7 hours ago
13
A pop star who rose to fame in the 2000s with a massive international hit looked almost unrecognizable during a recent performance.
The Russian singer, now 41, became famous in 2002 at the age of 17 after appearing in a provocative music video with her bandmate, in which the pair portrayed an underage lesbian couple.
Wearing schoolgirl uniforms, the two singers were shown kissing passionately in the rain as their classmates looked on. Years later, they acknowledged that the lesbian storyline had been created as a marketing strategy.
The mother of two has remained in the spotlight over the years. In 2014, she sparked widespread criticism during a television appearance after making homophobic remarks about gay men.
Now sporting a fuller pout, sharply defined cheekbones and extensive tattoos, the singer looked dramatically different from her teenage years as she took to the stage in Mexico, leaving fans struggling to identify her.
Can you guess who she is?
A 2000s pop icon known for one huge worldwide hit looked completely unrecognizable during a recent performance – who is she?
The Russian singer, now 41, shot to fame in 2002 when she was just 17, courtesy of a controversial music video in which she and her bandmate portrayed an underage lesbian couple – now she looks totally different
It’s t.A.T.u. singer Yulia Volkova. The brunette bombshell, who stylizes herself as Julia on Instagram, took to the stage with bandmate Lena Katina, 42, to perform their iconic hit, All The Things She Said.
While delighting their fans, followers were struck by Volkova’s markedly different appearance – as she sported fuller lips, more prominent cheekbones, a slimmer nose and pointed chin during the performance.
Fans commented, ‘Mucho botox’ and ‘That live singing is as fake as their faces.’
t.A.T.u. are best known for their 2002 track All The Things She Said, which caused international controversy for its steamy music video in which Yulia and Lena portrayed an underage lesbian couple.
Yulia 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.
She briefly converted 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.
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.
It’s t.A.T.u. singer Yulia Volkova – seen R in 2003 with bandmate Lena Katina. They are best known for their 2002 hit, All The Things She Said.
In the video, the pair were seen in schoolgirl outfits, kissing passionately in the rain, while being watched by their peers. Years later, they would admit their lesbian portrayal was merely a marketing gimmick
Volkova is sen onstage in Mexico in 2025
The star is known for flaunting her bikini body online
‘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.
Meanwhile, her bandmate Lena has taken a far less controversial path over the years.
The redhead, 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 US Billboard club chart with her 2011 single Never Forget.
Lena welcomed a son named Aleksandr in 2015 with her then-husband, Sasha Kuzmanović. The couple got divorced in 2019.
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 was banned and censored in some countries, although the controversy only served to promote the song further.
t.A.T.u. were formed in 1999 in Moscow by Russian music producer Ivan Shapovalov – they are pictured kissing in 2003
Lena and Yulia have been in multiple feuds with each other over the years, but have since made up and now tour together again – pictured performing May 2026
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.
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, but have since made up and now tour together again.
Our News Outlet has contacted representatives for comment and has yet to hear back.
English (US) · 
French (CA) · 
French (FR) ·