Julia Volkova

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Julia Volkova
Julia Volkova wearing a jacket and looking away from the camera
Volkova in 2014
Born
Yulia Olegovna Volkova

(1985-02-20) 20 February 1985 (age 39)
Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
OccupationSinger
Years active1994–present
Children2
Musical career
Genres
Instrument(s)
Labels
  • T.A. Music
  • Gala Records
Formerly ofNeposedi, t.A.T.u.

Yulia Olegovna Volkova (Russian: Юлия Олеговна Волкова; born 20 February 1985), better known by the alternative spelling of Julia, is a Russian singer best known for being a member of the Russian girl group t.A.T.u., along with Lena Katina. Formed in Moscow, Russia by Ivan Shapovalov in March 1999, the group signed a record deal with Universal Music Russia, and eventually Universal's sub-label Interscope Records in 2001.

The group's first single, "All the Things She Said", topped the charts in countries including Australia, Austria, Denmark, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland, the United States, and the United Kingdom, but also generated controversy due to the girls kissing onscreen. The group recorded three studio albums in English, including their bestselling 200 km/h in the Wrong Lane, three Russian albums, and four compilation albums. They also worked on other projects, including the 2011 film You and I, and opened T.A. Music, a Russia-based record label. In March 2011, t.A.T.u.'s management issued a press release officially stating that the duo had split.

Volkova signed a solo contract with Gala Records in June 2011, and released her debut single, "All Because of You", in November 2011.[2] The song was also released in a Russian-language version under the title "Сдвину мир" (I'll Change the World).[2] Her worldwide debut single, titled "Didn't Wanna Do It", was released on 21 August 2012.

Life and career[edit]

1985–1994: Early years and career beginning[edit]

Volkova was born on 20 February 1985 in Moscow, Russia, to a middle-class family. Her father, Oleg Volkov, was a businessman and her mother, Larissa Volkova, was a hairdresser.[3] At the age of 6, Volkova enrolled in music school and began learning how to play the piano. When she was 9, she became a member of Russia's children's chorus Neposedy, where she would meet future fellow t.A.T.u. singer, Lena Katina.[4] At age 11, Volkova transferred to a school fostering artistic talent, and three years later left Neposedy to join t.A.T.u. She has insisted that she was banned from Neposedy for misbehaving,[5] but Neposedy representatives deny this, saying that she simply graduated as all of their members did at a certain age.

1999–2011: Formation of t.A.T.u.[edit]

t.A.T.u. performing in Moscow, Russia in 2008

Creator and former manager of t.A.T.u., Ivan Shapovalov, formulated the image of the duo in order to capitalise on the common fascination and fantasy of schoolgirl lesbians, and to appeal to a diverse fan base.[6] Shapovalov managed the act until 2004, when the two performers came out and revealed that Shapovalov had implemented the lesbian persona, and that they were even told what to say in interviews.[6]

t.A.T.u. soon became the most successful Russian group of all time, scoring a number of hits with "All the Things She Said", "Not Gonna Get Us", and "All About Us". They also took part in the Eurovision Song Contest 2003 and finished third with "Ne Ver', Ne Boysia", only three points behind the winner, Turkey. They recorded three English-language studio albums: 200 km/h in the Wrong Lane, Dangerous and Moving, and Waste Management; three Russian-language studio albums were issued: 200 Po Vstrechnoy, Lyudi Invalidy, and Vesyolye Ulybki.

Many Russian websites started claiming Volkova had left t.A.T.u. to go solo in March 2009. The official blog rejected the claims that she had quit, but stated that both girls would be doing separate solo projects from now on and t.A.T.u was no longer a full-time job. However, in early January, the duo released a video in which they said they were still together and were planning more songs in 2010.[7]

It was announced in March 2011 that t.A.T.u. was officially disbanded. The duo celebrated their twelve years together, and released two remix albums, titled Waste Management Remixes pt. 1 and Waste Management Remixes pt. 2.

2011–present: Musical work after t.A.T.u.[edit]

After the breakup of t.A.T.u., Volkova made an announcement on her YouTube channel, launching her website and mentioning that she was working on a solo album in Moscow and Los Angeles.[8]

On 16 August 2011, Volkova announced on her website, as well as on Facebook and Twitter, that she had officially signed with Russian label Gala Records, a subsidiary of EMI records. She also stated that her new single, "All Because of You/Сдвину мир", would be released in late August, with an accompanying video. Two weeks after the announcement, her official site reported that the singer would be returning to the studio to complete an additional recording session for "All Because of You/Сдвину мир", and that the single would be officially released in October. For a third time, the release was postponed until November. Though fans hoped for "All Because of You" to premiere on the radio prior to Volkova's South American tour, it was planned to premiere during her first performance in Rio de Janeiro on 17 November 2011. The Russian version, "Сдвину мир", premiered on Lenta.ru on 11 November 2011.[2] The song was recorded in Sweden and was produced by Niclas Molinder, Joacim Persson, Johan Fransson, Tim Larsson, and Tobias Lundgren.[2] A music video accompanied it, directed by Evan Winter.[9][10] The music video was released on 2 December 2011, premiering on Ello.com and Volkova's website.[11]

Volkova also announced she would travel to South America for a promotional tour, where she would perform some songs by t.A.T.u. and some of her solo material.[12] "All Because of You" peaked at number 247 in her native Russia.[13]

On 1 March 2012, it was reported by the press that Volkova was one of the 25 artists in the final selection who would be competing in order to represent Russia at the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 in Baku, Azerbaijan. Russian broadcaster RTR later confirmed her participation. She entered the competition together with Eurovision 2008 winner Dima Bilan as a duo, with the song "Back to Her Future". They finished in second place with 29.25 points, behind the winning entry, "Party for Everybody", by Russian ethno-pop band Buranovskiye Babushki, with 38.51 points.[14]

Julia Volkova in 2012

On 11 July 2012, Volkova's Facebook administrator announced on the t.A.T.u. page that Volkova was finishing her second single, titled "Didn't Wanna Do It", due out in July 2012. It was to be her first worldwide single.[15][16]

In late 2012, Volkova had surgery on her vocal cords and continued to perform while recovering.

In 2014, Volkova held a series of performances with her former bandmate Lena Katina under their previous name, t.A.t.u, which culminated in a television performance for the Olympic Games in Russia. However, shortly after, Katina accused Volkova of blackmailing her, putting an end to t.A.T.u as a band. Volkova denied the accusations.[citation needed] A single they had recorded, "Любовь в каждом мгновении" ("Love in Every Moment"), was released as a collaboration rather than as a t.A.t.u song, and also included the artists Ligalize and Mike Tompkins.[17] In 2013, Volkova launched her own line of shoes, C & C shoes by Julia Volkova.[18]

In 2016, Volkova talked for the first time about her disease, revealing that in 2012, she was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. During a complex surgery to remove the tumour, her laryngeal nerve was damaged, causing her to lose her voice. She has sought further treatment to recover her singing ability.[19]

Acting career[edit]

In 1996 and 1998, Volkova participated in sketches from the children's comedy TV show Yeralash.[20][21]

Volkova made her film début alongside Lena Katina and Mischa Barton in the film You and I, the story of two teenage girls who meet and fall in love at a Moscow t.A.T.u. concert. The film is based on the novel t.A.T.u. Come Back, which was in turn based on true events.[22]

In August 2011, Volkova participated in the shooting of the movie Zombie Fever (previously titled Fear Mongers and also 9½ Zombies). According to the post on her official site, Zombie Fever is a Russian-language zombie horror/comedy movie shot on location in Minsk, Belarus. Produced by New Wave Production in the style of such films as Zombieland or Shaun of the Dead, Zombie Fever premiered on 15 August 2013 in Russia under the local title Zombie holidays 3D. Volkova plays the heroine, Natasha.

