On the television program Myth, singer Sergei Penkin spoke candidly about his relationship with Alla Pugacheva and the so-called Christmas Meetings, a series of festive concerts associated with her. He admitted that he never understood why he was never invited to participate in those group performances, and he suggested that the reasons might lie with the organizers’ choices rather than with any shortfall on his side. The star hinted that certain gatekeepers at major events sometimes favor a close-knit circle, which can make it difficult for outsiders to secure an invitation to the stage. Penkin expressed a preference for carving out his own path rather than chasing invitations that might never come, emphasizing the importance of authenticity in a career built on public trust and honest artistry.
The musician described himself as outspoken and said that many of his colleagues in show business pay careful attention to him. He asserted that he has never learned how to cultivate false friendships with celebrities who, in his view, occasionally behave with a degree of insincerity. In Penkin’s eyes, the entertainment world is riddled with subtle performances where people project a certain image rather than speaking plainly. He spoke about rejecting the idea of participating in gatherings or big concerts that he regards as superficial or filled with pretenses, framing such events as occasions where a lot of social game-playing tends to overshadow genuine artistic communion.
Penkin stressed that he is drawn to environments where his presence is genuinely welcomed and where the atmosphere is free from the kinds of performative rituals he finds unappealing. He described his preference for straightforward, unpretentious creative spaces over social scenes that resemble a parade of perception. The artist noted that the music industry often places emphasis on appearances and reputations, and he would rather focus on the work itself, the music, and the connection with audiences who value authenticity above all else.
In related remarks, the conversation touched on a past contest in the mid-1990s, when there was public discussion about a perceived setback by another singer, Igor Nadzhiev, who claimed that a competition from Yalta to Moscow did not go in her favor due to certain circumstances involving Alla Pugacheva. Nadzhiev asserted that she had introduced Philip Kirkorov in a stage moment at the time, a figure who was commonly referred to as a rising prince of pop music during that period. The dialogue highlighted how intertwined personal narratives and public perception can become when major stars are involved, and how such stories continue to echo in contemporary recollections of the era.
Earlier, Penkin had spoken about a cooling in his relationship with director Nikita Mikhalkov, describing the distance as a consequence of a scene from a film in which their professional paths diverged. The discussion underscored the fragility of artistic collaborations when creative disagreements surface and career trajectories diverge. These reflections illustrate how personal choices and professional tensions can shape long-standing connections within the Russian entertainment landscape, influencing public narratives and the recollection of past collaborations.