Manizha, the last musician to represent Russia in the Eurovision Song Contest but unable, she says, to perform live in her adoptive country, has released a defiant anti-war track. "Gun", a reworking of a track she wrote a decade earlier, was released late last month as a single. It will also be part of Extended Play (EP) "Hope" for release on Sept. 4.

"The main idea (with "Gun") is to create something that will be about peace in Ukraine. Peace in Russia. Peace in Israel. Peace in Palestine," she told Reuters in a Zoom interview from Moscow.

Born in Tajikistan, Manizha, whose full name is Manizha Sangin, fled the civil war there in the 1990s, and was initially welcomed in Russia.

But after she made public her opposition to Russia's invasion of Ukraine that began in 2022, and also campaigned for LGBTQ rights, she said she is banned from performing in the country, which in turn can no longer take part in the Eurovision Song Contest.

Her Russian identity also makes international performance difficult.

"I'm cancelled in my country, and I'm cancelled in the world," she said, adding that her thoughts on this are explored in her track "Standing Between Two Walls," which is also on the upcoming EP. Ultimately, she believes there is hope.

"Every war is having an end because I experienced that in my homeland in Tajikistan. So it's just a very, very dark part of our time," she said.

She also says she still loves Russia and has been helping displaced people following Ukraine's surprise attack on Russia's Kursk region.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION&nbsp;audience.

Manizha, the last musician to represent Russia in the Eurovision Song Contest but unable, she says, to perform live in her adoptive country, has released a defiant anti-war track.

Manizha, the last musician to represent Russia in the Eurovision Song Contest but unable, she says, to perform live in her adoptive country, has released a defiant anti-war track. "Gun", a reworking of a track she wrote a decade earlier, was released late last month as a single. It will also be part of Extended Play (EP) "Hope" for release on Sept. 4. "The main idea (with "Gun") is to create something that will be about peace in Ukraine. Peace in Russia. Peace in Israel. Peace in Palestine," she told Reuters in a Zoom interview from Moscow. Born in Tajikistan, Manizha, whose full name is Manizha Sangin, fled the civil war there in the 1990s, and was initially welcomed in Russia. But after she made public her opposition to Russia's invasion of Ukraine that began in 2022, and also campaigned for LGBTQ rights, she said she is banned from performing in the country, which in turn can no longer take part in the Eurovision Song Contest. Her Russian identity also makes international performance difficult. "I'm cancelled in my country, and I'm cancelled in the world," she said, adding that her thoughts on this are explored in her track "Standing Between Two Walls," which is also on the upcoming EP. Ultimately, she believes there is hope. "Every war is having an end because I experienced that in my homeland in Tajikistan. So it's just a very, very dark part of our time," she said. She also says she still loves Russia and has been helping displaced people following Ukraine's surprise attack on Russia's Kursk region. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Tajik-Russian musician Manizha defies ban to sing for peace

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Tajik-Russian musician Manizha defies ban to sing for peace