Elena Gheorghe

Elena Gheorghe (born July 30, 1985) is a Romanian singer of Aromanian descent. She was born to a Priest and his wife in the village of Clinceni next to Bucharest. She started her musical career as part of a duo along with Adela Popescu. In the first half of the 2000s she joined Latin group Mandinga with whom she released a couple of albums and a few hit singles. In 2006 she separated from the group and pursued her solo career. She released two albums and scored a top ten in the Romanian Top 100 with the debut single "Vocea ta" (Your Voice).

After an internal selection, Gheorghe was elected to represent Romania in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 with the song "The Balkan Girls" written by Laurentiu Duta. She came second in the voting result, but as the jury voted for her, she won the National Final. At Eurovision, in Moscow she qualified for the Grand Final where she came the nineteenth after accumulating a total of 40 points (12 points from Moldova). After Eurovision she became more famous Europe-wide and released her signature song "Disco Romancing" which was a smash hit in Romania as well as a top-ten in Hungary and a mild success in Czech Republic, Netherlands, Poland and Slovakia. The following single "Midnight Sun" was a top-ten success in the Dutch Top 40 and in the Romanian Top 100. In 2011 she collaborated with Dony and released the single "Hot Girls" which once again charted throughout Europe. The same year she had her first European tour, getting to Germany, Spain and Greece. In the summer she got engaged to her producer and before Christmas she gave birth to a boy named Nicolas.

Her single "Ecou" which participated in the Own Eurovision Song Contest 18 in Bucharest, Romania, where it reached the 9th place.

2002–05: Career as part of Mandinga
Elena started singing with Mandinga, a very successful band in the Latino genre in early 2003. In June 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 own dance school called Passitos and a month later ended the collaboration with Mandinga, starting her solo career with the help of musical producer Laurenţiu Duţă.

2006–08: Solo career beginnings
In June 2006 Elena released her first solo album, entitled Your Voice. In March 2007 Elena won the prize Radio România Actualitaţi for best performing act in 2006 and was nominated for the Best Song of 2006 section with the song Your Voice. In August 2007 at the Romanian Top Hit Music Awards, Elena won the award for Best Song of 2007, with the song Your Brown Eyes. Some of her songs are sung in Aromanian language as Ma ţi s-adar, Lilicea Vreariei, and others.

2009: Eurovision Song Contest
In late 2008, songwriter Laurentiu Duta offered Elena a song to submit in the Romanian pre-selection for the Eurovision Song Contest. Right after New Year's Eve 2009 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 January 31, 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". She started a promo tour all over Europe from February to May. Meanwhile, the song was already setting records as it became the first Eurovision song to be a number one in the Romanian Top 100 and Elena's first number one there. The song was performed in the second half of the first semi-final on May 12 in Moscow, Russia where it came ninth with 67 points. She proceeded to the Grand Final on May 16. 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.

2010–12: European recognition, Disco Romancing and motherhood
After Eurovision she became more famous Europe-wide and released her signature song "Disco Romancing" which was a smash hit in Romania as well as a top-ten in Hungary and a mild success in Czech Republic, Netherlands, Poland or Slovakia. The following single "Midnight Sun" was a top-ten success in the Dutch Top 40 and in the Romanian Top 100. In 2011 she collaborated with Dony and released the single "Hot Girls" which once again charted throughout Europe. The same year she had her first European tour, going to Germany, Spain and Greece. In the summer she got engaged with her producer and before Christmas she gave birth to a boy named Nicholas

Own Eurovision Song Contest
Elena with Glance were chosen to be the representetive of Romania in the contest Own Eurovision Song Contest 18, with her song "Ecou" which will participate in the Grand Final.

At the end of the voting, Romania placed 9th, receiving 140 points.