Alla Pugacheva

One of Russia's most beloved pop stars, Alla Pugacheva was first heard at age 16 with her song "Robot," produced for a state radio program, and soon her clear mezzo-soprano was all over the country. In 1975 she won the Bulgarian Golden Orpheus Award, which brought her moderate success. Her victory at Poland's 1978 Sopot International Song Festival with the song "Kings Can Do Everything," however, was the turning point in her career, giving her worldwide fame and recognition. From then on, although for many she grew to represent the government-endorsed pop culture that was forc...