The video for the song "Любовь в каждом мгновении" ("Love in Every Moment") was launched as a short film named Together Apart in 2014 as part of project CORNETTO's CUPIDITY. In the film, Volkova is one of the cupids who try to make a young couple, in a long-distance romance, get together. Also on 18 February 2014, the singer/actress made a cameo in an episode of the Slovak daily television series Panelák.

Political career[edit]

In April 2021, Volkova announced that she would be standing in the September 2021 Russian legislative elections as the United Russia Party candidate to represent Ivanovo in the State Duma.[23] In the primary election for the party's nomination, Volkova received only 919 votes, losing to Mikhail Kizeev, a relatively unknown member of the Ivanovo Oblast Duma, who received over 36,000 votes.[24][25][26][27]

Personal life[edit]

In May 2004, Volkova announced that she was pregnant by her then longtime boyfriend Pavel Sidorov, which caused some controversy due to Sidorov already having a wife and daughter.[28] Their daughter, Viktoria Pavlovna "Vika" Volkova, was born on 23 September 2004, in Moscow. Volkova does not keep in contact with Sidorov.[29][30]

In 2007, Volkova had a long-term relationship with Uzbek businessman Parviz Yasinov.[3] The press reported that she and Yasinov got married.[31][32] Volkova gave birth to a boy named Samir on 27 December 2007, again in Moscow.[33] In 2008, it was speculated by the media that she was diagnosed with postpartum depression,[34] but it was never confirmed.[35] In 2010, Volkova confirmed that she and Yasinov had broken up, but denied claims that she had been separated from her son.[36]

In 2012, Volkova was diagnosed with stage I papillary thyroid cancer. She underwent surgery at a Moscow hospital, during which her thyroid was removed, along with the tumor itself. During the surgery, her vocal nerves were damaged and she lost the ability to speak properly. The tumor did not metastasize and she did not require chemotherapy; instead, she underwent hormonal therapy. Volkova later underwent two surgeries to restore her vocal cords in Israel and was treated twice in Germany. The treatments were unsuccessful, though she got another surgery in South Korea and was later able to recover her voice. In 2019, she had a relapse of cancer, underwent a course of treatment, and became cancer-free again in October of the same year.[37]

Religion[edit]

In March 2013, Volkova confirmed in Hello Magazine that she converted to Islam in 2010, saying, "I don't wear typical Muslim clothes, but I converted to Islam because it's the closest to my heart." When asked if she would want to live in a Muslim country, she answered, "Why not?"[38][39] In 2017, she returned to Eastern Orthodox Christianity.[40][41][42]

Sexuality[edit]

In many interviews, Volkova has officially confirmed that she is bisexual, stating, "I still like boys and girls. Even my current husband, Volodya, sitting in front of me, would confirm that he knows about my stories with girls. For me, this is a current issue. Quite recently, I had a girlfriend that I liked ... This is not even the echoes of the past, this is what I now live in..."[43]

Homophobic remarks[edit]

In September 2014, Volkova appeared as a contestant on a Ukrainian game show called Lie Detector and made comments considered to be homophobic. The show's host asked the singer if she would condemn her son for being gay, to which Volkova responded, "Yes, I would condemn him because I believe that a real man must be a real man...a man has no right to be a fag". In spite of this, she also said, "Two girls together—not the same thing as two men together. It seems to me that lesbians look aesthetically much nicer..." She also stated the she is not "against gays" and that they are still "better than murderers, thieves, or drug addicts".[44] Nevertheless, her perspective on male homosexuality sparked outrage on social media, where she was seen as extremely hypocritical and biased.[45]

Her former bandmate, Lena Katina, reacted by saying, "God is teaching us to live in love, to be tolerant and not to judge other people!...I think everybody should be free to love who they love and be with who they want to spend their life with!"[44][45][46] Later that month, Volkova appeared to have addressed the comments at a concert, stating, "[I]t is impossible to love each other and then just forget everything. It is impossible. And I am very happy to see those people here today with whom this relationship survived. And this relationship will go a long long time no matter what". She went on to say, "The only thing that is important is feeling...inside" and "I love you very much, honestly, and I never said I don't".[47]

