On a recent broadcast of the program You Won’t Believe, singer Philip Kirkorov weighed in on Valery Leontyev’s career, sharing his belief that Leontyev will make a return to the stage after taking some time off.
Kirkorov remarked, quite firmly, that Leontyev has not truly stepped away from performing. He explained that Leontyev simply took a brief vacation. Having endured a long and demanding career, Kirkorov said Leontyev earned the permission to rest and recharge after so many years in the spotlight.
News circulated on March 19 about Leontyev stepping back from the stage without a traditional farewell tour. The singer chose to pause his public performances with the aim of leaving a lasting impression on fans while they remember him at a younger age, rather than staging a formal exit.
Leontyev has spoken in the past about the nature of a career spent in the public eye. He has noted that the endurance required to stay at the top for decades does not tolerate wear and tear. In 2019, during his 70th birthday celebrations, he recalled performing at prominent venues such as the Kremlin in Moscow and venues in St. Petersburg, including Oktyabrsky, and the way he conducted those appearances without demanding fans to pay for a farewell tour filled with tears and theatrics.
There were later reports that Leontyev made a quiet return to Moscow, while details about his interactions with journalists and longtime supporters remained tightly controlled. According to a television channel, the artist’s security team warned off a longtime admirer, making it clear that she should not proceed with her greeting at the entrance. The episode underscored the complexities that can accompany a celebrity’s re-entry into the public eye after a period of privacy.
Earlier, Borodin addressed questions about why Leontyev often faces criticism from some fans, noting that public figures frequently attract mixed reactions and intense scrutiny. The dialogue around Leontyev’s choices reflects the broader tension between maintaining privacy and fulfilling public expectations after decades of fame, a balance that many artists navigate as they contemplate when and how to step back from active touring.
Overall, observers and fans continue to watch for any signals about Leontyev’s future performances. Whether a formal return will occur remains a topic of interest for those who have followed his career across generations. The discussions also touch on how established stars manage the transition from full-scale touring to more selective appearances, and how the public interprets quiet, unannounced comebacks in today’s fast-moving media environment. In such cases, the line between rest, reinvention, and readiness to return can appear blurred, inviting ongoing conversation about what it means to remain relevant after a long and storied career. The channel’s coverage contributes to that conversation, offering a glimpse into the realities that surround long-standing artists as they navigate the pressures of fame and the desire to preserve their health and legacy.