Little Big is a Russian rave band founded in 2013 in Saint Petersburg. The group gained worldwide recognition thanks to its provocative visual style, viral music videos, and satirical interpretation of mass culture. Little Big’s music combines elements of rave, electronic music, punk, and pop music, while their videos regularly become internet phenomena, amassing tens and hundreds of millions of views.
From the very beginning, Little Big positioned themselves not merely as a musical project, but as an audiovisual performance in which the video, image, and concept are just as important as the song itself.
Band lineup
At different stages, several musicians and performers were involved in the project; however, the key role in shaping the concept has always been played by Ilya Prusikin.
Main members during the classic period:
- Ilya Prusikin (Ilich) — founder, frontman, author of ideas and visual concept
- Sofya Tayurskaya — vocalist, one of the central figures of the later period
- Anton Lissov — vocalist and musician
- Sergey Makarov (Gokk) — DJ and electronic component
The lineup changed over time, reflecting the very philosophy of the project: Little Big is a flexible creative collective, not a classic band with rigidly fixed roles.
Early career and formation of style
The project was created by Ilya Prusikin, who by that time already had experience working in online media and video production. This became an important advantage: Little Big were conceived from the outset with an understanding of how online audiences and viral content work.
The debut video “Everyday I’m Drinking” was released in April 2013 and immediately drew attention with its absurd aesthetics, exaggerated imagery, and ironic view of everyday life. At an early stage, Little Big were perceived as a satirical project mocking stereotypes—both Russian and global.
Breakthrough and rise in popularity
The first studio album “With Russia from Love” (2014) became the starting point for active touring. The band began performing not only in Russia, but also abroad, gradually building an international fan base.
The real viral breakthrough came with the video “Big Dick” (2015), which caused an explosive reaction online and firmly established Little Big’s reputation as one of the most outrageous and daring acts of their time. Despite the provocation, the project was increasingly praised for its precise sense of form, rhythm, and visual humor.
Key hits and global viral successes
The group’s most well-known releases include:
- “Big Dick” (2015) — an internet sensation
- “Skibidi” (2018) — a global hit and the basis of the worldwide Skibidi Challenge
- “Faradenza” (2018) — an ironic track with folk-inspired motifs
- “Go Bananas” (2019) — an anthem of absurdity and chaos
- “Hypnodancer” (2020) — stylized in the aesthetics of the 1980s
The “Skibidi” video became one of the most recognizable music videos of the late 2010s, spawning thousands of parodies, dance challenges, and user-generated videos around the world.
Musical and visual style
Little Big operate at the intersection of several genres, but their defining traits remain constant:
- energetic, straightforward dance rhythms
- minimalist, easily memorable track structures
- grotesque imagery and deliberate visual absurdity
- satire of mass culture, trends, and social clichés
Their videos are often built around simple, repetitive movements, making them perfectly suited for social networks and short-form video formats.
Eurovision and international attention
In 2020, Little Big were selected to represent Russia at the Eurovision Song Contest with the song “Uno”. Despite the cancellation of the contest due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the release became one of the most high-profile moments in the project’s history.
The video for “Uno”:
- became the most-viewed video on the official Eurovision YouTube channel
- received international recognition
- cemented Little Big’s status as a global pop phenomenon
Current stage and changes after 2022
After 2022, the project found itself in a new cultural and social context. Little Big released material with a more explicit social and anti-war message, including the track “Generation Cancellation”, which generated wide public resonance.
During this period:
- the group’s activity shifted toward an international audience
- the sound became more restrained and conceptual
- greater emphasis was placed on visual and semantic statements
Interesting facts
- The name Little Big reflects the idea of contrast: “small can be big”
- Most of the band’s videos are created with viral distribution in mind
- The dance moves in the videos are deliberately simplified to make them easy to replicate
- The band has repeatedly collaborated with international artists and festivals
- Little Big are often called one of the most successful Russian music export projects
Significance and legacy
Little Big are not just a music group, but a cultural phenomenon of the digital age. They demonstrated how music, visuals, and internet memes can function as a single whole, forming a new model of popularity.
Their work has had a noticeable impact on the development of music video culture, dance challenges, and viral marketing within the music industry.
