Faux-lesbian Russian pop duo t.A.T.u. look almost unrecognisable as they confirm comeback plans 20 years after topping the charts with their hit song All The Things She Said
Russian pop duo t.A.T.u. have confirmed plans to reunite almost 20 years after topping the charts with their mega hit All The Things She Said.
But longtime fans may have trouble recognising the faux-lesbian hitmakers when they return to the spotlight next year.
Lena Katina, 37, and Yulia Volkova, 36, have changed drastically since their days as rebellious teenagers kissing in the rain.
They're back! Russian pop duo t.A.T.u. have confirmed plans to reunite almost 20 years after topping the charts with their mega hit All The Things She Said. (Pictured 2002)
Yulia seems to have changed the most, with the brunette now sporting extremely plump lips and a taut visage to the point of appearing unrecognisable.
The scandalous star welcomed her first child, a daughter named Viktoria, in 2004 when she was just 19-years-old. She later gave birth to a baby boy named Samir in 2007 with her now ex-husband Parviz Yasinov.
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The mum-of-two has continued to make headlines over the years, after briefly converting to Islam in 2010, before returning to her birth religion of Eastern Orthodox Christianity in 2017.
The bisexual songstress shocked fans during a television appearance in 2014 when she made homophobic comments about homosexual men.
Before and after: Yulia Volkova, now 36, has changed drastically since her time as a teen pop star.
When asked if she would condemn her own son for being gay, Yulia 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 f**.'
Despite her strong views, she stated that she didn't have a problem with lesbians.
'Two girls together—not the same thing as two men together. It seems to me that lesbians look aesthetically much nicer.'
In April 2021, she launched a political career as a candidate for Russia's conservative party, United Russia, but was crushed in the legislative election.
Evolution: Yulia seems to have changed the most, with the brunette now sporting extremely plump lips and a taut visage to the point of appearing unrecognisable. (Pictured 2021)
Meanwhile, her bandmate Lena has taken a far less controversial path over the years.
The red head, who appears to have aged naturally with little to no cosmetic surgery, has largely focused on her solo music career since leaving t.A.T.u.
She's released three studio albums so far and topped the U.S. Billboard club chart with her 2011 single Never Forget.
Lena welcomed a son named Aleksandr in 20156 with her then-husband, Sasha Kuzmanović. The couple got divorced in 2019.
Then and now: Lena Katina appears to have aged naturally with little to no cosmetic surgery, has largely focused on her solo music career since leaving t.A.T.u.
Unlike Yulia, Lena has shown support for the LGBT community, stating in 2014: 'I think everybody should be free to love who they love and be with whom they want to spend their life with.'
t.A.T.u. were formed in 1999 in Moscow by Russian music producer Ivan Shapovalov.
They skyrocketed to international fame in 2002 with the English-language release of their single All The Things She Said, which topped the charts in Australia and the UK.
The song's music video caused a huge stir as it showed the pair, who were just 16 and 17 at the time, kissing while dressed in schoolgirl outfits.
Success: The 37-year-old has released three studio albums so far and topped the U.S. Billboard club chart with her 2011 single Never Forget. (Pictured 2020)
It was banned and censored in some countries, although the controversy only served to promote the song further.
At the time, the pair played into a lesbian gimmick where they pretended to be in love with each other and in a relationship.
However, they later admitted that their lesbian persona was a fake marketing gimmick cooked up by Shapovalov for shock value.
Iconic: t.A.T.u. skyrocketed to international fame in 2002 with the English-language release of their single All The Things She Said, which topped the charts in Australia and the UK
Some of their other attention-grabbing publicity stunts included performing on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in 2003 wearing T-shirts that had 'f**k the war' written in Russian, and attempting to run for Russian president in 2004.
Lena and Yulia have been in multiple feuds with each other over the years, and weren't on speaking terms as recently as June this year.
However, this week they both announced on their social media platforms that they are planning to reunite in 2022 for a tribute show and that they are working on a series about their career with a major streaming service.
Scandal: The duo announced that they are planning to reunite in 2022 for a tribute show and that they are working on a series about their career with a major streaming service
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