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Alsou is a fairytale come true. She's beautiful, talented
and in her home country of Russia, she's the biggest selling artist of all
time. Just don't mention Britney Spears!
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How did you get started?
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Well, I've wanted to sing ever since I was a little girl.
But I think my big inspiration came when I heard the Mariah Carey
ballad, 'Hero', that's when I really got into imitating her and
started buying songbooks from her, Whitney Houston and Celine Dion
and just really started singing.
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How did you turn professional?
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Well, I've always been singing in front of my friends and
stuff and then the audiences just got bigger and bigger. Three years ago, my
brother asked me to sing at his wedding. I sang the Whitney Houston
song, 'I Will Always Love You', and afterwards a friend of my Mum's
came over, and she said 'Wow! That was great! I know this manager you should
go and meet him. He could really help you.' So I went and sung for him and
he really liked it and we went into the studio and started recording
straight away. My first song was released two years ago in January and it
was number one in Russia! I really couldn't believe it. Then I had a couple
more number ones and a really successful album and then I got noticed by
Universal Music and got a contract for seven albums! So, I've been working
on this English album for a year or so now and recently finished it. I'm
really happy with it. Hope you guys are!
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How do you feel about being compared to Britney?
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If that comparison is in terms of my success, then I'm
really flattered 'cos she is just soooo huge. But if that comparison is
musically or vocally then I'm not so flattered 'cos I like to be individual.
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How would you describe yourself then?
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Pop/R 'n' B, I guess and ballads, oh, and I'm also a
songwriter.
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So who is your biggest inspiration?
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Mariah Carey, definitely, and
Whitney Houston.
Big voices, basically, rather than the production on the song.
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How is your English album different?
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There's no real big difference but on this album I've been
working with a lot of different producers and in Russia I just have one
sound producer. In a way I prefer working here 'cos every producer has their
own style and I like that. I don't want my album to sound exactly the same
all the way through. It's quite a mixture!
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How did you end up working with Enrique Inglesias?
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Well, when I signed to Universal, they wanted me to do a
duet with someone well-known, and someone found this song on his album, but
he was singing it on his own and they thought it would be really good as a
duet, so I recorded my part separately and sent over the CD to his
management for approval. He was doing a couple of live shows in Moscow,
which is where we finally met, and I got to join him on stage for the song.
It was a lot of fun and a great experience. In the future I'd love to do
more with him, he's great fun, but right now I'm concentrating on my own
stuff.
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What's the immediate plan?
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This summer I have loads of promotion all over Europe and
Asia, and in September I'm going to America. The American album will be
slightly different again to The English album. There will be some tracks the
same but largely it will be new songs, and hopefully I'll break the States!
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What do you think is the biggest preconception about you?
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That my Dad and his money helped to get me where I am today.
He is a very successful businessman in Russia and he is also my biggest fan.
He's supported me every step of the way, which is so lovely, not many kids
can have that. But he can't buy me talent. It's unfair to say that. It
really upsets me.
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What's your biggest dream?
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To be an actress. I'd love to star in a big Hollywood movie.
Watch this space!