The legendary Soviet-era vocalist Eduard Khil and the viral video that became the internet's favorite bait-and-switch anthem.
On November 26th, 2009, YouTuber RealPapaPit uploaded a video clip titled "I am very glad, because I'm finally back home." The performer singing in the video was identified as Eduard Anatolyevich Khil, a Soviet-era vocalist once celebrated as the "Honored Artist of the USSR" in 1968 and "People's Artist of the USSR" in 1974.
The song is an example of the Vokaliz tradition, a style of singing similar to the pantomime and American scat singing of the 1920s. The video was later renamed "Mr. Trololo original upload" and received over 26 million views and 48,500 comments over the next eight years.
YouTube Views
Original Performance
Went Viral
Meme Views
On December 20th, 2009, an isolated clip of the laughing section from the original video was uploaded by YouTuber KamoKatt. Within three years, the video accumulated over 6.6 million views.
On January 27th, 2010, Redditor gn3xu5 submitted the video to the /r/WTF subreddit in a post titled "Trololololololololo", which received over 580 upvotes and 95 comments prior to being archived.
On February 19th, the viral content site BuzzFeed published the video in a post titled "Lyrical Genius." Two days later, The Huffington Post included the video in an article titled "Is This Weird Russian Guy the Best Lyricist of All Time? No."
On February 26th, the single-serving site Trololololololololololo was launched, which featured an embed of the original video on autoplay.
On March 4th, YouTuber RayWilliamJohnson featured the video in an episode of his web show Equals Three, in which he suggested the video should be "the next Rickroll." On August 25th, YouTuber 24KaratGoldFish uploaded a time-stretched version titled "Trololo – 800% Hyper Extended Mix."
In 2014, the song was covered during the opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.
YouTuber RealPapaPit uploads "I am very glad, because I'm finally back home" — the video that would become a global phenomenon.
The video hits Reddit's /r/WTF subreddit, gaining 580+ upvotes and sparking the "Trololo" nickname.
BuzzFeed publishes "Lyrical Genius" — mainstream media begins covering the viral sensation.
Eduard Khil watches YouTube parodies of his performance in a video uploaded by DileSoft. He learns about his internet fame from his grandson.
Khil performs the song on a snow-covered street, embracing his newfound internet celebrity status.
Khil dies at age 77 in St. Petersburg, one week after suffering a stroke. The news reaches the front page of Reddit.
The song is covered during the opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.
Google honors Khil's 83rd birthday with an animated Doodle featuring the original video performance.
From the original upload to remixes and tributes, Trololo has inspired countless creators.
The original video that started it all — 26M+ views
For those who simply can't get enough Trololo
Eduard Khil watches his own YouTube parodies
The legendary 800% time-stretched version
Khil's 83rd birthday Google Doodle tribute
A modern reimagining of the classic Trololo
Eduard Anatolyevich Khil (1934–2012) was honored as both "Honored Artist of the USSR" (1968) and "People's Artist of the USSR" (1974). His decades-long career spanned the golden age of Soviet television variety shows.
The Trololo video transcended its origins as a simple TV performance clip to become one of the internet's most enduring memes. Often used as a bait-and-switch in the same vein as Rickrolling, it represents a bridge between Soviet-era culture and modern internet humor.
Google honored Khil with a Doodle on what would have been his 83rd birthday in 2017, cementing his place in internet history alongside other viral icons of the early YouTube era.
Born in Smolensk
Honored Artist USSR
People's Artist USSR
Passed Away, Age 77