Fierce
brunette Julia Volkova and sprightly redhead Lena Katina are Eastern
Europe's most popular musical exports. In the age of 24/7 televised
entertainment, you've likely caught a glimpse (or quite more) of these
Russian pop-sensations and full-time mess-with-your-expectations media
mavens. During t.A.T.u.'s short five years together, the two
diminutive, talented beauties have caused one hell of a worldwide
ruckus, routinely playing to audiences of 50,000 fans and selling more
than 5 million copies of their debut album, 200 km/h in the Wrong Lane.
Infamously, they refused to perform at the World Music Awards unless
provided with real guns. Explains Lena, "We wanted real machine-guns,
but they didn't give us, so we wouldn't perform, that simple." Brazenly,
after promising not to kiss on the Tonight Show, they engaged in a
long, passionate wet one-- much to the alarm of anxious network
censors, (and well before Britney and Madonna's little stunt, ahem).
And yet, when expected to do the same on Jimmy Kimmel, they
deliberately offered not so much as a sweet peck on the cheek. Why?
Explains Julia, "Basically, because we like to do what we want. A lot
of people are, like, 'you shouldn't do this, you shouldn't do that, you
shouldn't behave in this way.' But you know what? Actually for us, we
are the way that we are, and we don't really live in fear of anybody.
So, if we behave in a certain way, then that's just actually the way we
are."
|
|
JULIA'S BIO
Julia
Volkova was born in the family of a successful businessman in Moscow on
February 20th, 1985. At the age of 7, parallel to the ordinary school,
Julia entered a music school, piano class. When she was 9, Julia became
a member of the famous children vocal and instrumental group "Neposedy"
(Naughty Children). At the casting Julia sang Russian folk song "Oy, to
ne vecher". In a year, Lena Katina became a member of "Neposedy" as
well, and soon Julia and Lena became best friends. When she was 11,
Julia switched the ordinary school where she studied for the school
fostering artistic talents. Three years later she leaves "Neposedy" to
pass the casting and join musical project Tatu in which Lena Katina had
already been in. At the age of 15, Julia enters vocal department of
Gnessin's State Musical College and simultaneously becomes famous as a
soloist of Tatu duo. In 2004 she had a baby. Now she is 20.
|
|
LENA'S BIO Lena Katina was
born in Moscow on October 04th, 1984 in the family of the famous
musician - Sergey Katin - who collaborated with "Dyuna", Marina
Khlebnikova and other representatives of Russian show-business.
Starting from being 4 years old, Lena began, on her father's
initiative, to attend various sport and music clubs for the purpose of
fostering plastic arts and artistic talents. When she was seven, Lena
entered an ordinary school and within a year she entered music school,
piano class. When she was ten, she became a soloist of the famous
children group "Avenue" where she sang for 3 years. When she was 13,
Lena became a member of vocal and instrumental group "Neposedy"
(Naughty Children) where she met Julia Volkova with whom she became
friends. At the casting, she sang a song in Spanish and the jury were
astonished by the quality of her voice. Soon Lena left the group due to
her age - children sing in "Neposedy" up to 14 years old. At the age of
15 she successfully passed the casting for the musical project which
was later named "Tatu". Later on, another girl joined the project -
Julia Volkova who turned out to be at the second position according to
the casting results, right after Lena.
|