Sirusho

Siranush Harutyunyan (Armenian: Սիրանուշ Հարությունյան; born 7 January 1987), known professionally as Sirusho (Armenian: Սիրուշո), is an Armenian singer, whose musical career has been active for over 20 years. Her musical style reflects the Armenian traditional soundes mixed with the modern world music. Sirusho received her first award only aged 9, for her song "Lusabats". Sirusho's first studio album, Sirusho, was released in 2000, her second album Sheram was released in 2005. In the same year, she was awarded The Future of Armenian Music, Best Album and Best Female Performer awards in the first Armenian National Music Awards.

In 2008, the BBC described her success as making her a "national treasure" of Armenia. Sirusho reached international recognition after becoming the Armenian spokesperson for the 2007 Eurovision Song Contest and the Armenian representative for the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest held in Belgrade. Sirusho represented Armenia with the song "Qélé, Qélé", which she co-wrote with Armenian producer H.A. Der-Hovagimian. "Qélé, Qélé" became hit for all Eurovision following fans around the world, especially in Greek-speaking areas. The 'Yerevan Remix' version of the song was regularly played in Greek clubs, on London Greek Radio in the United Kingdom, and in an episode of the Greek and Cyprus X Factor television series.

Sirusho's single "PreGomesh" was released in December 2012, after which she also launched a new handcrafted silver jewelry by the name of her single, Pregomesh, which represents and preserves Armenian culture and craftsmanship, while following modern fashion trends.

Sirusho is the first Armenian artist to be a 2-time nominee at World Music Awards with the song Pregomesh.

In October 2013, W magazine included Sirusho in their list of "6 un-American idols: The Beyoncé of Brazil, the Gaga of Serbia". The author of the list, Kevin McGarry, suggested "Perhaps the door is still open for Sirusho to introduce the world to a sound and language largely unknown in the West."

1987–2004: Early life and career beginnings

Sirusho was born in Yerevan, Soviet Armenia on January 7, 1987, to actor and director Hrachya Harutyunyan and Syuzan Margaryan, one of the most popular singers in Armenia in the 1980s–1990s. Sirusho got her first award as a child at the Armenian national Music Awards for her performance of "Lusabats", an Armenian folk song written in the early 20th century by Komitas. At the age of 7 Sirusho began to write her own music and lyrics in Armenian and English. At the age of 9 Sirusho won another award at the Young Talents Contest for one of her own compositions. She released her first studio album Sirusho at the age of 13. Sirusho graduated from Yerevan's Khachik Dashtents School #114 in 2004. She subsequently studied piano at the Sayat-Nova Music School. She has graduated Yerevan State University, with excellence in international relations.

2005–2007: Sheram and Hima

Although Sirusho mainly performed soul and pop, for most of her career, she decided to work on an album presenting Armenian folk songs by gusan Sheram. It was titled Sheram and was released in 2005. The album also included the single "Shorora" was very well received. In 2005, Sheram was awarded the Best Album of the Year award at the Armenian National Music Awards. Sirusho also won the "Best Female Artist of the Year" award.

In 2006, Varduhi Vardanyan, a renowned Armenian singer, died. Varduhi has been a very close friend of Sirusho's since her childhood. After her death, Sirusho dedicated a song to Varduhi, entitled "Mez Vochinch Chi Bazhani" ("Nothing Will separate Us"), which is included in Sirusho's album "Hima" ("Now").

In 2006, Sirusho received the award for Best Female Artist of the year at the Annual Armenian-Russian Diaspora Music Awards held in Moscow, Russia where she received "The Best Female Artist" Award. A few days later, she released her single "Heranum em" (Armenian: Հեռանում եմ) (I am leaving), which soon became a hit. The single was included in Sirusho's album "Hima", which also included "Arjani E", a track with singer Sofi Mkheyan as well as another tracks written and produced by Sirusho. The Album proved to be a breakthrough in Armenian music, unleashing a fresh wave of mixing soul music and R&B with traditional instruments such as duduk, dhol, zurna and others. Sirusho won the "Best Female Artist of the Year" award at the Armenian Music Awards community at the Kodak Theater in Hollywood. Sirusho received her fourth Best Female Artist award at the 2008 Armenian national Music Awards.

Sirusho was chosen to represent Armenia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2008. She performed Qele Qele, which was co-produced by the Canadian Armenian composer DerHova.

