Novaya Lyubov’

И не вернуть / And cannot get it back
И не вернуться / And cannot go back
И тебя не повторить* / And cannot repeat you*
Себя не повторить / Cannot repeat myself
Я не держу и не держусь / I am not holding and not holding on
Я больше не хочу тебя любить / I no longer want to love you

Но не проходит / But it is not passing
И не пройдет / And will not pass
И это не скрыть / And this cannot be hidden
И даже не скрытся / And it is not even possible to hide
И будет пусть /And let it be
И пусть случайно / And let it be sudden
Пусть случится / Let it happen

Но не вернуть / But cannot get it back
И не вернуться /And cannot go back
Ничего не повторить / Cannot repeat anything
Не зачем играть / There is no point in playing
Я не держу и не держусь / I am not holding and not holding on
Я больше не хочу тебя терять / I no longer want to lose you

И когда ты придешь ко мне / And when you come to me
Придешь ко мне из наших снов / Come to me from our dreams
Без слов / Without words

И это новая любовь / And this is a new love
Новая любовь / A new love
И это новая любовь / And this is a new love
Новая любовь / A new love

Я люблю тебя / I love you
Я люблю тебя / I love you
Тебя люблю / Love you
Тебя люблю / Love you

И может раньше / And maybe sooner
А может позже / But maybe later
И надо ли ждать / And you need to wait
И надо ли верить* / And you need to believe*
Что то подскажет / Something will give a hint
Она уже рядом / It is already near
И очень похоже / And very familiar

Что это новая любовь / That this is a new love
Новая любовь / A new love
Что это новая любовь / That this is a new love
Новая любовь / A new love
Новая любовь / A new love

Ну здравствуй новая любовь / Well, hello new love
Новая любовь / A new love
Ну здравствуй новая любовь / Well, hello new love
Новая любовь / A new love
Здравствуй новая любовь / Hello new love
Новая любовь / A new love
Ну здравствуй новая любовь / Well, hello new love
Новая любовь / A new love

* In a behind the scenes video of Lena recording the song with Ivan, the two are seen deciding on the final lyrics. In the video, some of the original lyrics are show, which were later changed:
Но не вернуть и не вернуться / But cannot get it back and cannot go back
Ничего не повторить / Cannot repeat anything
И незачем играть / And there is no reason to play
И можно не верить / And you don’t need to believe

Song Details
  • “Novaya Lybov’;’” is a cover of Sade’s “No Ordinary Love”. The full song was never released as the rights to the song were never cleared.
  • During Lena Katina’s fan meeting on October 7th, 2018, Lena said the following about the song: “We record things, then Ivan says that it’s not right and that everything needs to be re-recorded. Or that we need to include someone else, but that person changes to someone else, then again to someone else, then something else changes. I think it gets old for him…Maybe [something will be released]. I don’t know…we haven’t decided on this question.”
  • A snippet of the song was uploaded to the Podnebeses official YouTube channel in 2014. In the comments, two people asked about when the full song will be released. Both times the Podnebeses account replied with “Ask Lena Katina”. 
  • In February 2022 the demo of the song was shared by Mikhail Alexandrovich and uploaded by t.A.T.u. Music on YouTube. (The video has since been deleted, but the audio can be found on VK.com). The video was shared on t.A.T.u.’s official VK page and in the comments of the post Georgy Khvatov, who worked on the song, shared the following: “(Sigh) This, it seems, is the first version they made and then sent to me. Then I wrote my own version, and then, based on its harmony and some sounds, they (Ivan, Kiril [from the band “Vena”]) made that final one with the piano, the excerpt which everyone heard. I really want both mine and the final version to finally go public, and from time to time I remind Ivan about it.”

    Georgy shared a screen shot of an email exchange between him and Ivan, which reads:
    George Catcher: “Hi. I am sending two files. One is mine, the second is what you and Kiril created in the end. Cheers. Lena’s fans, by the way, are always asking about it!”
    Ivan Podnebes: “Hi. Thank you. Tell the fans that it is not time yet :)”

  • In a behind the scenes video Lena and Ivan are shown finalizing the words to the song, well as working on phrasing (the way Lena is going to sing the lyrics, such as the placement of emphasis and rhythmic patterns), and recording the song. In the video, they are listening to and referencing a version of the song by Sherrie Lea.

