Hazel Kaneswaran facts for kids

Hazel Kaneswaran, born in 1977, is an Irish singer, songwriter, and TV personality. She has been a part of the Irish music scene since 1996. Her family is also very musical! Her sister Gail is a model. Her brothers include Siva from the band The Wanted and David from the band Zoo.

Early Life and Family

Hazel Kaneswaran grew up in Blanchardstown, Dublin, Ireland. Her father was from Sri Lanka and her mother was Irish. Hazel's father worked as a window cleaner. He taught her to love soul music.

When her father sadly passed away at age 44, Hazel helped her mother. She helped raise her six younger brothers. She also worked at a Thermo King factory to help support her family.

Music Career with Dove

Hazel's sister, Gail, told rapper and choreographer Graham Cruz about Hazel's talent. Graham then contacted Hazel to work together. Hazel, Graham, and Donald Ade-Onojobi formed a soul-pop group. They first called themselves Dubh, which is the Irish word for "black".

People found the name Dubh hard to say. So, they changed it to "Dove". Dove's most popular song was "Don't Dream". It was a cover of the 1986 hit "Don't Dream It's Over" by Crowded House. ZTT Records released "Don't Dream" on August 16, 1999.

"Don't Dream" reached number 6 on the Irish music charts. Dove was nominated for three awards in 1999. These awards were for Best Single, Best Pop Act, and Best New Act. Even though the song was a hit in Ireland, it did not do as well in the UK. "Don't Dream" was the last song Dove released with ZTT Records.

Popstars: The Rivals Audition

In 2002, Hazel Kaneswaran tried out for a TV music show called "Popstars: The Rivals". She traveled to Glasgow for the audition. Hazel was pregnant at the time. She impressed the judges, Louis Walsh and Geri Halliwell. She sang "Love And Affection" by Joan Armatrading.

Hazel made it to the final round of the competition. However, she was later disqualified. This happened because she was ten days older than the show's age limit. Soon after, in October 2002, she gave birth to her baby boy. The winners of Popstars: The Rivals formed the girl group Girls Aloud. Kimberley Walsh took Hazel's place in the group. Hazel remained friends with Louis Walsh. He later asked her to write songs for the group Jedward.

Becoming a TV Personality

After her singing career, Hazel became a TV judge. In 2004, she was a judge on the third season of Raidió Teilifís Éireann's show "You're A Star". She also helped present the 2005 Meteor Ireland Music Awards.

Hazel appeared on other TV shows too. These include "Off The Rails", "TV Burp" with Harry Hill, and "The Panel".

Eurosong and Eurovision 2014

In November 2013, it was announced that Hazel would help a music act. This act would compete in Eurosong 2014. This show picks Ireland's entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2014.

On February 5, 2014, Hazel announced her choice. She picked the Irish singer Can-linn. The group featured the vocals of Kasey Smith from the band Wonderland. Can-linn's first song, "Heartbeat", was released on iTunes on February 21, 2014. HK Records released the song. "Heartbeat" won the national final. It then represented Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2014 in Copenhagen.

Charity Work

Hazel Kaneswaran has also done a lot of charity work. In May 2000, she raised money with other Dove members. They exchanged kisses for donations on Grafton Street in Dublin. This was for the People in Need Trust. She also took part in that year's telethon.

In September 2010, she joined other famous people. These included former Miss World Rosanna Davison and TV presenter Sinead Desmond. They took part in the Irish Heart Foundation's "Go Red For Women" campaign. This campaign aimed to teach women about heart disease.

In 2010, she also helped a campaign. It encouraged Irish businesses to give some of their sales profits. This money went to the GI Unit at Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin.