Vladimir Putin may not be regarded for his musical prowess as much as his politics but he is trying. A video of Putin playing the "Imperial March" from Star Wars on piano, with a little help, has surfaced on YouTube and, naturally, has gone viral.
At a charity event in Saint Petersburg, Putin sang the U.S. smash, "Blueberry Hill," where his skills on the piano were first shown. You don't have to look closely to see that Russian President may not possess the necessary talent required to play an instrument.
However, CBS reports that Putin was modest about his abilities and only performed because he was urged to do so.
CBS reports: "...Putin was urged to the stage by the event's host, and modestly admitted, 'Like an overwhelming majority of people, I can neither sing nor play, but I very much like doing it.' He proceeded to tickle the ivories on a piano - stumbling a bit on a Soviet-era patriotic song, 'From Where the Motherland Begins' - before the band played the introduction to 'Blueberry Hill.'"
The event was a charity gala for children suffering from cancer. In the crowd were Goldie Hawn, Kurt Russell, Kevin Costner and Sharon Stone.
In his most recent debut, however, Putin performed Star Wars' "Imperial March" alongside another Russian player (possibly Denis Matsuev). Since we cannot see his hands, we can't quite tell who's actually playing the piece.
The piece sounds like it's being performed well though, and if Putin's fingers are really moving along to the notation, then he has certainly improved his skills recently. It's certainly a step-up from his 1-finger technique used to play his Soviet anthem.
Regardless, see for yourself below and make your own assumption. Be sure to tell us in comments if you think it is Putin playing, the mystery man beside him on the bench, or if it is a combined effort.
