IVAN to represent Belarus at Eurovision 2016
At the international Eurovision Song Contest 2016 in Stockholm (Sweden) Belarus was represented by the winner of the national selection Alexander Ivanov, who performed under the stage name IVAN.
Alexander Ivanov
Singer and musician from Gomel Alexander Ivanov grew up in an artistic family: father Viktor is a guitar player, a sound engineer in the Original Standard band. Elder brother Vladimir is also a famous rock musician. From a young age Alexander studied to play guitar. He also sang in a military orchestra, performed together with his brother and father in the Brown Velvet rock group, which later transformed into IVANOV.
The selection for the оpen-air festival Mass Medium Fest 2009 was an important milestone in Alexander Ivanov’s music career. In pursuing his dream, he quit his studies at Minsk State Linguistic University and left for Saint Petersburg to launch a career as a solo singer.
Alexander Ivanov claimed the second place in the popular TV show Battle of the Choirs as he performed with the rock choir of Saint Petersburg and Leningrad Oblast led by producer and his future mentor Viktor Drobysh.
In 2014, the singer won the first prize at the contest Five Stars in Yalta, Ukraine. Besides, Alexander Ivanov played one of the leading parts in 3D musical Juliet and Romeo staged by Polish director Janusz Jozefowicz in Saint Petersburg.
Alexander Ivanov caught the attention of millions of viewers and famous producers during the TV show X Factor Russia (Main Stage) in 2015. The singer finished second, got the prestigious prize Choice of Producers, and started to work with Viktor Drobysh.
Shortly after the show Alexander Ivanov’s lyrical song Krest i Ladon (original title) was included in the track lists of the leading radio stations and the Top Pop Songs Chart of Russkoye Radio.
Today the Belarusian singer takes part in concerts and is writing new songs for his debut album.
IVAN partakes in Belarus’ national selection for Eurovision 2016
Alexander Ivanov and his producers decided to take part in the Belarusian national selection for Eurovision 2016 after the singer’s success at the Evening with Viktor Drobysh in Minsk. By the way, at the anniversary concert Hits and Stars Viktor Drobysh, the famous Russian producer who has Belarusian roots, received one of the most prestigious awards of Belarus – the Order of Francysk Skaryna.
While preparing for the Eurovision national selection Alexander Ivanov adopted the stage name of Ivan. According to the singer, with this name he tries on the image of a romantic hero, who resembles the valorous knight Ivanhoe from the novel by Walter Scott and the Slavonic warrior Ivan at the same time.
In the final gala concert on 23 January Alexander Ivanov was scored 12 points and the largest number of viewer votes — 23,167.
In anticipation of Eurovision Alexander Ivanov said warm words about his colleagues and acted as a guest of honor in the first semi-final of the Ukrainian national selection for Eurovision 2016.
Alexander Ivanov’s song Help You Fly
Help You Fly is a romantic ballade created by the team of the Viktor Drobysh production center. Viktor Drobysh is also the author of the musical base and the Russian lyrics. The English text has been written by Alexander Ivanov and Timofei Leontyev and the producer’s co-author — Mary Susan Applegate.
The song Help You Fly was written a long time ago but was shelved. The song is a mix of rock and ethnic tunes. The arrangement created by Timofei Leontyev, Andrei Slonchinsky and Milos Raymond Rosas adds modern sounding to it.
The story behind the song is that despite any roughs and tumbles of life, there is always a ray of light that can show the right path and help find feet again.
According to the draw results, Belarus’ Eurovision 2016 entry performed with his song Help You Fly in the second semifinal at the Ericsson Globe Arena in Stockholm on 12 May.
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