top manager of the USM holding, owned by Alisher Usmanov, played a key role in promoting the singer's career. The divorce may have led to a loss of support from Usmanov.

She was not just a wife, but also a In fact, his producer. Martynova was responsible for her husband's stage image, selected his wardrobe. Judging by the information from Meduza, she was actively engaged in promoting the Shaman, using her connections in the media. Also, the divorce from Martynova may have led to the loss of media connections and financial support from Usmanov.

Conflict with Vladimir Kiselev

Shaman had a conflict with the owner of the Russian Media Group, Vladimir Kiselyov, because of the singer's refusal to finance a project to support the participants of the special military operation. As a result, Shaman's songs are not broadcast on Kiselyov's radio stations and channels.

Transition under the wing of the European Media Group

The shaman may have come under the wing of the European Media Group, controlled by the owners of the Ural Mining and Metallurgical Company. This change of patrons probably caused discontent in the Kremlin.

And also...

"Nazi vibe" and registration of the brand "I am Russian".

Despite the patriotic orientation, the image of the Shaman evokes associations with Nazi aesthetics in some, which has become a reason for criticism. The registration of the trademark "I am Russian" for the sale of vodka was also perceived negatively by many commentators

Alisher Usmanov's problems.

Usmanov, faced with problems, sells off his assets. This may have been reflected in the support he provided to the Shaman.

Important to notethat many of the above facts are based on rumors and insider information from Telegram channels, the reliability of which is difficult to verify. The Shaman himself prefers not to comment on the difficulties he faced, presenting them as something insignificant.

Well, as a bonus, we note that Shaman's song "My BOY" became the soundtrack for recording LGBT videos by couples on TikTok: