For the concert, Bibo and Valery bought Russian flags, small tricolours on sticks. Nothing should be missing. The friends flew from Vladikavkaz in the North Caucasus to Moscow to experience a star they only know from the Internet and state television. He calls himself Shaman. At least musically, the 31-year-old Yaroslav Dronov, the singer's real name, is Russia's man of the hour, who is not missing at any celebration with President Vladimir Putin.

Friedrich Schmidt

Political correspondent for Russia and the CIS in Moscow.

  • Follow I follow

That's not the concert in Crocus City Hall in the west of Moscow. Nevertheless, the national colors are everywhere. Soon Bibo and Valerij learn in the dance area in front of the stage that helpers distribute red-blue-white flags free of charge. The expenses for own flags were unnecessary. But the friends are not deterred by this. "Shaman's songs lift the mood," says Valerij. "Especially 'Let's Rise' looks like 9 May", the national holiday for victory in the Second World War.

Shaman released a video for the song on February 23, 2022, the day before Russia's major invasion of Ukraine. Previously, the Moscow-trained musician from the Tula region south of the capital had been praised in talent television shows, but for years his success remained limited. Only the war brought the breakthrough. Other show stars have left Russia. Above all, the great Alla Pugacheva. She had supported Dronow at the beginning of his career. He now made a turn described as "patriotic" in time, singing of home, heroes, eternity.

In Let's Rise, Shaman thanks fallen soldiers "for giving us victory" and, like Putin, sees "the truth" and God on "our" side. "Russia's heroes remain in our hearts until the end"; no doubt those who died "for freedom, not for medals" will be met again. In front of the stage of Crocus City Hall, Anschelika, who has travelled from the Moscow countryside, finds that "Let's Rise" is the "anthem of the special operation", as the war in Russia is called. Her friend Olga says Shaman is one of the people that this is important "in our difficult situation". Valery reports that many of his friends are fighting in Ukraine. "Let's Rise" is just as encouraging to them as it is to him.

That's what the Kremlin wants. In June 2022, Shaman's full-length elevation ballad aired on the main state television newsreel, a first for the format. At the end of September, the singer performed the song on Red Square at Putin's celebration of the annexations of four other Ukrainian territories. The presenter announced him as a "symbol of the Russian spirit and character". This is how many visitors express themselves at the concert when asked about the charm of the singer. In November, a version of "Let's Rise" was released with other singers loyal to Putin; the video combines images of World War II memorials with footage of the invading forces in Ukraine with the war symbols "Z" and "V", fighter planes and infantry fighting vehicles.