STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN (CelebrityAccess) – Spotify has removed the pages and songs of several Russian artists who have publicly supported Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This decision comes amid rising tensions and ongoing international condemnation of the conflict.
As reported by the Telegram channel Rodnoy Zvuk, Shaman (Yaroslav Dronov), Chicherina, Polina Gagarina, Grigory Leps, Oleg Gazmanov, and the group Lyube are among the artists affected.
This action aligns with the European Union’s sanctions. The EU recently sanctioned Gagarina and Shaman, joining others like Leps, who has been under restrictions since December 2022. Chicherina, Gazmanov, and Lyube leader Nikolai Rastorguev were sanctioned in October 2022.
Spotify’s stance against these artists isn’t new. According to Currentime.tv, In October 2023, hackers breached the accounts of several Russian musicians, including Leps and Gazmanov. These breaches resulted in avatar changes and anti-war messages posted on their profiles, including an image by Lviv artist Clonnex with the message, “Stop the war in Ukraine.”
Earlier incidents also saw the hacking of artists like Slava Marlow, Soda Luv, Yaniks, Jesus, and Lida, temporarily removing all Shaman’s songs from the platform.
Spotify, the world’s leading streaming service with over 600 million subscribers as of April 2024, officially entered the Russian market in July 2020. However, in response to the invasion of Ukraine, the company ceased operations in Russia in April 2022 and subsequently liquidated its legal entity there.
Removing these artists underscores Spotify’s firm stance against the invasion and aligns with broader international sanctions and pressure aimed at those supporting the conflict.
