Showman takes up country music

Showman takes up country music

November 08, 2006 at 22:17 | Alexandra Matoshko
Ukrainian actor and TV host Anton Mukharskiy turns country singer

ed much popularity in the former Soviet Union, including Ukraine. Some of the most outstanding representatives of the genre, such as Johnny Cash, are known among music lovers here, but no local musicians have yet made any serious attempts to perform country … until now. Just recently Ukrainian showman Anton Mukharskiy released his first solo record called “Zlokokhuchiy Man” (the adjective “zlokokhuchiy” proved impossible to translate into English) – an album of country music adapted to Ukrainian realities. According to Mukharskiy, who released an album under a different first name – Antin, the works presented on the album are “songs of an agrarian country performed in the style of village glamour.”

Theater actor and TV-presenter Anton Mukharskiy is lately best known among wide Ukrainian audiences for his role in the commercial for “Tide” detergent, in which he invades people’s apartments, suggesting they test the new washing powder and announcing: “Are you not wearing white yet? Then we’re coming to you!”

In fact Antin Mukharskiy has already demonstrated his singing skills to Ukrainians, having appeared in the TV-show “Zirkoviy Duet” (Star Duet) on Inter channel, performing a duo with Russian singer Layma Vaykule and appearing in his new cowboy image. According to the info swirling on the net, their duet has already been voted best by the jury, however the show is currently on air, and it’s up to the viewers to pick the big winner. Antin-Anton claims that what really forced him into taking up a music career was his irritation with the primitive pop and r’n’b music that dominates Ukrainian radio and TV. His idea was to offer the audiences something fresh and new. And while the local music lovers have yet to appraise his debut record, Mukharskiy has announced the future release of his second CD to be called “Khersonskiy Ranger” (Kherson Ranger).