 She and her mother emigrated from Russia to Christchurch, New Zealand in 2002 after being abandoned by her abusive father.Within two years of living in New Zealand, Yulia learned to speak English, finished her education and signed a recording deal with Sony Music New Zealand.Yulia was first discovered on regional television as a last minute subject for a ten-minute segment on "Good Living With Kerry Pierson" on Christchurch's local television station CTV.