Lena-pan-american.com is the official fansite of Lena Katina.
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16 May 2012
Publicado por Eric
Lena Katina on "Secrets of the Stars"
Lena Katina was interviewed on the Ukranian show "Тайны звезд".
An English translation can be found below. Thank you to Igor Petrov!
Lena Katina: It’s a huge experience and it keeps you busy. It is important to keep a child busy. Does it take away your childhood? I would not say so because it is also a childhood, but it is more interesting then of a child who does nothing except go to school, come home and play outside. Who does he see outside? Those who sit on benches and do nothing. Children are cruel, they have mean jokes…it was hard. I remember Volkova always made fun of me, about my outfits, my butt, my extra weight. Neposedi was a training for grown up life. Either you live and you begin to learn to work with others, socialize with people, or you break down and leave. There were boys and girls who left. We were the most successful ones to come out from here (Neposedi) I especially in terms of our creativity. I don’t know, did anyone else make it from here?
t.A.T.u. and Smash were the last to make it from Neposedi, back in 2000. Back then there were less students so all the energy was spent concentrating on them. Now, with a lot more students, it is hard to give so much attention to each student individually.
This is how Lena and Yulia, in their 15 years, became ideal, ready material to form future superstars. Their producer, Ivan S., thought that millions could be made from them. He offered Lena and Yulia to go mad from love for each other.
Elena Piinjaian (director of Neposedi): He took the girls and I did not know what type of project this was going to be. I told the parents to think it over 10 times before signing any contract. Ivan wanted a contract where he took small kids from Neposedi and furthered them. I did not agree to it.
Lena: They came up to us and asked us not to kiss on stage, they said they could not show that on TV. Please don’t kiss, we are begging you.
Yulia: We kissed and kissed and kissed, so much that…
Lena: They said not to kiss? Ok, we’ll show you.
Lena Katina: “It was a role which we studied, lived, and for me it was like theater. I understood there was a problem with it and we simply put it out on TV. I never said I was a lesbian, but Yulia had experience with it, for her it was probably more natural.”
Grandma has waited for her granddaughter to come earlier, but the granddaughter once again overslept and is arriving at noon.
Grandama: I want to ask a question. When will you have a grandchild for me? …I always worried about Lena. I remember one time when we were walking outside she said, “Grandma I need to go to the kiosk” and I asked her, “For what?” This was before t.A.T.u., she was 14 years old. She said, “Grandma, I want to buy a pack of cigarettes. What can I do, she is still going to buy them behind my back, so I bought them for her.
Lena’s grandmother paints, her father is a musician, and her mother is a clothes designer, so it is a very creative, liberal family.
Lena Katina: My mom was my friend. I’d come home at 5AM after going out, my mom would wake up, I would never get scolded, and she’d make me tea. My dad was the opposite and said how could a 16 year old be out so late. My mom would say, “So what? You want her to jump around on stage half naked, but I should not let her go out and party?”
t.A.T.u. was made divided their scandalous fame into 4 parts: Producer Ivan S., Lena and Yulia, and author of the songs Lena Kiper. 1999 she was in the hospital with angina and came up with something either about her strong sickness or a love between to schoolgirls. “I cannot understand myself, where did you come from? Why, why am I drawn to you?” In a year it went into hit parades and became Platinum in England, USA and Europe.
Lena Kiper: It was pleasant to receive awards from around the world for all of this. But, in show business, drugs show up by themselves, they just turn up out of nowhere. Can you handle it? Drugs come with money.
Lena Katina: I tired only once to smoke marijuana, but only because I was drunk at a party and thought it was a cigarette. It was my first and last drug experience and thank God because drugs were everywhere, whatever you want, it is there, everywhere.
The girls left Ivan S. and were cured from star sickness.
Lena Katina: There was a time when I looked down at people and someone explained to me that I am a manufactured product and would never be able to achieve any of this on my own, so if anyone has the right to look down upon people it is definitely not me.
Lena Katina was studying psychology and admits that she bought the diploma fairly. Yulia Volkova had enough hysteria without any exams.
Yulia Volkova: When I had problems with my voice I was very frustrated, “Don’t call me, I am going to the hotel, I am not going to the studio today”.
Lena Katina: Yulia and I were very close, we were always together. I was the one who cooked us breakfast and made tea for us. We were together for so many years that I think this time apart was inevitable. We are not husband and wife. I don’t know how long we haven’t spoken…2 years?
Now they are in their own video clips and in different countries: Yulia in Russia, Lena in USA. Shootings of videos, recordings, musicians, PR agents: one person pays for all of this, Boris Renski.
Lena Katina: Boris is a sponsor. t.A.T.u. was his idea. When we split up, he offered me to work with him and I was happy. He gave me the option to do what I want to do.
Lena is working on a solo project for 2 years already at a house in L.A.. She rarely gives concerts, she is asked mostly in Mexico, at clubs on the beach. She comes back to Moscow with gifts for her family.
15 May 2012
Publicado por Eric
Lena Katina wore a dress designed by Katushka Couture
Katushka Couture designed this beautiful dress that Lena wore for her event at the club Krave. Katerina is an award winning European designer now based in Los Angeles. She designed this dress in less than one week! Pretty impressive, eh?
13 May 2012
Publicado por Eric
Lena Katina interview for Tain.net
An English translation has been provided by Misha Miller. Thanks!
Reporter: Watch next in program "No secrets"! Why Lena Katina buried Julia Volkova?
Lena: The meaning of the music video "Never forget" - is a finishing history of the group t.A.T.u., the symbolic burial of the t.A.T.u. band.
