Sergey Lazarev

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Lore & Background

Lazarev's path to Eurovision began long before Stockholm or Tel Aviv. Born in Moscow on 1 April 1983, he rose to fame as a member of the duo Smash!! with Vlad Topalov, formed in 2000. The group achieved massive success, selling over a million copies of their debut album 'Freeway' (released in 2002) and topping MTV Russia's charts for six months with their single 'Belle'. After Smash!! disbanded in early 2005, following the release of their second album '2Nite' in 2004, Lazarev pursued a solo career. His early solo work included the album 'Don't Be Fake' in November 2005, which sold over 300,000 copies in Russia alone. The single 'Daje Esli Ty Uydiosh' was released in 2006 and later appeared on his second album 'TV Show' (2007). This extensive background in performance and touring laid the groundwork for his Eurovision entries, where he leveraged years of experience to deliver polished, high-energy shows.

In Their Own Story

The narrative of Lazarev's Eurovision journey is defined by near-misses that turned into triumphs. In 2016, he took the stage in Stockholm representing Russia. The performance was so popular with the public that he secured first place in the televote, even though the final result placed him third overall. Four years later, he returned to the contest in Tel Aviv, Israel, performing 'Scream'. Despite the change in location and song, the outcome mirrored his previous effort: another third-place finish for Russia. These back-to-back third-place results highlight a consistent ability to connect with viewers, as evidenced by his first-place televote ranking in 2016. His career prior to these contests was already filled with accolades, including winning the MTV Artist of the Year Award in 2008 and achieving international success across Eastern Europe.

Reader's Guide

For fans tracking Sergey Lazarev's Eurovision history, the key takeaway is his consistent ability to win the public vote while securing top-three overall placements. His 2016 entry in Stockholm saw him finish third globally but first among televoters, a feat he repeated with 'Scream' at the 2019 contest in Tel Aviv. Before these appearances, Lazarev had already established himself as a major figure in Russian pop music through Smash!!, where they won the New Wave contest in Jūrmala in August 2002. His transition to solo work was equally successful, with albums like 'Electric Touch' becoming sales leaders in Russia and earning gold certification. When looking at his Eurovision contributions, note that he is a repeat representative who has maintained high standards over multiple appearances, finishing third in both 2016 and 2019.

Did You Know?

• Lazarev won the jury vote at Eurovision 2016 but ended up in third place overall, as Ukraine's Jamala won the televote.
• He represented Russia again in 2019 with the song 'Scream' and also finished in third place.
• Before his solo career, Lazarev was part of the group Smash!! which broke up in early 2005.
• His debut solo album 'Don't Be Fake' sold more than 300,000 copies in Russia alone.
• Lazarev won the New Wave contest in Jūrmala with Smash!! in August 2002.