ASTANA – Kazakh singer Ademi recently captured second place and the Audience Award at the international contest New Wave in Sochi, Russia.
Kazakh singer Ademi, who came in second place and won the Audience Award at the New Wave international singing contest in Sochi, Russia.
This year the competition attracted 15 finalists from Armenia, Belarus, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Indonesia, Italy, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Ukraine, Switzerland and Russia.
Kazakhstan was represented by Dinara Kairova, also known by her stage name Ademi. She is a specialist in international relations and international tourism. Kairova has participated in various international music festivals, and she had dreamed of winning the New Wave contest since she was little.
“Because the previous New Wave contests coincided with my birthday, I always dreamed of becoming a winner and I thought it would be the best gift! I have been watching this competition since 2002. I think the brightest performer is Jamala from Ukraine. She is a unique singer with amazing charisma! After I found out that I was in the finals, it changed my son’s life even more than mine! He said that a lot of people started to recognise him because his mother became famous,” said the singer.
The contestants received crystal statuettes representing three waves with keys. The main prize was 3.5 million roubles (US$55,754) and the winner’s title went to Damir Kedžo from Croatia. Second place and a prize of 2.2 million roubles (US$35,045) was shared by Ademi from Kazakhstan and Millane Fernandez from Indonesia. The Ukrainian group The Pringlez took the third place and 1.3 million roubles (US$20,708).
The New Wave contest for young pop singers was held in Sochi for the first time. From 2002 to 2014, the annual competition had been held in Jurmala, Latvia.
Each year the jury consists of the most popular artists and musicians of Russia and other countries. The chairman of the jury is People’s Artist of Russia, producer and composer Igor Krutoi.
