Ivan Maksimilianov-Shvinnskiy
Ivan Eduardovich Maksimilianov-Shvinnskiy, Viscount of Hope (Иван Едуардович Максимилианов-Швиннский, born 17.XIII.1667 AN in Mudyy, Mishalan), better known as Hopsy, is a Mishalanese–Shirerithian hiphop singer, rapper, dancer, model, and nobleman. Son of singer/politician Evgeniya Sotnikova, Countess of Schwinn, to the peerage of which he is the heir apparent, and Eduard Davidovich Maksimilianov, a former car mechanic (b. 1642 AN). He has a younger sister, Lyudmila Eduardovna (b. 1669 AN), who since 1694 is married into the Imperial Family of Shireroth through her marriage to second-in-line to the throne, Prince Rubin.
He released his first album (self-titled Hopsy) in 1684 AN at the age of 17, his label Grand Dust Takin marketed it as a modern and trendy form of Shirerithian hiphop. In the music videos and media presences, he wears trendy colourful Natopian clothes with a democratic middle-class touch. He has also modelled for Elwynnese fashion brands.
Although Mishalanese, his songs are mostly in Istvanistani for an international appeal. Critics have called the music lacklustre, claiming that his appeal stems from his boyish good looks and dancing routines. Girl fan groups have formed across the Raspur Pact around him, calling themselves "Hopers".
His album Hopsy was a large hit in Shireroth, Talenore, Sathrati, and Elwynn. It has been released also across the Raspur Pact.
Although he calls himself Hopsy in commercial settings (a nickname derived from his mother's subsidiary title Viscountess of Hope which he himself uses out of courtesy), he is properly titled Lord Ivan Maksimilianov-Shvinnsky, Viscount of Hope.
A warrant for his arrest, on charges relating to the "corruption of the youth", was filed in Merensk during 1684 AN and an application for extradition was made to the Imperial Judex in the same year. A bowl of hemlock has reportedly been prepared in anticipation of his eventual arrival. The Shirerithian government responded by expressing its indignation at the warrant of arrest, condemned the warrant, and promised no cooperation on extraditions with the UGB until the matter had been resolved.
After Elwynnese authorities in 1686 AN accused Hopsy of spiriting away Elwynnese girls to Shireroth as indentured servants, Hopsy was deemed a wanted a figure in Elwynn, too. Elwynnese authorities requested his extradition, which the Shirerithian counterparts flatly denied. In response, Hopsy released his newest album, Death of the Orchid, which reviewers in Elwynn interpreted as being anti-Elwynnese. Hopsy denied that accusation. "One shall not mix politics and art," he said to an interviewer, while calling upon UGB and Elwynnese authorities to let him "just make art", "I'm just a boy, I do no harm.... why are they so scared? I just do music. They should try it, maybe that will make them lighten up". Charges relating to the illegal possession of firearms and people trafficking in Elluenuueq remain outstanding as of 1688 AN.
Around the same time, Hopsy's mother was elevated to Countess of Schwinn, and thus Hopsy's and his siblings family name changed from Maksimilianov-Khopskiy to Maksimilianov-Shvinnskiy. At the same, Hopsy began using his mother's now subsidiary title as his courtesy title, and became known in the Société of Shirekeep as "Viscount (of) Hope".
In early 1694 AN, Hopsy released his newest album, "Ocean Motion". In interviews, he said it was by PP-Pop, until then little known in the Raspur Pact countries. Elwynn and the UGB responded by reminding Shireroth of its treaty obligation to extradite the artist to face justice in Islus. This campaign was bolstered by an open letter written by Christina Aguilar, published in the Shirekeep Vindicator and the Daily Mail & Telegraph of Eliria on 13.VI.1694 AN, that exhorted Hopsy to throw himself upon the mercy of the courts, pointing to the positive example of her own rehabilitation in recent years.
Around VII.1694, the chicha press continue to insist that assignations between the two celebrities took place, noting the convenient time periods where both personalities were absent from the public eye, which is deemed circumstantial and speculative by defenders of both parties. What is factually known is that Christina Aguilar took a commercial ICAC flight from Lindstrom to Shirekeep on 21.VII.1694 using her Nouvelle Alexandrie passport. Speculation abounds, and many await if she will be present at one of the many scheduled concerts in Shireroth where the Viscount of Hope will be present. The Imperial Constancian Embassy in Shirekeep refused to comment on the matter, merely stating on record that, "Provided that she adheres to the laws, the life of Ms. Aguilar is not the business of the Imperial State of Constancia."
On 23.VII.1694, Christina Aguilar performed in an act at Hopsy's concert. Their duet, "Always You", was released immediately afterwards as a single, and had never been performed before. The crowd went crazy of excitement during the surprise duet performance. In it, Hopsy and Aguilar danced intimately with one another, with the pair disrobing item by item throughout the song. By the time of the song's finish, both Hopsy and Aguilar were embracing one another, wearing nothing but their underwear. As the lights went down, it seemed to the crowd as if they were kissing in the Alexandrian way.
In the last month of 1696, news broke out of a hitherto anonymous New Alexandrian woman, Eugenia Aguilar, who had been using her anonymous parentage to get access to her favourite singer, Hopsy, had given birth to a child that was Hopsy's. Hopsy initially rejected the news as rumours, but media were shocked when he two days later, at his parents' urging, legally married Eugenia in a ceremony in Shirekeep. Their child, Mikhail Ivanovich, was subsequently legitimised in Shirerithian law, and Hopsy and his new family were all inscribed into the membership of the Order of the Holy Lakes.
