The iconic Russian duo t.A.T.u., remembered for their hits from the early 2000s and for representing Russia at Eurovision 2003, is reuniting after years of individual pursuits by its members.
After years of distance and less successful solo careers, the girls who formed the iconic Russian group t.A.T.u. are returning to collaborate and perform together. The duo is expected to resume joint performances, having become a household name in the 2000s with major hits like “All The Things She Said,” “All About Us“, and of course, “Ne Ver’, Ne Boisia” (in English: “Don’t believe, don’t be afraid”) which reached third place at Eurovision 2003 under the Russian flag. Fans are eagerly awaiting the nostalgic performances that bring back the unforgettable music and the special chemistry between Elena Katina and Yulia Volkova.
In 2011, after 12 years of musical creation, the group’s management announced its dissolution due to personal conflicts between the singers and their desire to focus on solo careers. In the years following the breakup, both tried to progress individually, but success wasn’t always on their side. Katina released several songs, with the most notable being “Never Forget“, which managed to top the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart for a week in 2011. Volkova, on the other hand, also ventured into the film world, participating in a comedy movie, but failed to create interest in the music charts.
Recently, we learned that Volkova and Katina are planning a reunion for joint performances at private events, where they are willing to perform together and separately. This comes against the backdrop of the severe economic crisis hitting Russia due to its invasion of Ukraine. Despite the unimpressive individual success, their joint return to the stage increases their performance value in the eyes of both producers and fans. According to reports, a joint performance by t.A.T.u. costs about 15 million rubles, a much higher amount than a performance by each individually. A 40-minute performance by Volkova is estimated at 1.2 million rubles, while a performance by Katina costs 1.1 million rubles.
Behind this reunion lies a touching personal story. Volkova almost lost her voice after being diagnosed with a thyroid tumor in 2012. During the surgery to remove the tumor, her vocal cords were damaged, leading to a whole year where she could only whisper and deal with the severe consequences of the surgery. The rehabilitation process was long and painful, but Volkova didn’t give up, undergoing additional surgeries in Germany, Japan, and Korea, until she managed to start speaking again and regain her ability to sing.
Even after the breakup in 2011, Elena and Yulia performed together several times on various occasions, such as on the reality show “The Voice” in Romania in 2012, and at a VIP club in Russia in 2013. In 2014, the duo even performed at the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Sochi, a move that sparked mixed reactions due to their provocative image and questions about the state of LGBTQ+ rights in Russia.
Fans, who never lost hope even during the long break years, continued to support and circulate petitions for a group reunion. Now, with the return to performances, they hope this reunion will become long-term and bring back all the energy and special chemistry the duo had at the beginning of their career. t.A.T.u. is still considered one of the most iconic groups to come out of Russia, and their influence on international popular music is still felt today.
Russia at Eurovision
“Russian Woman” is the name of the song performed by Manizha in the second semi-final of Eurovision 2021. Russia reached ninth place in the Grand Final with 204 points. Russia has competed in the Eurovision Song Contest 24 times since joining the competition in 1994. To date, Russia has won only once, in 2008, with the song “Believe” performed by singer Dima Bilan. Russia has reached second place four times and third place four times. So far, Russia has failed only once to qualify for the competition’s final. In 2022, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) decided to suspend Russia’s membership until further notice due to its invasion of Ukraine.
Source: Vokrug.tv
Eurovision 2021: This was Russia’s 24th participation in Eurovision. Russia joined the competition in 1994 and won it once, in Eurovision 2008 with the song “Believe” performed by singer Dima Bilan.
