Controversy Surrounds Anna Trincher's New Track 'Margarita'
Anna Trincher's latest song 'Margarita' has landed in hot water after it was discovered that one of its co-writers is Vladimir Kurto, a composer living in Moscow who continues to work with the Russian entertainment industry. The Ukrainian outlet MUZVAR, which broke the story, reported receiving threats and pressure from certain individuals attempting to block the publication. In response to inquiries, Trincher's team stated that the rights to the song were purchased in 2021 through a music broker, and they were unaware of Kurto's ties to Russia.
Songwriters and Their Backgrounds
The lyrics of 'Margarita' were written by Svitlana Krys, with Ukrainian singer-songwriter Yulia Pyltsa as co-writer. The music was composed by Vladimir Kurto, who was born in Donetsk. Kurto previously worked in Kyiv as part of producer Ihor Falosa's team before relocating to Moscow. In 2014, he and Yulia Pyltsa collaborated on the song 'Vernost Lebedey' for Masha Goya. Kurto has also created tracks for Dima Bilan and NAZIMA, and served as studio director for Russian singer Grigory Leps.
Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began, Kurto has remained active in the Russian music market while living in Moscow, without publicly taking a stance on the war. He currently works on the project '2 Okeana' with Viktoriya Talyshynska.
On the evening of July 22, 2026, MUZVAR's editorial office began receiving messages from an account named Bohdan. In response to the backlash, Trincher's team decided to remove Kurto's name from the song's credits. They stated:
“Anna was not acquainted with the song's author Vladimir Kurto, had no contact with him, and never collaborated with him.”The team also emphasized their desire to distance the release from any associations with the Russian music industry.
Regarding the threats made against MUZVAR, Trincher's representatives said:
“NAME PR has nothing to do with them. We categorically do not support any pressure on journalists.”They further stressed the importance of discussing socially significant topics based on verified facts: “We believe that any socially important issues should be discussed on the basis of verified facts, and professional dialogue between media and industry representatives must remain constructive.”
This incident highlights the complex dynamics between Ukrainian artists and the Russian entertainment industry amid the ongoing conflict between the two nations. Transparency in artist collaborations is becoming increasingly critical, as any links to Russian creators can trigger strong backlash from Ukrainian audiences. At the same time, the publication of such stories shows that the public remains highly attuned to issues of cultural identity and accountability in creative work.
The situation surrounding Anna Trincher's 'Margarita' is reminiscent of recent events in the music industry, where controversies often arise from artist collaborations. For instance, Nastya Kamenskykh's recent duet revival has sparked its own set of discussions, showcasing how public perception can shift dramatically based on an artist's associations. Such scenarios highlight the complexities artists face in navigating their creative partnerships amidst political tensions.