Chart topper to poll topper? Singer from Russian pop duo t.A.T.u. enters primary to represent ruling party in upcoming election
In the 2000s, Russian dance-pop duo t.A.T.u. was known worldwide for hit singles 'All the Things She Said' and 'Not Gonna Get Us’. Now, one of the pair is aiming to make waves in a completely different field – domestic politics.
According to United Russia, the country's ruling party, singer Julia Volkova has formally applied to take part in the primaries for a parliamentary seat, with State Duma elections upcoming in September.
She will run in Ivanovo, a city 250km east of Moscow. Well-known as a major center for textile production, the Ivanovo Region is now one of the country's most impoverished areas per capita, according to official statistics.
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Writing on Instagram, Volkova announced that she had “taken the first step” toward becoming an elected politician.
t.A.T.u. was formed in 1999, consisting of Volkova and her singing partner Lena Katina. In 2002, the duo released an English-language album that took the West by storm. The duo's most famous hit – All the Things She Said – topped the charts around the world, including the UK, Germany, and Australia. t.A.T.u. split in 2011.
The Ivanovo election will also be contested by Yelena Välbe, a three-time Olympic champion and current head of the Russian Cross-Country Skiing Federation. Following the primaries, set to take place in May, the election will go ahead on September 19.
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