Tatyana Tkachuk, “My Michelle”: “Style is first of all self-confidence”

Tatyana Tkachuk, “My Michelle”: “Style is first of all self-confidence”

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ABOUT FAMILY

I grew up in a village near Blagoveshchensk, a city on the border with China. Parents worked on a farm and had nothing to do with music. Unless they sang folk songs during feasts. They met at 42, both widowers with adult children. The smallest age difference between me and my sister is 20 years, my brothers are even older. So I grew up among six nephews – we are almost the same age with them. Mom was very shy when she was pregnant with me. She thought that at 43 she was already too old for childbirth, and her daughter-in-law was also on demolition at the same time.

My childhood was absolutely magical. Nearby was a forest pierced by sunlight, with birds and animals, with clearings of currants. In the summer we climbed in other people’s gardens and caught rattans with homemade fishing rods, in the fall we played Scrooge McDucks in trenches filled with leaves like gold, in winter we rode from the same trenches – already like from slides.

Jumper, trousers, top — all Barmariska

ABOUT START

After the 11th grade, I did not understand what I wanted to become. At school I loved literature. And since there was little choice in the city, she entered the Pedagogical University at the Faculty of History and Philology. I went to the library in front of couples, studied for one five. And in my second year, I got my first musical group, and grades became indifferent to me. But I’ve learned.

Before becoming a singer, she worked as a teacher of Russian language and literature, kindergarten teacher, realtor, secretary, personal assistant in the family. At the same time, after work, she still went to rehearsals from 9 pm to 12 am, sometimes even every day.

Dress, Barmariska; shoes, Rosbalet; earrings – the property of the stylist

ABOUT MUSIC

I often doubted about the name of the group. I had a desire to change it – it seemed, “My Michel” sounds too naive. Over time, it began to refer only to the music that we make, and to be closely associated with me. When people call me Michelle or Nastya, I don’t get offended. I understand that, most likely, they just heard a couple of songs on the radio and are not subscribed to me on social networks.

Many of my texts are autobiographical. For example, “Haruki” is the saddest song on earth. I was 24 and my boyfriend said he loved me and another girl at the same time – it was a hard and unexpected blow. I thought he was the love of my life. Immediately after that, in the stage of denial and anger, I did all sorts of strange things: for example, the very next day I left for an island in the Tver region, while still drunk driving a jeep with a stranger and shooting a gun, burning things in a field and walking around at night. cemetery, and wrote this howl “uuuuuu-tata” in “Haruki” in the same place. Then, nevertheless, she pulled herself together and left alone for Croatia, on vacation. It was very bad for me there, but it was then that the realization came that this was the end. Depression set in. In Croatia, I wrote this line: “And I live alone in a hotel without a name.” I loved that guy for five years, I guess. I used to be alone or with someone else, I wrote songs.

This fall, our new track “Kurtochka” with Oleg LSP was released. Oleg first appeared in our lives in 2020, when he and Pasha (my co-author and sound producer) decided to record several songs for LSP at our studio. In the end, it all grew into the creation of an album. When I suggested “Kurtochka” to Oleg, I only had the song “The jacket is big in the shoulders” and the idea that this is about a couple that walks around the city, having escaped from a disco. I spent a year adding different parts, and I still didn’t like the chorus. But later, as often happens, in one minute she wrote “Pink Sunset” – and that’s all … the song rushed. The premiere of “Kurtochka” will take place at a concert in Moscow this autumn. Maybe we’ll show something else from the upcoming album, or maybe we’ll pour cilantro from the ceiling, I don’t know yet, I like surprises. (smiling)

Jacket, trousers, top – all Barmariska; mules, Casadei; necklace, earrings — all Treasure Store

ABOUT CLIPS

The clip “Winter in the Heart” is special. The support of Maxim Matveev was important for us. He was not afraid to play a drag queen – it was very strong! The video was also highly appreciated at various international festivals: at The European Independent Film Festival (ECU) we became nominees in the Best European Music Video category, at Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival – semi-finalists, won at the Paris Art and Movie Awards in the Best Music category video. In 2021, they took the Best Dop nomination and became semi-finalists in the Best Music Video category at the International Music Video Underground. And at the Munich Music Video Awards they won in the Best Music Video nomination. Made it to the final at the Oregon Short Film Festival. Now our video is nominated for Woodstock Film Festival, Vienna Independent Film Festival and Evolution Mallorca International Film Festival. But the most important thing is that “Winter in the Heart” won the festival of human hearts.

