n.A.T.o.

Natalya Shevlyakova (; born 3 October 1979), known by her stage name n.A.T.o. (stylized as NATO, NAT'o, and Nato), is a Russian singer, best known for her controversial image and her single "Chor Javon".

After being discovered by Russian music producer Ivan Shapovalov, known for his work with pop duo t.A.T.u., n.A.T.o. recorded her eponymous debut studio album during the summer of 2004, incorporating elements of Arabic and European dance music and singing in Turkic languages. To promote the album, she was scheduled to give her debut concert in Moscow on 11 September 2004. However, the concert's timing and theme — simulating the experience of a plane hijacking by a religious fundamentalist terrorist — was condemned by media figures, politicians, and the general public. In early September, following a terrorist attack and two plane crashes in Russia, the concert was cancelled. The music video for the album's lead single, "Chor Javon", also drew controversy, and was removed from her website. n.A.T.o. eventually made her live debut in January 2005 at a Moscow nightclub.

At the time and retrospectively, the promotional campaign was subjected to extensive criticism. The concert was regarded as underwhelming by audiences, while academics and Muslim advocacy groups have voiced concern that n.A.T.o.'s image contributed to a stigma surrounding Islam. The controversy also failed to spur strong sales for her album.

Career Background and recording Shevlyakova was reportedly discovered online by Ivan Shapovalov, the Russian music producer who had previously worked with the controversial teen pop group t.A.T.u. Over the summer of 2004, Shevlyakova recorded her debut studio album, which consisted predominately of "love songs based on Arabic tunes" performed in Tajik, Georgian, and Persian. Her debut single, "Chor Javon", was a cover of a song written and originally performed by Tajik musician Muboraksho Mirzoshoyev. The song tells the story of four brothers who leave for a mountain hunt and are killed in an avalanche. The music video for her debut single, posted to her website, interspersed videos of the Middle East with flashing on-screen words including "oil", "Al-Qaeda", "Iraq", and "NASDAQ", before depicting Shevlyakova "blowing herself up". Shapovalov stated that he considered it to be a "musical message" rather than a "video clip". An edited version of the video shows Shevlyakova as she films herself and news channels around the world broadcast her video, with headlines such as "Troubled times for the oil industry".

The act also drew criticism outside of Russia. The Muslim Council of Britain encouraged people to ignore the concert, calling it "tasteless" and accusing it of seeking to make money from recent tragedies. A spokesman for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, which is abbreviated as NATO, remarked that the act sounded like "a big joke" that was not "a very nice thing"; he added that the term "NATO" has no copyright, so although she could not legally use the organization's logo, she was free to use its name. Shapovalov disputed negative characterizations of Shevlyakova's image, insisting that there was nothing inherently violent or offensive about it, and claiming that any negative associations inspired by her image were "born in the minds of the viewers, listeners and readers". He went on to posit that "n.A.T.o. is merely a female singer with a headscarf and a veil", and that if people took offense at that fact, then "that means only one thing – the society is sick and needs to seek treatment."

In "Stage(d) Terrorism", a 2010 essay for the anthology Just Assassins: The Culture of Terrorism in Russia, Welsh film studies professor Birgit Beumers posited that the promotional campaign ultimately "backfired". She observed that the graphic image cultivated by Shapovalov and Shevlyakova was at odds with the "soft lyrics of the songs", and that the "absence of any political message" caused her image to be only a "backdrop to increase sales and media interest". Beumers also noted that the central theme of n.A.T.o.'s image — that of a shahid, blowing herself up — was impossible to recreate, and thus "reveals the limitations of play as a means of ordering the chaos of terror, allowing repetition and using predictable forms that create an illusion of safety." Ultimately, Beumers wrote, n.A.T.o. attempted to turn anxieties about terrorism into a "PR campaign" and "commercial project".

Concert cancellation Although n.A.T.o.'s debut concert had been scheduled to take place on 11 September 2004, it was ultimately cancelled following pressure from government officials and public backlash. Prior to its cancellation, the sound engineers withdrew from the performance, due to the Beslan school siege. House of Unions administrators likewise cited the siege, which had taken place from 1 to 3 September, as well as two recent Russian plane crashes as making the performance inappropriate. In response to the cancellation, Shapovalov filed suit in Moscow's Court of Arbitration, arguing that he had not been appropriately notified of the decision, and seeking to force the venue to host the show at a later date. At a press conference, he inquired why the venue was suitable for "corporate parties" but not "a theatrical show". The public relations director for the concert's production company claimed that their rent payment was refunded weeks later, and that the Culture Ministry had raised no objections when shown the concert's promotional materials. Shapovalov initially indicated that he did not plan to seek an alternate venue for the show, citing the acoustic qualities of the House of Unions.

n.A.T.o.'s debut concert eventually took place in January 2005 at The Tinkov Brewery, a Moscow nightclub. The concert opened with Middle East news footage from CNN, which faded into a techno beat; Shevlyakova closed out the show with a performance of "Chor Javon". Audience members reportedly voiced disappointment that the performance wasn't "more radical".

Discography Studio album

nATo (2005)

Чорчовон / Chorjavon Бе Умиде / Be Umide Ратминда / Ratminda Нолои / Noloi Ветер Моря / Seawind Джуни Ман / Djuni Man Чаки / Chaki Твалеби / Tvalebi Хиды / Hidy

Single

Chor Javon (Enhanced CD) (2005)

Chor Javon (JS16 Mix) Chor Javon (Extended Version) Chor Javon (Original Version)

Video - Chor Javon