Yulia Volkova and Lena Katina - soloists of group "Tatu" - can write signatures for each other. They say they always do this when writing autographs - "It is quicker this way and what's the difference anyway?" They do not love discotheques at all - they say they are tired of dancing, it is better to simply sit somewhere and have a talk. And they love sweets very much - especially ours, chocolates. When they suddenly noticed them on the table in the office of their record company Universal Music, each immediately took two. "Tatushki" came back to Russia. If only for a couple of weeks - in order to present their new, second album "Ludi Invalidy" and its English version "Dangerous and Moving". On the eve of the Russian release, the girls met the correspondent of the magazine "Russian Newsweek", Vera Ryklina.
For a long time, you were not around. Did the preparation of the album take so much time? What kind of album came out as a result?
Yulia: Indeed, we simply did not work for a long time, there was an enormous break, and we were very much looking forward to the recording of this album. And now, I think, I can say for both of us: We are satisfied with it, serious, beautiful songs came out. It is much more serious than it was before. And, of course, it is less pop. The album is more psychological, this is true.
Lena: And then we left our Vanya ("Tatu" ended the contract with their producer Ivan Shapovalov during February 2004. - Newsweek). And the largest part of the work we do ourselves now.
What changed after Shapovalov's withdrawal?
Yulia: It's true, everything changed: Everything changes, people are different, and time does not stand still. But to say that this is sad - is untrue. On the contrary, for us, I think, this is the next stage in life...
Lena (interrupting): A step forward!
Yulia: ... now we are producers ourselves, we are more involved in the process, we select the songs ourselves, listen, decide what and how to sing better.
And how do you select lyrics and music? What pleases - and what doesn't?
Yulia: Well, we have a remarkable writer who made the first and second album with us - Valera Poliyenko. He writes lyrics, and we trust him very much. He knows us so well that to 100% he hits the mark, i.e., he writes precisely what we want to express. It's completely about our life. And for the music we have a lot of cool talented guys. We simply take what we feel in our souls.
Lena: Well yes, you just hear it and think: "Oh! That's it!"
In one of the new songs Sting plays the guitar. Is this for publicity, or because he simply is a good musician?
Yulia: We did not invite him, the company did that (Universal Music. - Newsweek).
But were you satisfied?
Yulia: Yes, of course. They helped us a lot: Dave Stewart, Richard Carpenter...
Lena: Car-pen -..., Car-pen-tr...
In unison (laughing): Car-pen-ter.
Lena: We're very satisfied - such professional people helped.
So was it nevertheless for publicity?
Yulia: We do not think about publicity. We don't think about publicity or about money. We simply will sing together.
But how do you decide who sings which part of the song?
Yulia: We don't decide that at all, we simply sing and that's it: usually it works out.
You do not quarrel?
In unison: No.
Lena: We sing - sing, and then we already understand what, for what, for whom, and why.
Yulia: We generally never fight about work-related questions. On the contrary, we always support each other, because we understand that we are one whole. We explain, argue... Of course there are some personal conflicts, sometimes we are tired. But we've never had global scandals. We do not have any envy for each other, nor malice, we, on the contrary, love and support each other.
Lena: We are indeed very close to each other, also, of course, friends - best friends, but closer than her (she looks at Yulia), I do not have anyone. Because we not only work together, our lives are also strongly intertwined. We know everything about each other, and we don't have anything to hide.
Then right away a personal question: In recent years your image of girls-teenage-lesbians was damaged a little bit - you, Yulia, had a daughter, and there's a lot of gossip about the men surrounding you. What image are you going to work for?
Yulia: Yes, we grew up, much in life has changed, but our image did not change: because we never had it. We never told people that we are lesbians. We simply love each other (grabs Lena's hand). We, until now, live in one room when we stay in hotels, we sleep in one bed, we are as one family.
But, for example, in your new clip you are no longer "a couple"?
Lena: Well, we cannot kiss in all clips. We do this when we want to. This is not image - this is our life. We do what we feel. To always remain ourselves - this is the credo of our lives.
Yulia: And love did not go away, we, until now, love each other.
Independent of...?
Yulia (sharply interrupts): Independent!
Then we return to the album. You released two versions at the same time- Russian and English. What for?
Lena: Last time we had two versions of the album, too.
Yes, but last time the Russian version was the basis, and now the release of the album in Russia happens last. You had released it in Europe and even in Japan, and only now you came to us.
Yulia: No, for us the one and the other is important. We have a greater bias to the West now, but this in no way means that we forgot Russia. We do not forget Russia one or the other way. Now we are very glad that we succeeded to come here.
Well, and how do you like Moscow?
Yulia: We missed it wildly!
Lena: Best city in the whole wide world!
Yulia: It is a pity that we weren't here in the summer when it was warm - but now that we came - winter already begins.
Lena: Instead we spent the last winter in Los Angeles. We were stuck there for half a year - horror!
Isn't it a pity that you spend so much time abroad?
Yulia: On the contrary. If you are young, you should travel. And then, if you live with that what you do, then you will always be on a "high". We still have a lot of time to spend in Moscow.
Lena (laughs): Aha, in 50 years, we will sit together, grandmothers with crutches...
Yulia: We in fact began to work in America, not because we "left for the West", but because people are more professional there: studios are better there, arrangements are different. It is much better there, therefore we work-and record there.
Lena: But our stlye remained Russian, simply in the technical way, things are much easier to do in the States. It is all the more worthwhile, and we record half in English.
Not all English songs are translated into Russian, i.e., the albums are not completely identical, - what is the reason for that?
Yulia: We did this on purpose. On the English album, there are actually several songs which are not on the Russian.
Lena: But on the Russian - it's the other way around. I.e., our Russian fans can listen to both albums.
Yulia: In order to have the same albums, and not the same albums. Although the meaning in both albums is the same. They were prepared for a long time.
Will we have to wait as long for the following album?
Yulia: No, I think the break will not be that big, but, of course, there will be one. Because when an artist releases an album every year, it is not interesting.
Lena: It's cool when people wait.
You do not fear that they will forget?
Yulia: No, those who love us will not forget us anyway.
Lena: Well, they did not forget us this time, and we were gone for five years.
But what plans do you have for the near future?
Yulia: Well, now we had an enormous promo-tour, we left for a month and a half. We were in Europe, just returned from Japan, in America we shot a clip. Now we have a short break for Moscow (just in time actually for the album release) - a get-together. Maybe we will make a mini-tour - three or four large cities: St. Petersburg, Kiev, Odessa. On November 2, we will fly to Lisbon to present at the MTV Europe Music Awards, from there, I think, to Israel, there will still be small promo-tour in Europe in support of the album. But after New Year, we will be occupied with preparing the show.
Lena: And although we are abroad most of the time, we want to say, we love our worshippers in Moscow very much, let them not think that we forgot them, we are nevertheless with them... Indeed, first of all, we are Russian girls...
Vera Ryklina
Newsweek, Russia
Translation: xena225
24 - 20 October 2005 No. 40 (70) |