We delayed the filming of the video for the song “Bird” – we set the bar too high. Back in March, they began searching for a script, studied more than twenty, and found with difficulty what they wanted. The clip for “Bird” is a bit mystical – it’s an allegory for the fact that people sometimes can’t get out of a relationship by any means, even if they really want to.

ABOUT BEAUTY

Complexes regarding appearance passed even before the university. Until the 7th grade, it seemed to me that my ears stick out terribly, and I got to the bottom of these poor ears, looking at all the pictures. Somewhere before the 9th grade, I had terribly thin legs and arms, at school I was teased “pencils in a cup” when I came in boots. And the head of the choir kicked me out of class several times, when I came without a jacket with my thin arms, she said that she couldn’t look at me. I prayed that I would get at least a little better. How can I take back my words now? (Laughs) I also worried that I have a big nose. Some toxic ladies on social media still kindly ask if I want to have corrective surgery. But I understand that they actually have complexes.

Since high school, I liked to look different. She dyed her hair in all the colors of the rainbow, cut her hair mercilessly. After parting, everyone goes to cut the bob – and I’m like a boy or even shorter. She was a brunette, a blonde, a redhead, without eyebrows, with eyebrow tattoos, with green eyebrows. I am a rather impulsive person, so even new trends are not necessary, I can go do something for myself: just the other day I plucked my eyebrows, like in the 2000s, but restrained myself so as not to discolor. Although I don’t think it will be for long. Now I love voluminous arrows in different variations. I have my own make-up artist only in Moscow and St. Petersburg, on tour I paint myself, I had to take a couple of lessons for this. I have a waterproof eyeliner, and both a marker and a paste with ordinary brushes. I love tints, especially those that can be used for blush, lips, and shadows. In lipstick now I like caramel colors, it must be resistant, otherwise by the end of the concert everything is smeared on the face by a microphone.

Jacket, trousers – all Barmariska; mules, Rosbalet; gloves – the property of the stylist

ABOUT STYLE

I love layering and complex combinations. Combinations of the incompatible. Vintage. Subscribed to all vintage stores in Moscow and St. Petersburg, to local designers. I dress myself for concerts. On the set I like to work with a stylist – it’s faster and less doubtful. It’s like in the 8th grade with a girlfriend in the market: things are chosen much faster than alone. I often get inspired by 90s models: Karen Mulder, Kate Moss, Claudia Schiffer, Carla Bruni. I like shows with them from different designers, photos and videos from parties, their street style. I love Rihanna so much, no matter what she wears. Still, style is, first of all, self-confidence.

I love fashion and architecture: I would like to get an education in these areas, maybe become a furniture designer after 50 years. I appreciate everything beautiful, made by man, it inspires.

Fur coat, skirt – all Barmariska

Style: Khabib Suleymanov
Makeup: Ekaterina Ponomareva
Hairstyles: Anna Petrosyan / “Persona” Pyatnitskaya
Creative producer: Olga Zakatova
Producer assistant: Elizaveta Kondakova
We thank PIZZA 22 CM for help in organizing the shooting

SEASON OF RED

Have you ever wondered why we gravitate towards red more in autumn? This color has always had a magical effect on humans. A shade of wine, love, fire, it is subconsciously associated with warmth.

The Russian brand Barmariska has become known for its collections of bright casual knitwear with designer prints. This year, the brand goes beyond the usual roles and, while maintaining its commitment to a bright palette, boldly experiments with a premium line. Trouser suits in the old-fashioned style, cropped dresses made of eco-leather, loose sweaters with an accent pattern, cozy knitted suits, cardigans with a belt, elegant coats and light faux fur coats are presented in the autumn-winter collection in the most cheerful and warming shades – red and more. According to the founders of the brand, in 2023 it is planned to launch a new brand BRMSK, which will continue the idea of ​​premium quality.

You can order new items and follow the brand news on the website Barmariska.ru.

Source: Hellomagazine

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