Sona Shahgeldyan winner of “New Wave-2010” song contest

YEREVAN, AUGUST 2, ARMENPRESS. Armenian singer Sona Shahgeldyan has won the “New Wave-2010” international contest of young pop music performers in Jurmala and a prize worth 50,000 euros that goes with it. Tatyana Shirko of Ukraine, who is second, received 30,000 euros and 20,000 euros for the third place went to Uku Suviste of Estonia.

On the first day, the singers performed a world hit, on the second day they sang their country’s hit and on the last third day of the contest they presented a song written specially for the “New Wave-2010” music show.

The Viewers’ Choice prize went to the young Russian performer Yegor Sesarev. A singer from Israel and the Latvian group “PeR” shared the prize of the Jurmala City Duma. Dozens of Russian and foreign stars performed on the stage of the Dzintari concert hall on the sidelines of the three-day music festival.

The “New Wave” contest has replaced the Jurmala festival that was held in the former USSR. “New Wave” is traditionally held on July 27-August 1. Seventeen performers from 12 countries took part in it this year.

Russian composer Igor Krutoi and Latvian musician Raimond Pauls are the patrons of the “New Wave” contest.

Over nine year of its existence, the “New Wave” contest has opened many Russian pop singers to the public. They include the Smashi group, Anastasiya Stotskaya, Dima Bilan, Polina Gagarina and Irina Dubtsova. Latvian performers have won the contest twice: the Cosmos pop group and singer Intars Busulis.

Some of the “New Wave” winners later represented their countries at the Eurovision song contest.