Natalia Gordienko - Moldova Eurovision 2021 Sugar

Natalia Gordienko will represent Moldova at Eurovision 2021 with her song “Sugar”.

Natalia was originally due to sing “Prison” at Eurovision 2020. However, the contest was cancelled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. But, just like several other countries, Moldova rested its usual national final for one year and internally selected Natalia instead. Her entry “Sugar” was premiered at a lavish red carpet event in Moscow, organised by her Eurovision collaborators “The Dream Team”.

Let’s take a look at 10 facts you need to know about Natalia Gordienko. Let’s do this!

Moldova at Eurovision 2021: Facts about Natalia Gordienko

1. She’s a Eurovision veteran

Last year wasn’t Natalia’s first bite of the Eurovision apple. She first represented Moldova at Eurovision 2006. She performed alongside boyband star Arsenium and Moldovan rapper Connect-R. They brought Latin vibes to the Athens stage with their song “Loca”. The song placed 20th in the grand final.

2. She got her big break at the age of ten

Natalia has performed since the age of five, but had to wait a few years to get her big break. At the age of ten, she featured on the Moldovan children’s television show Cheiţa de aur (Golden Key) and became a star.

3. She placed second at the Slavianski Bazaar

In 2006, Natalia was the runner-up at Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk, an annual Belarusian music festival dedicated to Slavic music. The prestigious contest has previously been won by future Eurovision stars like Ruslana, Željko Joksimović and Donny Montell.

4. She’s a New Wave winner

The following year, Natalia went on to win New Wave, the international contest for young performers. New Wave has previously been won by future Eurovision stars like Sergey Lazarev (as part of  Smash!!!), Jamala and DoReDos. We haven’t been able to find any performance clips from the contest, but here’s Natalia backstage with Romania’s Mihai Traistariu.

5. She collaborated with Mohombi

Natalia is an established pop performer and in 2016, she collaborated with the Swedish R&B star and Melodifestivalen regular Mohombi. Their song “Habibi” combined Middle Eastern and Latin vibes, creating a breezy, summer vibe. To date, the video has clocked up over one million views on YouTube.

6. She’s an award-winning DJ

In 2009, Natalia started the DJ Star project. She even took to doing some DJing herself, despite having no experience behind the decks. Natalia went on to win first prize in her competition.

7. She’s an Honoured Artist of Moldova

In 2008, Natalia was given the Artist Emerit honour, awarded by the President of Moldova. She was the youngest singer to have ever received this award. It might seem a little premature to give such an award to an artist who was only 20, but as Natalia has shown in the 12 years since, her career has only gone from strength to strength.

8. She hosts the Moldovan national lottery show

Every week, Moldovans tune into the Loteria Națională to see who will strike it lucky. Natalia helps to host the half-hour show, which includes different games of chance.

9. She regularly collaborates with the Dream Team

Both “Prison” — Natalia’s intended entry for Eurovision 2020 — and “Sugar” were co-written by the so-called “Dream Team”. Behind both songs were the Russian maestro Philipp Kirkorov, the successful Greek songwriter Dimitris Kontopoulos and “Scream” lyricist Sharon Vaughn. The trio were joined by Mikhail Gutseriev on the “Sugar” credits”.

10. She’s a mother

As well as having a busy showbiz career, Natalia is also a mother. In 2017 she gave birth to a baby boy. And it’s a family affair — Natalia’s grandmother helps raise her great-grandson.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Gordienko Natalia (@natalitsa)

What do you think of Natalia’s career? Are you ready for some sugar? Tell us your thoughts below!

Read more Eurovision 2021 artist facts here.

20 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Euromess
Euromess
3 years ago

I honestly didn’t like “Poison” at all. “Sugar” is not a masterpiece but it is certainly better designed for the Eurovision audience and the contest and I think it will get more than what the previous entry would have gotten.

I need to make a personal announcement: if any sexy Moldovan man wants to know me, write me, I am ready to open my heart!

HarpyDarper
HarpyDarper
3 years ago

Fact number 6 confuses me a bit. She started a DJ contest, had no experience of DJing but went on to win it?

Mihal
Mihal
3 years ago

Forgot fact 11. Sold herself and became Kirkorov’s pet.

sam
sam
3 years ago

WARNING! NATALIA GORDIENKO THE LORD AND SAVIOR IS COMING… STREAM SUGAR AND VOTE FOR MOLDOVA OR REPENT!

Jimmy Smit
Jimmy Smit
3 years ago

I thought Mohombi had only appeared twice at Melodifestivalen.

Last edited 3 years ago by Jimmy Smit
Iván el Conquistador
Iván el Conquistador
3 years ago

Sugar is not my cuo of tea, but I hope Natalia can redeem the result of Loca. Moldova is a country that, despite having less resources than other public broadcasters, can be very creative and thus I think they deserve to win the contest someday and host it in Kishinev the following year.

Pandaman
Pandaman
3 years ago

Wiwibloggs are doing these “10 facts” articles about every contestant.

American Boy
American Boy
3 years ago

Currently, her song Sugar sits at my #10.

Jimmy Smit
Jimmy Smit
3 years ago
Reply to  American Boy

I almost coughed up my cereal as my eyes scrolled past your comment!

sam
sam
3 years ago
Reply to  Jimmy Smit

you’ll be happy to hear that she flutters between my 5-3rd place

Jimmy Smit
Jimmy Smit
3 years ago
Reply to  sam

Oh that I don’t mind 😉
It was that I initially misread part of what OP had posted about where Sugar sits.

Bdzhilka
Bdzhilka
3 years ago

She posts in Russian and not Romanian?

Pandaman
Pandaman
3 years ago
Reply to  Bdzhilka

About 15% of Moldovans use Russian as their first language, maybe she’s in this group, dunno.

BadWoolfGirl
BadWoolfGirl
3 years ago
Reply to  Pandaman

Well, if you know your history, Moldova used to be one of the 15 countries that was part of the Soviet union. That would explain why she would know Russian.

Pandaman
Pandaman
3 years ago
Reply to  BadWoolfGirl

I do know this, but this isn’t necessarily a proper explanation. Armenia and Azerbaijan also were a part of the Soviet Union and neither of these two countries use Russian as their recognised language, in contrary to, say, Moldova.

Jimmy Smit
Jimmy Smit
3 years ago
Reply to  BadWoolfGirl

Natalia would have been 4 years old when the Soviet Union collapsed and Moldova became an independent republic. Moldova’s specific cultural ties to Russia obviously extend beyond the context of the USSR.

Cameron
Cameron
3 years ago
Reply to  Bdzhilka

Her parents are Ukrainian and she therefore knows Russian, Ukrainian and Romanian

acp
acp
3 years ago
Reply to  Bdzhilka

It may have something to do that she has Ukranian origins and I suppose that a lot of her followers are from Russia-Ukraine too.

BadWoolfGirl
BadWoolfGirl
3 years ago
Reply to  acp

That too. Her surname is Ukrainian

Ende
Ende
3 years ago

She is gorgeous and talented !

Last edited 3 years ago by Ende