The entertainment world was buzzing after the singer and head judge of the show Mask, Philip Kirkorov, stirred up fans by declaring a tie for first place between Sergey Lazarev and Dima Bilan. In the fourth season, the two performers were depicted in elaborate costumes resembling a Scorpion and a Mammoth, a detail reportedly noted by observers and reported by Vokrug-TV.
Fans argued that Kirkorov acted without ethical consideration. They pointed to a period when the star was navigating personal challenges, suggesting that he used that moment to target his supporter and former pupil. The blowback was swift, with viewers accusing him of nonsensical remarks and of allowing a smiling, insincere demeanor to mask sharp criticism aimed at Bilan. The backlash framed the judge as playing favorites or turning the competition into a staged moment rather than a fair assessment of talent.
Several observers noted a visible strain among the participants themselves. Bilan chose to stay quiet, while Lazarev appeared to respond with a pointed comment about the controversy and a willingness to challenge the decision publicly. A faction of the audience even speculated that Rudkovskaya, a producer associated with Bilan, may have leaned on the judging panel to influence the outcome, creating a perception of external pressure shaping the results more than audience votes or artistic merit alone.
Earlier in the season, there was another memorable moment involving Lazarev. He had joked about the judges imagining him as Shura during a six-point evaluation, and he later admitted that he felt a certain enjoyment from participating in Mask. He described the project as a platform that allowed him to explore songs beyond his usual repertoire, broadening his artistic horizons and giving him the chance to experiment with material that might not typically appear on his stage shows. This admission underscored the value many contestants find in such formats, where risk and creativity can coexist with popularity and career strategy, even when the spotlight precedes and follows controversy.