Yulia Alexandrovna Zapolskaya, a renowned performer of Russian romances, was born in Moscow on the Old Arbat at the end of the Civil War. In her childhood, she often listened to folk songs and romances sung by her elderly aunt. This helped Yulia absorb the depth and correctness of performing both classical and folk works, which later sparked her interest in vocal art and musical education. After school, Yulia graduated from the Moscow State Conservatory 'Gnesinka' in piano, but instead of a career as a pianist and accompanist, she chose the more challenging path of a singer and composer.

In 1945, Yulia met American journalist Thomas Whitney, who was working in Moscow and fell in love with her. The couple soon married, and Yulia effectively ended her musical career in the USSR. However, it took another 8 years before her husband could obtain permission for Yulia to leave for the USA. Only after Stalin's death in 1953 was Yulia able to emigrate to America and settle in New York. Despite the high competition in the music field, she decided to resume her career as a singer and composer. Yulia Zapolskaya passed away in 1965 in the USA from a serious illness, not reaching the age of 50.

The song 'The Sea Has Spread Wide' tells the story of a sailor who died from a heat stroke in the Red Sea. It is based on the romance by A. Gurilev 'The Sailor' (1843), and the new text was written by amateur poet G. D. Zubarev in 1900.