All The Things They Say (Planetout.Com)Time of publication: 17.02.2003 |
Members: Lena Katina (the redhead) and Julia Volkova (the brunette)
Born: Lena: October 4, 1984; Julia: February 20, 1985
Status: They're a couple. ... They have boyfriends. ... Who knows?
Fun facts:
-- t.A.T.u. is a Russian acronym for "This girl loves that girl."
-- Julia was kicked out of a children's singing group for "obscene behavior and corrupting other singers."
-- Lena has a pet chow-chow named Blankeria.
Quote: "People love us or hate us, but nobody thinks nothing about us." -- Lena
Fabricated girl bands are a dime a dozen, so what's an impresario to do to make his creation stand out? Make 'em lesbians. And underage ones at that.
Ivan Shapovalov, a Russian filmmaker and -- get this -- child psychologist, hit upon this idea in 1999 and proceeded to seek out his young starlets-to-be. The girls who fit the bill (from a pool of 500 wannabes) were Moscow-born Julia Volkova and Lena Katina, then 15 and 16 years old, who had sung together previously in the children's group Neposedi.
In 2000 the newly formed t.A.T.u. released their first single, "I've Lost My Mind," in Russia, and it proved to be a substantial success. But it wasn't until their next single and video, "All the Things She Said," that their native country was forced to take notice.
The song tells of a girl's excitement and emotional turmoil at being in love with another girl. It became a huge hit, owing in large part to the controversial video, which featured Lena and Julia, dressed in schoolgirl outfits, kissing in the rain.
Viewers' reactions to the clip ranged from being incensed at the graphic display of underage lesbian lovin' to thinking the girl-girl action was hot, hot, hot. Sales of their debut album, "200 km/h in the Wrong Lane," skyrocketed, reaching platinum status, and the risque video was named MTV Russia's Video of the Year. t.A.T.u. had hit a nerve.
An entree into the European music scene followed in 2002, with "All the Things She Said" debuting in the number one spot on the U.K. singles chart, in addition to topping several other international charts. A mostly English-language version of "200 km/h" hit U.S. record stores in December 2002. Their sexy single continues to climb the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and the accompanying video made the top 10 on MTV's "Total Request Live." These girls have arrived.
While the bulk of t.A.T.u.'s success is built upon their image, the music industry is taking them seriously. Their songs have gotten mostly positive reviews from music critics, who say the duo's pop electronica creations are certainly worth a listen. And the English-language version of their album was produced by none other than recording heavyweight Trevor Horn, whose list of credits includes works by Seal, Grace Jones and Pet Shop Boys.
With t.A.T.u.'s mere existence being such a premeditated fabrication, one can't help but wonder if their Sapphic relationship is for real. The girls themselves -- perhaps wise to the publicity ploy of "keep 'em guessing" -- have given vague, even conflicting information, on the subject. One quote finds them describing their relationship as "something more than just friendship toward each other," implying a romantic or sexual component. Yet when a reporter asked outright whether the girls are actually lovers, Julia replied noncommittally: "Maybe and maybe not. You know, we're not going to give a straight answer." Pardon the pun.
But recent revelations seem to strip them of their lesbian cred. In February, Russian newspapers photographed Lena and Julia in a Moscow nightclub with their boyfriends, whom the girls later dismissed as merely their bodyguards. The press remains unconvinced. And it's unlikely that their "outing" as touchy-feely heterosexual girlfriends will hurt their record sales in this image-driven market.
Whether t.A.T.u. will be permanent or only temporary remains to be seen, but perhaps it's enough that these video vixens have earned a spot in music history as pop's first "out" lesbian duo -- and a successful one to boot. So successful, in fact, that Shopovalov is shopping around for t.A.T.u. version 2.0.
Stay t.A.T.u.ned.
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