Aiko (Czech singer)
Aiko | |
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![]() Aiko in 2024 | |
Background information | |
Birth name | Alena Shirmanova-Kostebelova |
Born | Moscow, Russia | 26 December 1999
Website | www |
Musical career | |
Origin | Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic |
Occupation(s) |
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Years active | 2015–present |
Partner(s) | Kat Almagro Avila |
Alena Shirmanova-Kostebelova (Russian: Алёна Ширманова-Костебелова, pronounced [ɐˈlʲɵ.nə ʂɨrˈma.nə.və kə.stʲɪˈbʲe.lə.və]; born 26 December 1999), known by her stage name Aiko, is a Russian-born Czech singer and songwriter based in Brighton, England. She represented the Czech Republic in the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 with the song "Pedestal".
Early life
Alena Shirmanova-Kostebelova was born in Moscow, Russia. Shortly after, she moved with her family to Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic, where she was raised.[1][2]
Career
In 2015, Shirmanova participated in season 4 of the reality talent show Česko Slovenská SuperStar.[1] She then moved to the United Kingdom to pursue a musical career, first settling in London and later in Brighton. Under the stage name Aiko, she released her debut self-titled album in 2018, followed by Expiration Date in 2020, when she released her first single "Hunt".[2]
She was the first Czech artist to feature on the Times Square screens and the first Czech female to take part in the Spotify Equal Campaign. She performed at the Rock for People, ESNS, Metronome Prague, The Great Escape, Grape, Nouvelle Prague, Sziget and Waves Vienna festivals, as well as following Alice Merton, Black Honey, Lauren Ruth Ward and Tamino in some of their tours as a supporting artist. Some of her songs were included in the TV shows Teen Mom and Love Island.[2][3]
Aiko released her third album Fortune's Child on 13 October 2023. On 28 November 2023, she was announced as one of the contestants of the Czech national final for the Eurovision Song Contest 2024,[4] competing with the song "Pedestal". On 13 December, it was revealed that she had won the selection.[5] At the event, Aiko failed to qualify from the second semi-final, placing 11th out of 16 with 38 points.[6]
Discography
Albums
Title | Album details |
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Expiration Date |
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Fortune's Child |
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Aikonic |
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Extended plays
Title | EP details |
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Aiko |
|
Singles
As lead artist
Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album / EP | |
---|---|---|---|---|
LTU [7] | ||||
"Hunt" | 2020 | — | Expiration Date | |
"Power" | 2021 | — | Fortune's Child | |
"Daughter of the Sun" | — | |||
"Gemini" | — | |||
"Alter Ego" | 2022 | — | Non-album singles | |
"I Want to Be Perfect" | — | |||
"Restless" (with Boy Jr.) |
— | Fortune's Child | ||
"Instincts" | 2023 | — | Non-album single | |
"Lucky Streak" | — | Fortune's Child | ||
"Pedestal" | 49 | |||
"White Flag" | 2024 | — | Aikonic | |
"Hunger" (with Teya) |
— | |||
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. |
As featured artist
Single | Year | Album / EP |
---|---|---|
"Why Don't You" (Ivo Blahunek featuring Aiko) |
2023 | Non-album singles |
"The Internet" (Noisy Pots featuring Aiko) | ||
"Come Closer" (Tonya Graves and Blanka Maderová featuring Teza and Aiko) |
References
- ^ a b SuperStar 2015 - III. casting - Alena Shirmanová (in Czech). TV Nova. 16 September 2015. Retrieved 13 December 2023 – via YouTube.
- ^ a b c "Aiko (CZ)". Nouvelle Prague (in Czech). 22 October 2020. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
- ^ "Aiko". aikomakesmusic.com. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
- ^ "Czechia finalists revealed ahead of ESCZ 2024". Eurovision.tv. European Broadcasting Union. 28 November 2023. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
- ^ "Aiko will represent Czechia at Eurovision 2024". Eurovision.tv. European Broadcasting Union. 13 December 2023. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
- ^ Sturtridge, Isaac. "REVEALED: The Eurovision 2024 semi-final and final jury/televote detailed voting results". ESCXTRA. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
- ^ "2024 20-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. 17 May 2024. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
External links
- CS1 Czech-language sources (cs)
- CS1 Lithuanian-language sources (lt)
- Articles with short description
- Short description is different from Wikidata
- Use dmy dates from December 2023
- Articles with hCards
- Articles containing Russian-language text
- Pages with Russian IPA
- Articles containing Czech-language text
- Official website different in Wikidata and Wikipedia
- Articles containing Romani-language text
- Articles containing Estonian-language text
- Articles containing Norwegian-language text
- Articles containing Portuguese-language text
- Articles containing Armenian-language text
- Articles containing Italian-language text
- Articles containing Lithuanian-language text
- Articles containing French-language text
- Articles containing Serbian-language text
- Articles containing Greek-language text
- Articles containing Spanish-language text
- Articles containing Azerbaijani-language text
- Articles containing Dutch-language text
- 1999 births
- Living people
- Russian emigrants to the Czech Republic
- Czech women singer-songwriters
- 21st-century Czech women singers
- English-language singers from the Czech Republic
- Musicians from Karlovy Vary
- Eurovision Song Contest entrants of 2024
- Eurovision Song Contest entrants for the Czech Republic