t.A.T.u. 1999 - 2000

1999

The t.A.T.u. duo is formed. Their created story about two girls who went crazy from love and passion they felt for each other becomes the duo's unique legend. The history reminds everybody that strong feelings such as love are beyond any bounds and pales. 



2000


04 - 07.19.2000 - Videoshooting of 'Ya soshla s uma, Moscow

The accompanying music video to "Ya Soshla S Uma" was directed by Shapovalov, and was shot at the Khodynka Field in Moscow between September 4–7, 2000.
Preparation for the visual consisted of both Volkova and Katina covering themselves in dark-tanning lotion and getting haircuts. Over 90 people were present on set, including extra actors, whilst some members had designed a large brick wall by painting abstract patterns and colors to it. According to Shapovalov, the wall itself cost approximately $3000 USD. After shooting the majority of the scenes in Khodynka Field, Shapovalov moved the wall and iron fence to Kutuzov Avenue, Moscow, in order to shot frames of traffic until the camera changed its focus on the girls again. Shapovalov stated that he wanted the viewers to know that there was a "world behind the crowd of people."
The video was broadcast in Russia and Europe in early December 2000 on MTV.
The music video opens with a panning view of a fence and people with umbrellas on the left, eventually zooming out on an audience looking through it in the rain. Both Volkova and Katina are then shown singing to the track in catholic school uniforms. Throughout the majority of the visual, the girls are featured performing erratic behavior, which includes them banging against a fence, yelling for help towards the audience, and occasionally laughing at them. While continuing to sing to each other during the second chorus, they subsequently start to kiss, and audience slightly stares at their actions. Following this, several members of the public start to talk to each other, whilst a shot with the camera looking up Volkova's skirt and exposing her underwear is shown during the process.
The bridge section has the girls laying in water while snow starts to fall. At the last portion of the chorus, t.A.T.u. are portrayed pointing in different directions, until they both walk around corner and see a vast field, where the sun is breaking out of the clouds; they clasp hands and walk off into the distance. The people on the other side of the fence are left in an eerie green light with rain falling steadily; it is also revealed that they are the ones isolated behind the fence. The video's final scene has the girls further walking in the distance. Several frames from "Ya Soshla S Uma" did not appear in the visual for "All The Things She Said" due to lip-syncing issues. Like "All The Things She Said", the video generated controversy for having the duo kissing, with critics particularly believing it prompt paedophilia and lesbianism.
An editor from The Age commented that the impact of the video for "Ya Soshla s Uma" was generally lukewarm.
The music video won the MTV Video Music Award among the Russian nominees of 2000, marking the group's first nomination and win at the ceremony. Despite this, it caused controversy in Russia similarly to the cultural impact of "All The Things She Said". This resulted in the clip being banned on MTV Russia due to its propaganda-approach on lesbianism and gay rights; a censored version was edited by Shapovalov, omitting any sexual references. According to Jon Kutner, writing in his book 1000 UK Number One Hits, the idea of school girls behind an iron fence courted controversy nevertheless. A member of The Advocate labelled the girls in the videos as "porn-quality lolitas", and noted it garnered huge media coverage in Russia alongside commercial sales.

01.11.2000 - Videopremiere of 'Ya soshla s uma"  
The Video of the single 'Ya soshla s uma' was played on 'MTV Russia' for the first time


26.11.2000  - Performance at Element Club, Moscow -  Russia  

At Club 5 Element took a place Tatu's first public performance. They performed there only 1 song, which was their first single song - Ya Soshla S Uma. CTC -channel made a newsclip of that performance and according every newspapers and articles, the performance was like a explosion. Tatu was a bomb, who waited for its time to explose. Tatu didn't have choreography for the performance, so girls acted there like naturally. They were asked to kiss and they did it - first time to a live audience. Girls hairstyles weren't same as they were in 2001 - The dyeing of their hair wasn't complited. Julia's hair was brown, because her natural color is blond and blond doesn't take black without been firstly brown. Lena's haircolor was blondish-brown-red, which means her hair dyeing wasn't complited too. They performed with their school uniforms, which they used in every performance of 2001. And for notice - Lena was wearing a watch in her wrist, which Shapovalov didn't allow lately anymore!


15.12.2000 - Press conference in Secondary School # 1113, Moscow - Russia  

Watch Clip | Download Clip

t.A.T.u. give their first press conference in the secondary school #1113 close to "Pushkinskaya" metro station, where they officially present their first single "Ya Soshla S Uma". The single also contains 4 remixes and 2 music videos. The later calculations show that 50,000 official copies of "Ya Soshla S Uma" were sold. The rough estimation of the pirate copies sold is 200,000. Despite such an incredible success, t.A.T.u. rarely perform and spend all the time in the studio recording their debut album. 

It was first t.A.T.u.'s press conference ever. The report was made by MTV. In Press Conference Ivan Shapovalov were answering questions about their tour. Girls weren't allowed to talk, they were just smiling and ignoring everybody. "Autographs are allowed only to bus drivers, bodyguards, airport staff, police, train staff, producer's friends and families, but not too many. Exclude such emotional and detailed words, such as: with love, dear, very, myself, with best wishes, for memory etc. They were to sign autographs as follows:

Lena Katina - sign - Tatu - date
Yulia Volkova - sign - Tatu

During the press conferences and interviews, the girls were told to: "Answer briefly, and not to use slang. Lena can interrupt, and ignore. Don't talk about music, about literature--Yulia should not talk about it, she hates reading. Lena--don't talk about her favorite books. Ignore the questions about sexual orientation, about sexual activities, about day plans, and about living together." 


19.12.2000 - 'Ya soshla s uma' Release
t.A.T.u.'s first single, "Ya Soshla S Uma," makes its radio debut. The song reaches the top of play-lists on Russian radio stations and becomes a hit-parade resident on Russkoye Radio, Dynamit, HIT-Fm and Europe Plus radio stations for several months. All in all, the hit single "Ya Soshla S Uma" is airplayed on national and local radio stations more then 10 thousand times. The music video "Ya Soshla S Uma" is released on MTV-Russia. Immediately it reaches the top. 

» Release: 19 декабря 2000
» Format: CD-Single, Cassette
» Record: 1999
» Genre: Pop
» Length: 03:35
» Producer: Ivan Shapovalov
» Componist: Sergej Sasunikovich Galoyaon
» Songwriter: Sergej Galoyan, Elena Kiper, Valerij Polienko
» Label: Neformat