t.A.T.u.

t.A.T.u. (Russian: Тату) is a Russian pop music duo consisting of Elena (Lena) Katina and Yulia (Julia) Volkova. The two girls were marketed as a lesbian couple and their sexual orientation was the subject of much speculation until in December 2003 when they admitted on Russian television that they were not in a lesbian relationship together and that it had been exploited as a marketing strategy devised by their former manager Ivan Shapovalov.

The members of the duo are:

Elena Sergeyevna Katina (Елена Сергеевна Катина), born on October 4, 1984, in Moscow, Russia. She is the youngest of three children born to S. V. Katin, a renowned Russian pop music author, and Inessa Katina.
Yulia Olegovna Volkova (Юля Олеговна Волкова), born on February 20, 1985, also in Moscow, Russia, is the only child of Oleg Volkov and Larisa Volkova.

Origins

File:Lenarecording.jpg

Lena Katina recording pre-t.A.T.u. songs in 1999 at the age of 14.

As children, Yulia Volkova and Elena Katina were both members of a popular Russian children's choir Непоседы (Neposedy, which refers to people who aren't able to sit indifferently in the same place; fidgety). Allegedly, Volkova was banned from the group for "inappropriate behavior," in 1999. Volkova once implied that she was kicked out for molesting another girl in the chorus; later she said that it was for smoking, drinking and swearing. Neposedi denied the claims that she was expelled from the group, but that she had "graduated", as all members do at a certain age. Later in 1999, Katina left the group. View photos from Neposedi.

File:Neposedi.jpg

Yulia and Elena during Neposedi.

Also in the year of 1999, Ivan Shapovalov along with Alexander Voitinskyi and Elena Kiper made plans to develop a girl group in Russia. At a casting session during that year Shapovalov cased Katina to be the first member of the group. She recorded two songs. The first was named Yugoslavia and was about the Kosovo War. The second song was called Белочка (belochka, "squirrel"). After further auditions, Ivan chose Volkova as the second and final member to set the group up as a duet.

Ivan's plans were to create the group as an "underage sex project." He admitted to UK's The Sun newspaper in February, 2003 that his idea came from surfing underage porn websites and discovered that most pedophiles wanted underage lesbian porn.

I saw that most people look up pornography on the Internet and of those, most are looking for underage sex. I saw that their needs weren’t fulfilled. Later it turned out I was right. This is the same as my own desires – I prefer underage girls.

Elena Kiper, Shapovalov's former lover and originally deputy manager of t.A.T.u., says that the idea was hers. She fell asleep at her dentist's, had a dream in which she kissed another woman, and awoke remembering the words я сошла с ума (ya soshla s uma, "I've lost my mind"), the title of the song that she then wrote the lyrics for that became t.A.T.u.'s first landslide hit. Kiper, and t.A.T.u. have also stated that the ideas for the group's image were influenced by the 1998 Swedish film Fucking Åmål, directed by Lukas Moodysson. (Shapovalov and Kiper later fell out over his non-payment of her royalties.)

The name t.A.T.u. comes from a collocation of "ta" and "tu" (pronounced as 'tuu'), the two forms of the Russian feminine demonstrative pronoun "ta" in its nominative and accusative cases. It can be translated as "that female [does something to, supposedly loves] that female [over there]", or better as "she her". Originally, t.A.T.u. was named ТАТУ (Tatu), in Russia. However, when they planned to sell records internationally, they found out that there was already an Australian band with the name, so they changed the spelling to t.A.T.u. outside of Russia. It can still be written as Taty, or Tatu.

The two were signed to a demanding contract under Neformat Records. They were strictly controlled and told how to behave at press conferences. Both were fifteen at that time.

Publicity, controversy and stardom

After signing with Neformat Records in Russia, t.A.T.u. began to record tracks in the studio, with their producer Ivan Shapovalov. Their first single was released in the year 2000, titled Я сошла с ума. The song describes the turmoil in a girl's soul, because she is in love with another and is very confused, scared and happy. November 2000, t.A.T.u, an unknown act, brought their first-ever video to MTV Russia, for their first single. Despite its controversial and provocative character, MTV was brave enough to put it on air, and t.A.T.u. took Russia by storm. The video clip for t.A.T.u.'s first Russian/English single (Я сошла с ума and I've Lost My Mind respectively) – the original version of their English song "All the Things She Said" – although the video was banned by MTV Russia (After being unbanned, it won People's Choice Award at MTV's Russian Awards.) and by the BBC and others. It shows them dressed up in high school outfits (similar to the Catholic school uniforms that are common fetish items), behind a fence, screaming out in anguish, begging for their parents' forgiveness, shaking the fence and kissing passionately.