Feud with Lena Katina[edit]

The feud between Volkova and Katina started when Volkova expressed her opinion on Katina's solo career back in 2010, saying: "She has the right to [sing t.A.T.u. songs], but it's so stupid, absolutely stupid. If you do a solo career, it means that you do your own work. Her stuff that she makes, I think, is silly and very soon her career will wither away and disappear."[48] Katina responded to this via her YouTube page, saying: "I saw Julia's interview. Of course I got upset. But I want to tell everybody that I have a completely opposite attitude towards the whole situation, Julia's project included. I believe she's a very talented person and I sincerely hope that she'll be successful in all the things she plans."[49] The group officially disbanded in 2011.

In a January 2012 interview, Volkova stated that she no longer communicates with Lena Katina.[50] The duo reunited briefly in 2012–14 with a performance at The Voice of Romania while promoting the re-released edition of 200 km/h in the Wrong Lane; a concert in Kyiv; and a pre-opening performance at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. On 17 February 2014, Katina posted a video message on her official YouTube channel stating that she would no longer be working with Volkova.[51] However, on 20 February, Volkova posted a video message saying that there is "no big reunion" but t.A.T.u. were having "joint projects". She also criticised Katina's "meaning" behind the video and confirmed that they would be shooting a video for the new single.[52] On 5 March 2014, Volkova posted another video message on her official YouTube channel in response to Katina's video. She stated that despite "reasons of severe trepidation on the part of Lena about [Volkova] and [her] behaviour," collaboration between the two was possible, referring to the release of their new single as well as their music video.[53]

On 22 May 2014, both singers introduced the video Together Apart at the Cannes Film Festival, which was part of Cornetto Ru's "A Sight of Cupid" project containing several short films about love. The video accompanied their song "Любовь в каждом мгновении" ("Love in Every Moment"), which was recorded together with musicians Ligalize and Mike Tompkins.[54]

The duo publicly reunited again in May 2016 at the 25th anniversary celebration of the children's musical group Neposedy, which both had been members of before the formation of t.A.T.u. There, together with the children, Katina sang her song "All Around the World"; together with Volkova, she sang "Нас не догонят" ("Not Gonna Get Us").[55][56][57]

In September 2022, Katina and Volkova performed together under the name t.A.T.u. at the Dinamo Stadium in Minsk, Belarus, as part of the Ovion Show event.[58] This was followed by another performance at a sporting event at the Gazprom Stadium in Saint Petersburg in May 2023.[59]

Discography[edit]

With Neposedi[edit]

  • 1997: Пусть миром правит любовь (studio album)

With t.A.T.u.[edit]

See t.A.T.u. discography

Solo singles[edit]

  • 2011: "Сдвину мир" / "All Because of You"
  • 2012: "Любовь-сука" / "Back to Her Future" (feat. Dima Bilan)
  • 2012: "Didn't Wanna Do It" / "Давай закрутим землю"
  • 2014: "Любовь в каждом мгновении" (feat. Lena Katina, Ligalize, and Mike Tompkins)
  • 2015: "Держи рядом"
  • 2016: "Спасите, люди, мир"
  • 2017: "Просто забыть"

Appearances[edit]

Music videos[edit]

  • 2011 – "All Because of You" / "Сдвину мир"
  • 2012 – "Didn't Wanna Do It" / "Давай закрутим землю"
  • 2012 – "Любовь-Сука" (feat. Dima Bilan)
  • 2015 – "Держи рядом"

