Russian singer Mikhail Shufutinsky has revealed that his signature song 3rd of September was not an immediate success when first released in 1993.
Speaking to Russian news network RT, the veteran pop and chanson artist said he performed the composition relatively rarely during the initial years following its release because popular musical trends were very different at the time.
Shufutinsky explained that the track felt somewhat out of place in the Russian music scene when it originally debuted. However, audience members increasingly asked him to perform the piece live, leading to a gradual shift in how frequently he included it during his stage shows.
According to the singer, he began performing 3rd of September at every single concert starting around 10 to 12 years ago. He added that since making that decision, not a single live performance of his has taken place without including the song.
Origins of the ballad
Shufutinsky, born in Moscow in 1948, is one of Russia's most prominent chanson vocalists and a recipient of the Merited Artist of the Russian Federation title. The music for 3rd of September was composed by Igor Krutoy, with lyrics written by singer-songwriter Igor Nikolaev. The melancholic ballad was first recorded in 1993 before being released on Shufutinsky's 1994 solo studio album Gulyai, Dusha.
Over the past two decades, the song transformed from a traditional pop track into a major cultural touchstone and annual internet phenomenon across Russian-speaking online communities. Every year on September 3, social media platforms are flooded with memes, jokes, and video clips referencing the track's central theme of turning the calendar page over on that specific autumnal date.
Response to viral hype
Shufutinsky previously commented on the massive online success of the memes connected to his legendary song. The singer stated that he was completely unfazed by the surrounding public excitement, noting that the ongoing hype around the composition did not bother him at all.
The artist continues to maintain an active concert schedule, with 3rd of September remaining an indispensable anchor of his live repertoire for fans across generations.
