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02/01/2008: "Atmosfera magazine interview"

Source: Tatu.ru

View scans of the magazine here.

So t.A.T.u. also has its taboo after all: To give birth and broadcast it live is not for you. Any plans after the important event? As I expect you’re not going to stay home?
Yulia: I’m not. The new album “Waste Management” is out in spring. By “waste” we mean not only waste that disturbs normal people, but also negative emotions. Everyone should fight his inner negativity… We plan to shoot one more video, then concerts, promo-tour. A load of work.



Teen-girls kissing under the rain, performing in t-shirts saying “Fuck War!” on the day when military activities in Iraq started, stealing a truck and merry-go-round explosion as revenge to an unfaithful girl-friend. t.A.T.u. band knows how to shock their audience. Lena Katina and Yulia Volkova are true to Her Majesty Provocation. Their latest video “Beliy Plashik” is another proof of this fact (execution instead of abortion.) “Light” version – ends at the order “Fire!”, “hard” version (not for TV) is expected to be even more scandalous.

Turns, curves, bends of Mosfilm Studio corridors. t.A.T.u. agreed to meet right here, at the inner sanctum of Russian cinema. Yulia’s got a huge tummy - it’s her last month of pregnancy – and together with Lena they are waiting for the shooting to start. (Yulia gave birth to a son when this issue was prepared - and we congratulate her with this – magazine note). While tech people are getting ready with the equipment, the girls are sharing an apple – one for two even though it’s not the last.

t.A.T.u. are not filming another provocative video at Mosfilm Studio; the larger form – cinema - is the priority now. Back in May filming of the movie based on Alexey Mitrofanov’s book “t.A.T.u. Come Back” had started in Moscow. The scale is a Hollywood one – the legendary Roland Joffe (“Vatel”, “The Mission”, ”The Scarlett Letter”) was invited as a director. One of the leading roles is played by American actress Mischa Barton.

In the plot there’s a love story between two girls, t.A.T.u. fans. Lena and Yulia play themselves and provide the heavy sound for the movie. The premiere’s planned in spring, and not just anywhere but in Cannes.

The equipment is ready. “Camera rolls! Action!” Lena and Yulia record their lines in two languages, Russian and English – the movie is going to be released internationally.

While t.A.T.u. girls are playing actresses, Yulia Volkova’s future husband and her second baby’s father Parvis tells us some good news: the video Beliy Plaschik is № 1 on YouTube and MTV websites in reviews and comments.
At this point we find out that this song was composed by a real fan – a sixteen year old schoolgirl from Saint-Petersburg. The girl posted her poetry at the t.A.T.u. home page. The poetry was so good that after a slight alteration it was turned into a song. The video was then filmed in which a prostitute Lena Katina turns into an executor and shoots pregnant Yulia Volkova…

It must have been hard to play in such a video, I guess: Nazi Germany, a jail, a very realistic execution scene?
Yulia Volkova: It was ok. We actually never really get physiologically ready to do something. Here it was performance, the shooting. We’ve invented such a story with an execution ourselves, and we lived it ourselves as actresses.
Lena Katina: By the way, it’s not Nazi Germany in the video. The place is not defined – it happens somewhere, some unclear time, can be the past, can be the future.

There’s a tough ending in your video. Why all this naturalism?
Yulia: The sense of the video is lost without such finale. We wanted to catch a viewer to tell it metaphorically that killing a child is almost like a real execution. Actually this video’s against abortions, against violence, against cruelty. If a girl changes her mind and won’t get an abortion after watching our video, it means the video was worth it.
Lena: Many people told me that in the beginning of the video it seems that I’m going to rescue Yulia. And when it becomes clear that my goal is not to rescue but to kill her, then comes the shock.

Yulia, are you a superstitious person? You are really pregnant in the video after all, what if something could have happened to the baby?
Yulia: I’m not superstitious, but I’m religious. You see, I do perceive playing in this video as a performance. So many actors died in the cinema, they were buried in coffins… So what? They are all good and alive.

Lena, tell us about your character. It’s not very clear how a prostitute becomes an executor...
Lena: Yeh, such a duality… People wear a mask at work and become totally different when they go home. It’s my characters work – to execute people. Her consolation, her escape from reality is to be a 5-dollar whore.

What is a consolation for you in everyday life?
Lena: It’s easy in my case. I love theatre. I enjoy reading. I’m still under the impression of Pavel Sanaev’s novel “Bury Me Under the Scrub-board”. They say there will be a movie based on this book. I’d like to watch it. Although movies are always worse compared to books.
Yulia: And my consolation, if I can call it so, is my family. I’ve met a person I want to be with and I no longer have a wish to look for anybody else. Such constancy is very unusual for me, by the way. I loved parties, night clubs before. Now I enjoy staying at home.

I can’t imagine you in a role of a wife – in a traditional understanding of this word…
Yulia: Yeah. I understand what you mean. I also never could imagine this – I’m home, with my darling, and I have no wish to go anywhere.
Lena: (interrupts): Before Yulka was totally different. Now I call her, for example, and I ask, “What are you doing?” And she goes, “I’m doing the dishes”. “You?! The dishes?!” When I hear this, I’m ready to almost fall from the chair!
Yulia: So what’s weird here? It’s not difficult for me to get things done in the house.
Parvis (listening to the talk closely): Of course it’s not difficult when there’re two housemaids. (Everybody laughs)
Yulia: It might look funny from outside, but honestly - I met a man for whom I want to make the place feel like it’s home. Now the person I love is with me.