Filmography[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "• View topic – Julia Volkova's Solo Album [Confirmed News]". Juliavolkova.com. Archived from the original on 11 February 2013. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
  2. ^ a b c d "• View topic – PREMIERED: Сдвину мир // All Because of You". Juliavolkova.com. Archived from the original on 30 March 2012. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
  3. ^ a b "Юлия Волкова (Julia Volkova) – биография и фото Юлия Волкова (Julia Volkova), статьи на". Wday.ru. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
  4. ^ "t.A.T.u. Eng History" (in Russian). Tatu.ru. 20 February 1985. Archived from the original on 5 February 2009. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
  5. ^ "T.A.T.U. (TATU) Biography". Sweetslyrics. 16 May 2001. Archived from the original on 26 March 2012. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
  6. ^ a b "What became of Tatu – the infamous teenage 'lesbian' band?". rbth.com. 25 December 2018. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
  7. ^ "t.A.T.u. Wish You A Happy New Year 2010". YouTube. 30 December 2009. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
  8. ^ "Message from Julia Volkova". YouTube. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
  9. ^ "All Because of You". Julia Volkova. Archived from the original on 20 November 2011. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
  10. ^ "News Update". Julia Volkova. Archived from the original on 11 February 2012. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
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  12. ^ "Julia to Tour South America". Julia Volkova. Archived from the original on 11 February 2012. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
  13. ^ "Основные параметры ротации трека на радиостанциях, работающих в системе". Tophit.ru. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
  14. ^ "Объявлен список претендентов на "Евровидение-2012" – LIFE | NEWS Шоубиз". Lifenews.ru. 29 March 2012. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
  15. ^ "Great news! We..." Facebook. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
  16. ^ "Twitter / JuliaVolkova: We've just announced the title". Twitter.com. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
  17. ^ "Julia Volkova , Lena Katina , Ligalize & Mike Tompkins * – Love in Every Moment". discogs.com (in Russian). 7 April 2014. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
  18. ^ "Presentation of the brand C&C shoes by Julia Volkova". shoes-report.com. 4 October 2013. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
  19. ^ "t.A.T.u. singer: 'Surgery damaged my voice'". peoplemagazine.co.za. 8 April 2016. Retrieved 27 December 2020.[permanent dead link]
  20. ^ "Ералаш №145 "Манекен"" [Eralash #145 "Mannequin"]. YouTube (in Russian). Yeralash. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
  21. ^ "Ералаш №136 "Выручи меня!"" [Yeralash # 136 "Help me out!"]. YouTube (in Russian). Yeralash. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
  22. ^ (in Russian) t.A.T.u. Eng Feedback. Tatu.ru. Retrieved on 7 May 2011.
  23. ^ Kelleher, Patrick (29 April 2021). "STatu singer announces run for Russian parliament with backing from Putin's party". PinkNews. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  24. ^ Mirovalev, Mansur (5 July 2021). "Celebrities and the cult of Russia's President Putin". www.aljazeera.com. Al Jazeera. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
  25. ^ Eckel, Mike (6 June 2021). "Walk Of Stars: Will Celebrity Candidates Boost Interest In Lackluster Duma Election?". RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
  26. ^ "Экс-солистка «Тату» Юлия Волкова проиграла праймериз «Единой России»". www.znak.com (in Russian). 31 May 2021. Archived from the original on 31 May 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
  27. ^ "Депутаты". www.ivoblduma.ru (in Russian). Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
