March 24, 2021

Who is Manizha?


Who is Manizha?
Manizha uses her ethnic heritage and femininity to draw inspiration for her work.  MANIZHA | vk.com

Russian-Tajik singer and prospective Eurovision candidate Manizha has released a cryptic and satirical video in an attempt to address her haters by declaring herself made of salt.

How did we get here? It's a long story.

On March 8, Manizha performed her song "Russian Women" on television and, by a national televoting process, earned herself the opportunity to represent Russia on the international stage. Her song, which strongly advocates for the empowerment and support of women, did particularly well given that her performance happened to coincide with International Women's Day

But not everyone was pleased by this topic, or with Manizha's strong work as a feminist activist. The Russian Union of Orthodox Women, in particular, published an open letter demanding a ban be placed on Manizha's song because it was their belief that the lyrics encouraged hatred towards men and does harm to the ideal of the "traditional family." Others have dismissed the singer in thinly veiled xenophobic comments regarding her nationality (even though she has lived in the country since the age of 2). 

It was with these individuals in mind that she created a faux-exposé in which she herself plays a T.V. reporter who covers what is described as the direst catastrophe of the past year (COVID-19 notwithstanding): herself. The report mainly asks, "who is Manizha exactly?" and to answer that question she brings in the "scientist" Veniamin Aleksandrovich to do some research.

Through the extremely scientific process of breaking into Manizha's dwellings while she was asleep and stealing her skeleton, the esteemed scientist was able to conduct some research and come to some startling conclusions. He ultimately decides that Manizha is something much worse than simply not being Russian, she's not even human and is instead composed entirely of salt (perhaps this is a reference to Anna Akhmatova's famous poem about Lot's wife?). 

We still aren't sure what exactly to make of this hilarious video, but we do hope that it makes Manizha's critics take a minute to think about how ridiculous they themselves are being. Or at the very least, confuses the heck out of them.

You can watch the video for yourself here. Maybe you'll understand it better than we did.

Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

Russian Rules
November 16, 2011

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.

Moscow and Muscovites
November 26, 2013

Moscow and Muscovites

Vladimir Gilyarovsky's classic portrait of the Russian capital is one of Russians’ most beloved books. Yet it has never before been translated into English. Until now! It is a spectactular verbal pastiche: conversation, from gutter gibberish to the drawing room; oratory, from illiterates to aristocrats; prose, from boilerplate to Tolstoy; poetry, from earthy humor to Pushkin. 

The Samovar Murders
November 01, 2019

The Samovar Murders

The murder of a poet is always more than a murder. When a famous writer is brutally stabbed on the campus of Moscow’s Lumumba University, the son of a recently deposed African president confesses, and the case assumes political implications that no one wants any part of.

Driving Down Russia's Spine
June 01, 2016

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 

Bears in the Caviar
May 01, 2015

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.

Woe From Wit (bilingual)
June 20, 2017

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.

Murder at the Dacha
July 01, 2013

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.

Survival Russian
February 01, 2009

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.

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas
October 01, 2013

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.

 

About Us

Russian Life is the 31-year-old publication of an award-winning publishing house that also creates books, 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