t.A.T.u.

Russian pop duo formed in Moscow in 1999 by producer Ivan Shapovalov and composer Alexander Voitinsky. The group consisted of Lena Katina and Yulia Volkova, former members of the children's ensemble Neposedy. They gained notoriety for their provocative image and lesbian-themed content, which sparked widespread public attention. Their 2001 debut, "200 Po Vstrechnoy," did well commercially in Eastern Europe, while the English-language version that followed in 2002, "200 km/h in the Wrong Lane," made them famous far beyond it. "All the Things She Said" was a hit around the world, and so was "Not Gonna Get Us." Platinum certification followed in Europe, and in Japan no foreign group had ever put an album at number one until this one did. In 2003, the duo represented Russia at the Eurovision Song Contest with the song "Ne ver', ne boysia," securing third place. Subsequent albums, including "Dangerous and Moving" (2005) and "Vesyolye Ulybki" (2008), solidified their global presence. The group officially disbanded in 2011, but the members occasionally reunited for special performances, such as the opening ceremony of the 2014 Sochi Olympics. t.A.T.u. remains one of the few Russian music acts to achieve significant international success, with over 8 million records sold worldwide.