Ilya Lagutenko, the leader of the rock group Mumiy Troll, could be forced to return to Russia from Los Angeles because of mounting financial difficulties, according to music producer Pavel Rudchenko.
Speaking to the media outlet Abzatts, the Russian media manager stated that relocated artists face restricted audiences when touring the United States, resulting in significantly lower earnings. Rudchenko expressed doubt that Lagutenko would be willing to live on the edge of his financial capacity for long, describing the musician's eventual return to Russia as a matter of time.
Touring revenue and California home fire
The comments follow earlier reports that Lagutenko embarked on a major tour across Europe and the United States to raise funds to repair his California house, which was destroyed in a fire. The tour, scheduled to run from March to October, is intended to generate three million dollars in revenue for the rebuilding work.
Lagutenko's band has already completed several performances in cities across Europe. The group still has scheduled concerts to play in London, Toronto, New York, Los Angeles, and Miami.
Potential boycott in Russian regions
Despite potential financial pressure driving a return, Rudchenko warned that Russian audiences might refuse to accept the performer back. He stated that principled cities such as Volgograd, Kemerovo, and cities throughout Siberia could well boycott any events featuring Lagutenko, adding that local concertgoers would be right to do so.
Rudchenko explained that listeners remember how the musician left the country during a difficult time for Russia and failed to offer support.
Mumiy Troll, founded in Vladivostok by Lagutenko, gained national fame in Russia during the late 1990s as one of the country's defining rock acts. The group built a dedicated international following before members relocated abroad in recent years.
The band is set to complete the remainder of its tour through October as scheduled, concluding with the remaining show dates across North America and Europe.
