We all have songs that can instantly bring a smile to our faces, even during our grimmest hours — for me, “Голубая луна” (or “Blue Moon”) is one of those classics. During renditions of this ballad, the now-late Renaissance man and Honored Artist of the Russian Federation Boris Moiseev’s attitude, meaning the refined flair for drama defining his dancerly presence, perfectly captures a fundamental truth about the Russian spirit, in my interpretation. In post-Soviet society, “Голубая луна” became a taboo-smashing pop hit. In fact, this gem has long been regarded as Russia’s unofficial gay anthem.This “scandalous” and irresistibly catchy gem won a Golden Gramophone in 1998 and dazzled audiences during the annual TV festival “Song of the Year.” The lyrics to “Голубая луна” proved highly provocative at the time, given odd stances on homosexuality within Russia. The text was actually penned by a straight man, the now-Honored Artist of Ukraine Nikolay Trubach, a singer and trumpeter whose fans have included the woman we knew as Putin’s wife — he sang the duet with Moiseev, with whom he would earn another Golden Gramophone in 1999.With its otherworldly fairy-tale charm, “Голубая луна” centers on two brothers, one of whom everybody instinctively understands will never become a conqueror of the brides, and it’s suggested right from the song’s spoken, narrative intro that maybe the two brothers are among us. In addition to meaning “light blue,” the adjective “голубой” equates to “gay” in slang, thus the way “голубая” is echoed becomes amusing and takes on an outrageous quality. “Голубая луна” was composed by Mr. Kim Breitburg (with apparent help from Trubach), another Honored Artist of the Russian Federation, who also produced it together with Evgeniy Fridlyand. It was these two who nagged Trubach to keep his word to Moiseev to write a song for him.The Wild Story of Boris Moiseev, the Pop Star Behind Russia’s Unofficial Gay AnthemIt wouldn’t be easy for Trubach to deal with speculations and intrusive questions following the success of “Голубая луна,” but you really have to hand it to him and Moiseev for having the iron balls to pull off their risky feat. Moiseev himself, who at one time came out of the closet before walking back on earlier statements, had a complicated relationship with homosexuality — at one point, he even announced his engagement to a US-based businesswoman as a little PR joke. I personally feel that he owed no one any explanations regarding his private life; his art and vibrant personality were what mattered most. Despite protests aimed at him, the singer, dancer, choreographer, author, and actor managed to remain a beloved icon with many awards under his belt to show for his dedication to his work. In 2013, Russia banned gay “propaganda” and has since become harsher in their treatment of such matters. Therefore, new songs in the vein of “Голубая луна” are less likely to emerge, though I have seen artists defy different government restrictions.Russia is certainly still full of flamboyant performers, yet Moiseev and “Голубая луна” are/were truly one of a kind — more than once-in-a-blue-moon occurrences. Over the years, various other bigwigs have lent their golden touches to “Голубая луна,” my favorites among them being Vitas and Shura. Moiseev broke hearts when he passed away at 68 in 2022 from a stroke after overcoming two previous strokes. He is survived by his loving brother, Marks Tolkach, who politely confirmed the fiction in Moiseev’s cute story about being born in a women’s prison. Moiseev’s friends included diva Alla Pugacheva; the country’s finest, as Filipp Kirkorov, Nikolay Baskov, and, of course, Trubach, attended his funeral. Moiseev lies with dignity beside fellow giants in Moscow’s Troyekurovskoye Cemetery.Let’s send love to Mr. Moiseev’s spirit and all of our gay brothers in Russia!The post The Bizarre History of Russia’s Unofficial Gay Anthem appeared first on VICE.