DISCOVERY 2002

GULCHERA USMANOVA Uzbekistan

Usmanova Gulchera Urinboevna was born in Ziadin, Samarkand region, Uzbekistan. She is Aries by zodiac, Monkey by horoscope. She will be 22 years old this year.
In 1998 she moved to Navoi and entered the Navoi Pedagogical Institute. She is a fourth-year student now.
Gulchera is a soloist singer in the Culture And Concert Centre “Farkhad’. She started to sing since she was in kindergarten. When she was in Secondary School she took part in all children’s song contests and celebrations.
But her first steps on her way to recognition were the regional contest of vocalists “Voices of Kyzylkum” (the first place); the Republican song contest “Uzbekiston - vatanim manim” attracting most resonant and clearest voices of the Republic (the third place); the Republican contest of pop national songs “Aziz ona - urtim navollary”.
Gulchera is an extraordinary example of eastern coloring; she conquers her spectators from the first minutes with her artistry, individuality of the voice and originality of her performances.
There are classic works and modern pop songs performed in different languages in Usmanova’s repertoire.
The Navoi Mining and Metallurgy Combinat is Usmanova’s long-term sponsor.

YULIA Macedonia

She is working now on her 5th album. She participated at the most Macedonian pop festivals (Makfest, Evrofest, Tumbafest, Strumica Spring). Lots of her songs became hits. She often tours abroad: Yugoslavia and West Europe as well as USA and Australia. We hope after her participating at the Discovery’02 she’ll become a frequent guest in Bulgaria, too.
Julia often takes part in charity concerts. She’s a graduated journalist.

 

ALICE Czech Republic

Alice was born on May 2nd 1987 in Zlin, Czech Republic. Ince she was five, she started to learn playing flute, guitar and piano. Now Alice is getting ready for the role of Ofelie in the famous Czech musical Hamlet.
Success: 1998 - Zlata Nota Festival (1st prize)
2000 - Evropska Databanka Zlintalent Festival (national festival for young singers - finalist)
2000 - Children International Nile Song Festival Cairo (Egypt) - F.I.D.O.F. prize for the most talented young singer
2001 - Golden Star Festival, Romania (F.I.D.O.F. prize)
Albums: Co laska si zada’01 - in collaboration with another 8 Czeech female singers. Album arised by Michael Jay (Grammy winner - Top Gun soundtrack; cooperation with Celine Dion - song Fallin’ Into You)
Ty snad me predelas’01 - single - first two songs from Alice’s 1st solo album, which will realise in 2002

 

LUMINITA ANGHEL Romania

Born on the 7th of October 1968, under the sign of the Libra, Luminita Anghel is a very well known presence of the Romanian musical stage. Graduate of the Popular School of Arts in Bucharest, section Canto, class 1986, she is at the moment a student at the Spiru Haret University, section Sociology-psychology. She started singing when she was 14 and she made her debut in 1987, in Mamaia Festival. In 1993 she won the 1st prize and the Mamaia Trophy for Creation for the song "Of All That's Been”.
1996 represented her debut as an actress in the movie “Captain Conan”, which was presented in the Cannes Film Festival.
1998 was very special. She launched her first album “The Chance Is On My Side”. She was nominated for the best voice of the year in the Ballantine’s Prizes with the song “It’s You” and she could be seen as a VJ on Prima TV, where she presented a musical program called “TOP TV”. In 2001 she won the pop contest 1st Prize of GOLDEN STAG International Festival - Brasov 2001.

JIMBO

Jimbo is one of the hottest new talents to emerge from the seemingly endless pool of talent Ireland has been producing for the last couple of years. While the name may not be as instantly recognisable as Boyzone, B*Witched, The Corrs, Westlife or Samantha Mumba, it is only a matter of time until Jimbo steps out from the wings to take his place center-stage in the world of music. Five years ago Jimbo was working as a sales manager in Belfast when he decided to give up the day job and concentrate on his music career. He returned to Drogheda where he quickly built up a strong following gigging around the area. He took part in the Cavan International Song Festival and won the best male vocalist award two years in a row. This is where he came to the attention of Louis Walsh and Ronan Keating who were working on The Carter Twin’s Eurosong entry ‘Make the Change’. Jimbo performed the backing vocals on the track. He rejected offers to join a number of boy bands, including OTT and Westlife. Jimbo has always known that he wants to perform as a solo artist.

Jimbo’s first step towards achieving this goal came when he was asked to appear on the hit RTE / BBC show ‘Let Me Entertain You’. Showcasing new Irish talent he wowed the crowd with his storming version of ‘Somebody to Love’ by Queen. The guests on the panel were blown away by Jimbo’s performance with comedian Patrick Kielty saying “Brilliant, You the Man!” while the national radio stations (2FM) leading DJ, Gerry Ryan, said he was “better than George Michael”.