On May 16th, 2001, after releasing the hit Ya Soshla S Uma, and touring around Russia, and its surrounding countries, t.A.T.u. was signed to an even larger name. Universal Music Russia with cooperation of Neformat, singed the girls to a contract that would call for 5 records. The two were just beginning to become the group that critics, music journalists and record companies call the most outrageous and scandalous thing to ever happen to Russian show-biz.

t.A.T.u. instantly became known for acting irreverently towards the press. With their satirical comments, evasive answers, and flippant attitude towards their indecent behavior, t.A.T.u. have confounded many people, misleading many of them and rubbing them the wrong way. "People either love us or hate us," Katina said, "but no one ignores us."

The second video (and single), released simultaneously with their debut album, 200 по встречной, "200 Po Vstrechnoi", is called Нас не догонят, "Nas Ne Dogonyat" (They're not Gonna Get Us, although lit., They Won't Catch Up With Us ). It proved that t.A.T.u is not a one-hit wonder. After one week of heavy rotation on MTV Russia, it went straight to #1 in MTV “Russian Top 10” (weekly chart show with Russian only videos competing with each other) and #7 in MTV Top 20 (leaving behind Jennifer Lopez, Eminem and Backstreet Boys). The single received major success at radios as well, A listed on 1st National Radio “Russian Radio” (Russian music only) and 7 other national radios.

After enormous success in Russia, t.A.T.u. released 200 km/h in the Wrong Lane in 2002, an English-language version (co-produced by Trevor Horn) of their Russian debut album. The debut English-language album sold over five million copies around the world. In addition, their single "All the Things She Said" was used as the entrance theme of WWE Diva Victoria from late December 2002 to May 2004.

In order to play up the lesbian angle of their image, most of their performances usually included at least one instance in which they kissed passionately. This act was usually censored whenever the duo appeared on American television programs. However, due to much speculation and suspicions, the public began to realize that their live performances, which featured the girls caressing, fondling, kissing, and looking at each other longingly, was just an obligation and became commonplace for t.A.T.u. Their raunchy routine at concerts -- with precise, play-by-play stage directions, such as when to move about, how to act at this particular moment, what to say, how to behave, even how to partially strip -- has stayed the same over two years. But the girls didn't seem to object, and the discipline paid off, despite the public's doubt. Most of their scenes were very fraught with sexuality.

The main scandal of t.A.T.u was that they were underaged when they started out - doing and saying considerably explicit things. For instance, both girls were featured on the cover of the Maxim magazine Russia for the January 2003 issue. It featured Volkova topless and wearing a skimpy bikini bottom. Elena wore a sportswear lingerie. Both girls were 17 at the time of the photoshoot. Other photoshoots included the September 2003 issue of FHM Russia, where both girls were topless and Elena had her hands covering Yulia's breasts, on the cover. Needless to say, it was very provocative.

The lyrics and videos of their songs suggested that the girls were in a lesbian relationship. Although they have never confirmed their sexual orientation, they have suggested that being bisexual is a possibility. "Everyone's so sure we're lesbians, but maybe we are bisexual. Why not?" But the girls have actually milked this ambiguity by slyly refusing to state their sexual orientation while hinting some days that they are lesbian and other days that they are bi. Their image was none other than teenage lesbianism meant for "straight male entertainment" (confirmed by former manager Ivan Shapovalov) masquerading as "mere love for each other". Sometimes in interviews they stated that they were in real life in a lesbian relationship, often giving outrageous details of their supposed sex life, but more usually, questions in that direction were evaded by statements, such as "Don't be afraid to be yourself; don't be afraid to love," or that they did not like labels. t.A.T.u are also infamous for contradicting themselves with what they say and do, on their supposed lesbian image. For example, Katina once said during an interview that "there was no image on their lesbianism and it was who they are and what they do" while Katina earlier acknowledged that what they had to do was an image. They still do say such things, causing people to believe they are lying and hiding something which they do not want the public to know about. Part of their undeniably crafted image was a scripted elusiveness, a defiant refusal to come clean.

