Irina "Iru" Khechanovi (Georgian: ირინა "ირუ" ხეჩანოვი; IPA: [iɾu χetʃʰanovi]; born 3 December 2000), known professionally as Iru (stylised in all caps), is a Georgian singer and songwriter. As a member of the girl group Candy, she won the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2011 with the song "Candy Music".[1] In 2023, she won the fifth season of The Voice Georgia, and went onto represent Georgia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2023.[1]
Iru Khechanovi ირუ ხეჩანოვი | |
|---|---|
 Khechanovi in 2023 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Irina Khechanovi |
| Also known as | Iru |
| Born | 3 December 2000 Tbilisi, Georgia |
| Genres | Pop |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 2011–present |
| Labels |
|
| Formerly of | Candy |
Biography
edit
Irina Khechanovi was born on 3 December 2000 in Tbilisi.[2][3] She is of Armenian descent.[4] As a child, she took part in various singing competitions.[3] In 2011, on her eleventh birthday, she represented Georgia in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2011 in Yerevan, Armenia as a member of the girl group Candy.[1][2] The group won the competition with 108 points.[5]
In 2019, Khechanovi was a participant in Georgian Idol.[6] In 2021, she released her debut solo single "No Jerk Around Me".
In 2022, Khechanovi performed at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2022 as part of a previous winners' medley.[1] She had also co-written the song "I Believe" by Mariam Bigvava, the Georgian entry for that year's contest.[3] The entry finished in third place.
Later that year, Khechanovi was a participant in the fifth season of The Voice Georgia. She went on to win the competition on 2 February 2023, thereby winning the right to represent Georgia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2023.[1] Her entry "Echo" was released on 16 March 2023. She performed in the second semi-final on 11 May 2023, but finished in 12th place and therefore did not qualify to the grand final.
| The Voice Georgia performances and results | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Round | Song | Original artist | Result |
| Blind Auditions | "Never Enough" | Loren Allred | Joined Team Dato Porchkhidze |
| The Battles | "Leave the Door Open" | Silk Sonic | Advanced |
| Quarter-finals | "Smells Like Teen Spirit" / "Around The World" | Nirvana / Daft Punk | Advanced |
| Semi-final | "Rise Like a Phoenix" | Conchita Wurst | Advanced |
| Final | "Euphoria" | Loreen | Winner |
Discography
editSingles
edit- 2021 – "No Jerk Around Me"
- 2022 – "Not Like Today"
- 2022 – "Tu mama"
- 2023 – "Idea"
- 2023 – "Echo"
- 2023 – "Seen"
References
edit- ^ a b c d e "Georgia: Iru Khechanovi wins ticket to Liverpool 2023". Eurovision.tv. EBU. 2 February 2023. Archived from the original on 2 February 2023. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
- ^ a b "CANDY". Junioreurovision.tv. EBU. Archived from the original on 8 April 2022. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
- ^ a b c "Junior-ESC-Siegerin Iru Khechanovi singt für Georgien beim ESC". Eurovision.de (in German). NDR. 3 February 2023. Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
- ^ "Georgian-Armenian Iru Khechanovi to represent Georgia at Eurovision Song Contest 2023". Armenpress. 3 February 2023. Archived from the original on 14 March 2023. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
- ^ Adams, Oliver (2 February 2023). "Iru Khechanovi wins The Voice Georgia and will sing at Eurovision 2023 in Liverpool". Wiwibloggs. Archived from the original on 14 March 2023. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
- ^ Granger, Anthony (13 January 2019). "Georgia: Eleven Singers Receive Golden Ticket in Georgian Idol Show Two". Eurovoix. Archived from the original on 14 March 2023. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
External links
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Media related to Iru Khechanovi at Wikimedia Commons