Reporter: Splinter of the group t.A.T.u. Lena Katina, who was "forgotten" in russian show business some years ago, surprised everyone! Recently, remix on her single "Never Forget" took first place in a major U.S. dance chart.
Lena: When I saw that my "Never Forget" topped the U.S. Billboard chart, I was so shoked!
Reporter: How Lena Katina spent the past year? What did Julia Volkova at this time? And who of the girls are in demand? We will open all the secrets right now! In March 2011 came out the last album in history of t.A.T.u, album of the remixes. After that, each of the ex-band singers decided to go their own ways. Julia Volkova made another attempt to build a personal life.
Julia: Now we'll always be together with him, we'll live in America.
Reporter: Lena Katina said nothing about the creative plans.
Lena: I'll tell you later. Someday. I'm not going to talk about the concert dates now.
Reporter: Now, a year after the formal dissolution of the group, we decided to take stock of what the girls have achieved individually. Lena Katina began her solo career at the gay festival in Milwaukee. Redhead from t.A.T.u. sang the song of earlier world-known band. Gays from Milwaukee liked it. Katina liked it too!
Lena: Life in America doesn't changed my mind about LGBT community. I have always supported them, and moreover, I believe that the oppression, dividing of people according to their private views, is just idiocy.
Reporter: Volkova on this side of the ocean doesn't stop milking the cash cow of her homosexual past too. She went even further Katina. Julia made debut video almost as outspoken as the most ambitious video t.A.T.u. She is once again openly admitted her bisexuality.
Julia: To this subject, I didn't "came back" 'cause I "stayed on this way" always. I like both boys and girls.
Reporter: Sexual duplicity didn't prevent Julia to build a relationship with a new boyfriend, businessman Vlad. If believe the singer, now they loves each other, as they say, taking off their hats to God and humanity. Volkova glibly dictates the date of future wedding.
Julia: 10.10.10!
Reporter: But she's not in a hurry to share the wedding video.
Julia: I think this is a moment that personally only for two, for the soul. It's not that can be shared. It's a thing that personally exists still in our days.
Reporter: Rumored when Lena Katina just learning about the wedding of former girlfriend, she literally buried outdated relationship with a former co-soloist. She shot a video, where her own photo and photo of Julia were placed on the coffins.
Lena: The meaning of the music video "Never forget" - is a finishing history of the group t.A.T.u., the symbolic burial of the t.A.T.u. band.
Reporter: However, in an interview Katina blurts out that she buried not just creative work in a beautiful coffin.
Lena: The song is dedicated to Julia, in gratitude for the years of our work and... For a part of our life together.
Reporter: Rumored Julia Volkova didn't appreciate the irony of the former girlfriend. Her verdict on the Katina's solo project was very categorical.
Julia: Honestly, I was disappointed because it is very boring really. There is no energy. Actually, if compare her creations with creations of t.A.T.u. band, that appeared as beautiful things... Now she starts... I think it's stupid!
Reporter: Volkova convinced that her work is truly in demand. No wonder she changed the timeline of the wedding and the birth of her third child.
Julia: I'm not pregnant, I build my career for the time being. My fans are important for me, I want to do, I want to start, I want to return, it's now the main thing for me.
Reporter: According to Julia, her creativity and her ideas of what should be the music, allows her to become a top singer in Russia and America.
Julia: Recording a new album, single... It will be... Well, we'll be doing something. We'll... In any case... We will blow up! I started from Russia, but there are plans outside the Russia, of course.
Reporter: Until Volkova just planning an blowing up of charts, Katina have already mastered one of them. While we make program, a remix of "Never Forget" at real time for 9 weeks was in the American Billboard Dance Chart, and whole week headed.
Lena: The next step: $100,000 per concert, and then - Grammy! It is desirable to have more than one. And then - $1 million per concert!
Reporter: However, situation with Katina's concerts is relatively calm. On her official website no a tour schedule even. The singer admits her concerts are not so often.
Lena: Prior to 1st place in the top chart Board, once a year, if promised. But now, I think it would be more often.
Reporter: In this sense, Volkova "gets round" (ironically) her ex-girlfriend of course! In Russia, even Prohor Shalyapin (Andrey Zaharenkov) have concert performances.
Reporter: Whether you want to talk about the splinter of the legendary group t.A.T.u.?
Julia: (about concerts) Differently. I just started, so every 10-15 days, differently.
Reporter: And even on the official website of Julia touring schedule is. Although it is a blank. But! But Julia Volkova loudly declared herself by filing with Dima Bilan application for participation in the Eurovision contest.
Lena: Yes, I've been keeping up with Julia's project. I did not like her duet with Dima Bilan.
Reporter: Katina with 1st place in the American charts jealous to Volkova because she took 2nd place in the competition of the Russian federal channel. They say, against the background of personal competition, the former girlfriends Lena and Julia stopped their relations. And girls do not hide it.
Lena: I talk with Julia is much less than taking part in concerts in the USA.
Julia: No.
Reporter: No? Why?
Julia: One day it happened. Just do not talk.
Reporter: Went in different ways, and is that all? No talks, etc.
Julia: Yes.
Reporter: Maybe disunity helps girls to find out who among of them is more hot, but now we can say only one thing: Lena Katina have more than 1,500,000 views on her official Youtube channel vs 500,000 views of Julia Volkova's channel. Let's see what happens next!
12 May 2012
Publicado por Eric
Lena Katina Makeup by Lime Crime
Lime Crime was responsible for Lena Katina's look for "Melody".