Gazeta Crossword: Russian Playlist Edition!

Across:

5. Named the People’s Artist of the USSR in 1991, she provided Nadya's singing voice in the Russian classic “The Irony of Fate.”

7. Despite controversy over pretending to be lesbian, this female duo rose to stardom with their hit “All the Things She Said.”

10. The 1997 film “Brother/Брат” is full of tracks by this punk rock band -- also the name of a cephalopod.

12. Although this group’s lead singer, Viktor Tsoi, died young in 1990, their music is still lauded as some of Russia’s most popular and influential.

13. Timur Yunusov, also called by his stage name ___, is a hip-hop artist and CEO of multiple “Black Star” businesses

15. This powerful opera singer went from rags to riches, starting her career in the theater as a janitor.

Down

1. This Soviet composer is known for his music across multiple genres, from ballets, like "Romeo and Juliet," to movie soundtracks, like Eisenstein’s "Alexander Nevsky."

2. Despite the universal acclaim he received for his works, particularly ballets like “Swan Lake,” this composer suffered from severe stage fright.

3. His 7th symphony was dedicated to the siege of Leningrad.

4. This modern Russian rave band was responsible for the “Skibidi Challenge” dance craze.

6. Boris Grebenshikov, lead singer of this underground Russian rock band, is known for his spirituality, having translated many Buddhist and Hindu texts into Russian.

8. Though better known for his deep, rough voice and meaningful lyrics, this Russian bard was also praised for his acting skills, particularly his portrayal of Shakespeare’s Hamlet.

9. Dima Bilan won this major song contest in 2008, becoming the first Russian representative to do so.

11. Major rock icon Zemfira has been crafting songs about difficult topics for decades, including “SPID,” the Russian word for ___.

14. This composer is known for his meditative scores to Tarkovsky’s mind-bending films, like "Stalker" and "Solaris."