Williamsburg to Siberia...

On my way to Williamsburg to finish a new tune with Christian from GoodandEvil (one of my most exciting recent discoveries!) that we started the very day we heard about a great loss in our barely intact world of music and entertainment... MJ.

So much has been written, spoken and especially fabricated about this one-of-a-kind artist with a capital letter "A", it's becoming increasingly difficult to be able to tell the difference between what's true and what's utterly untrue and false. As I'm typing this blog, Larry King and his colleagues are speculating about the possible reasons as to "why, how and when..." May he R.I.P. - or are we incapable of granting one's final wish, I wonder?

I never really intended to blog about this, particularly because of the overwhelming number of articles, blogs and statements issued over the past couple of weeks, but on the other hand, how can one blame people for not being able to ignore the life and death of someone as significant in the world of music, entertainment and our pop culture?

On a lighter note, daily news feeds and airplay updates are coming through from back home. Yes, "Thinking of Someone Else" has finally been released in Russia and what is now known as the CIS - the original Dean St. Radio Mix of "ToSE" hit 179 cities across the former USSR last Friday and is climbing up the charts. It made me smile when I heard from my Russian representative yesterday that this very track is one of the highlight new releases according to the main FM station in... Siberia. I mean, seriously, NY to Siberia and beyond - is the world shrinking or...?

The Riffs & Rays Remix is going to hit the radio stations back home within the next few days, although one of my personal favorite stations in Russia, Europe + already aired the premiere of the tune on one of its leading weekend shows, "Euro-Mix" last Saturday night. Hearing the same song on various European and US stations over the past few months was probably not as bizarre as listening to it on one of my childhood favorite programs - it took me way back to my teenage years when I listened to the radio, wrapped up in bed on a winter night with my earphones and a radio Walkman hidden away under the blanket WAY past midnight!!!

Wait, wait... "ToSE" is still in the Top 5 on iDance FM... How come? Requests... Really!!! The good "old school" way.

There's so much more I'd like to share with you all, but since I'm already running late for my session with Chris (plus, I daren't spill the beans just yet about the rest of my upcoming stuff...) I've got to cut right here. And I promise to keep you posted in the following weeks as the latest projects and news "in the making" unfold on daily basis. I'm so psyched!

My Crazy Month...

A crazy month so far... And the summer has only just kicked off!

Negotiating contracts, meeting with lawyers, publishers, agents and new
songwriting partners can be fascinating, exhausting and at times really
exciting, but what about some free time for a bit of fun and entertainment?

It's becoming increasingly difficult to take the entire day off, let alone a
proper weekend off work, without feeling somewhat guilty deep down ("I
should be working, not hanging out!") Although having said that, recharging
my batteries is definitely one of my priorities for the next couple of
months or so. That, along with a couple of trips that have been on the cards
for way too long, including London and possibly LA, but not excluding an
imminent return to Moscow for a potential project that is currently in the
works... Something massive but not yet finalized negotiation-wise, so I
daren't say more!

All in all, a very exciting time but it's also quite disappointing that I've
barely managed to catch up with any of my friends in-between the mad weeks
here and there. I don't regret it for a second, of course, but sometimes I
genuinely worry that my friends will soon start accusing me of ignorance -
and that would make me feel awful!!! :( I wish I could place everything on
hold - or maybe a pause button? - for a day or two and just concentrate on
catching up with each and every one of them!

Oh, and guess what else is happening next weekend? A gig in Central Park!
But more on that later... with pictures and possibly even a youtube video!

In the meantime, of course, the UN Uncovered radio show and the BTR Russkiy
in the Mix show are still very much on air and in production on weekly basis
- it's a way of switching off once a week, I guess, and thinking about the
bigger picture every now and then!

And the book... The synopsis for the sequel is already done, while the first
book is currently being reviewed and edited by the critics, so I'm excited
and just a little nervous!

Wow, would you believe that "Is It True?" is still in the charts and still
going strong? While "Thinking of Someone Else" is #2 on the iDanceFM charts
and we've just completed a pop cross-over radio mix in the UK, which I'll be
posting shortly on myspace! And by the way, it has just been picked up by
Hit FM and Europe Plus, a couple of leading Russian commercial radio
stations and will probably be added to a few more top stations throughout
Russia in the next couple of weeks or so.

I'll do my best to keep the blogs coming on regular basis and keep you all
posted at all times... My apologies again for not getting back to everyone
in timely manner but I promise to get better at it - I'm really not as good
as I used to be :-( But I'll improve, promise! :-)