A lot of things have been written about the Russian popduo t.A.T.u lately; even in OKEJ. But really, what kind of relationship does these girls have? Are they lesbians, or is it a big scheme? OKEJ's reporter, Olga Forsgren, met Lena and Julia during a visit in Prague, and got the chance to ask the question everyone is dying to ask - in their native language.
When the debutsingle "All The Things She Said" was aired on Mtv for the first time the spekulations regarding the lesbianism of Julia and Lena in t.A.T.u started. In the video the girls kiss and look just like they're in love. They've said during numerous interviews that they're lesbians and a couple. But not too long ago rumours about boyfriends spread, and that their image is one big scheme to shock the public. OKEJ went to Prague to sort it all out in Russian! But to get a proper answer out of these girls seem to be easier said than done - and as usual Julia answers most of the questions.
How's the new cd coming along?
-It's working out fine. The lyrics are almost finished, but they need to be polished. It's important that it sounds like us, Julia says.
Have you written any of the new songs on your own?
-No, but we have great composers and writers. They know us well enough to know that when we arrive to the studio, not many things need to be edited. Besides. Our producer knows what we want and what's special to us, Julia says.
Julia reveals that the theme of this coming cd is going to be similar to the previous one, but with a more massive music.
-You'll get to hear what it all sounds like when the cd is released. It's going to be less pop, though.
The girls age is also something that will affect the sound.
-The music grows with us, Julia says. We won't be doing the same kind of music when we're 20-25 years old as we did when we were 15.
-Every song is written about us and how we feel, Lena interposes.
[-People shouldn't give a damn about our privatelife, Julia says.
Welcome to showbiz, girls...]
No one could possibly have missed the fact that t.A.T.u have made it big in entire Europe, and the winning recipe for success, according to the girls, is their honesty and openess.
-We live the way we want to and are not afraid of anything. There's lots of manufactured bands out there with a given image. t.A.T.u is not one of those bands! Julia confirms.
A while back news about the girls sexuality took a turn when rumours about bofriends was spread; and that the kissing in the video to "All The Things She Said" was mearly a way to shock people...
The girls don't understand all the fuss about the rumour regarding possible boyfriends, and they refuse to believe this will hurt their image.
-No one can tell if we are lesbians or heterosexuals. Maybe we're bisexuals? No one knows about our personal life. People can believe what they want. Sure, there's a possibility that we have boyfriends, even though Lena and I have a similar relationship, Julia says with a secretive look.
Is that a new version? That you have boyfriends, but still date eachother?
-No one can know for sure, Julia says
-It's not a new version. It's not important at all. We might have boyfriends; we might not. We can have a relationship at times and still be separated for a while, Lena says.
-As I said, no one knows anything about our private life. It's a fact that we are dating, and what's going on behind stage... well, no one knows. Maybe we have boyfriends, Julia says, in the same secretive way as before.
Wierd answers, to say the least, from the Russian duo, who are recitent about the situation and clearly annoyed by the question. A lot of people claim the girls don't mean what they're saying. The girls claim it's pure B.S.
-We don't want to tell everyone we meet that we have boyfriends. It's as simple as that. People shouldn't be bothered about our private life. We create music, we're artists. The most important thing for us is the music, the lyrics and the stage, Julia says.
It's not easy being a popstar, especially when the press guard them and, as the British press does, write negative things. Those are the moments when it's good to be t.A.T.u, - nothing seem to affect these cocky girls.
-You might've read that I'm covered in make-up all the time, Julia sighs. That's okey. Every journalist try to write an article that sells, to try and shock the readers. They can't always write that we are cute and nice.
Julia and Lena doesn't seem to care about what the press writes in England. They believe the European community is more narrow-minded than the American.
-People in USA are pretty simple. They don't hide their feelings. They live the way they want to, says Julia. Take Moscow for instance. Everyone is fixated by appereance, while in USA everyone dresses in any way they want to. They kiss when they feel like it and no one hides it. Everything is out in the open!
The last thing we talk about is the fans and what the girls think about their fans.
-We like our fans a lot. Fans are sacred to an artist. No fans, no artist, Julia explain.
-We sing for our fans as well as for our own pleasure, Lena says.
Are you not afraid that some maniac will barge up on stage?
-We have bodyguards, Julia says.
-There was one time though, In St. Petersburg, where a guy jumped up on stage and threw a knife at us. Everything is posible, Lena explains.
-There's one thing I have to say though , Julia says in a firm tone of voice. You have to live in love. If you're afraid then you can't be an artist. But if you carry love inside your soul, a love you'd like to give to your fans, then you enter the stage and give everything you've got and don't think about what might happen.
-Right. Whatever happens happens. We all live under the same God, Lena says, finishing the conversation.