t.A.T.u. represented Russia at the Eurovision Song Contest 2003 where they were considered the favorites to win. Volkova did not take part in rehearsals because of inflamed vocal cords, and their performance turned out to be rough at first but ended fairly well. t.A.T.u. claim that they would have won Eurovision if the Irish telephone votes had been counted - a technical fault within eircom led to a jury deciding placings, rather than coming third. They later stated, "Eurovision is for beginners … we were already artists and only attended because our country asked us to attend." Russia protested the Eurovision results, but to no avail.

In response to t.A.T.u.'s loss of the Eurovision Song Contest in 2003, during their Istanbul Concert during the summer of the same year, they sang Sertab Erener's song "Everyway That I Can" (Sertab Erener was the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest that year.), implying that they were having their revenge on the Turkish star.

Moving on, falling out

More than one of their videos have been banned^{[citation needed]}; for instance, the video for the hit song Простые движения (Prostye Dvizheniya, "Simple Motions") shows, according to the group, "how simple moves are always in our lives, like drinking water," reading a book (which is what Katina does during most of the video), or masturbating, which is what Volkova does during most of the video.

File:Anatomytatu.jpg

Анатомия Тату, cover of the DVD.

On December 12th, 2003, Анатомия Тату (Anatomy of t.A.T.u.), a documentary film directed by Vitaly Mansky, aired on the Russian TV channel STS. It was protested by many Russian people.

The movie portrayed the truths of the t.A.T.u. girls lives. The major point of the show was that neither Yulia or Elena is or was a lesbian. They stated that it was all just a marketing plan, a brainchild developed by Ivan Shapovalov. Volkova said that before t.A.T.u., she had never thought about girls in that way, but during t.A.T.u. she had fallen in love with another girl, although the physical aspect had not developed beyond kissing.

The film also showed that both girls are catholic. Elena visits church and goes to confession regularly. She believes that her career forces her to do many sinful things. Yulia, on the other hand, is ready to do anything perceived as popular in the musical world. She isn't afraid of anything besides loneliness. Elena is shyer, and has said that she wouldn't ever have sex with anyone on camera.

Another aspect of the documentary was drug use. Yulia admitted to having once taken heroin as part of a bet to prove that she had "no need for such things in [her] life." The film also included scenes of Ivan Shapovalov and Beata Ardeeva smoking marijuana. Also, it shows Yulia and Elena smoking regular cigarettes, which they do in spite of the fact that it may negatively affect their voices.

The film tells that Yulia had problems with her voice for a long period of time, which nearly killed the group. Besides this, Yulia admitted that she also had an unwanted pregnancy, and she was forced to have an abortion. Yulia also admitted to having a boyfriend named Pavlo Sidorov, aka Pasha.

On December 12, 2003, an anime movie based on t.A.T.u was announced. The movie, titled t.A.T.u. Paragate, was to be directed by Norio Kashima and Susume Kudoh, with Shinichiro Watanabe directing the opening. The film was created by Ivan Shapovalov, who also wrote the screenplay. The film was going to be made by studio iMovie and cost 500 million yen (4.7 million USD). The 100-minute film was set to be released in Japan, Russia, and Europe in November 2004. The date then changed to December. The project was then cancelled before its target release due to numerous circumstances, including a fallout between the duo and Shapovalov.

From January through March 2004, STS TV in Russia aired t.A.T.u. Podnebesnaya, a thirteen-episode reality show which chronicled the group recording their second album with producer Ivan Shapovalov. However, many of the episodes, the girls refused to show up, or talk to Ivan, so the title t.A.T.u. Podnebesnaya proved incorrect. Most of the episodes were of Ivan working with other artists, as the girls did not participate as they planned. The show was filmed by Vitaly Mansky, recorded in a studio of the Peking Hotel.

