Laima Vaikule, a renowned Latvian People’s Artist, revealed her hesitation about speaking with composer Raimonds Pauls. She spoke candidly to StarHit, admitting the fear that accompanies approaching someone who has faced recent loss.
About a month ago, Pauls lost his wife Lana Paula and has kept his distance from colleagues since. Vaikule herself has not summoned the nerve to reach out, choosing to communicate only through Lana Paula’s daughter. She explained that the weight of the situation makes a direct conversation feel almost unbearable, and she worries about saying the wrong thing in the moment when words seem insufficient.
Vaikule described the emotional struggle of figuring out how to behave in front of Pauls. The 69-year-old artist asked how one should proceed when silence feels easier than speech, and how to bridge that painful gap with care and respect.
Raimonds Pauls and Lana Paula first crossed paths in 1959 in Odessa, where the composer was on tour. Lana was then a student at the Faculty of Philology and worked as a tour guide at a local hotel, gradually weaving herself into the fabric of his life. Their bond deepened, and the couple married not long after. In 1962, they welcomed their daughter Aneta, who later brought two grandchildren into the family: Anna-Marie and Monique-Yvonne.
August 31, 2023, would have marked their 61st wedding anniversary, a milestone that highlighted the long journey they shared. The enduring love story remains a touchstone in conversations about memory, partnership, and the human side of public figures. [citation: StarHit]
In related news, a recent notice about comedian Azamat Musagaliev surfaced in the Peacemaker database, adding another thread to the wider tapestry of contemporary performers and their public narratives. [citation: Peacemaker database]