Pop group tATu to reunite in time for 20th anniversary of ‘All The Things She Said’

Yulia Volkova and Lena Katina of tATu (Getty Images)

Early noughties pop group tATu are reuniting for their 20th anniversary next year.

The Russian duo — Yulia Volkova and Lena Katina — shot to fame in 2003 with their single All The Things She Said gaining notoriety for the music video in which they dressed as schoolgirls and kissed in the rain.

Katina, 37, posted a message on Instagram announcing ‘tATu’s comeback’, and speaking in her native Russian, encouraged fans to make requests for what they wanted.

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“The official TATU tribute in the spring of 2022!. Please comment and name the artists/DJ you would like to hear with us on the stage. Your opinion is important to us!”

Lena Katina and Yulia Volkova from tATu kiss during a concert in 2002. (Getty Images)

The band continued to perform until 2011, reuniting for a one-off performance as part of the opening of the Winter Olympics in Sochi.

They later revealed their ‘lesbian relationship’ was a marketing ploy by their producer and director Ivan Shapovalov.

The move was condemned by press and commentators who claimed the decision was “promoting paedophilia” as they were 17 at the time and dressed like they were still in school.

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Richard Madeley was one of those who condemned the band, saying at the time: “We are being told that these girls actually have underage lesbian sex in real life and we are being told by their manager that he spotted a gap in the market – a paedophile gap in the market.

“That’s sick and it’s wrong and personally I think Polydor should not be selling the record in this country. I think they are supporting a straightforward open paedophile message and that’s terrible.”

Julia Volkova and Lena Katina of tATu perform at Festivalbar. (WireImage)

Despite All The Things She Said becoming a gay anthem — and the pair being seen as trailblazers for lesbian visibility before their lie was exposed — Volkova has since come under fire for homophobic comments, saying in 2014 she would refuse to accept her son if he came out as gay.

She said in the Russian TV interview: “Yes, I would condemn him, because I believe that a real man must be a real man. God created man for procreation, it is the nature. The man for me is the support, the strength of… I won’t accept a gay son.”

But then in a bizarre twist, she added that gay women are “aesthetically much nicer” and added: “I want to say that I’m not against gays, I just want my son to be a real man, not a f**. I believe that being gay is all still better than murderers, thieves or drug addicts. If you choose out of all this, being gay is better than the rest.”

The comments were slammed by Katina, who later came out with a statement of her own supporting the LGBTQ+ community.

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“I am seeing some comments lately regarding my position about LGBT and my religion,” she wrote in a statement. “I can say one thing: God is teaching us to live in love, to be tolerant and not to judge other people! And I do so!

“Love is love and it is a wonderful feeling! I think everybody should be free to love who they love and be with who they want to spend their life with!”

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