In Spring 2004, Katina and Volkova left their manager Ivan Shapovalov while they were supposed to be recording their second album because they believed that the quality of the material was too low. They recorded a few songs with him at the time, and ended up using some of them later on. They had a contract with Universal Music Russia, but their new manager Boris Rensky (who was formerly Shapovalov's business partner) negotiated a new contract with Universal Music International. The new contract was for 4 new albums.

In May 2004, Volkova, age 19, announced that she was pregnant with long-time boyfriend Pavel (Pasha) Sidorov's child. News surfaced around the world, and caused many in the US to abandon the girls as they had 'lied' to the country about their sexuality. On September 23, 2004, Yulia gave birth to her first child, Viktoria (Vika) Pavlovna Volkova. In spring 2005, Volkova and Sidorov broke up. However, she didn't stay single for long. While in Los Angeles, during 2005, recording the second album, Yulia started to date Tigran, a businessman and fellow Russian.

The comeback and beyond

On June 3, 2005, t.A.T.u. performed a brand new song Обезьянка-Ноль (Obezyanka Nol'/"Monkey Zero") at the Russian Muz-TV Awards. This song is from t.A.T.u.'s second Russian album Люди-Инвалиды (Lyudi-Invalidy/Disabled People).

t.A.T.u.'s second English album Dangerous and Moving was released on October 11, 2005 in North America and on October 10, 2005 in the rest of the world.

Their sophomore album *Dangerous and Moving*.

The first single from the Dangerous and Moving album is "All About Us", written by Billy Steinberg and The Veronicas - a duo of twin sisters Jess and Lisa from Brisbane, Australia. Billy Steinberg is the man responsible for many 1980s hits, including Madonna's "Like A Virgin" and the Bangles' "Eternal Flame." The video for the single was shot by Hollywood director James Cox (Wonderland) and can be viewed at the official English website. The album also features Sting playing bass on the track "Friend or Foe," which was lyrically written by Eurythmics' Dave Stewart.

The second single was initially going to be "Dangerous and Moving," but there was a change of plans. Instead, "Friend or Foe" became t.A.T.u's second single, and "Dangerous and Moving" was bumped to be used as a third or maybe even fourth single. The video was filmed in Beverly Hills, LA by James Cox. The video was shot in Bronson Caves, the same caves used in the original Batman series and features Yulia showing her abilities and skills on the piano.

File:Tatu4.jpg

t.A.T.u. in a promoshoot.

The third single has been announced by Interscope as "Gomenasai."

Recently, Guy Chambers wrote a special song for t.A.T.u. titled "Wrapped Around Your Finger." It will be performed for their world tour kicking off this April.

Early this year, Roman Ratej, drummer of t.A.T.u., has left the group for reasons unknown to the public. t.A.T.u.'s management has already found a replacement for him, as well as a bass player.

On April 17, 2006, Tatu returned to reality TV in Russia with t.A.T.u. Expedition, which was broadcasted on Russian music channel Muz-TV (See t.A.T.u. Expedition for more info).

Also in April 2006, Yulia was reported to be dating former Smash!! and Neposedi member, Vlad Topalov. It was told that that she loved him very much, and wanted to give him a child. Rumors surfaced later in 2006 that the two were married. On July 14th 2006, MTV Russia aired a TV segment announcing that Yulia was pregnant with Topalov's child. It has now been announced on 21st July 2006 that this is not the case, by Eugenia Voevodina, the press-attache of the group.

On July 18, 2006 t.A.T.u. gave an interview in Mexico where they said that after new years they will record their third album. Nothing is yet said about the release of the new album, but a summer release might be possible.

Discography

Albums

2001 200 по встречной
2002 200 по встречной (Re-Edition)
2002 200 km/h in the Wrong Lane
2003 200 km/h in the Wrong Lane (Deluxe Edition)
2003 Remixes
2005 Dangerous and Moving
2005 Люди Инвалиды
2006 The Best of t.A.T.u.

Singles

From 200 по встречной:

From 200km/h in the Wrong Lane:

From Remixes:

From Dangerous And Moving:

From Люди Инвалиды:

2005 Люди Инвалиды

DVD Releases

Awards & Recognitions

In 2000 t.A.T.u. were the first Eastern European act to win an IFPI Platinum Europe Award, reaching 1 million shipments with the album "200 Po Vstrechnoy".