The songs heartfelt lyrics gained enormous critical acclaim. Jimbo insisted that the ballad was remixed and the single contained both club and dance versions of the track, which led to it getting played in the clubs around Ireland. He spent the summer touring and promoting and was asked to appear on the ‘2FM Beat on the Street’, a live road show which showcases new Irish talent around the country. He was also invited to take part in the ‘Voice of Asia’ international festival, taking place in Kazakhstan, which showcases music talent from Europe, Asia and Russia. He became a regular on Irish television and radio and inspired a considerable amount of press, all clamouring to proclaim him the Irish Ricky Martin or George Michael depending on which paper you were reading.

He has since followed up ‘Heaven Knows’ with another song written by himself entitled ‘Victim’. The track, a Spanish style R’n’B ballad repeated the success of ‘Heaven Knows’. Described on national TV show ‘Open House’ as a “cross between a James Bond and George Michael song”, the song cemented Jimbo’s position as one of the brightest new stars in Irish music and one of the few singer/songwriter acts in pop. The song had a ballad version and a dance version and both proved to be a hit on radio.

Jimbo was invited to return to Kazakhstan this year and played in front of 30,000 people in the massive Medeu Stadium in Almaty at the ‘Voice of Asia’ festival. Jimbo went down so well on Asian TV and Radio and with the stadium audience that he could not walk down the street without someone looking for his autograph or a photograph. A television audience of up to 300 million people from all over Asia & Russia saw Jimbo perform six songs including the newly recorded ‘Shake’, a cover of The Jacksons ‘Shake Your Body’. Also performing at the festival were chart toppers Phats & Small and ATB.

Jimbo has a huge amount of songs written and is currently recording tracks for his debut album in Ear 2 Ear Studios, Dublin with producer, Paul Murphy. Jimbo has an astonishingly agile falsetto

MEGGI

Born in 1974 in Kurdjali, Bulgaria.
She owe her love to music to her mother - leader of many amateur groups. Meglena first appearance on big stage is at age of 12. She was a member of the children’s vocal group Duga (Rainbow) in Kurdjali. Her second love is dance. She graduated a Business College.
Her hazardous nature brought her to London in 1999, where she worked hard on her musical growth. Soon she met the producer Martin Rex, who helped her to make her music projects true.
“My dream is to dress my lyrics in music and to have the conditions for presenting them to the audience.”

 

ELGA PORCHKHIDZE Georgia

Born: 1974, 07 December, Terjola, Georgia.
In 1992 finished secondary school in Tbilisi. Also in 1992 finished music school for talented children, class grand piano.
In 1992 joined Sh.Rustaveli Tbilisi National Institute of Theatre, faculty Actor of Musical Comedy. Finished in 1997.
1982-1989 - soloist in children vocal-instrumental ensemble "Mnatobi". At the same time - soloist in national dance ensemble "Sichabuke".
1989-1991 - soloist in vocal-instrumental ensemble "Tavisupleba".
1991 - winner of the 1st prize in contest "We search for talents", Tbilisi.
1992-1993 - diplomaed in contest "Prestige Show" and "Audience Sympathies" prize winner.
1993-1996 - soloist in vocal trio "Talisman".
1994-1995 - nominee "The Best Singer of the Year" in television music festival "Idea".
1996-1997 - nominee "The Most Fascinating Singer" in television music festival "Golden Muse".
2001 - diplomaed in International festival "Golden Shlager" in Mogiliov, Belarus.
Tours in Poland, Turkey, Germany, United States. Now working on the first solo album. Last new song "I do not want anyone else" fell into top-ten Hit-Parade 2001 songs (May - September).

 

MARIYA YEREMENOK Ukraine

I’m from Kiev, Ukraine. I was born on Oct.16th 1981. I finished а music school, I play balalaika and guitar. I’m doing singing classes, dancing classes; I’m writing poems, lyrics for songs; I’m a member of a theatrical studio; I’m going in for sport (shaping, running, swimming). I finished a Model Agency, I’ve been working as a model and photomodel.
I’m studding at the Kiev National Economic University on the 5th year, speciality - International Economy. I’m also a specialist in the using of the Personal Computer. I speak Russian, Ukrainian, English fluently; I’m studding German and Italian languages. I have a lot of friends abroad. I’ve taken part in a lot of national festivals, music programs, national and city holidays and private parties. It would be honourable and very interesting for me to take part in the Discovery’02 International Pop Festival!
I like theater and music. I like everything interesting and unusual. I’m not just singing my songs, I open my soul, I share my feelings with everybody, making mini-performances from each of my songs. To realize myself means for me “to sing”.

NURDILLA SARSENBAJEV Kasakhstan

NURDILLA was born in the South of Kasakhstan. The picturesque nature of this region has affected on the boy who took an ancient national instrument dombra when he was 5 years old, he was in the 5th form he started to compose songs and perform them with guitar accompaniment and he also became a soloist of vocal-instrumental ensemble in the school.
The young singer graduated from institute of culture in Shymkent. He was a participant of many festivals for students with popular group «The Mashat» during his study.
As a singer and author of his songs Nurdilla performed National Contest Young Singers «Zhas Kanat», «Voice of Asia » International Festival Contemporary Song of Kasakhstan, Contest International Maltese Song Contest (Malta).
Now Nurdilla is working as a soloist and musik chief of «Akzhol» Musikal Theatre

SILVIA STEFANESCU