The Christmas concerts of Grigory Leps at the Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai became great and real joy for fans of his talent. Usually, not the most sociable representative of the Russian show business, Grigory agreed to give an interview to our magazine. So, over a cup of tea, and our conversation passed.
Gregory, good evening. Firstly, let me thank you for the wonderful concert, and secondly, congratulations on receiving the Golden Gramophone in 2009 for your solo performance. Please tell me what attracts you to Dubai? You are a frequent guest in our city ...
I have many friends here. I miss them, so I’m coming.
You are a believer, but still arrived in the Emirates on the eve of Orthodox Christmas.
I was invited to work here, and I agreed. Before that, I had never worked in this city. I mean publicly. At some private evenings he performed, of course. But I didn’t have any public concerts, so it was interesting enough for me.
What are your impressions of the Dubai audience?
Normal. It seems to me that I did not impress her.
Why did you think so?
Well, firstly, I sang somewhere at 70% of my abilities, because I got a little sick the day before. In Moscow, the weather is so strange a bit, but here in the Emirates, plus. In general, I know that I can sing better. Each artist has his favorite songs, and there are those that you just need to sing, because they were included in the album or for some other reasons.
What songs do you like to sing most of all?
I like silence the most. Complete silence.
That is, when you are on vacation, are you trying to retire?
I rarely rest recently, very rarely. We should do this more often. I regard music as a work, albeit quite reverently. But this is work. I do not like to work all the time, it is impossible. Therefore, I like to choose places where you can keep quiet. For example, I never listen to music in a car. Radio is a taboo. Prohibited.
How and where then do you gain new experiences? Where do you get inspiration from?
Of course, I listen to what they bring to me. If I like it, I leave it at home, I don’t like it - I leave it as it is.
If we talk about the modern stage, then whose work are you interested in watching? Who is interesting to collaborate with?
There are many such people. But, as a rule, duets are rarely obtained. So with Irina Allegrova the song turned out, I think. With Stas Pieha, a duet came out, although, perhaps, to a lesser extent. There are a couple of duets, but they, in my opinion, are damp for me, you could sing them better. A very interesting duet was born by Max Fadeev. There is such a singer Victoria Ilyinskaya, a very interesting girl, she sings very interestingly. We recorded a song with her. While it has not been twisted, in my opinion, they are only going to. This duet is well made, very good. It would be interesting for me to work with Valera Meladze. Who else? Joseph Davydovich Kobzon. But it is doable. We are already going to do a joint project. Alexander Yakovlevich Rosenbaum. There will be an interesting album that we are going to record together.
Alexander Yakovlevich has already performed in Dubai with a concert, now you have arrived. Should you expect your joint visit to us?
Joint hardly. But it may very well be. In the album we will sing his songs, some old works, some new ones. Let's see how it works out. But this process is not fast. A year, two, I think, so somewhere.
Despite the fact that the radio in your car is always turned off, one of the organizers of your concert here was the recently opened Russian Radio in the UAE. Tell me, was it nice to get the Golden Gramophone, a prize that listeners of this particular radio station award to performers?
I am pleased, of course, that people somehow appreciate my work. But this does not affect the vocal cords. Although nice, yes, really nice.
For you, this award is an indicator of national recognition?
I hope so. But for me, popular recognition is something different than any kind of awards from the series “Singer of the Year”, “Singer of the Year”, “Dancer of the Year” ... For me, recognition is full of halls. This is true folk love. When people walk and listen to you, then this is understandable, then this is the answer to all questions. And you can be four times great, and twenty people will sit in the hall ... But at the same time eighty-three gramophones will be handed over to the person ... Let those who like it receive it. And I have full halls going everywhere. For now, at least.
Are there such cities or countries where you want to return again and again? 
It makes no difference to me where to sing. I repeat, I regard music as a professional work. I get paid for it. I take every concert seriously, in accordance with my status and level. Unfortunately, this does not always work out. Human health is not unlimited, especially mine. And age is not twenty years old.
Is there a shortage of good songs, authors in our time?
Very large deficit. Very big. People bring songs to me, which, for the most part, nobody knows. They are very modest guys. Not untwisted and not illuminated. I hope that somehow I can help them, and they will help me.
Almost every song you make makes your listeners think. How do you work with text authors in the first place?
Well, they write what I ask. Silly songs are also present in my repertoire, although I try to avoid them.
Tell me, are you a very moody artist? What are the main requirements for tour organizers in your rider?
This is probably not for me, but for the organizers the question of whether I am capricious (laughs). It seems to me that I'm not very moody. An ordinary, everyday such an artist. My biggest requirement is a good sound at a concert. If the sound is good, then 50% of the problems have already been removed. And so, of course, that the roof was, the opportunity to sleep, eat, drink ... In any case, I do not ask for pink toilet paper (laughs).
What qualities do you value most in people?
Honesty, decency, kindness. I talk about this all the time. This applies equally to men and women. As one man said: "Strength is in truth." Right? Do you have money, do not have money, no matter. If you are right, then you are already strong.