    The video constant guidance from Ivan as Lena is recording her parts. During the recording session Lena did not have the lyrics in front of her and had to remember the lines of the song or ask Ivan to remind her of them.

    27:14
    IVAN: Stop. Calmer…Now do it calmer. You are afraid to step in the wrong place, this is what’s starting to happen. Relax completely. Did you hear how she sings? There is no pressure anywhere, at all. Everything is set to the drum…and you are afraid to miss the mark. And then the song becomes about the incorrect thing. Totally. The beginning has to be calm. Very calm, very relaxed. Let’s try.

    28:00
    LENA: And can’t get it back, and can’t go back….
    IVAN: “Even softer…even softer”.

    28:32
    LENA: I am not holding and not holding on to, I no longer want to love you
    IVAN: Okay stop. “You…love you…” – carry it to the end. The energy is falling…One more time. Carry the words to the end.

    29:28
    IVAN: I still get the feeling that you are hurrying, that you are afraid to not make it in time…You’ll catch up in the next phrase. Don’t rush.

    30:11
    IVAN: Stop. “Cannot repeat myself” – it’s the same thing. Move the rhythm…extend it. Extend yourself past the limits. Don’t rush…Even softer.

    31:23
    IVAN: Now, carrying the meaning. Carefully with each word, as if you’re saying it to yourself. “I no longer want to love you” – these are the kind of words, you understand?

    32:10
    IVAN: First of all, where did the confidence go? I don’t feel confidence and calmness at all from you…Where did you confidence go? Hmm?
    LENA: I don’t know…
    IVAN: You sang “mute clouds” with more confidence then how you are singing now. Where did it go?
    LENA: I’m afraid to be out of tune.
    IVAN: No, that’s not it…it’s something else. I have a feeling that you are rushing. Still. Then don’t sing to the music. Sing in your own tempo.

    34:55
    LENA: (Referring to Sherrie Lea) I have a feeling that she is singer louder. She has an absolutely non-quiet, normal delivery.
    IVAN: She is singing calmly. She is singing louder and calmer. I just want you to start off finding a calmer intonation, and then add loudness.

    1:05:47
    IVAN
    Lena…It’s mechanical. Very mechanical. Because you can see it in your hand movements. That. This. Is. New…” You can see in your hand that you were singing mechanically.

    The video also shows Lena and Ivan discussing an additional artist to add to Novaya Lyubov’ and whether to promote it as a single with a video.

    1:34:04
    IVAN: Regarding the cover (Novaya Lyubov’), I think we need to shoot a video. We will see here if we add a second voice or not…
    LENA: No.
    IVAN: What do you mean, “no”? Relax. We will see if it is male or female.
    LENA: I am fine by myself. Very much. I like it.
    IVAN: I get that you like it. But I need to understand how this song will progress.
    LENA: What do you mean how will it progress? Meaning where it will go?
    IVAN: No, how…It’s understood where – to the listeners.
    LENA: Because a duet is not very interesting. Or less interesting than a one-person story. But you’re saying you can be the exception.
    IVAN: In a one-person story I do not understand the moments…regarding how this track will progress.
    LENA: What does that mean how will it progress? It depends on how cool it turns out.
    IVAN: Well you see that it’s cool now.
    LENA: Well, yes, I like it. I like it a lot. But regarding a plan, a demo can be created, like once it is ready with a voice. Then send it to Olga to she could go to radio stations and see if they take it or not.
    IVAN: And then what?…
    LENA: Well, for instance, if it gets accepted by the radio stations, if they like it, then at least we will know it makes sense to develop it and push it further, to film a video, and so on.
    IVAN: And then what?…
    LENA: Then I will have a Russian single. I like that!..It’s because Olga is in communication with these people. Like, when she works with Sasha, T-Killah, she takes it to the radio station, they listen to it and say if they will play it or not. After, if it makes sense, they create the track. If they say that they won’t play it, then it get scrapped and they create what will be put on by radio stations. Because it is important. Then they promote it. So we need a good story here, one that captures your soul…I am talking about the video…something that pulls out emotions from people.