Mother for the Second Time

Yulia, you’re a mother for the second time already. Lena, why are you late?
Yulia: She just hasn’t met the person she needs. Although Lena had many.
Lena: Not many!
Yulia: I think many for your age. And we don’t count, for example, one night stands. I’m talking about strong feelings, real relationship. I’m sure there will be a man Lena wants to build a family and kids with, but later.

By the way, Yulia, did you think about an abortion when you got pregnant the first time at 18 years?
Yulia: I had doubts whether I should have the baby or not. When I realized I was pregnant, first I was shocked. 18 years, the career’s ahead. And here you must have a break for a year or even more. Lena supported me so much. She’s more than a friend for me, we’ve been through so many things together, oh man…
Lena: I remember the moment Yulia told me she was pregnant. It was the period of “t.A.T.u. In Underheaven” project (a reality-show based on the life of t.A.T.u.) She told me everything and asked, “What shall we do?” I answered, “Have this baby, of course!”
Yulia: First Lenka supported me, and then my parents did. And doubts were gone. I should give birth!

Do you remember the feelings you had about being a mother at such a young age?
Yulia: Probably, confusion. I was a little girl myself and here’s a baby. I can’t say maternity changed me much. I wasn’t ready to sit home with a baby. Literally two months after a childbirth I left for the US to record a new album. My daughter Vika stayed with my parents and a nurse. I missed her like crazy, I carried her teddy bear with me. However I had no wish to become, you know, a stay-at-home mom knitting scarves and slippers. I think woman should be strong, active, initiative. She should not cross her professional career after having a child.

Does your daughter see her father?
Yulia: No. Vika’s got a father – Parvis. Why encourage the contacts of that man with Vika? Yes, it was fast passion etc… I’ll never regret I had Vika, but I don’t think we need relationships with her father. I have a new family, new relationship. And I have my daughter with me – Victoria Volkova.

Did you baptize your daughter? Is Lena her godmother by any chance?
Yulia: Not Lena. Vika’s god-parents are my father and her nurse. Honestly speaking I didn’t even go to the ceremony. I didn’t want to attend and create publicity around it, to draw media’s attention. I asked the priest if it’s ok that a mother is not present at the ceremony. He said it’s ok.

Is Vika living with you now?
Yulia: No, she lives with a nanny in her [Vika’s] apartment. The case is, me and Parvis bought a new apartment and it is being renovated now. I don’t think a baby would feel good in the middle of paint and dust, but as soon as renovation’s finished, we’ll all move there.

Surrounded by Cameras

Lena, when Yulia told you that she’s pregnant again, how did you react?
Lena: I jumped up to the ceiling. It is such happiness! Especially to have a baby from the man who loves her and whom she loves. I like Parvis very much. I like that Yulka feels happy with him!
Yulia: I didn’t doubt a second - to give birth or not. I just informed everybody – I will, and that’s it. I’m not eighteen anymore. Twenty three after all!

Yulia, why did you hypnotize people telling you’re going to give birth and broadcast the process?
Yulia: I was so damn annoyed by media with various questions and I just joked, “The whole country will see the birth!” And in a split second all newspapers spread the news. I’m not going to give birth like that. What for? You’re lying so green, sweaty, wet. Maybe some pregnant girl sees this horror on TV and changes her mind to give birth.

So t.A.T.u. also has its taboo after all: To give birth and broadcast it live is not for you. Any plans after the important event? As I expect you’re not going to stay home?
Yulia: I’m not. The new album “Waste Management” is out in spring. By “waste” we mean not only waste that disturbs normal people, but also negative emotions. Everyone should fight his inner negativity… We plan to shoot one more video, then concerts, promo-tour. A load of work.

I see your life’s booked for the next few months. And there were people who didn’t believe t.A.T.u. stayed alive after you left your ex-producer Ivan Shapovalov. Do you keep in touch with him now?
Yulia: No. We’ve no common interests. Ivan helped us very much back then, but it happens in business that people choose different directions. Me and Lenka, we’ve never regret that we left. Fortunately we parted peacefully and everything was civilized, no courts. We’ve no negative feelings towards Ivan. Let everything be ok with him. And we are ok already.

How do you see your future in twenty years?
Lena: I don’t want to look so far. You know, they say, “If you want to make God laugh, just tell him about your plans.”
Yulia: And I see myself on stage! Take Madonna – she performs at fifty and it’s ok. Although… It can also happen that one morning I wake up and understand that I want to be a pilot. Everything can happen.
Lena: Yulek, you’ll sing “Not Gonna Get Us” before taking off!

Replies: 2 Comments

on Friday, February 1st, Jessica said

I love how Lena's all, "oh, I don't want to look to far into the future, God will decide." And Yulia's all "oh yeah, I'm gonna be like Madonna at 50 or maybe I'll be a pilot!"
I love them. =)

on Friday, February 1st, JC said

What a great Interview! Many by Volk's standards, interesting....