If you distract from your tour schedule, please tell me what are you working on now?
Now I started working on the next album. I think that in a year and a half I will release it already. As for the joint album with Alexander Yakovlevich Rosenbaum, he is a little ahead of me on this topic. He has already sung several quite interesting pieces. Now I have to sing them. Well, and finish the whole album. True, there’s not much time for this, but it’s time, it’s time. We will move.
Do you like to participate in television projects, such as "Two Stars", for example, or some big concerts for the holidays? Or are you selective in this regard?
I really don't like it. I really do not like TV, this box. I think that he’s completely useless. In general, I try to appear less on television, but they always drag me somewhere. I am all fibers of my soul against this. For me, again, the constant appearance on the screen is not an indicator. I’m a censor for myself, I decide for myself what is right and what is not. I do not have a producer. It was once, but now not. When we parted, I felt much better and more confident. Of course, at the beginning of my career I was taught to sing, to intonate correctly, to stretch phrases. Time passed and I grew out of these pants. Today I am my own boss. I want - I will work, I want - I will not.
What type of vacation is the most preferable for you?
Silence. No matter where. Rest, it does not consist of the sea or palm trees. The main thing is that a person be in harmony with himself. I can relax in London or New York, Vienna or Paris. I can just walk down the street and relax. I can sit here, somewhere on the shore of the bay and relax. But at the same time, I sometimes need to communicate with people.
But then friends are needed in London, and in Paris, and in Vienna, and here ...
They are everywhere. Believe me, I have a lot of them. Of course, there cannot be many devoted and sincere friends, but there are two or three people. That is why I often come here, because one of my close friends lives in the UAE. I come here to him, we are constantly in touch and constantly communicate.
In your opinion, such concepts as honor, conscience, friendship, especially in the acting environment, have still been preserved in our time?
I don’t know, I’m not an actor, although they push me hard there. I don’t want to play bad films, and they’re unlikely to call me good ones. There are directors who can make good movies. Such, for example, as Nikita Mikhalkov, or, say, Fedor Bondarchuk. They work very well. As for friendship, I believe that it exists.
The artist’s life is public, often in the media they write a lot of details, not always true. Are you offended by journalists?
No (laughs). That I should be offended by them, but I did nothing wrong with them. It happens, of course, they write nonsense, but this is their profession. In general, I respect any profession. After all, prostitutes are also needed, as are doctors and musicians. Under any authority. Taxi drivers are needed, artists are needed ...
How long has your group been working with you?
Differently. Some, from the start. My operator, Roman, is perhaps the longest. He is already with me, so as not to lie, twelve or thirteen years together. It happens that periodically someone leaves, new people come, however, this rarely happens. Basically, now, we have a good team. We are all different, we all have white spots, but we try to repaint them in rainbow colors. Somewhere I want more, probably, and guys sometimes want more. But this is normal, a person must grow. Maybe one of them will want to leave me, and I will only welcome this, if, of course, the person does the work, and not some nonsense. They want to do solo projects, please. If only this does not interfere with working with me.
Did the crisis affect your creative plans somehow?
So far I do not see any problems. My work schedule is scheduled two years in advance. In any case, I'm not going to sing all my life. I measure myself somewhere else, about five or seven years, if health allows. Then I just want to sing only when I want it, and not when I need to. I’ll give some concerts two or three times a month. And that's enough. It is very possible producing. I am now building a very large production center with a recording studio. Today, it is probably the largest production center in terms of area. By the way, I do not do this in order to move someone or make money. I just want to have my own studio, so that I can not run anywhere and not agree with anyone. Let me agree. If they can.
Is it difficult to agree with you?
Not. 
Do you have any young musicians and performers you would like to help?
Weight. Great amount. I don’t take any help yet, because help requires tremendous financial resources, which I don’t have yet. If a person has a budget, then I will talk with him. If he's archigenic, then I'll think about it. But there are a lot of such guys, very much. And they sit idle, without a repertoire, without money.
Would you like to wish something to our readers?
Wishes are traditional - health, happiness, prosperity. Women need less wrinkles, and may their husbands' pockets not empty. For those who still do not have husbands, I wish you to appear. Worthy guys, non-drinkers.
Is it important to be sure non-drinkers?
Yes, no, actually. I'm an alcoholic myself. Pronounced. I just don’t drink periodically. Now I’ve been drinking for almost a year now. It’s like this for me - I haven’t been drinking for three years, I haven’t been drinking for five years, I haven’t been drinking for seven years, and then have been drinking. Now I prefer good red wine.
Moreover, I choose quite expensive wines, I do not drink surrogates. For someone, maybe it doesn’t cost anything, but I think that $ 500-700 for a bottle of wine is very decent.
Gregory, thank you very much for your time, and we hope to see you again with a new concert in Dubai.
All the will of God. From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank your readers for coming to my concerts and for buying and reading your magazine. And to you - good luck and all the best.
