By Olga Forsgren, Linda Nordquist, OKEJ (Sweden)
When their debut video All The Things She Said was put into rotation on MTV, the speculations of whether Yulia and Lena are lesbians or not started. In the video, the girls kiss each other and seemed to be in love. In numerous interviews, they have stated that they were lesbians and that they were a couple, but some time ago, it was revealed that they have boyfriends and that they were just acting to shock people. OKEJ went to Prague to clear up the situation in Russian. But to get a sensible answer from them is easier said than done. As usual it's Yulia who was answering most of the questions.
How is it going with your next album?
- It's going fine. The lyrics are ready but they're undergoing fine adjustments all the time. It's important that it sounds like us, says Yulia.
Have you written any songs for the forthcoming album?
- No, but we have great composers and text writers. They know us so well that when we come to the studio there's not so much that needs to be changed. Besides, our producer knows what we need, he knows us too and feels what lies close to us, says Yulia.
Yulia reveals that the main contents of the new album is going to be the same as in the first album, but the style will be heavier this time.
- You are going to see yourself when the album is released, but there won't be that much pop in it.
The fact that the girls have become older is going, of course, to be noticeable.
- The music is growing in unison with us, says Yulia. We can barely do the same music at 20-25 as when we were 15.
- All the songs are written about us, how and what we feel, adds Lena.
The fact that t.A.T.u achieved great success over the whole of Europe is hardly missed by anyone and their secret, according to the girls, is sincerity and openness.
- We live as we want and are not afraid of anything. Many groups are set up and given a certain image, but t.A.T.u. has no forced image! states Yulia firmly.
It's been revealed a while ago that the girls are not lesbian at all. They both have boyfriends and the kissing in the video was a stunt -- Yulia and Lena have no understanding of all the speculations around the possibility of maybe having boyfriends and they don't think that their image can be damaged by the new rumours.
- No one can be sure that we are either lesbian or heterosexual. Maybe we are bisexual? There's no one that has any idea of our private life and every person has his or her own opinion. Sure, maybe we have boyfriends, along with the relationship between me and Lena, which is of the same kind as with boyfriends, says Yulia mysteriously.
Is it sort of a new version? You have boyfriends and have a relationship with each other at the same time?
- No one may know, says Yulia.
- It's not any new version. It's not that important at all. We may be have boyfriends and maybe we haven't. We may be together sometimes and sometimes separated from each other during some time, in terms of our relashionship, says Lena.
- As I said, no one knows anything about our private lives. It's a fact that we are together and what is behind it all... ya, maybe we have boyfriends. (So what! -- rem. Forre)
Doubtful answers, at least to say, from the Russian girls who are absolutely reticent in this situation and seem to be a bit irritated that such a question is asked on a regular basis. Many say that the girls don't mean what they say, but for Yulia and Lena, it's all nonsense and they state:
- We just don't want to tell every single person we meet that we have boyfriends because people shouldn't give a piece about our private lives. We are creating, we are artists and for us... music and texts that are important, adds Yulia.
It's not always that easy to be a pop-star, especially when the press is always on its watch and, as the English press for instance, always writes negative things. At those moments, it helps to be t.A.T.u. -- nothing gets to these cocky girls.
- Maybe you read about me having a thick layer of make-up, says Yulia with a sigh, It's cool. Every journalist is trying to write an article that sells to shock the readers. You can't write all the time that we are such kind and sweet girls.
Yulia and Lena don't pay that much attention to what the English press writes and they think that European society is more reserved than American.
- Yes, people in the US are rather simple. They don't hide their feelings, they live as they want, points Yulia, In Moscow, for example, everyone is hooked on clothes, but in USA, people dress as they want to. They kiss as they want and no one hides. Everything is open!
Finally, we speak about the fans and what the girls think about their fans.
- We like our fans very much. The fans are holy for an artist. There's no artist without the fans, says Yulia.
- We sing for our fans and ourselves, fills in Lena.
Are you ever afraid that some fan jumps up on stage?
- We have security, says Yulia.
- Though once, in St. Petersburg a person threw an open knife towards us. Everything can happen, says Lena.
- I want to say one thing, adds Yulia, You need to live with love. If you are afraid, there's no point of becoming an artist, but if you carry love in your soul, love that you want to give to your fans, so you go up on stage and give everything. You don't think about what can happen.
- Exactly. What is meant to happen WILL happen, ends Lena.
Translation by forre.
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