Before becoming a familiar name – and face – in Russian pop, Lusia Chebotina (Люся Чеботина) was turned away more than once. Early TV talent shows rejected her at the very first selection stage, leaving Lusia (then still performing as Lyudmila) in tears and doubting a future in music. It was her mother who encouraged her not to give up and to use social media as a platform. A decade later, Lusia Chebotina is a well-established pop artist.

Rejection, Social Media, and a New Pop Generation

The story also reflects a broader shift within her generation: from mainstream gatekeepers to the growing power of social media. Most of all, it offers an inspiring example of how to deal with rejection. Lusia (also spelled as Lusya) in her own words, speaking as a guest on the very show that turned her down years earlier:

«Мама дала совет, чтобы я начала снимать короткие музыкальные видео в социальные сети. Начинала я это все делать буквально на коленках, ставила перед собой смартфон, играла на фортепиано, исполняла известные хиты. И вот так ко мне пришла популярность. (…)  Так что спасибо большое этому шоу, что меня не взяли, что я нашла совершенно другую дорогу.»

Mom gave me advice to start making short music videos on social media. I started doing it all literally on my knees, put my smartphone in front of me, played the piano, and performed famous hits. And that's how popularity came to me. (...) So thank you very much to this show that I wasn't accepted, that I found a completely different path. 

(Source Как к Люсе Чеботиной пришла популярность; also check out the performance of the then eighteen year old Lusia for Главная cцена from 2015)

Lusia Chebotina’s Independent Rise to Pop Perfection

As much as Lusia paved her way independently and outside the traditional music industry, that same industry’s influence is unmistakable in what she has become today. A perfectly packaged and polished product – in the tradition of pop music PR, yet presented in a way that confirms, and sometimes even sets, new standards.

This is most evident in her music videos, particularly the two most recent ones presented here: Каблук (Heel) and Welcome to Moscow, both released in 2025.

Каблук (Heel, 2025)

Лучше я останусь среди своих подруг
Ты думал буду бегать за тобой
А у меня большой каблук

I'd rather stay among my friends.
You thought I'd run after you.
But I have a big heel.

Full song lyrics Каблук, music video on YouTube only

Welcome to Moscow (2025)

Как она в мире нет такой
С первого взгляда в неё влюбиться так просто
Каждый может тут стать звездой

There's no one like her in the world.
It's so easy to fall in love with her at first sight.
Anyone can become a star here.

Full song lyrics Welcome to Moscow, music video on YouTube only

Going Viral Again: По барабану (Don’t care, 2025)

And then there was По барабану (Don’t care), the most recent single, for which there was – and still is – no video (yet). Lusia handled it in a back-to-the-roots way, recording her own dance to the track and cutting it to perfect TikTok length. Then another one, another one, another one, another one, another one, and why not another one. By doing so, she once again demonstrated a method she has perfected over the years – simple, direct, and still extremely powerful.

А я всегда была упрямой
Зато себя сделала сама
Пока влюбленные по парам
Я продолжаю править балом

I've always been stubborn.
But I made myself.
So far, lovers in pairs
I'm still running the ball.

Full song lyrics По барабану, see Reverso and Wiktionary for the expression.

Critics, Cringe, and Controversy

There is no success or popularity without haters, it seems. Lusia has no shortage of strong critics and opponents, and is often branded as ‘cringe’ by them. See, for instance, Как Люся Чеботина стабильно валит кринжа (How Lusia Chebotina consistently kills cringe), this Кринж года (Cringe of the Year) and Почему все ненавидят Люсю Чеботину? (Why does everyone hate Lusia Chebotina?).

Lusia, however, stopped being impressed by negative comments long ago, and seems unconcerned about adding fuel to the fire. There is no such thing as bad publicity, and ambition continues to run high in Lusia Chebotina. Love her or hate her – once launched, nothing and no one seems capable of stopping her.

Our Verdict: Love

Haters gonna hate. We are firmly in the other camp: we loooove Lusia Chebotina – and made a tribute video in her honor.

More Lusia Chebotina

Songs and music

Listen Lusia (or Lusya) Chebotina’s music on Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube Music.

Bio, portrait, channels

Watch

Read

More on Lusia Chebotina’s Instagram, Telegram and TikTok channel, and on her VK page.

More pop in the playlist Russian Pop by Music in Russian on Spotify.
Songs covered here can also be found in this YouTube playlist, and in Music in Russian songs (Spotify).
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© Music in Russian, 2026

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