Elena Gheorghe

Capable of turning gypsy folk melodies into sparkly Euro-disco hits or belting out glossy R&B ballads, Elena Gheorge represented Romania at the Eurovision Song Contest and went on to establish herself as one of her country's most beloved pop divas. Growing up in Bucharest where her father was a priest, Gheorghe began performing songs with her mother Marioara Gheorghe at the age of three and later studied at the Children's National Palace theatre school. As a teenage starlet she competed in national talent shows and appeared at the prestigious Mamala Festival, kicking off her pop career initially in a duo with actress Adela Popescu and then as part of Latin-pop band Mandinga. As lead vocalist of the group, she poured her heart out over synth-pop hooks, accordion lines and salsa rhythms, with their album '.De Corazon' reaching gold status in Romania in 2003. Gheorghe left two years later to start her own dance school and launch a solo career. Her debut solo album 'Vocea Ta' in 2007 mixed her Romanian roots with modern electro-pop tearjerkers and won a string of awards. She them teamed up with songwriter Laurentiu Duta to create Romania's Eurovision entry 'The Balkan Girls' in 2009. She dazzled her way into the grand final held in Moscow and finished in 19th place in the competition, before charting across Europe with the dance club anthem 'Disco Romancing'. Her second solo studio album 'Te Ador' was an equally upbeat, euphoric, synth party hit and she also released a record of Romanian folk songs called 'Lilicea Vreariel', before finding success in Germany and Spain with singles 'Hot Girls', 'Midnight Sun' and 'Mamma Mia. She also collaborated with Colombian DJ Danny Mazo on Latin pop hit 'Senoir Loco' and with rapper Glance on 'Ecou' which was number one in Romania for eight weeks. In 2016 she sang the theme turn to Disney's animated TV series 'Elena of Avalor'.

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