The name Philipp Kirkorov will ring a bell to most Eurovision fans. He is the Russian pop rock megastar, known for his eccentric personality, lavish stage shows, and extravagant fashion choices. He has been referred to as “The king of Russian pop” as well as “Mister Eurovision”. But how did he get this title? Let’s start from the beginning.
In 1995, Kirkorov represented Russia at the Eurovision in Dublin, with the song Kolybelnaya dlya vulkana (Lullaby for the volcano), finishing in 17th place. He was already a well-known artist in Russia at the time, but his popularity has grown dramatically in the years since, earning him the "Best Selling Russian Artist" title at the World Music Awards on five different occasions.
Besides performing on the Eurovision stage himself, Kirkorov has composed entries for many other Eurovision artists, including Angelica Agurbash - “I Love Belarus”, Dmitry Koldun - “Work Your Magic”, Ani Lorak - “Shady Lady”, the Tolmachevy Twins - “Shine”, DoReDos - “My Lucky Day”, Aisel – "X My Heart", and most notably Sergey Lazarev - “You Are the Only One” and “Scream”. These acts came to life alongside Kirorov’s long-time collaborators, composer Dimitris Kontopoulos and creative director Ilias Kokotos… the so-called “Dream Team”. This same dream team is also behind Moldova’s upcoming Eurovision 2021 act.
But Kirkorov’s ties with the Eurovision world don’t just end there. Throughout his career, Philipp has covered a gazillion of Eurovision songs (in Russian). Among his long repertoire of ESC covers are Maria Magdalena (Croatia 1999), Diva (Israel 1999), and La Voix (Sweden 2009). Interesting fact: in the “Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga” movie, the character of the eccentric and ultra-wealthy Russian vocalist, Alexander Lemtov, is actually loosely inspired by Kirkorov.
Philipp Kirkorov has enjoyed continued success in Russia, releasing 20 studio albums. He frequently appears on Russian television, as a TV show host and judge of reality competitions. He has dominated Forbes Russia’s list of the highest-paid pop stars in recent years. He has two children, daughter Alla Victoria (9) and son Martin (8), both born via a surrogate mother.