Sirusho performing Armenia's entry at the Eurovision Song Contest 2008

The song entered the first semi-final on May 20 and advanced to the final which took place on May 24, 2008 in Belgrade. Sirusho took the 4th place with 199 points, and still remains the only Armenian participant who has received the most number of 12 points.

During the official after-party following the final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2008, the four winners of the Marcel Bezençon Award 2008 were announced and prizes were given out. They presented a new award, the Fan Award by Swedish website Gylleneskor.se. Readers of the site had the opportunity to vote online for their favorite 2008 artist.

On April 1, 2009, Sirusho released the song "Erotas", also known as "Erotas Ksafnikos" (Sudden Love), sung entirely in Greek. The song is an up-tempo dance song with heavy traditional Greek laiko influence. It was composed by singer Hayko and written by Natalia Germanou. Sirusho performed the song live at the Tashir Armenian Awards ceremony in April 2009. Erotas went on to become a number one hit on the Armenian Singles Chart. On June 6, 2009 Sirusho married Levon Kocharyan, the son of Armenia's second president Robert Kocharyan.

In 2009 Sirusho also recorded a song dedicated to peace along with the participants of Eurovision 2008, Boaz Mauda and Jelena Tomasevic, representing Israel and Serbia, respectively. Time To Pray was released in May. The lyrics were written by the president of Israel, Shimon Peres. The song became a hit in multiple countries, including Russia and Serbia.

2010–2012: Havatum em and PreGomesh

In February 2010, Sirusho performed her new song Havatum em (English: I Believe) at the Armenian national selection for Eurovision Song Contest 2010. Both, the lyrics and the music are written by Sirusho. At the end of February she was invited to Malta as a special guest to perform at the Maltese Eurovision selection. During the visit she was also a guest on most popular local TV shows and took part in the Maltese annual charity, performing Havatum em.

Sirusho's fourth official studio album, Havatum em, was released in summer 2010 along with new singles included on the album. The record includes previously released songs Erotas, the title track, Time to Pray, new songs, as well as the songs that she had written for the Armenian national final for Eurovision 2008. During an interview in Malta with esctoday.com, Sirusho was asked whether she would return to the Eurovision Song Contest, and she said that if people and her fanbase want her to go, she will return to represent Armenia again.

In 2010 Sirusho wrote the song “Судьба Зима” for a famous Russian singer Grigory Leps.

On September 9 the first single from Sirusho's upcoming studio album, "I Like It", was released on iTunes. The "I like it" video came out on 11 November 2011.

On December 3, Sirusho was special guest in Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2011 held in Yerevan. She performed Qélé, Qélé Remix version.

One year later, on December 10, 2012, Sirusho unveiled the new single "PreGomesh" a dance track she wrote. For this song, Sirusho was inspired by an Armenian folk song "Lorva Gutanerg", which was preserved by Komitas, who is considered the founder of Armenian National school of music. The video gave birth to a new wave of cultural revolution in Armenia, reviving Armenian traditions and presenting them in a whole new modern way. Both, the song and the video, became popular in many countries.

2013–present: Continued career

Sirusho's "Armat" Album Promotional Material

Sirusho and Sakis Rouvas announced that they were to record and release a duet song "See" in October 2013.

In 2014 she was nominated for The Best Armenian Singer, The Best Armenian Song and The Best Armenian Music Video at World Music Awards. Mixing traditions of differens generationns Sirusho released the remake of all-time favorite "Tariner" (Armenian: Տարիներ) (Years) with her compatriot Harout Pamboukjian. On November 9 Sirusho's first solo concert took place at Nokia Theater, Los Angeles, US. In 2015 Sirusho released new song "Kga Mi Or"("Where Were You") dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. The song was released in Armenian and English and both versions are already available on iTunes. She also released a video for the song. At the end of 2015 Sirusho released a new single "Mi Togh Indz Menak" (Do Not Leave Me Alone).

In 2016 Sirusho performed a new song "Mi Togh Indz Menak"

In August 2016 Sirusho performed live at Barclaycard Arena in Hamburg, Germany and was announced as the Best Armenian Female Act at Daf BAMA Music Awards and performed one of her best hist - Qele Qele (Remix version).

In the same month Sirusho also announced about the upcoming release of her new album that will be called ""Armat" ("Armat" meaning 'Roots' in Armenian) that will be representing the Armenian culture with all its aspects.

Albums

Singles