For the first time since 2012, Russia chose their entry for Eurovision Song Contest through a national final event. Three acts competed and with 39.7% of the votes “Russian Woman” by Manizha was selected as their representative at this years edition of the contest.

After her victory the editorial staff of the Russian newspaper Veteranskiye Vesti (Veterans’ news) sent a letter to the head of the Investigative Committee of Russia, Alexander Ivanovich Bastrykin claiming that the song “Russian Woman” insults the dignity of Russian women adding that it violates the national consent in Russia.  As RIA Novosti further reports, no illegal statements were found in the Russian Eurovision entry. This wasn’t the first critique which Manizha got for her song as some of the members of the lower house of the Federal Assembly of Russia, State Duma, accused her for the promotion of  “anti-Russian” values.

Russian entry for Eurovision 2021 will be the first after 10 years to have Russian lyrics. Manizha announced that her song “Russian woman” will feature more English lyrics and the release of the new version of the song is expected for 19th of March.  She will be performing it in the first half of the first semi-final scheduled for 18th of March.  You can listen to the song below