That apology from t.A.T.u.’s Julia Volkova might be fake

A post circulating online claiming Volkova has apologized for making “homophobic comments” in 2014 has dubious origins.

On Monday, July 7, an X account that claims to represent t.A.T.u., the Russian duo responsible for the 2002 hit “All The Things She Said,” released a statement apologizing on behalf of member Julia Volkova for the homophobic comments she made on a TV show in 2014. “Julia Volkova sincerely apologizes to the LGBT community for the homophobic statements she made ten years ago,” the statement read, before it quickly began circulating among users online.

Now, it appears that the statement might have been fabricated. Another X account that seems to be affiliated by the band, @tatuofficial, claimed shortly after that the account was fake and that “Julia Volkova hasn’t made any statement and if she’ll do – you will learn about it from her verified social media.” As of press time, Volkova’s verified Instagram account hasn’t posted the statement. The FADER has reached out for comment.

In 2014, Volkova received backlash for using a homophobic slur and saying that she would “not accept a gay son” during a TV interview. “I think for men, it’s a bad freedom…A man has no right to be a f**,” she said. “Two girls together — not the same thing as the two men together. It seems to me that lesbians look aesthetically much nicer than two men holding their hands or kissing.” At the time, t.A.T.u’s other member Lena Katina made it clear that she did not agree with Volkova’s comments in a 2014 Facebook post.

The duo became famous in the early aughts for portraying themselves as lesbians in the “All The Things She Said” music video and leaning into the image by kissing during their performances.

Recently, the duo has been experiencing a resurgence on TikTok after a Kelly Clarkson cover of their hit song went viral on the platform.

This article was updated on July 7, 2025 with additional information.