Charles Aznavour in Moscow: 'We are Too Focused on the US'

World-famous chansonnier Charles Aznavour will perform in Moscow today as part of his world tour promoting his new album "Aznavour Toujours" (Aznavour Always).

In an interview with RIA Novosti, the French singer of Armenian descent said though he is traveling to Europe with new material, in Moscow he will also perform favorite hits from the past, since, according to the artist, this is what Russian fans expect.

Though when he last performed in the Russian capital in 2007, the 87-year-old artist said it would be his last concert there, speaking to the news agency, he avowed that "he's still standing strong on his feet".

"Russian audiences are a bit like American : they love to discover something new and are drawn to the unknown. It takes a long time for the French to attend a performance that hasn't been advertised or promoted, while the Russian people have been open to those who come here. If they liked the song but they couldn't buy the CD here, they asked me to perform it again. I came with 25 songs, but performed 50 songs each night, as some I had to sing three times," recalled Aznavour, sharing his memories of past concerts.

According to Aznavour, despite public opinion to the contrary, modern audiences haven't changed since he began his career.

"It's not the audience that's changed, but the way the media portrays content. Often we are served that which has no value or interest. Today, we are drawn away from the cultures of our countries and are too focused on the US," believes the artist.