Pop singer Philipp Kirkorov revealed he changed his hair color after facing criticism from former Russian rhythmic gymnastics head coach Irina Viner. The musician shared the story during a video interview published by the digital project Propusk on Instagram.
Kirkorov described the veteran gymnastics trainer as one of several strong women who have exerted a profound influence on his life and career. He admitted that he has always respected her authority and paid close attention to her feedback about his appearance.
Recalling a past concert at the Palace of Sports venue, the pop icon described how Viner questioned his hairstyle after a show. She asked him what he had on his head and reminded him of his status as a king, prompting him to dye his hair back to black immediately afterwards.
Authority of Irina Viner
Viner spent decades leading the Russian national rhythmic gymnastics team, guiding generations of athletes to Olympic gold medals and world championship titles. Known for training champions such as Alina Kabaeva and Evgenia Kanaeva, she established herself as a powerful cultural figure whose opinions carried significant weight across Russian society.
Kirkorov has long been established as a central figure in Russian popular culture, earning the nickname King of Russian Pop for his commercial success. Over his multi-decade career, the singer has become famous for extravagant stage productions, elaborate wardrobe changes, and frequent personal transformations, having also represented Russia at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1995 with the song Kolybelnaya dlya vulkana.
Surgeries and style changes
The revelation about Viner comes after previous public discussions surrounding Kirkorov's evolving physical image. Russian stylist Sergey Zverev recently evaluated Kirkorov's appearance following a plastic surgery procedure, remarking that the pop performer looked like him.
Zverev is a prominent Russian stylist and television personality recognized for his platinum blonde hair and glamorous aesthetic. The interview in which Kirkorov discussed Viner was posted on Instagram by Propusk, a platform operated by Meta, which has been declared an extremist organization and banned within the Russian Federation.
