Singer George Michael pocketed 1.7 million pounds ($3.3 million) for performing for 75 mins at a Russian billionaire’s New Year’s Eve party.

The sum — which works out at 23,823 pounds a minute — is thought to be the largest a recording artist has earned for a single gig.

Christina Aguilera was reportedly paid $2 million for performing three songs at the wedding of Russian oligarch Andrei Melnichenko in September 2005.

The star was paid the handsome amount after he cancelled his own New Year Celebrations to sing for his client Vladimir Potanin’s family, friends and business associates in Moscow.
According to the Daily Mail, guests were treated to 13 of the singer’s hits in rapid succession. The gig lasted from 3.30am to 4.45am on New Year’s Day as the highlight of the event.

“George was flown in on the 30th. He went to Red Square on the morning of the 31st. He went to the venue late and started performing at 3.30am. This was a private closed party only for the closest friends of Mr Potanin. There were a lot of officials and wealthy Russian individuals,” a security source said.

“The gig lasted an hour and he left the venue at about 6am and flew straight back to London on his own private charter jet. It is always more convenient to deal in cash and George seems to be happy with that arrangement,” the source added.

Michael, who has given hits like ’Careless Whisper’, ’I’m Your Man’ and ’Last Christmas’, is said to have taken most of his payment in cash.

Mr Potanin is worth more than 4billion pounds, and is ranked by Forbes magazine as Russia’s ninth-richest individual.

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