April 02, 2020

Little Big's Big Little Moment


Little Big's Big Little Moment

Eurovision is canceled this year due to the situation with the coronavirus pandemic, but the hype around Russia’s selection isn’t dying down.

The music video for Little Big’s contending song, “Uno,” was the most popular on Eurovision’s official YouTube channel, with more than 4 million views. It’s no surprise that the group’s song is doing so well: in the first 16 hours of being on Eurovision’s channel, the song became the leader in terms of the number of likes and views.

Although Little Big only technically represented Russia for about a week before Eurovision was canceled, the group is still on the rise.

Little Big was founded in St. Petersburg in 2013. According to the group’s SoundCloud page, they are a “collaboration between a video maker, musicians, little and big individuals, models, a make-up artist, a clown millionaire and a writer,” who are joined together for their love of “satirical buffoonery” mixed with pop culture.

While everyone is disappointed that Eurovision will not be held in its traditional format this year, most would agree that canceling it was the right decision. In a post on their Instagram account, Little Big said that canceling the competition was “the only right decision in the emerging situation.”

There is some good news, though – instead of hosting the competition as usual, Eurovision will broadcast the music videos from all contestants on their YouTube channel. In this way, Eurovision will be more of a virtual concert than a competition.

Music producer Boris Barabanov said he believes that Little Big still has a bright future ahead of them, including potentially representing Russia next year at Eurovision. However, even if Little Big is selected for next year’s contest, Eurovision administrators announced that this year’s songs are ineligible for the 2021 contest. That means Little Big wouldn’t be able to use “Uno” again, but with this group’s creativity and eclectic style, who knows what they might come up with next!

Little Big is already showing off their creativity, even in self-isolation. According to group frontman Ilya Prusikin, the group is spending time outside the city working on new material. But that’s not all Prusikin has been working on: he has been painting in a style he calls “hyperrealism,” which he promised is a new way to entertain his followers.

The group is also inspiring creativity in others. A group of balalaika players in Perm recorded their own anti-virus cover of “Uno” called “Coronavirus, adios!” In Novokuznetsk, residents recorded another cover of the song featuring measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus, changing the chorus to “Wash your hands more often.”

You Might Also Like

Little Big's Big Shot
  • March 10, 2020

Little Big's Big Shot

“I believe Little Big is the group that will capture Europe's ears. This is the smartest choice. I'm sure they will tear everyone else apart! A lot of respect to Pervyi Kanal.” - Musical producer Yana Rudkovskaya
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

Maria's War: A Soldier's Autobiography

Maria's War: A Soldier's Autobiography

This astonishingly gripping autobiography by the founder of the Russian Women’s Death Battallion in World War I is an eye-opening documentary of life before, during and after the Bolshevik Revolution.
At the Circus (bilingual)

At the Circus (bilingual)

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.
The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.  
Fish: A History of One Migration

Fish: A History of One Migration

This mesmerizing novel from one of Russia’s most important modern authors traces the life journey of a selfless Russian everywoman. In the wake of the Soviet breakup, inexorable forces drag Vera across the breadth of the Russian empire. Facing a relentless onslaught of human and social trials, she swims against the current of life, countering adversity and pain with compassion and hope, in many ways personifying Mother Russia’s torment and resilience amid the Soviet disintegration.
The Little Golden Calf

The Little Golden Calf

Our edition of The Little Golden Calf, one of the greatest Russian satires ever, is the first new translation of this classic novel in nearly fifty years. It is also the first unabridged, uncensored English translation ever, and is 100% true to the original 1931 serial publication in the Russian journal 30 Dnei. Anne O. Fisher’s translation is copiously annotated, and includes an introduction by Alexandra Ilf, the daughter of one of the book’s two co-authors.
A Taste of Chekhov

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.
Life Stories: Original Fiction By Russian Authors

Life Stories: Original Fiction By Russian Authors

The Life Stories collection is a nice introduction to contemporary Russian fiction: many of the 19 authors featured here have won major Russian literary prizes and/or become bestsellers. These are life-affirming stories of love, family, hope, rebirth, mystery and imagination, masterfully translated by some of the best Russian-English translators working today. The selections reassert the power of Russian literature to affect readers of all cultures in profound and lasting ways. Best of all, 100% of the profits from the sale of this book are going to benefit Russian hospice—not-for-profit care for fellow human beings who are nearing the end of their own life stories.
Bears in the Caviar

Bears in the Caviar

Bears in the Caviar is a hilarious and insightful memoir by a diplomat who was “present at the creation” of US-Soviet relations. Charles Thayer headed off to Russia in 1933, calculating that if he could just learn Russian and be on the spot when the US and USSR established relations, he could make himself indispensable and start a career in the foreign service. Remarkably, he pulled it of.
Dostoyevsky Bilingual

Dostoyevsky Bilingual

Bilingual series of short, lesser known, but highly significant works that show the traditional view of Dostoyevsky as a dour, intense, philosophical writer to be unnecessarily one-sided. 
Survival Russian

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955