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Iru from Georgia in the Eurovision 2023 studio

Georgia’s Candy crush: Iru’s dream is not a secret

06 May 2023 at 12:16 CEST
Iru from Georgia in the Eurovision 2023 studio Corinne Cumming / EBU
Iru is repping Georgia at the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 with her song ‘Echo.’ After winning the Junior Eurovision 2011 crown with her band Candy, she knows that success tastes sweet. The pop star will be hoping her last experience gets echoed (echoed, echoed, echoed…).
Iru rehearsing Echo for Georgia at the Second Rehearsal of the Second Semi-Final at Liverpool Arena
Chloe Hashemi / EBU

Winning The Voice of Georgia might be enough cause for celebration, but for Iru it also meant she was picked to represent her country at the Eurovision Song Contest 2023. She performed Loreen’s Euphoria in the finals, and this year they’ll compete directly against each other. Iru’s love is her crown, but she’d no doubt like to add the Eurovision tiara to her collection.

The Echo music video is jam-packed with glamorous outfits, so the Eurovision crew were waiting with baited breath to see how Iru dressed for her first rehearsal. She lived up to expectations, stepping onto the stage on Tuesday 2 May looking resplendent in flowing white fabric. The Junior Eurovision winner blasted that powerful voice of hers; with the live vocals added to the spine-tingling atmosphere of her song.

Iru rehearsing Echo for Georgia at the Second Rehearsal of the Second Semi-Final at Liverpool Arena Sarah Louise Bennett / EBU

There was a lot to enjoy at Iru’s first performance, with the official Eurovision Live Blog noting: "The whole song is performed on a raised platform in the centre of the stage, against a LED backdrop of swirling smoke and stormy weather. All together it creates a hugely atmospheric performance."

Iru could be a bit of a Sherlock Holmes fan. When we asked what she most associates with the United Kingdom, she mentioned Baker Street, the home of the fictional detective created by Arthur Conan Doyle. She also loves drinking tea, so she'll be staying hydrated while reading up on mystery novels while in the UK.

This Georgian star’s playlist is packed with big pop numbers with an R&B influence, so it’s clear to see what’s inspired her style. She’s a fan of Rihanna’s Rude Boy, Ariana Grande’s God Is A Woman, and Sam Smith’s Unholy. But if you want to get her up on the dance floor, then you’ll need to go a little off piste from her normal style — only Pharrell Williams’s Happy will do.

When Iru got through The Voice Of Georgia to earn her place at Eurovision, the Candy girls were right behind her. Iru told the Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast all about how the Junior Eurovision winners gave her a boost: “One of them was with me on the final day and she was supporting me live, but everybody texted me and they’re so happy and they’re wishing me such a great luck on Eurovision. They believe in me, so it’s really important to me.”

There’s more from Iru on Episode 5 of the Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast.

You can learn more about Iru from Georgia right here.

You can listen to all 37 songs of Eurovision 2024 via your favourite streaming service or watch the music videos on our YouTube channel.

The Eurovision Song Contest will take place in Malmö, Sweden on Tuesday 7 May (First Semi-Final), Thursday 9 May (Second Semi-Final) and Saturday 11 May (Grand Final) 2024.

Don't forget to download our app (for iOSAndroid), sign up to the official Eurovision Song Contest newsletter, and subscribe to the official podcast!