Lena Katina appeared on Muz 1 TV’s show “Evening Like” where she spoke about her newest EP and its first single, “Taxi”.
We know your releasing your song “Taxi” soon…This is your first track this year.
Yes, in this year.
In 2021 you released 2 tracks.
Yes, I released “Cry Baby” and something else.
We want to ask you why does it happen so infrequently?
I released things when they work out. So, we first released the album “Mono”, then we released a few singles, then we decided that it was time to again put an EP together because there was a want for something final and complete. Singles are an endless story, you can release them one after the other. But when you create an EP or album it is a finished product. So, we decided to create an EP with the single “Taxi”.
Can you tell us how you put it together?
We took a long time to select the material because you want it to fit but at the same time you want something fresh and new for yourself. Style-wise it was a challenge for me because there is a bit of unusual singing, a little bit of a different musical direction. But all of this still connected with me – it is something new but I did not lose my style or myself. I got to experiment.
We know you are in an interesting position now, which we congratulate you with. How does this reflect on your creative work?
I made it in time – we finished working on the EP and had time to shoot the video for “Taxi”. We wanted to shoot 2 videos…maybe we will be able to shoot the second one still. But I feel good, so work is not stopping – there are shoots, there are performances.
Maybe some new creative chakras were opened up?
Right now other chakras are opening up, maybe the creative ones will open up at some point also. Work is happening, I am enjoying everything that is happening both in my career and personal life.
Right now young artists in Russian music charts are trying to become known globally. You are a person who did this in a band and then again in your solo project. What is the secret to this?
I don’t know, there are no secret. You probably have to be at the right place and at the right time. t.A.T.u. is an surprising project and no one else has had our success yet…it is legendary. Just do what you love and do it well, as best you can, and enjoy it.
Our host, Max, was on set of the “Taxi” video shoot and there you had a briefcase with you of which you did not reveal the contents. We were trying to guess what is inside this briefcase.
As soon as the video is done being edited and is released you will finally get to know what was inside…The secret will be revealed, but the video is still in the process of being edited, so I will wait to share the information.
While the video is waiting to be released, we also have a briefcase for you which contains a certain something, and you know exactly what it is.
You actually spoke about this.
When? I talk a lot.
The thing inside the briefcase is something that is part of your creative life.
Can you give me hints?
Inside is an object which has been with you since the very beginning of your musical career.
I used to go everywhere with a teddy bear, a small one.
This is a relic which has helped you more than once on worldwide tours, especially during the promo tour of the album “Dangerous & Moving” in 2005.
I only have one thing that is always with me, which is my cross necklace. What I always take with me is a book to read and the teddy bear, a gift from my dad, which I carried with me for a long time.
It was with you in Minsk for your 2022 t.A.T.u. concert.
A microphone. I always have a microphone with me.
Will we be able to see what is inside? It will remain a riddle. because as Quentin Tarantino said, “A riddle must remain a riddle”.
Quentin Tarantino was an inspiration. I open the briefcase in the video, open this one up.
Maybe when your video is released we take a photo of what is inside.
Fine, agreed. I will be waiting for a photo.