There’s a splinter at the heart of “Матушка” (Mother), the song that found viral popularity in early 2024 despite being released years earlier. From the opening lines, the song conjures flowers, birds, and a Russia that feels distant rather than current. The melody folk-rooted, the chorus joyful: nothing about it seems designed to provoke. And yet, provoke it did.
The Controversial Word: Meaning of ‘Занозонька’
The controversy lives in a single word tucked into the chorus: занозонька – splinter. What is Holy Rus for me (Для меня – Святая Русь), for others is a splinter (для других – занозонька). It rhymes perfectly with берёзонька (birch tree), nestling a provocative element inside folk prettiness like a blade in a bouquet.
Tatyana Kurtukova Responds: ‘Simply a Fact’
According to singer Tatyana Kurtukova (born 1993), the word merely reflects Russian reality. “It’s simply stating a fact,” she explained (source). “We acknowledge that our beloved country might be a ‘splinter’ for someone.” To love it in defiance of whatever outside judgment could be called the purest form of love. The Russian reality is that in this particular case, many claim it’s bad taste – or worse.
whatever outside judgment
How Матушка Got Labeled Propaganda
In September 2025, the Ukranian website Myrotvorets added Kurtukova to its blacklist for war propaganda, support of the Russian Armed Forces, and complicity in crimes against Ukrainian citizens (sources below). This was directly related to her appearance in «Голубом огоньке», a TV show that also featured war veterans as guests – and guess what song for music. Матушка itself became the sort of splinter that it speaks of in composer Peter Andreev‘s text.
YouTube Response: Матушка as ‘Worse Than Ever Russian Propaganda Music’
Матушка also features in ‘Russian Propaganda Music is Worse than EVER’ (video below), with host Roman reviewing the song as if he declared war on it. Obviously, strong reactions such as these increased the appeal of the song to those who hold a different opinion. What was never meant to be a propaganda song in any way, became ideally suited as such (example below).
increased appeal
Матушка’s Success in Russia and Online
While more than a few contemporary Russian musicians found themselves censored, fined, or silenced, Матушка carried Куртукова in the opposite direction: to television shows, festival stages, sports stadiums, and to 108 million views on YouTube. This is not a propaganda song – but had it been made to be one, a better job or result would hardly have been possible.
Матушка lyrics
Матушка lyrics video
Матушка Versions, Cover, Parody
Alternate versions by Ансамбль Воскресение Пермь (2022), Anastasis Starlet (2024) and Мария Филина (2024). There is a Car Music Bass version (2025), a Пародия (Parody) by Дед Архимед (2025) and a Disturbed Матушка by LuxRock (2025).
Sources / Read More
- Исполнительница хита «Матушка Земля» попала в базу «Миротворца» за «пропаганду войны» (Gazeta, 2025)
- Исполнительницу песни «Матушка Земля» внесли в базу «Миротворца» (Postnews, 2025)
- Песня «Матушка» (…): история хита, который сплотил нацию (Afisha)
- Татьяна Куртукова объяснила успех песни «Матушка» (Pravda News, 2024)
- Татьяна Куртукова – о перепевках ее песен в откровенных костюмах и грядущем хите (NGS, 2024)
- Татьяна Сергеевна Куртукова / Tatiana Kurtukova (Wikipedia RU/EN)
English at Conquered the USA and Europe: how the Russian “Mother” became a worldwide hit (Pravda News, 2025)
More classical in the playlist Russian Classical by Music in Russian on Spotify (Russian Folk may be more applicable, but is still in development). Songs covered here can also be found in this YouTube playlist, and in Music in Russian songs (Spotify).
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