Smash (Russian band)

was a Russian pop duo formed in 2001 which consisted of members Sergey Lazarev and Vlad Topalov.

The idea of starting a duo between the two was born after they first sang a cover of the song "Belle" from the musical Notre Dame de Paris for Topalov's father Mikhail, who worked as a musician for Neposedy.

Mikhail Topalov eventually initiated creating an actual group, naming the duo Smash!!.

Universal Music Russia CEO David Junk heard the recording by accident on the radio and eventually signed the group up for a contract for three albums, hoping to create a masculine alternative to the success of t.A.T.u.

[3] In October, the band releases their first single "Belle" and shoots a music video for this song.

[4] The group made their television debut during the first edition of New Wave, where they became one of the contestants representing Russia.

[5] In March 2003, the group released their debut album Freeway, achieving a double platinum status in their native Russia.

In 2017, Topalov told in a broadcast of Secret for a million that he did not consider Lazarev a close friend and that they only rarely talked.

[10] However, in a broadcast of the same show in 2019, Lazаrev and Topalov revealed that they had grown a close bond since and that the birth of their sons had brought them together again.

Smash!! shortly reunited in 2011 for a performance at Lazarev's concert.