  28. ^ Julia Volkova – Tatu Singer Is Pregnant – Contactmusic News. Contactmusic.com. Retrieved on 10 February 2011.
  29. ^ Юля Волкова: беременная и без мужа – Тусовка России. Yoki.ru. Retrieved on 10 February 2011.
  30. ^ t.A.T.u. Юля Волкова . Горячие Новости: Волкова-Ясинов: скоро свадьба! Archived 14 August 2009 at the Wayback Machine. Loveradio.ru. Retrieved on 10 February 2011.
  31. ^ (in Russian) t.A.T.u. Eng News Archived 23 March 2007 at the Wayback Machine. Tatu.ru. Retrieved on 10 February 2011.
  32. ^ "Юля Волкова: Я беременна! (Yulia Volkova: I am pregnant)". Archived from the original on 24 February 2008. Retrieved 16 August 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link), Твой ДЕНЬ, 5 June 2007
  33. ^ (in Russian) t.A.T.u. Eng News Archived 16 January 2009 at the Wayback Machine. Tatu.ru. Retrieved on 10 February 2011.
  34. ^ Юля Волкова погрязла в депрессии/Yulia Volkova bogged down in depression
  35. ^ (in Russian) t.A.T.u. Дневники Archived 3 January 2009 at the Wayback Machine. Tatu.ru. Retrieved on 10 February 2011
  36. ^ Юлия Волкова Archived 6 June 2010 at the Wayback Machine. Ok-magazine.ru. Retrieved on 10 February 2011.
  37. ^ "«Хрипела, сипела»: Волкова о неудачном удалении опухоли" ["Wheezing, Wheezing": Volkova on the Unsuccessful Removal of Her Tumor]. gazeta.ru (in Russian). 27 August 2020. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  38. ^ Translation to Julia's interview in Russian "Hello"-thanks to me(Nika). AllMyLove.Org. Retrieved on 14 March 2013.
  39. ^ Юлия Волкова. star-gossip.com. Retrieved on 12 March 2011.
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  41. ^ "Юля Волкова вернулась в православие". Retrieved 1 March 2017.
  42. ^ "Бывшая "татушка" Юлия Волкова вернулась из ислама в православие". Retrieved 1 March 2017.
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  44. ^ a b "t.A.T.u singer reveals she's a raging homophobe". Evie Grabowiecki, Ninemsn. 20 September 2014. Retrieved 20 September 2014.
  45. ^ a b "Tatu 'lesbian' Yulia Volkova makes homophobic slur: All The Things She Said singer says she wouldn't accept her son if he was gay". Ella Alexander, The Independent. Retrieved 20 September 2014.
  46. ^ Katina, Lena (18 September 2014). "Lena Katina – Hey, all! I am seeing some comments lately regarding..." Facebook. Retrieved 20 September 2014.
  47. ^ McCormick, Joseph (23 September 2014). "Watch: t.A.T.u. singer apologise for saying she 'condemns' gays… kind of". PinkNews. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  48. ^ "Yulia Volkova calls Katina's solo project "silly" ! (Subtitled)". youtube.com. 21 July 2010. Retrieved 19 January 2013.
  49. ^ "Video Blog / Returning to LA". Youtube.com. 20 July 2010. Retrieved 19 January 2013.
  50. ^ (In Russian)
  51. ^ Обращение Лены Катиной к поклонникам (18.02.14). 17 February 2014 – via YouTube.
  52. ^ Julia Volkova: Everything is ok between me and Lena Katina. 20 February 2014 – via YouTube.
  53. ^ Appeal to fans of Julia Volkova (English Subs) 05.03.14. 5 March 2014 – via YouTube.
  54. ^ Юля Волкова & Лена Катина & Лигалайз & Майк Томпкинс – Любовь в каждом мгновении. 6 April 2014 – via YouTube.
  55. ^ «Непоседы» с размахом отметили своё 25-летие в Лужниках Archived 3 June 2016 at the Wayback Machine
  56. ^ "t.A.T.u. – Nas Ne Dogonyat (Live 2016) "Neposedi 25"". youtube.com. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
  57. ^ «Непоседы» с размахом отметили своё 25-летие в Лужниках Archived 3 June 2016 at the Wayback Machine
  58. ^ "Группа "Тату" воссоединилась в Минске для выступления" [The group t.A.T.u. reunited in Minsk for a performance]. RIA Novosti (in Russian). Russia. 5 September 2022. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  59. ^ "Группа "Тату" воссоединится в мае" [The group t.A.T.u. will reunite in May]. RIA Novosti (in Russian). Russia. 24 March 2023. Retrieved 15 May 2023.

External links[edit]

Preceded by Russia in the Eurovision Song Contest
2003
(as part of t.A.T.u.)
Succeeded by