Biography
Who is Gaitana?
Early life and real name
Gaitana was born Gaita-Lurdes Klaverivna Essami in Kyiv, Ukraine. Her mother is Ukrainian and her father is from the Republic of the Congo. As an infant, she moved with her family to Brazzaville, living there for five years before returning to Kyiv in 1985. Upon her return, she spoke French and Lingala, later learning Ukrainian and Russian.
In Kyiv, she attended a music school to play the saxophone and later studied economics. She was also a champion table tennis player in her youth. In 1991, she placed third in the Fantasy Lotto Nadiya children's music competition and began singing in a children's ensemble led by Volodymyr Bystryakov.
Music career and albums
Gaitana began her professional music career by releasing her debut studio album O tebe in 2003. Over the years, she released several other studio albums, including Slidom za toboyu, Kapli dozhdya, Kukabarra, Taynyye zhelaniya, Tolko segodnya, Viva, Europe!, Voodooman, and Sonce V Tobi. Her recorded songs feature Russian, Ukrainian, and English languages.
In 2009, she performed at a special inauguration ball in Kyiv held in honor of Barack Obama. She has also released numerous singles such as Two Windows, Go Crazy, Be My Guest, Aliens, Galaxy, and A Paper Plane.
Eurovision and public life
In January 2012, Gaitana won the Ukrainian national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest with her song Be My Guest. She placed first with the professional jury and second with the public. Following her selection, she faced racist comments from members of the far-right in Ukraine, with some politicians claiming her representation would hinder European Union integration.
She responded by stating that Ukraine was her beloved motherland and that non-white citizens should feel accepted. She then competed in the second semi-final in Baku, qualifying for the final and ultimately placing 15th overall with 65 points.
Birthday and age
Gaitana was born on September 29, 1979, which makes Gaitana 47 years old today. That birthday falls under the Libra sign. Gaitana shares the date with 32 other famous people.
Explore more
