Sirusho facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sirusho
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Sirusho in the music video for "PreGomesh" in 2012
Born	Siranush Harutyunyan (1987-01-07) 7 January 1987 (age 38) Yerevan, Armenian SSR, Soviet Union
Occupation	Singer songwriter jewelry designer
Years active	1995–present
Spouse(s)	Levon Kocharyan ​ (m. 2009)​
Children	3
Parent(s)	Hrachya Harutyunyan (father) Syuzan Margaryan (mother)

Siranush Harutyunyan (born January 7, 1987), known as Sirusho, is an Armenian singer and songwriter. She won her first award at nine years old for her song "Lusabats". Her first album, Sirusho, came out in 2000. Her second album, Sheram, followed in 2005. That same year, she won awards for Future of Armenian Music, Best Album, and Best Female Performer. These were given at the first Armenian National Music Awards.

Sirusho became famous around the world after she sang for Armenia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2008. Her song, "Qélé, Qélé", which she helped write, was performed in Belgrade, Serbia. The song finished fourth in the final and became very popular in Europe. The BBC even called her a "national treasure" for Armenia during the contest.

In 2012, Sirusho released the song "PreGomesh". This song inspired her to create her own line of handmade silver jewelry. The jewelry line is also called "PreGomesh". It mixes traditional Armenian culture and crafts with modern fashion. Sirusho is the first Armenian artist to be nominated twice at the World Music Awards for "PreGomesh".

In 2013, W magazine included Sirusho in their list of "6 un-American idols". The magazine said she could introduce the world to Armenian music and language. In 2017, Sirusho was given the title of Honored Artist of Armenia. This was by a special order from President Serzh Sargsyan. Sirusho's music style blends traditional Armenian sounds with modern music.

Her Life and Music Journey

Early Years and First Steps in Music (1987–2004)

Sirusho was born in Yerevan, Soviet Armenia, on January 7, 1987. Her father, Hrachya Harutyunyan, is an actor and director. Her mother, Syuzan Margaryan, was a very popular singer in Armenia in the 1980s and 1990s.

Sirusho won her first award as a child. This was at the Armenian National Music Awards. She sang "Lusabats", an Armenian folk song from the early 1900s by Komitas. When she was seven, Sirusho started writing her own songs. She wrote them in both Armenian and English. At nine, she won another award at the Young Talents Contest for one of her own songs. She released her first album, Sirusho, when she was 13. Sirusho finished school at Yerevan's Khachik Dashtents School #114 in 2004. She also studied piano at the Sayat-Nova Music School. Later, she graduated with high honors from Yerevan State University in international relations.

Sheram and Hima Albums (2005–2009)

Sirusho mostly sang soul and pop music. But she decided to create an album of Armenian folk songs. These songs were by gusan (Armenian folk musicians). This album, called Sheram, came out in 2005. It included the popular song "Shorora". In 2005, Sheram won the Best Album of the Year award. Sirusho also won "Best Female Artist of the Year" at the Armenian National Music Awards.

In 2006, a famous Armenian singer named Varduhi Vardanyan passed away. Varduhi was a close friend of Sirusho's since childhood. After her death, Sirusho wrote a song for Varduhi. It was called "Mez Vochinch Chi Bazhani" ("Nothing Will Separate Us"). This song is on Sirusho's album "Hima" ("Now").

Also in 2006, Sirusho won Best Female Artist of the Year. This was at the Armenian-Russian Diaspora Music Awards in Moscow, Russia. Soon after, she released her song "Heranum em" (meaning "I am leaving"). It quickly became a hit. This song was also on her "Hima" album. The album also featured "Arjani E", a song with singer Sofi Mkheyan. "Hima" was a big step forward in Armenian music. It blended soul music and R&B with traditional instruments. These included the duduk, dhol, and zurna. Sirusho won "Best Female Artist of the Year" at the Armenian Music Awards in Hollywood. Sirusho received her fourth Best Female Artist award at the 2008 Armenian National Music Awards.

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

Sirusho was chosen to represent Armenia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2008. She sang "Qele Qele". This song was co-produced by Canadian Armenian composer DerHova. The song entered the first semi-final on May 20. It then moved on to the final on May 24, 2008, in Belgrade. Sirusho finished in 4th place with 199 points. She is still the only Armenian singer to receive the most "12 points" (the highest score from a country). After the final, Sirusho won a new Fan Award. This was from the Swedish website Gylleneskor.se. Fans voted online for their favorite artist. "Qélé, Qélé" became very popular with Eurovision fans worldwide. It was especially loved in Greek-speaking areas. The 'Yerevan Remix' version of the song was often played in Greek clubs. It was also played on London Greek Radio in the UK. It even appeared in an episode of the Greek and Cyprus X Factor TV show.

