Robbie Williams: If I had gone to Russia when I was drinking, I would no longer exist

Robbie Williams: biography

Born 02/13/74 in Stoke-on-Trent, United Kingdom. When Robbie was three years old, his parents divorced and he lived with his mother Janet and sister. At school, Williams behaved disgracefully, as a result of which he never received a certificate of completion. Deprived of much choice, Robbie went to sales, but fate intervened. His mother saw an advertisement in the local newspaper about recruitment for a musical group. Knowing that her son had singing and acting talent, she arranged for him to take part in one of the many auditions held in Manchester. As it turned out, the rebellious nature that manifested itself at school did not hinder Robbie, as his performance ended in great success, and he began his difficult path to fame.

Childhood and youth

Robbie was born in the UK, in a provincial English town called Stoke-on-Trent, in the family of an actor and a florist. Representatives of the zodiac sign Aquarius are rightfully proud of the achievements of Robbie Williams, because his date of birth was February 13th. At the age of 3, the little boy, together with his adopted sister, had to face the hardships of family troubles - his parents divorced, and the two kids remained to live with their mother.

Robbie Williams as a child

Young Mr. Williams loved to fool around from an early age, so his studies were not going well. First in elementary school, and then in high school, he gained a reputation as a “mediocre” and a lazy person, and the desire to once again please a girl in his class prompted the guy to take risks and get involved in problematic situations. It was difficult for Robbie's mother to cope with the child's rebellious nature, but teenagers rarely pay attention to such nuances.

Five years with Take That

In 1990, Nigel Martin-Smith created the boy group Take That. The four members, Mark Owen, Gary Barlow, Jason Orange and Howard Donald, were joined by the youngest, 16-year-old Robbie Williams. The singer's biography over the next five years was marked by undeniable success. The group's compositions topped the charts from time to time, and it toured around the world, performing in concerts to packed stadiums. But in 1995, Williams decided that enough was enough and announced his departure from the band and the start of a solo career.

Robbie Williams and his wife sued for sexual harassment

This is not the first time that British singer and former member of the super-popular Take That group Robbie Williams has been in the spotlight of the media for reasons unrelated to his creative achievements. Another scandal surrounding the musician was caused by a lawsuit filed by Gilles de Bonfils, the former personal assistant of Williams and his wife, American actress Ayda Field. According to the plaintiff, during his service in the star’s house, he was repeatedly subjected to sexual harassment by the actress.

According to court documents obtained by the American showbiz portal TMZ,

Field, in particular, invited de Bonfils into “private areas” of the family home, where she preferred to be “in various states of undress.” While walking around the house in a negligee, Field allegedly asked de Bonfils to comment on her body and asked questions about his sex life.

The complaints outlined in court documents include allegations that the actress "disclosed information regarding the nature and frequency of her sexual activity and exposed her naked body."

5 reasons to attend a Robbie Williams concert

On April 12, British singer Robbie Williams will perform at the Olimpiyskiy after a twelve-year break.
Gazeta.Ru studied the details of the Let Me program... → De Bonfils, who worked in the house of Williams and his wife from October 2014 to January 2015, filed a lawsuit against both stars, although there were no charges related to sexual harassment in There was no information regarding the musician. In his lawsuit, de Bonfils says Ayda Field's behavior damaged his reputation and caused him "humiliation, shame, mental and emotional distress." In addition, the ex-assistant was unhappy that he was fired before the contract concluded with the musician and his wife expired. According to de Bonfils, the contract was “wrongfully terminated,” for which he demanded that the couple recover damages in the amount of more than $25 thousand. The California Department of Labor accepted the appeal of Williams’ former assistant, and now this case is to be considered by the Los Angeles court, where in The musician and his family currently live there.

However, the married couple themselves claim that all the accusations of their former employee are groundless, and the reason for filing the lawsuit was the ordinary resentment of the employee, who was fired for his professional incompetence.

Robbie Williams and his wife Ayda Field

Representatives of Robbie Williams hastened to deny the information about sexual harassment as soon as it became known to the general public. “These completely baseless claims were made by a disgruntled former employee after he was sacked for serious misconduct. We are ready to defend this position in court with all our might,” said the singer’s press secretary.

Accusing his wife of sexual harassment is not the first legal trouble that Robbie Williams has had to face recently. Recently it became known that the 41-year-old musician was forced to abandon large-scale plans to reconstruct his mansion in London due to a conflict with his neighbor, the legendary guitarist of the rock band Led Zeppelin Jimmy Page. In his letter to Kensington and Chelsea Borough Council, the rocker complained that Williams' redevelopment could damage his castle home, built in the 1890s according to the design of Victorian architect William Brages.

The case could well have gone to court, but Williams made concessions in time and abandoned the reconstruction.

Fortunately, litigation and other troubles that befell the musician do not prevent him from traveling around the world as part of a tour called “Let Me Entertain You Tour.”

("Let me entertain you") On April 12, the musician performed at the Olimpiysky after a twelve-year break, delighting Muscovites with his hits and an unforgettable show.

Intoxication with freedom

Take That's image obligated him to lead a typical lifestyle for a member of a "boy" group, corresponding to the average age of his fans. But as soon as Williams left the team, he hit the front pages of the newspapers because of his behavior. Robbie was clearly ecstatic to shed his image and teen idol status and was soon photographed partying at Glastonbury with Oasis, a far cry from Take That's musical style and reputation. It was a silent demonstration of Williams' attitude towards what he had been doing for the past five years. He soon changed his image, began wearing dirty clothes, grew a beard and gained weight to acquire an impressive beer belly. He seemed to be deliberately distancing himself from the group that made him a star.

Solo career

Williams always wanted to work alone, and in 1996 his career with the Robbie William Band began with a cover of George Michael's Freedom, which reached number two in the UK chart. Recording of his debut album began in March 1996, and a meeting with songwriter and producer Guy Chambers was a guarantee of success, leading to their long-term collaboration. Old Before I Die was the first single from the debut disc and took second place in the English chart. The album Life Thru A Lens appeared in September 1997.

Robbie Williams: “I burned out in 1992 and continue to burn out”

EKATERINA MUKHINA: What do your tattoos mean?

ROBBIE WILLIAMS: First I'll ask, "Do you have a tattoo?"

E.M.: No! I'm not sure I'll like them in ten years.

R.W.: Then tattoos are definitely not for you. My wife (Turkish actress Ayda Field - ELLE note) doesn't have them either - she can't stand them. And I, for example, made another one three weeks ago (shows a sketchy man with a halo tattooed on his forearm). I came home, showed it, and she just started... We fought for four hours! Each of my tattoos has its own meaning: a symbol of my hometown; the boy band I was in; a sign of protection - I grew up in a Catholic family, and my father constantly drew it in his diaries. And this is Teddy - in honor of his daughter.

E.M.: Is your wife a muse or a partner?

R.W.: Partner. And incredibly ambitious! We love the hectic lifestyle, shows, glamor and fun.

E.M.: What does true love mean to you?

R.W.: It’s difficult to describe. At 20, it’s as if they want to confuse you with films, songs, all this bullshit propaganda that makes you feel unhappy. I understand what true love is when I look at my children. Even if they screw up or I screw up, we still continue to love each other.

Love is a connection that is in our blood.

E.M.: Do you have Russian friends? I think I’m not the first person to ask this question after the release of the Party Like a Russian video.

R.W.: No, there are no Russians. I don't have many friends at all. There are nice people I work with and people I love. I am a social phobe and spend time exclusively with my wife and children. Where did Party Like a Russian come from? I woke up one day, went to the studio - and suddenly, like a spark: “I have to write a song about Russia!” We had a lot of fun that day and created a cheeky and funny composition. I liked her very much! We were truly proud of her! And then they got scared: what will they think in Russia? What if our sense of humor is so different that the Russians will think that we are making fun of them? But this is absolutely not true! Believe me, we did not want to offend or anger 147 million people. It's just a great song.

E.M.: Are there any friends left from childhood? You played on the school football team...

R.W.: I became famous very early. You know, it’s like flying to Mars and stopping home in your free time - people don’t know how to treat an astronaut who has been on another planet, and you no longer know how to behave with him. I became a little strange to those around me, and they to me. There is nothing connecting us anymore. I truly treasured that feeling of carefree friendship and was saddened when it evaporated. But since then I have no friends.

First solo hit

A meeting with the record company to discuss his future was a turning point in Williams' life. The decision was made to release a fourth single, and Angels became a UK number one, being certified double platinum. It sold over two million copies worldwide, instantly skyrocketing the popularity of Life Thru the Lens. Star status as a solo artist in the United Kingdom was finally achieved, but Williams had yet to prove himself on the international market.

"Millennium"

In 1998, Williams and Chambers began writing songs for their second album in Jamaica. Borrowing the musical design used by Nancy Sinatra in the Bond movie “You Only Live Twice”, they released their first single “Millennium” in 1998. He immediately took the lead, displacing the song All Saints Under the Bridge. Ironically, at that time Robbie was engaged to one of the members of this group, Nicole Appleton. When I've Been Expecting You was released in the autumn of 1998, it quickly reached number one and became the biggest selling release in the UK that year. Bearing in mind the failure of his debut, Williams' record company this time ensured that the promotion would extend beyond the United Kingdom, and the single No Regrets was well received in Europe and Latin America.

Overseas

The next step for Williams was to conquer the American market - an extremely difficult target for British artists. In the US, Robbie signed a contract with EMI and went on a promotional tour across the United States. However, after the release of the album “Millennium” in 1999, it became only 72nd on the Billboard Hot 100, and the debut overseas album, entitled The Ego Has Landed, only reached 63rd place. Despite the failure, Williams still received decent airtime and was nominated for Best Male Video at the MTV Video Music Awards. He was not awarded the award, but the nomination significantly raised his profile.

Striptease is prohibited

Despite the concerts that Robbie Williams constantly gave, the singer still found time in 1999 to record his third album. The first single released, Rock DJ, caused controversy. Not because of its content, but because of the video sequence - while performing a striptease, Robbie tore off his skin and muscles. This led to the video being censored by Top Of The Pops, and other music channels followed suit. However, the track became a hit around the world, winning several awards, and was named Best Song of 2000 at the MTV European Awards, as well as Best Single of the Year in the UK.

The release of the album in August 2000 brought Williams success all over the world, it went to number one in the English charts, and Kylie Minogue approached Williams with an offer to write several songs for her Light Years disc. Instead, the couple performed the single Kids as a duet and went on a joint two-month tour of the United Kingdom.

Music

Robbie gained his first acting experience while auditioning for a local musical group called “Take That”. The lineup held auditions in hopes of finding a fifth member, and, to the guy’s great surprise, after performing the song “Nothing Can Divide Us” by Jason Donovan, he was accepted into the Take That group.

Robbie Williams and Take That

Over the next five years, Robbie was a member of this musical group and performed with four other guys in city pubs. “Take That” initially re-covered famous hits, but already in 1991 the guys released their first album, which not only gained popularity, but became a passport to the world of show business.

For several years in a row, the album “Take That and Party” was considered one of the best in the history of the UK music business. A couple of years later, a second collection of hits from the group called “Everything Change” was released. Repeated success turned the heads of the guys from Take That so much that in 1994 they decided to tour the country and perform live.

Robbie Williams and Take That

Numerous concerts, crowds of fans and public recognition were incredibly captivating and captivating, but after the release of his third album, Robbie wanted change.

Every musician dreams of performing solo, but for Mr. Williams there was one detail he couldn't ignore after breaking up with his former colleagues. According to the terms of his contract with BMG, Robbie could not pursue a solo career if he decided to leave the group. For several years, the guy sued representatives of the company, and at that time depression led the musician down a crooked path - he began to use alcohol and drugs.

After the completion of the litigation, the musician released his first solo song, which is a cover of the work by George Michael. After this, Robbie recorded his first solo album, the songs of which did not attract the attention of the audience, but success came immediately after creating a hit called “Angels”.

Robbie Williams - "Angels"

Not every musician or actor manages to achieve the same success in their career as Robbie Williams did. His song “Angels,” when released, became a hit and earned him the title of “Best Hit of the Last 25 Years.”

This was followed by success for the performance of the single “Millennium”, which won several awards in the categories “Best Song of the Year”, “Best Single of the Year” and “Best Visual Technologies in a Video”.

Having conquered Europe and his native country, Williams did not want to stop there, and already in 1999, immediately after signing a contract with the American company Capitol Records, Robbie was creating his first album aimed at potential fans from the USA.

Robbie Williams - "Millennium"

“The Ego Has Lended” only took 63rd place on the American charts upon release, which could be called a complete failure. The next attempt a year later brought more success, and the song “Rock Dj” won many international awards at popular festivals, after which the musician’s career took off again.

In 2000, Robbie Williams and Kylie Minogue recorded a duet on the song "Kids". It is noteworthy that Robbie turned out to be both a performer and a songwriter. A year later, in support of the third studio album, “Sing When You're Winning,” the artist went on tour, during which he began working on musical material for the next disc. The first single "Somethin' Stupid" from the fourth album was recorded with Nicole Kidman. The song won fame as the best musical composition in six European countries and New Zealand.

Robbie Williams and Nicole Kidman - "Somethin' Stupid"

The singer's discography expanded every year; Robbie Williams entered into a lucrative deal with the EMI recording studio for $105 million, which became a record amount in the history of British pop music.

The year 2005 was marked by the next memorable event in Robbie’s life - he received the title of best artist of the year and was honored to be included in the Guinness Book of Records for the fact that more than one and a half million tickets to his concert were literally swept off the shelves on the first day after the start of sales.

Robbie Williams

By 2010, the musician’s creative activity reached a milestone - the 20th anniversary of his musical career. For the sake of this memorable date, the singer released a collection of the best songs in his own performance, “In and Out of Consciousness: The Greatest Hits 1990–2010,” which was released in both standard and gift formats. The release started at the top of the charts in European countries, making Robbie Williams the most successful singer in the UK. Among the world's biggest names, only The Beatles, Elvis Presley, U2 and Madonna were ahead of him.

For his numerous services to British show business, Robbie received another BRIT Awards, which forever immortalized the hero’s name in the annals of the musical history of Great Britain and the whole world.

British star Robbie Williams

Russia has always attracted the attention of foreign show business stars, and Robbie was no exception. While on tour in Moscow in 2015, the artist appeared in Ivan Urgant’s studio at a comedy show, where he performed a number of songs together with his musicians.

In 2020, a new project by the musician and singer called “Party Like A Russian” was released, in which Williams performed in the guise of a kind of modern Rasputin. The main purpose of creating the single was an attempt to ridicule the behavior of Russian oligarchs who “buy cars and transport them in their planes.”

Robbie Williams - “Party Like A Russian”

The singer touches on a problematic topic, since social inequality has long been the cause of many public scandals and revelations. Moreover, not only in the Russian Federation this topic disturbs the minds and souls of ordinary people. Perhaps Robbie wanted not just to release another musical project, but also to draw the attention of those in power to the problems of ordinary people and compare their current deplorable situation.

Others believe that the singer wanted to attract fading attention to himself with such a topic. By the way, after the release of “Party Like A Russian”, Robbie’s activities were again noticed in the Russian segment of show business. The musician was invited to a conversation by Andrei Malakhov, the popular TV presenter of the “Let Them Talk” program. The recording of the broadcast took place in London, where Williams and Malakhov talked on various topics. The broadcast was circulated on the Internet, and this became the second sensational story for Andrei Malakhov after his meeting with Hollywood actress Lindsay Lohan.

Robbie Williams and Andrey Malakhov

In 2020, during the broadcast of the March episode of the program “Let Them Talk,” where Robbie Williams appeared again, the Briton offered to speak on behalf of Russia at the Eurovision 2017 contest, which was to be held in Kyiv. According to the artist, he follows the international competition and is impressed by Russian performers. Williams was especially impressed by Sergei Lazarev's performance.

Change of musical orientation

After the success of his third album, Williams decided to change musical direction. He took a two-week break from his tour to record his fourth studio disc, which sounded significantly different from his previous ones. This is what Robbie Williams has always dreamed of. Music born from the singer's love of Frank Sinatra, combined with the success of the jazz number from the film Bridget Jones's Diaries in early 2001, Sing When You're Winning was released in 2001 and became an instant worldwide hit. He performed the first single “Something Stupid” together with Nicole Kidman. The cover of the Frank and Nancy Sinatra hit was the artist's fifth UK hit, and the album was the 49th best-selling album in the United Kingdom. Subsequently, Robbie also fulfilled his dream by performing a solo concert at London's Royal Albert Hall.

In 2002, the singer signed the biggest contract in British history with EMI for a record £80 million, proving that the Stoke dropout was a true megastar. After a year's break, he began working on his fifth album. Escapology marked a new era for Williams. He did not part well with his long-time associate Guy Chambers - both sides made opposing statements. This allowed Robbie to be more involved in the creation of the new disc, proving his confidence in the recording studio, and three tracks were the first to be written without Chambers' participation.

When released in 2002, the album topped the UK charts, but only reached number 43 in the United States. The mammoth summer tour of 2003 ended with three concerts in Knebworth with record crowds - 375,000 fans came to hear Williams. The show was released as the artist's debut live album in 2003, which became a top-selling album, doubling Oasis' figures. After a year, Williams decided it was time to step out of the shadows and refresh his career by collaborating with new talent. In 2004, he began working with British composer Stephen Duffy, and the same year a greatest hits collection was released, which reached number one in 18 countries.

"Intensive therapy"

Robbie Williams gave out hits non-stop. A year after touring Latin America, in October 2005, he recorded his sixth studio album, Intensive Care, which sold over 2 million in six weeks. Noting that Williams had managed to dominate the charts during his years as a solo artist since leaving Take That, the former members of the band, which split in 1996, agreed to reunite in London for a pre-screening of the documentary, which was due to air on ITV1. When he left the band, many rumors circulated as to the reasons for this decision, and most of them concerned Robbie's dislike of Gary Barlow. However, everyone believed that Williams would probably leave the past alone and join the show. However, he refused to meet, disappointing fans and once again leaving the rest of the group.

Failure

Rudebox's seventh studio album received mixed reviews. The first single of the same name premiered on BBC Radio 1 on DJ Scott Mills' show, causing controversy as it had not yet met the record company's release date. The track was widely criticized and, ironically, the officially reunited Take That sold more copies of their album Beautiful World than Robbie Williams. The singer's biography was marked by the release of his lowest-selling creation in the musician's entire solo career. It seemed that he made a mistake with the change in style and recorded a disc that was not swept off the shelves. This was not the end, as immediately after the announcement of the world tour in 2006, a world record was set - 1.6 million tickets were sold in one day.

Personal life

Williams has managed to fall out with the English media since his move to the United States. He has stated several times in the press that he prefers the Los Angeles lifestyle because he has more freedom and privacy there than in the UK. Constant battles with drugs and alcohol abuse took a toll on his personal life. Robbie made a frank public admission that he suffers from depression while taking part in a BBC documentary directed by Stephen Fry about bipolar disorder. He also developed a reputation for being unable to maintain relationships for any significant period of time. After his split from Nicole Appleton in the late '90s, he only briefly dated a few celebrities, including Rachel Hunter, but finally found love with Turkish-American actress Ayda Field. Robbie Williams' future wife participated in the filming of a documentary about UFOs, which the singer did for BBC Radio 4 in April 2006. The couple got married during a ceremony held at the singer's home in Los Angeles on 07/07/2010. Robbie Williams' wife gave birth to two children: daughter Theodora (2012) and son Charlton (2014).

But before this, discussions of his personal life sometimes reached the point of absurdity, when his inability to connect his life with a woman gave rise to speculation about his sexual orientation. It got to the point that in 2005 he won a libel case against MGN and Northern & Shell, who claimed in their articles that he was a latent homosexual. Gay rights activists suggested Williams donate the significant settlement he received to gay charities, arguing that his court case showed he was offended by how he was called. An example was the similar case of Jason Donovan, which alienated many gay fans from him. The singer's long-time friend, actor and musician Max Beasley, said in the press that some things written about him drive him crazy - for example, rumors that he is gay. "It's a lie. I've never met a less gay person in my life!"

Star stories

38-year-old British singer Robbie Williams became a father for the first time in his life. His wife, an American actress of Turkish origin, Aida Field, gave him a baby daughter. Just two years ago, Williams was not at all delighted with the prospect of having a child, but now he is literally glowing with happiness. According to friends and relatives, this is why Aida influences him so well.

Robbie Williams' daughter was born in London. On the eve of the birth of the child, the singer went on a concert tour around the cities of Great Britain, but constantly kept his personal plane at the ready so that he could be with his wife at the time of birth. A few days before his expected due date, he also booked a room in one of London's best private maternity hospitals.

In March 2012, Robin announced the upcoming addition to the family in his characteristic goofy manner. “Ida and I have a secret. We had sex, and guess what, it worked! - the singer joked. “We will become parents this year!” Shortly before the birth, when the couple already knew that they were expecting a daughter, Robbie posted a photo of Aida with a big belly on social media, touchingly captioning it: “My girls.”

Love changes even the most inveterate bachelors. Two years ago, in an interview, the pop-rock star spoke very highly of the prospect of having children without any enthusiasm, if not with disgust. “I have a lot of free time, and I like to spend it,” Robbie said then, in the place of the verb “spend” using, however, a much stronger expression. The singer explained how he prefers to spend his leisure time: “Play Football Manager, surf the Internet looking for conspiracy theories, hang out with friends, lie in the sun. It's a wonderful life when you can get up at any time you want, go to bed whenever you want. And a child would ruin it all (here Williams again used a stronger expression).”

Apparently, his wife managed to convince the individualist Williams. Robbie has been married to Ayda Fields since August 2010. By the way, the wedding was also in many ways Aida’s initiative. They say that 31-year-old Ayda Field gave the 36-year-old singer an ultimatum: “It’s either now or never!” Before this, the couple had been dating for three years, but the wedding was still postponed. Although all friends and family admitted that Robbie and Ida were the best fit for each other.

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“Aida is so beautiful, so happy and suits him so well. They literally glow when they are together,” Williams’ father said touchingly. By the way, in addition to other marriage vows, Williams vowed to his wife to quit smoking. This was a real gift for Ayda, since the singer did not spare his health at all - he used to smoke 60 cigarettes a day. By the time of the wedding, he heroically reduced this number to 10.

In 36 years of his life, this marriage was Robin's first. In contrast to the resounding success in music, the singer could not find happiness in his personal life. Because of his metrosexual appearance, there were constant rumors about his relationships with men, which Robbie only fueled with his jokes. True, when he was seriously asked about sex with guys, he said: “Not yet. But if I suddenly meet a guy who I like, I don’t exclude this possibility for myself.”

However, the public only knows about his affairs with women who are very popular and beautiful: with a musician from the group All The Saints, singer Geri Halliwell, who then performed in the famous “Spice Girls” and Lime Gallagher’s current wife, singer and actress Nicole Appleton. There are rumors that Kylie Minogue, Nicole Kidman, and Natalie Imbruglia were among his friends. But all the novels invariably ended in a break, and Robbie again found himself alone. None of his relationships lasted even a year. Williams had every chance of remaining a lifelong ladies' man.

At some point, the relationship with Aida also hung by a thread. In 2008, many media outlets published the news that Williams and Aida had separated. According to sources close to the singer, the breakup occurred due to Robbie’s inattention to his girlfriend. At that time, he was working on a film about UFOs with the BBC channel, and was so passionate about this topic that he sat at the computer all night long, collecting information on the Internet about unidentified flying objects, and played golf in his spare time. “He never even took Aida to a restaurant or club,” the same anonymous source was indignant.

But something trembled in Robbie’s soul when Ida packed her things. First, he threw himself into his work with renewed vigor, and then made an attempt to restore the relationship. Fortunately, successful.

Fields has shown herself more than once to be a girl with character. During the World Cup in South Africa, Ida became so tired of all the talk about football that she went to live with her mother for a while. “Fiancée-to-be Robbie decided she'd had enough after heroically enduring three days of non-stop football. She left their nest before the end of the World Cup, the media said. “She said she needed some peace of mind.”

Ida's patience and perseverance were rewarded. Now she not only has a husband that thousands of women all over the planet would dream of, but also a wonderful daughter. Even before the baby was born, Robbie said that he did not want to follow the example of most celebrities who name their children unimaginable names, he wanted to give the girl a traditional name. The girl was named Theodora Rose. “The child, as well as his dad and mom, are completely fine,” says the singer’s official website. Thank you all for your support!”

Creative stagnation

On October 4, 2007, Williams returned to the stage after almost ten months away as a guest at Mark Ronson's concert in Los Angeles. He performed The Charlatans classic The Onle One I Know, included on Ronson's Version album. In January 2008, the long silence since the release of Rudebox in 2005 gave rise to rumors that Robbie Williams was not recording albums because he had gone on strike with his label EMI. His manager Tim Clark dismissed the speculation and insisted the plans simply had to be put on hold. EMI's new owner Guy Hands told the Financial Times that: "The company has no problem with Williams. The statements were made by his manager, not Robbie himself. Williams had been recording and performing albums full-time for many years, and in 2008 he wanted to take a break. We don't need to push him to record a disc." Tim Clark, Williams' manager, declined to comment.

Robbie Williams: 'I try my best to be a good husband'

Robbie began playing to the public back in school, where his classmates, due to his constant poor performance, considered him something of a class clown. Then he moved to a local theater troupe, where he performed minor roles in classical productions. Then there was the casting with Take That, the rise of the now iconic boy band to the heights of world fame, endless tours, ups and downs and, finally, a solo career and the laurels of a public favorite. Today, Robbie continues to travel around the planet with only one difference: he has exchanged his artistic suit with rhinestones and a piquant neckline for a formal jacket and tie - and there is a certain symbolism in this.

Robbie Williams's whole life was full of scandals and loud antics - he could easily say a strong word live on a national channel or even show the audience his bare bottom. Last year, for example, the singer fell off the stage and accidentally broke the arm of a fan, and in October, before his wife gave birth, he staged a real Internet show with songs, jokes and dances. Now Robbie goes on stage in a kilt and even shows the public underpants with a tiger image, the same as in the Rock DJ video. And the singer dedicated a new lyrical song with a guitar with the rude title Motherfucker... to his six-month-old son.

Before he even got to Russia, Robbie was already at the center of another scandal, without even knowing it. The guardian of the “spiritual bonds” of all Rus', the provincial (in every sense) deputy Milonov is now concerned about the behavior and beliefs of this singer. The world-famous “gay fighter” has no time for entertainment: he demands to immediately “talk” with Williams and prohibit him from speaking on stage about the rights of sexual minorities in Russia. The artist has repeatedly spoken out in their support, declaring that he himself is “half homosexual.” Robbie has a great sense of humor, but domestic legislators clearly have problems with him...

The singer, for his part, ignored the moskin’s barking, although, perhaps, the answer to it was the statement of his intention to include in his future album a song about Russia with musical quotes from Sergei Prokofiev himself. Like, Russia has another face, and not just Milonov’s grimace. Moreover, in an interview with one of the English radio stations, Mr. Williams admitted that he would like to sing a duet with one of the popular Russian performers. The superstar is still delicately keeping silent about the details, but he willingly talks about other topics.

Photo courtesy of the singer's press service

— 12 years have passed since your last and so far only Russian concert. Since then, the political situation in the world and around our country has changed a lot...

— I have always had a special love for Russia, I really like Russian traditions, architecture, people. I have long stopped paying attention to the stream of dirt that pours from the TV screen.

The only thing I understand very well is that Russia today is seriously suffering from an economic crisis, and the majority of its population is in a state of depression. But no matter what bad happens, remember - a black stripe is always followed by a white one. It just takes some time. My task is to make Russians happy as long as they allow me to entertain them.

— Your personal life has also undergone significant changes over the years. How did marrying Ida and having Theodora and Charlton affect you?

“Now I am more responsible for everything I do.” To be honest, I’m not used to it yet, but I’m trying my best to be a good husband and father. Lately I’ve been working with redoubled force, including in order to entertain my fans - this is by no means easy, as it might seem at first glance.

Of course, today I am not at all the young and carefree Robbie that I was 10 years ago. I used to be as much of a jerk in real life as I was on stage, but now... Now I'm older, I don't party, and I'm always rushing to catch the earliest flight back to Los Angeles to be with my family. This time I even thought about taking Aida and the children on tour with me, but in the case of Charlton it turned out to be not a very good idea - he was about to turn 6 months old.

- It seems that no matter how old you get, people will still consider you a grown-up child, a slut and a womanizer...

- Oh, and I’ve already said so many words about my maturity, but you still don’t believe that Robbie Williams has changed! Although the truth is that there will be no fundamental changes.

In this regard, I am like my father, who worked as a comedian all his life, so the family eventually accepted that he would never grow up. But in fact, he is a wise man and immensely happy - at least because his wife is the same age as mine (laughs uproariously - author's note).

But seriously, I try to behave like a real man, I make decisions on my own, and do a lot of things that adults usually do in everyday life. For example, I recently changed a light bulb in the hallway without any help. It sounds ridiculous, of course, but I did it for the first time in my life and I’m proud of my action! I'm still the Robbie Williams everyone knows me to be. In real life I had to get rid of infantilism, but the stage compensates me for this loss.

— Alcoholism, smoking, depression were also part of the former infantilism, weren’t they? Do you regret it?

- No, I don’t regret that period in my life at all. Thank God, I survived it, and in some sense it changed my attitude towards the world and people around me. In the end, we all learn from our own mistakes. I think I needed to go through all these difficulties to become a little better.

— Gary Barlow recently announced that you and Jason Orange will be returning to Take That in 2020 to celebrate the band's 25th anniversary. And will you leave her for the third time?

— When you sing in a group, you constantly catch yourself thinking that you are one of its members, and not a superstar. Even though I always liked the work of Take That, going solo was like a breath of freedom for me.

— But a couple of years ago, in one of your interviews, you stated that when you turn 40, you will stop calling yourself a pop star. A month ago you turned 41...

- Well, now I'm not a pop star. I'm a legend! Haha... I just read this quote in another magazine, and I liked it so much (laughs - author's note).

— A million concert tickets sold, thousands of “Valentines” and an army of grateful fans - your star life. What does Robbie Williams' personal space look like today?

“I have a dream house in Hollywood, a passionate, beautiful wife and two wonderful children. Girls run after me even though I'm quite old. I feel loved. What else is needed for happiness?

Take That reunion

Two years later, it was announced that Robbie was going to release a second collection of his best compositions from 1990-2010. entitled Robbie William: In And Out Of Consciousness: Greatest Hits 1990-2010 to celebrate twenty years in the business. The album included the song Shame, co-written with old bandmate Gary Barlow. This collaboration fueled rumors of a Take That reunion.

On July 15, an official message appeared that Robbie Williams was working with his former band to release a new album. A statement released at the time said: "The rumors are true... Take That's original line-up has written and recorded a new album, entitled Progress, due out before the end of this year." On September 20, 2010, the singer published his second book, co-authored with Chris Heath, “You Know Me.” It contains photographs of the star throughout his 20-year career and comments on them. In October of the same year, the Media Control organization declared that Robbie Williams was the singer of the millennium, since his compositions led the German charts longer than others. Progress was released in November 2010 and became the second fastest-selling album in UK history.

The band announced their intention to tour in 2011. The Progress Live 2011 tour was also the fastest-selling tour of all time in the English charts and ended with eight shows at Wembley Stadium. On July 15 and 16, 2011, the band were scheduled to play sold-out shows in the Danish capital of Copenhagen as part of their world tour, but they were canceled for the first time in Take That's history after Robbie contracted an intestinal infection.

Come back, we'll forgive everything: Lady Gaga is back with disco, and Robbie Williams is with Take That

The pandemic continues to dictate the terms of the music industry, but as if in spite of the circumstances, singers and composers not only do not reduce their activity, but, on the contrary, strive for new creative heights. And most importantly, they remain optimistic and try to infect their fans with it (not a virus!). Lady Gaga releases a light-hearted dance album, Russian stars celebrate Brodsky's anniversary with new songs based on his poems, and Robbie Williams returns to Take That. And there is no better answer to forced social distancing. Music connects people at all times.

Single of the week

Basta "Everyone is naked before God"

Special status: Joseph Brodsky and his place in the history of the twentieth century

The great Russian poet remained a patriot of his country

On May 24, the birthday of Joseph Brodsky, Russian stars held an online marathon where they performed songs based on his poems. The event was attended by Alexander Vasiliev, group 25/17, Noize MC, Diana Arbenina, Andrey Makarevich, Billyʼs Band, Zhenya Lyubich and other musicians. There were also premieres. Perhaps the main one was Basta’s new single “Everyone Naked Before God.”

Under melancholic guitar plucks, Basta sings - a little under his breath, as if for himself and not for the audience - a very simple melody. But this ingenuousness, artlessness is organically combined with Brodsky’s laconic lines. Of course, such quasi-bardic music adds to the text a lyricism that is not at all inherent to it. Or maybe it lands. On the other hand, Brodsky’s poetry is generally extremely difficult to translate into the language of other arts, especially since he himself not only read, but sang. And Basta turned out to be the worst option.

Separately, we note the cover of the single - a fragment of Oscar Rabin’s painting “Jesus Christ in a Landscape”. It seems that Basta understands painting no worse than poetry.

Clip of the week

Lady Gaga & Ariana Grande "Rain On Me"

According to Ilyich's songs: a new Little Big video and music for self-isolation

What should music lovers listen to during quarantine?

A week before the release of Lady Gaga's new album Chromatica (more about it below), the artist published a video for a duet with Ariana Grande. And this, of course, is a must see not only because of the star names of the performers, but also because of the participation of Robert Rodriguez. The creator of Sin City and From Dusk Till Dawn directed the video, and his contribution is immediately visible here. A spectacular color scheme, a darkly futuristic, but with a comic-style ambience, and most importantly - Ariana and Gaga in latex, dancing furiously along with the extras in the rain - something like this was worth waiting for from Rodriguez.

At first glance, we have a standard pop video on the verge of bad taste. But it was Rodriguez, together with his comrade Quentin Tarantino, who raised cinematic trash to the level of art a quarter of a century ago. And now he’s repeating the trick in pop music: in the big-budget pathos of Rain On Me, you can’t help but notice the ironic grin of the director, for whom all this is nothing more than a game.

Gaga

Photo: youtube.com/Lady Gaga

Album of the week

Lady GaGa "Chromatica"

Mobilization of Moby: artists call to forget about problems

What to listen to this week in self-isolation

The main album of the week, if not the year, is, of course, Lady Gaga’s long-awaited Chromatica. It’s been a long time since the artist pleased us with powerful dance hits in the spirit of those that once made her famous (remember the records The Fame, The Fame Monster and Born This Way). It seemed that at some stage she became uninterested. She was distracted by both jazz (a joint disc with Tony Bennett, Cheek to Cheek) and cinema (A Star is Born), but finally returned to her roots.

Despite the fact that Gaga herself calls this album conceptual (“it’s about a colorful virtual world in the spirit of The Wizard of Oz”), the music itself does not “load” the listener at all. It's the perfect summer soundtrack. One dance hit follows another, and despite the endless variety of producers and co-authors, the hand of the creator of Poker Face and Bad Romance is felt in all the numbers. Time will tell whether the new compositions will be as popular. So far, one gets the feeling that it’s unlikely - none of them really catches you. But this does not take away the pleasure while listening.

And, of course, we can’t help but mention the powerful duets with Ariana Grande and (the main surprise) Elton John. In a genre unusual for it, “Rocketman” sounds surprisingly cool and fresh.

Concert of the week

Take That & Robbie Williams

Live sound: how the music industry will change after the pandemic

Demand for secret apartment parties, corporate parties and drive-in concerts will increase

Online concerts where musicians perform from their homes will no longer surprise anyone today. But the 40-minute show by one of the main boy bands of the 1990s, Take That, stands out even against this background. Firstly, it is carefully staged and edited. The performers communicate, change costumes, and act out charming scenes. For example, one of the participants, being in his video communication window, brings four mugs of tea, after which he allegedly passes one to the other windows - and they take it. In general, this is not just a recorded video session in Zoom, but a real mini-movie. Secondly, all the songs sounded just great, without any allowance for the unusual conditions and lack of audience. The guys are in great vocal shape!

And most importantly: Robbie Williams joined Take That for the first time since 2020. True, not for the entire concert - for the first 12 minutes, Gary, Mark and Howard perform as a threesome. But then the guys rock it all together. Moreover, Robbie does not draw attention to himself, lets his comrades perform solos, and does not hesitate to sing backing vocals... It seemed that there had never been that quarter of a century when the group was not together. Historical reunion, no less! As for the track list, the main hits of Take That were played - both from the 1990s and from the 2000s, when the guys worked without Williams. And at the final Never Forget, fans joined the musicians - of course, also from self-isolation.

Return to pop music

On October 6, 2011, British singer Robbie Williams launched his radio show Radio Rudebox. During the show, he interviewed Barlow and played music. At the end of 2012, Robbie released a solo album called Take The Crown, produced by Barlow. Then in 2013 came another swing album called Swings Both Ways. Following Barlow's interview with the Radio Times, rumors began to circulate that Robbie Williams had once again left Take That. It turned out later that he meant that the group had taken a break, since all the singers were currently implementing their own solo projects.

The singer returned to pop music at the end of 2020, releasing his 11th album, The Heavy Entertainment Show. "Entertainment" became his 12th No. 1 hit in the UK, making the singer the most successful solo artist in UK chart history.

The meeting with Robbie Williams is scheduled at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Paris. The next day he has a concert planned in one of the largest halls in the city. The manager assures that Williams is punctual, like a German - he is not late for journalists, does not keep himself waiting and never forgets about an interview. At the appointed time, a huge dog runs into the room, followed by Robbie Williams himself. He is powerfully built, has tattoos on his muscular arms, and is dressed simply in sweatpants and a black T-shirt; in the morning he was walking Mr. Showbiz - that’s the name of his dog, which he takes with him everywhere. For a while, all the attention in the room is focused on her: Robbie, with the intonation of a proud owner, explains that the dog is one year old, that he is shy and kind. It’s hard to say whether Robbie Williams is trying to create a relaxed atmosphere or whether it’s just happening on its own: instead of starting to talk to himself, he bombards me with questions from the doorway - so we quickly move on to my memories of his first Moscow concert fifteen years ago.

“I don’t go anywhere, the computer is my window to the world”

“I remember that concert well. For us back then, going to Russia was like going to Mars,” Williams says in his thoughtful, slow-drawn manner. - This place exists in your mind - you have heard and read so much about it and you know that it influences the rest of the world. But at the same time there was a feeling of traveling to a forbidden city in a forbidden country.”

The 2003 concert turned out to be truly special for Robbie: “In Russia, we were given specific conditions. This is the only country where we could not bring our own catering - we were forced to use the services of Russian catering. There was a lot we couldn't do. The whole world works this way, but Russia works differently. After all, a person initially has a fear of unfamiliar places and people; for many years such fear was formed in relation to Russia. And then the concert happened - and the audience was incredible. True, we were told that 16 thousand spectators came, but in reality there were somewhere around 30 thousand something. The concert was guarded by soldiers and police, something we have never experienced before. Do I remember all the countries and all the concerts I gave? No. Do I remember Russia? Yes I remember".

Lately, Robbie Williams has often had to answer questions related to Russia. In 2020, he released a single called Party Like a Russian. Everything is here - nesting dolls, Rasputin, oligarchs, buckwheat porridge. “I didn’t sing about bears! I missed this moment! - Robbie jokes when the conversation turns to stereotypes and clichés. There were also ballerinas running around the English manor to samples from Prokofiev’s ballet Romeo and Juliet. Finally, many also found hints about President Putin: the song sings about a man “with a certain reputation,” a modern-day Rasputin, who pockets the budget of an entire state and builds an orbital station for himself — “simply because he can.” After the British tabloid The Sun published the article “Robbie Williams’ single Party like a Russian makes fun of Vladimir Putin,” the singer was forced to publish a refutation on his Twitter (“This song is definitely not about Mr. Putin”).

The song caused a lot of noise in Russia - the Rossiya 24 channel was not lazy and made a four-minute story about how Robbie Williams, “whose popularity is increasingly turning into a memory,” is trying to fit into the fashionable geopolitical trend of denigrating Russia. They were also outraged by the table setting in the video: where have you seen buckwheat served in a package, and why are cheesecakes mixed with cucumbers?! However, Rossiya 24 journalists hinted with a little more sympathy, the song can also be perceived as a satire on “fugitive Russian oligarchs in London.”

Before the release of the single Party Like a Russian, I was really worried. I didn't mean to upset or offend 147 million people

Of course, I immediately wanted to ask Robbie if he had been to real Russian parties. “I have had agoraphobia for 18 years. It’s been 17 years since I’ve drunk at all,” he explains patiently. — I don’t go out in the evenings, I don’t go to parties or restaurants. My view of the world is formed at home, in front of the computer - this is my window to the world. If at the time when I was still drinking, I would have met Russia and she would have met me, I don’t think I would be here now. I have been to several Russian parties exclusively as a speaker - and I have always been very well received, especially Party like a Russian."

He is also ready to speak in detail about the indignant reaction to the song: “Most of my career has been comedy, whimsy, tomfoolery. And before the release of the single Party Like a Russian, I was really worried. I didn't want to upset or offend 147 million people. But at the same time, I knew what my song was - a quirky comedy, a satire. And then in England they started saying: “Russia is offended,” “Robbie Williams will never be able to go to Russia again,” “Robbie Williams is in trouble with Russia.” For 24 hours, I felt as if part of my world had collapsed, although I understood that many of the things that were said in the press were not true. But then my promoter came and said, “No, it’s great, they like the song,” and I was like, “Okay, then I can relax.” In my entire career, I have never pointed the finger at anyone and said that anyone should behave this way or that, this country should do this or that way. I am far from politics, have always been far away and do not intend to change that.”

When the conversation turns to performing at Russian parties, I can’t help but ask about the rumors that in 2014, at the invitation of Roman Abramovich, he performed for Putin’s inner circle at a New Year’s party. When asked if this is true, he simply replies: “I don’t know. I do a lot of private appearances. And this is a great happiness for my family. Let's be honest: I'm in show business - I love shows, and business provides for my family. I've performed at private parties so many times that I can no longer remember the faces and names, except perhaps one Irish guy. I shake hands, I smile, I speak with all my heart, I hope I give them their money’s worth, and I go home,” Robbie makes direct eye contact as he says this, and continues to do so throughout the interview. Even if we assume that in some places he is disingenuous, he does it with disarming sincerity.

“My wife and I love all kinds of shit.”

Robbie Williams, contrary to my hopes, has not watched the reality show Meet the Russians about rich Russians in London, but admits that he and his wife Ayda Field, an actress and TV presenter, love such shows: “We love all kinds of shit. I can’t even call it guilty pleasure, because I don’t feel guilty - for me it’s pure pleasure. We watch Big Brother, Real Housewives of New York, New Jersey, Orange County, Beverly Hills. See what the world has done to my head! All I want is to turn on all sorts of crap in English that zombifies me. It’s good that it exists.”

Williams and Ayda always talk enthusiastically about their lives, relationships, problems and even tell intimate stories. Robbie also often talks about his children - his four-year-old daughter Theodora (or Teddy) and his two-year-old son Charlie. In the new album, he also does not forget about them - in particular, he dedicated the song Motherfucker to his son. When asked jokingly how Charlie would react to such a song when he grows up, Robbie answers in all seriousness: “His mother and I have such a sense of humor, and I think that he will be like us in this. At the age of 15 he will come to me and say: “Cool, high five!” It would be very strange if he didn't like this song. Then I would think: “Who did I raise?”

Children occupy a significant part of his free time. Robbie Williams' London routine usually follows the same schedule: “I take the kids to school in the morning, then pick them up after school. At home I enjoy their company. Then they start to make me nervous. I go and complain about them, and then I love them again. And the same with my wife. There is no woman on earth that I love more. And then I start to get angry and complain. I'm hanging out at my house and it's great. I have a swimming pool. If you understand where I come from (Robbie comes from the small provincial city of Stoke-on-Trent and grew up in a family with modest incomes. - Author's note), then we can say that today I am an oligarch. Yes, I'm the equivalent of an oligarch! I'm an agoraphobe, sure, but my house is fucking huge. Cool place to be agoraphobic."

Robbie Williams' house is a different story altogether. The singer bought the mansion in London's Kensington district in 2013 from the family of the late director Michael Winner for £17 million. The renovation lasted three years and led to a scandal with Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page, who lived next door. Page, dissatisfied with the noise, sued the company doing the renovation work. The conflict between the two musicians got so bad that Robbie said last year: “Jimmy sits in his car in front of his house for four hours, recording workers to check if they are making more noise. It's like he has a mental illness." He later publicly apologized for his last words. The conflict with Page is now a taboo topic. When it comes to Page, Robbie replies with a smile: “You can ask, but I can’t comment on this story, and believe me, it costs me a lot of effort. What can I say? Page is a legend and a great guitar player."

“I’m agoraphobic, I have a lot of problems, but on stage I’m Zeus.”

One of the potential hits of the new album is the song Love my life - a kind of manifesto proclaiming deliverance from many years of depression, addiction and anxiety and absolute self-acceptance. When I ask him if he really feels free from his old “demons,” as he calls his problems with alcohol, drugs and anxiety, he thinks for a while, begins to formulate an answer, and then breaks off and briefly answers: “No.” , I don't think I'm free from all experiences. My problems are still with me. I'm still full of anxiety and worry, I'm agoraphobic, I just want to be at home, I don't want to go out, I have social anxiety. And then I put it all on pause and go on stage - and for two hours I pretend that I am Zeus. This is how my life works.”

Before the concert I get 15 injections, but by the end of the show the pain comes back

Robbie Williams constantly struggles with addiction - he quits smoking, then starts again. An example of this is a funny story about how he woke up an hour earlier than his wife in order to smoke in secret from her. Now, he says, he quit again. I haven’t been involved in sports since winter because of back pain: “I have a slipped disc and arthritis. Arthritis for a long time. But it can be dealt with with injections, and a displaced intervertebral disc is new bullshit - and it does not go away with injections. Severe pain began in February, and then it was time to go on tour - and there was no way to cancel it. Before the performance, I get 15 injections that block the pain for an hour and a half - but by the end of the show the pain usually returns. What can you do - this is another rocket that life launches at you. You just have to deal with it. At the end of the tour I will understand whether I need to have surgery or whether there are other options. Of course, at 29, you don’t know anything about this!” Robbie laughs.

