Elena Gheorghe

Biography

Elena Gheorghe (born 30 July 1985; Romanian pronunciation: [eˈle.na ˈɡe̯orɡe]) is a Romanian singer. In the first half of the 2000s, she joined the Romanian pop group Mandinga, with whom she released two albums. In 2006, she left the group and pursued a solo career. She has released three studio albums and one compilation album. She scored a top ten hit in the Romanian Top 100 with her debut single, "Vocea Ta×Vocea taJune 2006 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Vocea Ta3:312Dulce Ca Mierea3:023N-Ai Sa VII3:184Ochii Tai Caprui3:075Dorinte3:146Dans Latino3:237Noaptea Sau in Zori3:288Paradisul3:209Vocea Ta (Summertime remix)3:3010Soarele Meu (Lucaccione remix)3:22".

Early life and career beginnings

Gheorghe was born in Bucharest to the family of an Aromanian priest, Gheorghe Gheorghe. Many of her ancestors were Orthodox priests. She has a sister, Ana, who is a journalist and a brother, Costin, a former footballer. Her mother, Mărioara Gheorghe, is a folk artist. Gheorghe debuted on the folk music scene at the age of three with the song Sus în Deal în Poieniţă. At the age of 11, she joined the Children's National Palace, where she received singing lessons. In 2000, she won the gold trophy Little Bear (in Baia Mare) with One Moment In Time by Whitney Houston. In 2001, she participated in the Mamaia Festival.
Gheorghe is of both Romanian and Aromanian background.

2002–2005: Career as part of Mandinga

Gheorghe started singing with Mandinga, a very successful band in the Latino genre, in early 2003. In June of that year, Mandinga released their first album, ...De Corazón. Mandinga was placed 4th in the Romanian National Eurovision Selection in March 2005 with the song My Sun, which was awarded a golden disc one year later. In January 2006, she opened her dance school, Passitos, and a month later ended her collaboration with Mandinga, starting her solo career with the help of musical producer Laurenţiu Duţă.

2006–2008: Solo career beginnings

In June 2006, Gheorghe released her first solo album, entitled Your Voice. In March 2007, Gheorghe won the Radio România Actualitaţi prize for the best performing act of 2006 and was nominated for the Best Song of 2006 category with the song Your Voice. In August 2007, at the Romanian Top Hit Music Awards, Gheorghe won the award for Best Song of 2007 for the song Your Brown Eyes. Some of her songs are sung in the Aromanian language, such as Ma ţi s-adar, Lilicea Vreariei, and others.
In 2007, she released her second solo album Te Ador×Te Ador25 April 2008 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks1The Balkan Girls2:492The Balkan Girls (David Deejay Club Mix)4:023The Balkan Girls (DJ Daronee Remix)3:284Te Ador3:435O Noua Viata3:276Jumatate3:557Pana La Stele3:368Tot Ce Vreau3:469Spune-Mi3:2410Langa Mine3:0811Pormisiuni3:1012Zile Si Nopti3:1713My Superstar4:0014I Love You3:5015The Balkan Girls (video)3:04, with the title trackalso becoming a hit.

2009: Eurovision Song Contest

In late 2008, songwriter Laurenţiu Duţă offered Gheorghe a song to submit in the Romanian pre-selection for the Eurovision Song Contest. Around 31 December 2008, it was announced that Gheorghe was one of 24 semi-finalists. She competed in the semi-final and then passed to the National Final on 31 January 2009. There, she came second after televoting, but the jury helped her win the selection, thus representing Romania in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 with the song "The Balkan Girls×The Balkan Girls6 January 2009 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1The Balkan Girls (Original Version)2:432The Balkan Girls (David DeeJay Remix)4:003The Balkan Girls (DJ Daronee Remix)3:26." She embarked on a promotional tour throughout Europe from February to May.
The song was performed in the second half of the first semifinal on 12 May in Moscow, where it came ninth with 67 points. She proceeded to the Grand Final on 16 May. There she performed the 22nd song of the evening, and Gheorghe presented a concept show about wooden fairies called Iele in Romania. She came 19th that night, gaining 40 points, including 12 points from Moldova, seven from Spain, and five from Turkey and Macedonia, etc.

2010–2012: European recognition and "Disco Romancing"

After Eurovision, she gained more fame across Europe and released her single "Disco Romancing×Disco Romancing9 October 2012 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 19 tracks1The Balkan Girls2:582Disco Romancing3:123Midnight Sun3:164Hot Girls3:405Your Captain Tonight3:156Waiting3:417I'm on Fire3:238Te Ador3:419Amar Tu Vida3:2610Hypnotic3:1911Incomplete3:1112Hello Hello3:1313Amar Tu Vida3:3114Disco Romancing (Bonne DJ remix)3:4515Disco Romancing (Lockouts Digital disco mix)5:3616Disco Romancing (Frisco extended mix)4:4617Midnight Sun (Swindlers extended)5:1318Midnight Sun (LG Madwenn club remix)5:5119Midnight Sun (Nick Corline remix)7:10," which became a smash hit in Romania, a top-ten hit in Hungary, and a moderate success in the Czech Republic, Netherlands, Poland, and Slovakia. The following single, "Midnight Sun×Midnight Sun15 November 2010 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Midnight Sun3:152Midnight Sun (extended mix)3:44," was a top-ten success in the Dutch Top 40 and the Romanian Top 100. In 2011, she collaborated with Dony and released the single "Hot Girls×Hot Girls1 June 2011 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Hot Girls (radio edit)3:412Hot Girls (extended version)4:19," which once again charted throughout Europe. The same year, she embarked on her first European tour to Germany, Spain and Greece. Gheorghe's album, "Disco Romancing," was released in a limited edition in 2012 in Spain and Japan. The album spawned 3 more singles, "Your Captain Tonight×Your Captain Tonight3 December 2012 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Your Captain Tonight3:142Your Captain Tonight (Extended)5:03," "Amar Tu Vida×Amar Tu Vida19 November 2012 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Amar Tu Vida3:252Amar Tu Vida (Extended Mix)4:233Amar Tu Vida3:31," and "Hypnotic×Hypnotic25 November 2013 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracks1Hypnotic (radio edit)3:212Hypnotic (Macroo mix) (radio edit)3:283Hypnotic (extended)5:224Hypnotic (Macroo mix) (extended)4:345Hypnotic (Macroo mix) (instrumental)3:26."

2013–present

In 2016, Disney Enterprises and Walt Disney Romania selected the artist to be part of an animated TV Series produced by Disney, and she sings the main theme from Elena of Avalor.
In 2019, to celebrate the Aromanian National Day (celebrated on 23 May), Gheorghe organized an Aromanian music event.
In March 2022, she released a new song called "Brațele."

Studio albums

2006: Vocea Ta
2008: Te Ador
2012: Disco Romancing
2019: Lunâ Albâ
2022: Brațele

Compilations

2008: Lilicea Vreariei (Elena Gheorghe & Gică Coadă)