Sergey Lazarev (СЕРГЕЙ ЛАЗАРЕВ) - In My Lonely Life

Buy In My Lonely Life here (Amazon UK)
Buy The Best of Sergey Lazarev (English version) here (Amazon UK)

I've been a fan of Sergey Lazarev for a good ten years or so now. He's (rightly) quite the megastar in his native Russia and compiled an extensive back catalogue of hits that see him embracing a number of different musical genres. He's a versatile performer who's just at home with straight up (now tell me) pop, electric (youth) dance numbers and (why do you have to be a) heartbreaker ballads. Each song he sings is imbued with his own sense of personality and experience that takes the listener on a nuanced and insightful journey. He has just released a "best of" album that features a cornucopia of these songs as well as some brand new numbers that are well worth a spin. This set is preceded by his current single which is called In My Lonely Life. It's a vibrant, upbeat number that is ushered into being by an ingratiating whistle effect, effusive guitar strummings and a percolating beat that simmers under the music with an intensity that has you shimmying along before Sergey has even uttered one mellifluous note of the song. It's a tale as old as time yet feels as fresh as a daisy as Sergey sings of being burned by love and needing to revitalise himself with a little harmless flirtation and seduction on a night out with the lads (kudos to the writers on rhyming "cure for my hurting" with "smiling and flirting" - it seems simple but it works on genius levels within the song); only to realise that such shenanigans are now meaningless if he doesn't have his paramour by his side. It's a somewhat melancholy story that's wrapped up in one of the most exhilarating instrumentals you will hear all the live long year - and rightly so. It cleverly mirrors the attempts by Sergey to be bright and breezy in the face of what seems to be quite the devastating break-up. Still, in Sergey's pain is musical joy for the rest of us because in addition to these scintillating moments we also have the chorus refrain which is as enormous as all outdoors - an infectious singalong moment that you won't soon forget. Add to this a video that sees Sergey as a nerd (NotEvenRemotelyDorky) who transforms into a suited and booted suave gentleman and you've got an effortlessly winning package. Those dance moves he does during the chorus are phenomenal (combing of the hair is LEGENDARY) and that Carry On movies style wink at the end is the cherry on this most delicious cake. Take note popstars of the world - this is how you do it.