“I’m still going strong and I’ll have my ups and downs.”

In February of this year, Robbie Williams received the prestigious Brits Global Icon Award, which only Elton John and David Bowie had previously received. In total he has 18 Brits Awards - a royal set for any British performer. When I bring up the Brits Global Icon Award, he winces and throws up his hands: “My ego is insatiable and crazy, and so is my self-hatred - it’s so strong that all these awards don’t matter. In fact, it has the opposite effect - they give me an award and I immediately say to myself: “I’m shit and don’t deserve it.”

Not so long ago he already said that he no longer felt imperial. And he repeats the same thing to me: “It’s quite simple. If you are lucky enough to catch a moment when you have enough oxygen to be huge and important, everything is on your side: your songs are played non-stop on the radio, journalists are on duty at your door. This is your moment. Few people are lucky enough to experience this. And then it goes away. I’m still significant, important, but the kind of close attention that is now directed at Beyoncé, Harry Styles, Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran is no longer there.” Robbie Williams has an almost paternal attitude towards Ed Sheeran: “First of all, he’s a damn good person. And secondly, he is incredibly talented.” Ed also co-wrote the fun dance track Pretty Woman with Robbie, which was included in The Heavy Entertainment Show.

Returning to the story about himself, he concludes: “Well, I had my moment, and now it’s passed. But my albums still go platinum and I still sell out stadiums. I just went into the Bon Jovi category. I'm still on the move - and I will have ups and downs. But my ego will always want more."

Now he perceives music more as a job and an opportunity to earn money for a comfortable future: “When children come into your life, you no longer choose what you want or don’t want to do. Of course, I’m talking about myself in 2020. Today I need to travel and give concerts. At some moments I really enjoy it, at others I get very tired. I constantly ask myself what is good for me and what is not. And what I want now is to be sure that my family is provided for and can afford the lifestyle to which we are accustomed. What happens if I don't want to do what I'm doing? The last time this happened, I grew a beard, started smoking weed and went looking for UFOs.”

What happens if I don't want to do what I'm doing? The last time this happened, I grew a beard, started smoking weed, and went looking for a UFO.

Indeed, in 2008, Robbie Williams, having been in a quiet period for two years, went to Nevada with then-girlfriend Ayda Field and gonzo journalist Jon Ronson. There, at a conference on UFOs, he wanted to personally meet people who were allegedly abducted by aliens. As a result of the trip, Ronson recorded a crazy and incredibly exciting broadcast.

Toward the end of the interview, we start talking about his passion for the paranormal. Robbie recalls his fascination with UFOs with a condescending smile, but he never seems to have lost interest in everything else: “I’ve seen things with my own eyes that I can’t explain.”

- Do you believe in magic? - Robbie asks suddenly.

- Still would! I'm a Harry Potter fan.

- Then give me five! I love Harry Potter too. But I generally love magic. Do you know what sigil magic* is?

- It seems not.

- Let me write it down for you. Then you'll see, it's very interesting. That's it, darling, I'm off!

* A sigil is a symbol or set of magical symbols that can be used to summon spirits and demons.

Robbie Williams concerts will be held in St. Petersburg at the Ice Palace on September 7 and in Moscow at the Olimpiysky Sports Complex on September 10.

Boris Barabanov: Williams' Siren

Ahead of Robbie Williams's Russian concerts, which will take place in exactly a month, Snob spoke with the singer by phone and refreshed his memory of his winding career in show business

Sergey Shnurov: The main thing is to create a myth

Questions have accumulated, but, whatever one may say, they have to be asked, without a doubt, by the most popular hero of the domestic scene

Boris Grebenshchikov: Any word I say in vain takes away the power of the songs

Boris Grebenshchikov tries not to waste words, but still gave “Snob” an interview - the first in a year and a half

Participation in cinema

There are also films with Robbie Williams in one form or another. He voiced Dougal in The Magic Roundabout (2005) and starred in Gangsta Granny (2013), Robbie Williams: Take the Crown Live (2012), The Short Cut (2011), De-Lovely (2004), Robbie Williams: Rock DJ ( 2000), Hooves of Fire (1999), etc. His songs are heard in the films: “X-Men: First Class” (2011), “Bridget Jones’s Diary” (2001), “Finding Nemo” (2003), “A Knight’s Tale "(2001), "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" (1998) and many others. Also released were documentaries with Robbie Williams about the singer's participation in the Take That group and films about his solo performances.

Famous musician Robbie Williams was born in Staffordshire, England, on February 13, 1974. The singer's full name is Robert Peter Maximilian Williams. Robbie spent his childhood with his mother and sister. His parents divorced when he was three years old. The boy's parents owned a local pub located next to the Port Vale football field.

Even in his childhood, Robie Williams was never an obedient and diligent boy. Rather, he was perceived as a lazy person, a bully and a clown. However, even then it was clear that he had a clear talent for singing and dancing. The wise mother did not interfere with her son’s interests and guide him along a different path. It was she who invited him to try his hand at casting for a new boy group.

Thanks to his mother’s guidance, Robbie went to the casting and became one of the members of the Take That group. At that time, Robbie was 16 years old. For five years, the boy band remained at the top of the English charts. Their song Brit was recognized as their best single, and the group itself was awarded seven prizes at the Smash Hits Awards. Some even compared this group with the legendary The Beatles, noting the enormous popularity of the young group.

The intractable character of Robbie Williams, which had not changed at all since his school years, began to manifest itself in the group. He was still lazy, cursing, fighting and doing everything his soul desired. Robbie himself, the other participants and the producer had enough patience until 1995. This year, Williams left the group and decided to start a solo career. However, it turned out to be impossible to immediately begin creating and recording albums: the prospects were unclear, the fan audience remained entirely with Take That, there was no contract and no money. Essentially, we had to start all over again.

For about a year, Robie Williams was depressed, finding either entertainment or solace in drugs and alcohol. Finally, in 1997, Williams released a single called Angeles. Instantly the composition was in the top positions of the charts. And already in 1998, the artist was recognized as the best-selling singer in the United Kingdom.

In August 2003, the singer performed at the Nebworth festival, where more than 375,000 listeners gathered. 2009 was marked in the musician’s career as a return to the Take That group. Fans who had previously been opposed to Williams now developed a new love for him and admiration for his hooligan, out-of-touch nature. A couple of years later, in 2011, the Rudebox Radio project, created by Robbie, started. He also played the role of presenter. In 2012, the singer announced the creation and imminent release of a new album, Take The Crown.

Williams' personal life fully reflects his character. At one time there were rumors about his gayness, and one day, after a blind date, Robbie proposed to a girl right on the radio. True, it later turned out that the singer was joking in this way in order to raise the ratings of his show. However, Robbie and Aide Field's wedding took place, and in September 2012 he became a father.