Review of Tatu by MIM (Etext.Org)Time of publication: 22.06.2003 |
Tatu
200 km/h in the Wrong Lane
2002
Tatu's debut album "200 km/h in the Wrong Lane" has already sold over a million copies, mostly in their home country of Russia and in Eastern Europe (1). Since the release of the English version of the album in late 2002, the group's synth-pop sound and lesbian behavior is getting attention in Europe and North America (2). In spite of Tatu's positive portrayal of lesbian relationships, it is another example of music promoting the "bourgeois romance culture" that MIM has previously criticized.(3)
Tatu's first single "All the Things She Said" is clearly about a love affair between two wimmin. Lyrics "I want her so much. . . Wanna fly her away. . .I'm feeling for her what she's feeling for me" (4) are sung by Lena Katina and Julia Volkova, the two 18-year-old wimmin who comprise Tatu. The song's video, shown on MTV and also included on the CD of their album, shows Lena and Julia embracing and kissing while rain and snow pours down on them. They literally have their backs to the wall. A chain-link fence separates them from a crowd of umbrella-holding onlookers who stare at them with apparent disapproval. As the video ends, the Tatu girls find the end of the brick wall and walk off into the sunset hand-in-hand as the rain stops. The camera focuses on the angled barbed-wire at the top of the fence to show that it is the unsympathetic onlookers who are caged, not Lena and Julia. This symbolism appears to suggest that those who view lesbian romance with disapproval or disgust are trapped in their own ignorance and prejudice, a message with which MIM agrees.
But is anyone getting the message? Yes, according to postings on Tatu's unofficial online forum.(5) Several fans, who admitted to being initially offended or repulsed by Tatu's lesbian lyrics and video, questioned and finally discarded their beliefs in the immorality of gay relationships as a result of their exposure to Tatu. Unbelievable though it may seem, this pop music group has led people around the world to overcome heterosexist attitudes that that were deeply held, often as a result of religious upbringing. Even fans who already identified as gay also attest to the positive impact Tatu has had on their perceptions of themselves, and of same-sex relationships.
Despite the group's role in challenging gender stereotypes, MIM cannot recommend Tatu as an example of a progressive struggle against gender oppression. The primary reason is that such a message is not made clear in the group's music, whose lyrics are basically devoid of any explicit political content. Tatu's music focuses on messages about romance and love in the absence of discussion about society or culture. Singing about romance between two wimmin does not distinguish Tatu from the multitude of other bands extolling the virtues of romance without taking on pornographic culture. In fact, in their concerts Tatu takes advantage of this culture, frequently singing in very short school-girl skirts and tight t-shirts. Their clothing, added to the lesbian image, helps stoke a popular male fantasy. Some people argue that Tatu is promoting a positive sexual image of lesbians, but it isn't possible to separate out their dress and actions from mainstream cultural influence and popular reaction. And there is no denying that men worldwide are getting off on the image of two hot young schoolgirl lesbians who imply that they like men in their interviews with the news media. Tatu could be using these same interviews to make pro-gay or anti-homophobic statements, but instead they are promoting bourgeois pornographic romance culture rather than fighting it.
Tatu's lack of activism regarding gay rights issues has disappointed a surprisingly small number of the band's fans. Instead, many more fans state dissatisfaction by the fact that Julia and Lena are evasive about their own sexual preferences and refuse to confirm or deny that they sexually involved with each other. This ambiguity has left many young gays and lesbians feeling confused and betrayed. Many continue to support the group, but conclude that this obscurity is necessary to be accepted by a mainstream audience. This is tantamount to conceding the need to conform to the expectations of the patriarchal culture in order to be widely heard and respected. While putting out the message of reactionary bourgeois culture certainly makes popularity easier, MIM doesn't think the world needs more bands singing love songs. And we point to groups like Rage Against the Machine as examples of rock bands who gained considerable following despite their unabashedly anti-imperialist lyrics and attitudes.
The controversy surrounding Tatu's sexuality has led to newspaper stories, such as in the New York Times and Washington Post, suggesting that the group's lesbian behavior is not genuine and instead is a farce whose only purpose is as a publicity stunt to increase sales. The primary evidence presented to support this conclusion is photos that appeared in a Russian tabloid, taken one night at a club, of the Tatu girls with their alleged boyfriends. This hardly seems convincing when weighed against Lena and Julia's frequent displays of affection and proclamations of love for each, as captured on-stage and in numerous interviews over the past two years. This seems to be an example of mainstream media preferring theories that bolster their reactionary agenda over a more objective report based on credible sources. Nonetheless, the fact that Tatu's private sex lives are the focus of so much debate is further proof that they are not making a clear public statement regarding the politics of sexual orientation, which should overshadow individualistic identity questions. Julia and Lena's own sexual preferences are irrelevant with respect to their ability to send an unequivocal pro-gay message.
The only unmistakable political message Tatu has sent was delivered not by their words, but by their t-shirts. Lena and Julia wore shirts with an anti-war slogan written on them in two performances in the United States on NBC, which took place just weeks before the U.S. attacked Iraq.(6) However, the message was written in the Tatu girl's native language of Russian (and can be most closely translated as "Fuck War") so it is questionable how many viewers understood it. Nonetheless, Russian-speaking viewers certainly got the message, as did thousands who read the subsequent articles in Rolling Stone and other high-profile publications regarding the incident.
Overall Tatu clearly is more than just a typical romance pop band. Their lesbian behavior distinguishes them. But it is this image that has helped catapult them to popularity by distinguishing them from the crowd, and turning on audiences in live sexy performances around the world. Rather than take advantage of this opportunity to promote a clear and positive political message, Tatu appears to be using the lesbian image to gain popularity, coyly avoiding any statements that might detract from either male or female fantasies. Without any attempts to separate their messages from mainstream culture, Tatu ends up promoting that very culture. MIM hopes to see other bands take up where Tatu falls down, as positive gay role models, promoting an anti-patriarchal and anti-imperialist message.
Notes:
1. Official Russian Universal Music website www.t a t u. ru
2. Official Interscope Records website www.tatugirls.com
3. MIM review of Shakira
http://www.etext.org/Politics/MIM/b...op/shakira.html
4. Official lyrics on CD jacket of "200 Km/H in the Wrong Lane
5. Unofficial site of group Tatu www.tatysite.net
6. "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" and "Last Call with Carson Daley"
[mim3@mim.org interjects: Tatu's message is either true or not, regardless of the band's motivations. See our Party Congress for more on focus on lifestyle as counterrevolutionary.]
Thanks to tATuGirlL2510. |
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