How Sirusho Went from Her First Songs to “Qele Qele” and “PreGomesh”

Sirusho is an Armenian singer who represented Armenia at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2008 with “Qele Qele”, finishing fourth. Her repertoire includes a tribute to singer Vardui Vardanyan, songs in Greek and “PreGomesh”, a work inspired by the music of Komitas.

Family and Early Performances

Sirusho’s real name is Siran Grachevna Arutyunyan. She was born on January 7, 1987, in Yerevan into an artistic family. Her father, Grachya Arutyunyan, is an actor and director, and her mother sings.

Sirusho began performing at the age of seven on stages in Armenia and Canada. At nine, she received a music award for her song “Lusabats”. Her debut album, “Sirusho”, was released in 2000.

Albums and Musical Style

In 2005, Sirusho released “Sheram”, followed in 2007 by her third album, “Hima”. It included “Mez vochinch chi bazhani”, whose title translates as “Nothing Will Separate Us”. She dedicated the song to the late singer Vardui Vardanyan.

Sirusho blends soul, R&B, pop and folk with Armenian national music. Her music features the duduk, zurna and dhol.

Eurovision and Projects from 2008–2010

Sirusho took to the Eurovision stage in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. Her performance of “Qele Qele” earned her 199 points. That same year, 2008, she added the Armenian film “Cinderella” (“Mokhrotik”) to her filmography.

In 2009, the singer recorded “Erotas” in Greek. The song’s title means “Love”. That same year, Sirusho joined Boaz Mauda and Elena Tomashevich to present “Time to Pray”.

Another of her Armenian film credits dates to 2009: “Star of Love”, or “Siro astgh”. In 2010, Sirusho received the Tashir Music Award for promoting Armenian music in Europe.

Armenian Traditions on Stage and in Design

For the Junior Eurovision Song Contest, Sirusho prepared a remix of “Qele Qele” that was to be accompanied by the Armenian dance “Berd”. The performance was announced in advance.

In 2012, Sirusho wrote and presented “PreGomesh”. Her inspiration came from Komitas’s “Lorva Gutanerg”.

Sirusho also ventured into jewellery design. In 2012, she launched her accessories line of the same name, “PreGomesh”, combining contemporary trends with Armenian traditions.