Pussy Riot, the Russian feminist protest art collective that drives President Vladimir Putin crazy, is out with a new power-pop song written with Swedish artist Tove Lo.
The song features Pussy Riot’s Nadya Tolokonnikova, who was slapped into a Russian jail for two years in 2012 for an anti-Putin performance in Moscow.
She was officially accused of “hooliganism” for performing a song in an Russian Orthodox Church.
She went on a hunger stike in prison to protest human rights violations and savage prison conditions.
She was eventually exiled to a Siberian penal colony but got the last laugh by organizing a prison punk ban. It actually toured Siberian prison camps.
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Tolokonnikova has testified before Congress, the British Parliament and the European Parliament.
Pussy Riot stands for “gender fluidity, inclusivity, matriarchy, love, laughter, decentralization, anarchy, and anti-authoritarianism.”
Tolokonnikova has also published a book “Read and riot: Pussy Riot’s guide to activism.”
“She’s an iconic artist with an incredible life story who goes into everything with a bigger purpose. I hope we all get to live in the Pussyverse!” Tove Lo said in a statement.
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She describes her latest release, titled “Punish,” as the “first audio-visual artwork from Pussy Riot’s upcoming tour.
The digital music video features a superhero character with “magic superwoman-like qualities.”
She fights sexism in the video, which keys off the #MeToo movement. Her antagonist, a pig-like human with a snout, is called a “Weinstein.”
It’s an obvious reference to disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, who was accused of a string of alleged sex offienses in 2017. The case launched the #MeToo movement.
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He was accused of sexual abuse allegations dating back to the late 1970s, and was convicted of criminal sexual assault and first-degree rape in 2020.
The song was released to NFT collectors as a 69 piece limited edition series, and sold out in 20 seconds, her label said.
Berlin-based 3D artist Ksti Hu crafted the digital video.
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The project will be released via Neon Gold Records (Charli XCX, MARINA, Christine and the Queens) later this year.
The band will hit the road in February in support of Marina, with tour stops in New York, Atlanta, Nashville, Houstin, and three other cities. (See below)
Her activism in Russia won her international acclaim. With the rise of Donald Trump and right-wing fascism, its message resonated around the world.
“I don’t want [Trump’s] rhetoric to be acceptable in America and to influence the rest of the world,” Tolokonnikova told Rolling Stone when they rleased their 2018 record “Bad Apples.”
In 2017, the group released a song titled “Police State” to mark the anniversary of Trump’s victory and, ironically, the 1917 Russian Revolution.
She also collaborated with Bansky on his Dismaland exhibition, which was endorsed by Marina Abramovic and Ai Weiwei
“Pussy Riot’s Punk Prayer” was named by the UK’s Guardian newspapere as one of best art pieces of the 21st century (“feminist, explicitly anti-Putin, protesting the banning of gay pride and the Orthodox church’s support of the president”).
In fact, it landed her in jail.
Check out her video and tour schedule below:
PUSSY RIOT TOUR DATES with MARINA
SAT FEB 26 – NEW YORK, NY @ TERMINAL 5
MON FEB 28 – ATLANTA, GA @ COCA-COLA ROXY
TUE MAR 01 – NASHVILLE, TN @ RYMAN AUDITORIUM
THU MAR 03 – HOUSTON, TX @ BAYOU MUSIC CENTER
FRI MAR 04 – AUSTIN, TX @ AUSTIN CITY LIMITS LIVE AT THE MOODY THEATER
SAT MAR 05 – DALLAS, TX @ THE FACTORY IN DEEP ELLUM
WED MAR 09 – INGLEWOOD, CA @ YOUTUBE THEATER
Check out the lyrics below:
[Intro: Pussy Riot]
Okay
Okay
Uhum
Why
[Chorus: Pussy Riot]
I, I, I, I gonna tie you up (No)
I might slit your throat
Do what I wanna do
I punish you, I punish you
I’m gonna force you down
Gonna come in now
Do what I wanna do
I punish you, I punish you
[Verse 1: Pussy Riot]
Don’t think about in get away with this (No)
[?]
Ha enough you’ve had watch your back
‘Cause I’m coming with a leather attack
[Pre-Chorus: Tove Lo, Pussy Riot]
He said, she said, she was right
Still he tries to put a fight
Why?
[Chorus: Pussy Riot]
I’m gonna tie you up
I might slit your throat
Do what I wanna do
I punish you, I punish you
I’m gonna force you down
Gonna come in now
Do what I wanna do
I punish you, I punish you
[Verse 2: Pussy Riot]
You say you’re sorry when it saddens me
It’s typical boundary
I said I’m gonna sit on your face
Come here so I can put you to waste
[Pre-Chorus: Tove Lo, Pussy Riot]
He said, she said, she was right
Still he tries to put a fight
Why?
[Chorus: Pussy Riot]
I, I, I, I’m gonna tie you up
I might slit your throat
Do what I wanna do
I punish you, I punish you
I’m gonna force you down
Gonna come in now
Do what I wanna do
I punish you, I punish you
[Bridge]
[?] I’m gonna play with you
I’mma be your boss, you can look at my boots
[?] scared and that’s super cute
I’m gonna dominate your world
[Chorus: Pussy Riot]
I’m gonna tie you up
I might slit your throat
Do what I wanna do
I punish you, I punish you
I’m gonna force you down
Gonna come in now
Do what I wanna do
I punish you, I punish you
[Outro: Pussy Riot]
Ah
Ah
Oh