About
Quick Facts
Name
Natalia Gordienko
Born
11 december 1987
Nationality
🇲🇩 Moldovan
National Selection
Moldovan National Final 2005
Moldovan National Final 2006
Moldovan National Final 2020
Internal selection 2021
In Eurovision
Rotterdam 2021
Rotterdam 2020 (Cancelled)
Athens (2006)
Song
Sugar (2021)
Prison (2020)
Loca (2006, with Arsenium and Connect-R)
Biography
Natalia Gordienko is a Moldovan singer and dancer born on December 11, 1987, in Chișinău, Moldova. From a young age, she showed a passion for music and dance, performing in her school choir, studying piano, and dancing in a school ensemble for ten years. Her dream was to become a famous performer, and she began her journey by joining the band Millennium at age 15.
Natalia’s career took off in 2005 when she became Millennium’s lead singer and competed in Moldova’s Eurovision national selection, finishing third. In 2006, she represented Moldova at the Eurovision Song Contest in Athens with the song “Loca,” alongside Arsenium and Connect-R, joined by dancers Andrei Ştefan, Cristian Fornea, and Ion Bivol. The song placed 20th with 22 points but became a hit in Romania, reaching #4 on the charts. That year, she also won the Slavianski Bazaar festival in Belarus, boosting her fame in Moldova. In 2007, she won the New Wave competition in Latvia, and in 2008, at just 20, she was named an Emeritus Artist of Moldova, one of the youngest to receive this honor.
After her 2006 Eurovision stint, Natalia released her debut album Time in 2010 and Cununa de flori in 2011. She collaborated with artists like Mohombi on the 2016 song “Habibi,” which gained over a million YouTube views, and explored DJing in 2009 with the DJ Star project. She also hosted Moldova’s popular TV show Loteria Națională and performed in major concerts across Moldova.
In 2020, Natalia was selected to represent Moldova at Eurovision with “Prison,” but the contest was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She returned in 2021 with “Sugar,” a vibrant pop song written by Philipp Kirkorov, Dimitris Kontopoulos, Mikhail Gutseriev, and Sharon Vaughn. Performed in Rotterdam, “Sugar” featured a 17-second note—reportedly the longest in Eurovision history—and placed 13th with 115 points. The song’s music video and lavish Moscow launch event, styled by designer Zuhair Murad, drew attention, though some criticized her live vocals and Kirkorov’s heavy involvement. She also released a Russian version of “Sugar” in April 2021.
In the same year, she released the single Tuz bubi (April), followed by High Heels (September), showcasing her signature pop-dance style. In 2022, she released Ya schastlivaya (July) and Lyubimyy (December), both well-received for their catchy melodies. In 2023, she dropped Na sinih ozerah (August) and an acoustic version Na sinih ozerah (Akustika) (October). In 2024, she released Razgovory (April), Telefonnyy zvonok (July), and Minte-mă (November), with an unplugged version of Minte-mă following in February 2025. These singles, primarily in Russian and Romanian, reflect her focus on romantic and upbeat themes, often paired with vibrant music videos.
During this period, Natalia remained active as a performer, touring in Moldova and neighboring countries. She continued hosting Loteria Națională, engaging Moldovan audiences weekly. While she did not return to Eurovision after 2021, her 2021 performance elevated her profile across Europe, with “Sugar” gaining popularity for its addictive melody despite mixed reviews on her live skills. Some fans criticized her association with Philipp Kirkorov, citing his overshadowing presence, but Natalia maintained her focus on music and motherhood, raising her son, born in 2017, with support from her grandmother.
Entries
Sugar
Backings
Victoria Chalkitis
Dancers
Igor Kuleshyn
Maxim Bondar
Kostya Vechersky
Vyacheslav Veretennikov
Results Semi
Points: 179
Position: 7
Running order: 7
Results Finals
Points: 115
Position: 13
Running order: 14