On April 1, 2009, Sirusho released "Erotas". This song is also known as "Erotas Ksafnikos" (Sudden Love). It's a fast dance song with a strong Greek laiko (folk music) feel. It is sung entirely in Greek. Singer Hayko composed the music, and Natalia Germanou wrote the words. Sirusho sang it live at the Tashir Armenian Awards in April 2009. Erotas became a number-one hit on the Armenian Singles Chart.

In 2009, Sirusho recorded a song about peace. She sang it with other Eurovision 2008 participants. These included Boaz Mauda from Israel and Jelena Tomasevic from Serbia. The song, "Time To Pray", came out in May. The President of Israel, Shimon Peres, wrote its lyrics.

Havatum em and "PreGomesh" (2010–2015)

In February 2010, Sirusho performed her new song Havatum em (I Believe). This was at the Armenian national selection for Eurovision Song Contest 2010. Sirusho wrote both the words and the music for this song. Later that month, she was a special guest in Malta. She performed at the Maltese Eurovision selection. During her visit, she appeared on TV shows and took part in a charity event. She sang Havatum em there.

Sirusho's fourth album, Havatum em, was released in mid-2010. It included new songs and earlier hits like Erotas and Time to Pray. In an interview, Sirusho was asked if she would return to Eurovision. She said she would if her fans wanted her to represent Armenia again.

In September 2011, the first song from her next album, "I Like It", came out on iTunes. The music video was released on November 11. On December 3, Sirusho was a special guest at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2011 in Yerevan. She performed the Yerevan Remix of Qélé, Qélé.

On December 10, 2012, Sirusho released "PreGomesh". This is a dance song she co-wrote with Avet Barseghyan. The song was inspired by an old Armenian folk song called "Lorva Gutanerg". This song was saved by Komitas. The music video for "PreGomesh" brings Armenian traditions to life in a modern way. In the same month, Russian singer Grigory Leps released a new album. It included the song “Судьба Зима” which Sirusho wrote.

Sirusho and Sakis Rouvas announced they would record a duet called "See" in October 2013. In 2014, she was nominated for Best Armenian Singer, Best Armenian Song, and Best Armenian Music Video at the World Music Awards. Sirusho also released a new version of "Tariner" ("Years"). She sang it with her fellow Armenian singer Harout Pamboukjian. On November 9, Sirusho had her first solo concert. It took place at Nokia Theater in Los Angeles, U.S.

In 2015, Sirusho released a new song called "Kga Mi Or" ("Where Were You"). She dedicated it to the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. The song was released in Armenian and English on iTunes. She also released a music video for it. This song is about a sad historical event important to her people.

Armat and Recent Work (2016–Present)

In January 2016, Sirusho released a new song, "Mi Togh Indz Menak" (Do Not Leave Me Alone), with its music video. In August 2016, she performed live at Barclaycard Arena in Hamburg, Germany. She was named the Best Armenian Female Act at the Daf BAMA Music Awards. She also performed a remix of Qele Qele. That same month, Sirusho announced her new album, Armat (Root). This album would celebrate Armenian culture. In 2017, Sirusho released a new summer hit, "Vuy Aman". She sang it with Armenian-American singer and songwriter Sebu Simonian from the Capital Cities band. She performed at the opening of the 2019 CONIFA European Football Cup in the Republic of Artsakh. In 2021, Sirusho released a song called "Stay" with Norwegian singer Alexander Rybak. He won the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest.

In 2022, Sirusho helped create a foundation named after the famous Armenian artist Hayko. The Hayko Hakobyan foundation aims to save and share Hayko’s music. In August 2022, Sirusho sang at a concert celebrating Hayko's 49th birthday.

Personal Life

Sirusho with her husband's family

On June 6, 2009, Sirusho married Levon Kocharyan. He is the son of Armenia's second president, Robert Kocharyan. Their first son, Robert, was born in 2014. Their second son, Michael, was born in May 2016. Their third child, and first daughter, Zabelle, was born in June 2022.

Supporting Her Homeland

Sirusho is a strong supporter of The Republic of Artsakh's independence. During the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest, an image of the We Are Our Mountains statue was removed from Armenia's introduction. Sirusho then showed a photo of the statue on her clipboard while giving Armenia’s votes. This was her way of showing support for her homeland.

She also supports global recognition of the Armenian Genocide. This is a common theme in her music. In a 2017 documentary, she talked about filming a music video for "Der Zor". This song is about the Genocide. She and her team had to leave their equipment at the Armenian border. They were not allowed to film in Ani. So, they filmed the music video and documentary footage using iPhones.

Music Albums

Studio Albums

• Sirusho (2000)
• Sheram (2005)
• Hima (2007)
• Havatum Em (2010)
• Armat (2016)

Singles

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Sirusho Harutyunyan para niños