Diana Gurtskaya

Diana Gudaevna Gurtskaya (Georgian: დიანა ღურწკაია, Russian: Диана Гудаевна Гурцкая, born 2 July 1978) is a blind Russian-Georgian singer. Following a failed attempt in Belarus the previous year Diana, on 1 March 2008, won the Georgian national final with 39.4% of the vote, therefore she represented Georgia at the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest in Belgrade, Serbia. She won a place in the final at the second semi-final on 22 May and finished 11th.

Diana Gurtskaya
Gurtskaya, Georgia, Eurovision 2008
Background information
Birth nameDiana Gudaevna Gurtskaya
Born (1978-07-02) 2 July 1978
Sukhumi, Abkhaz ASSR, Georgian SSR, USSR
GenresPop, synthpop, pop rock
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter
Years active2000–present

Gurtskaya has a number of awards to her credit. Most notably, a 2007 Russian Honorable Artist award given to her by president Vladimir Putin, a Medal of Honor given to her by Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili, and the Award of Saint Barbara in Ukraine amongst others.[1]

She has recorded duets with various well-known foreign singers including Ray Charles, Toto Cutugno, and Demis Roussos.[1][2][3]

In 2009, Gurtskaya received significant media attention after failing to obtain a visa from the British embassy due to her blindness. However, after a much publicised campaign, a visa was granted and the rules were changed.[4]

Gurtskaya is married to Pyotr Kucherenko, who is a sighted lawyer in Moscow, and they have one son, Konstantin (b. June 2007).

Diana Gurtskaya signed the petition of support of Putin's actions in Ukraine and Crimea in 2014.[5]

Discography

Studio albums
  • Ty zdess (2000)[6]
  • Ty Znayesh mama (2002)[7]
  • Utro (2003)[8]
  • Nezhnaya (2004)[9]
  • 9 Mesjacev (2007)
  • Ja Ljublju vas vseh (2009)[10]

Compilation albums
  • MP3 Collection (2006)
  • Novoye i luchshyeye (2009)

Filmography
Year Film Role Notes
2007 9 months singing voice She performed theme song

References
  1. Diana Gurtskaya's biography at eurovision.tv
  2. Diana Gurtskaya's biography at eurovision-georgia.ge
  3. Get to know Diana page of esctime.com Archived 2008-05-03 at Archive.today
  4. Blind singer beats UK redtape, from Russia Today on YouTube, 30 April 2009
  5. Деятели культуры России — в поддержку позиции Президента по Украине и Крыму Archived 2014-03-11 at Archive.today (in Russian). Ministry of Culture of Russian Federation. March 2014
  6. , 28,9,2012
  7. , 28,9,2012
  8. , 28,9,2012
  9. , 28,9,2012
  10. , 28,9,2012
Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Sopho Khalvashi
with Visionary Dream		 Georgia in the Eurovision Song Contest
2008		 Succeeded by
Sofia Nizharadze
with Shine
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