In 2003 t.A.T.u. was nominated for 4 catogories in the MUZ-TV Awards: best album, pop group, video, and dance project.

In April 2003 t.A.T.u. was honored with an IFPI Platinum Europe Award after hitting the one million European sales mark. They are the first group to get an IFPI Platinum Europe Award for the same album but in different languages.

In 2003 t.A.T.u. was honored as the best pop group, duo and dance group at the World Music Awards.

In 2004 t.A.T.u. triumphed as favorite breakthrough artist at the MTV Asia Awards.

In 2004 "All The Things She Said" was named college song of the year.

In 2006 t.A.T.u. won Best International Gruop and Best Pop Group at the NRJ Radio Awards.

In 2006 t.A.T.u. won Best Group, Best Video, and Best Song at the MUZ-TV Awards 2006.

Quotes

"t.A.T.u is about saying what you feel, not what others expect. Be in love. Be yourself. We are" — Elena Katina

"We never said we were lesbians, but everyone said that we were and now everyone said that we lied. We simply love each other." — Elena Katina, 2005

"We never pretended to be lesbians, its just what people though of us" — Elena Katina, 2005 Interview for Dangerous and Moving release.

"Well, we’ve never done any PR stuff on purpose. Everything we’ve done is our own wishes. Vanya could never manage to force us do something we don’t want to. t.A.T.u. is not a product. t.A.T.u. is art." — t.A.T.u, 2005 for an Interview to the magazine «10 days» (Ukraine).

"We are international artists, but we are not international people." — Elena Katina

"We didn't tell that! That was gossip. F***ing gossip!" — Elena Katina on the Frank Skinner show when being confronted about the "elderly" quote.

"Just t.A.T.u. Nothing else." — Yulia Volkova on being asked what t.A.T.u means.

"Our songs are about our love for each other" — t.A.T.u. before they were exposed as straight girls.

"I like everything about Yulia! Nothing wrong there! She's my friend, my sister. I can call her at 4am and tell her that I'm not feeling well, I know she'll come over." — Elena Katina on being asked what t.A.T.u liked most and least of each other, February 2006, French FHM interview.

"I like everything about Lena, even if she has some little flaws: sometimes she cries and yells at me. You know, I could kill for her!" — Yulia Volkova, February 2006, French FHM interview

"Lesbian image does not disturb us, because we are not lesbians. Yes, we love each other, but I repeat, we are not lesbians. We just show love between two girls, without vulgarities. Our behaviour has been misinterpreted. I have never had a girlfriend and I have never been in a relationship with Yulia. But it's true, that meanwhile Yulia had a girlfriend." — Elena Katina

| Gays are still thankful to us

"There is a love of friends between us. Our slogan is to love and it's not important whom to love. We want to say that a boy can love a boy and a girl can love a girl. If all people would love each other, it would be easier to live in this world. If people are lead by hatred and evil, nothing good would happen from this." — Yulia Volkova, Herolds Of Love Interview, Kroonika, 4 April 2006, Tallinn, Estonia.

| What we have – is not even a friendship, it's much more. When people actually live together for ten years, you can't call it just a friendship.
I take her more as a relative than a friend. — Elena Katina

"No. Just friends, not lovers. We never were lovers. We were always really good friends. We are like sisters. It's like, when you meet your friend, you can hug them, give them a kiss? Girls just do it more honestly. We never were lesbians, to be honest." - Elena Katina, Interview with Gazeta Izvestiya, September 2005

"We don't regret anything. In general, it is never necessary to regret anything, whatever happens. Whatever you plan, things turn out differently anyway. It is simply not necessary to make illusions for yourself. There was no image. We always behave the way we want to." - Yulia Volkova, on whether they regret anything, October 2005

"Everyday. That's a joke. Sometimes I must lie because I don't want to disappoint people." — Yulia Volkova, when asked when was the last time t.A.T.u last told a lie, October 2005

"We're just showing our reality. It's a pretty violent video. Every day a different young girl gets attacked. It's a problem. So we just want to say you have to be careful in this world."- Elena Katina, in Steppin' Out Magazine November 30, 2006; referring to the 'All About Us' video

"We enjoy that of course! It's our life!" - t.A.T.u on whether they enjoy causing controversy, CD:UK Interview, October 2005