Iru Khechanovi ირუ ხეჩანოვი | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | Irina Khechanovi |
Also known as | Iru |
Born | Tbilisi, Georgia | 3 December 2000
Genres | Pop |
Occupation(s) |
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Years active | 2011–present |
Labels |
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Formerly of | Candy |
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]
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 | |||
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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 |