Georgia will officially be the last of Eurovision 2023’s 37 contestants to release their song, with IRU’s “Echo” to be released that day.
Iru Khechanov, now being officially presented mononymously as IRU, revealed the song title in a post on Instagram today, as well as hinting at the vibrant white and red Georgian colors that will be her look for the video and, potentially, the live staging.
IRU, who won the fifth season of The Voice of Georgia, has been rumored to be a co-writer of Georgia’s entry alongside Giga Kukhiadnidze, who wrote “Candy Music” for Georgia’s Junior Eurovision 2011 winners Candy, of whom IRU was a member.
IRU, born in Tbilisi on December 3, 2000, but also of Armenian heritage, has also spent considerable time in her youth in the United States.
The Voice of Georgia is not IRU’s first attempt at Eurovision – she also tried out for 2019’s Georgian Idol, but did not make the final ten contestants.
In 2021, she released her debut single “No Jerk Around Me.” This single was co-written by Giga Kukhiadnidze and Ben Kadagidze.
Further details on authorship and production of “Echo” will be forthcoming on Thursday.
Georgia have not qualified for the Eurovision Grand Final since Nika Kocharov and Young Georgian Lolitaz’s “Midnight Gold” at Eurovision 2016. Though Georgia is often highly regarded in the Eurovision fanbase, their cult status has not translated into qualification for the Grand Final of late.
Georgia debuted at Eurovision 2007 with Sopho’s “Visionary Dream.” To date, Georgia’s best performance is 9th place, achieved twice in 2010 and 2011 with Sofia Nizharadze’s “Shine” and Eldrine’s “One More Day,” respectively.
Georgia’s last entry, Circus Mircus’s “Lock Me In,” came in 18th and last in Semi-Final 2 at Eurovision 2022 in Turin, Italy.
Georgia have been drawn to perform in the second half of Semi-Final 2, to be held on May 11, 2023.
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