MOVE OVER GUY SEBASTIAN! OPERA SINGER MARY-JEAN O’DOHERTY WHO IS REPRESENTING ARMENIA IN THE 2015
Daily Mail, UK
March 13 2015
Eurovision contest is revealed to be an Australian citizen
By Neil Griffiths for Daily Mail Australia
She will enter the upcoming Eurovision song contest as a member of
Armenian supergroup, Genealogy.
However, talented Opera singer Mary-Jean O’Doherty has been revealed
to be an Australian citizen who was trained while living in Sydney.
While actually born in Houston, Texas, the performer was born to
an Australian father and a Greek-Armenian mother, giving her a very
global heritage.
Due to her heritage and the fact that ARIA Award-winner Guy Sebastian
was announced as the Australian representative last week, Mary-Jean
was eligible for selection elsewhere.
She was personally picked by the first lady of Armenia, Rita
Sargsyan to join the group made up of six members, all from different
continents.
Only formed this year in support of the annual singing competition,
Mary will perform alongside Armenian native Inga Arshakyan, Vahe
Tilbian from Ethiopia, American Tamar Kaprelian, Stephanie Topalian
from Japan and French-born Essaï Altounian.
Mary completed her studies in the States and graduated from high
school and college in North Carolina, before receiving a Bachelor Of
Music degree in voice and flute performance.
She moved back to Australia to continue her music career where she
won the ABC Symphony Australia Young Vocalist Award in 2007.
The next year she was the first ever recipient of the Australian
International Opera Award.
Genealogy released the single earlier this week that they will be
performing at the competition in Austria this May, ‘Don’t Deny’
which has been received positively by critics.
Meanwhile in Australia, Guy Sebastian will be announcing his song
choice next week and it has been kept well under wraps.
Speaking at a press conference about the as yet unknown song choice,
the 33-year-old said: ‘I want it to be epic. I just want it to
represent us as a nation well, either super fun or a big ballad that
showcases my voice.’
The show will be broadcast on SBS from Wednesday May 20 to Sunday
May 24 with Australia’s Julia Zemiro and Sam Pang hosting the show
for the network.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress