In 2016, Sasha Ivanov (IVAN) from Gomel appeared on the Eurovision stage as a naked hologram and in the company of a wolf, and a few seconds later began his performance with a real howl. What’s new with the most outrageous Belarusian at Eurovision?

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Photo: Eurovision Song Contest / Youtube

Ivanov won the national selection, where he competed with the band “Naviband” and future political prisoner Aliaksandra Zakharik. The song “Help You Fly” was written for him by four authors, including top Russian producer Viktor Drobysh and American poet Mary Susan Applegate, author of the lyrics to the cult 80s hit “The Power of Love”.

The performance for the guy was memorable. In the first 20 seconds, instead of Ivanov himself, his naked hologram appeared on stage in the company of a wolf hologram, and the artificial IVAN began his performance with a wolf howl. Then the guy himself came out on stage — fortunately, in clothes, but with a painted face. He still sang with holograms: these were either wolves, or Ivanov himself playing musical instruments.

The technical show did not even help him reach the final, let alone achieve a high final place. IVAN came 12th in his semi-final — a total of 18 countries performed then.

Now 31-year-old Sasha Ivanov is building a career in Moscow. In the first years after Eurovision, he participated in several concerts related to Viktor Drobysh. He released songs that never became hits.

Things improved slightly in 2023 when IVAN made it onto the Russian show “Mask” on NTV, although he performed there in a caterpillar costume. In 2024, he won a similar show “Avatar,” where this time he performed as Scarecrow.

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Ivanov with his wife and daughter. Photo: sasha_ivanov_music / Instagram

In Moscow, the man also found his love. He posts family photos with Alina Sukharukikh, a popular dancer and choreographer who gave birth to his daughter.

Since 2019, Ivanov has been participating in concerts of Russian singer Nikolai Noskov. IVAN is still associated with him — this year, for example, he has already performed four times as part of the singer’s official tribute show, meaning Ivanov travels around Russia and sings Noskov’s songs.

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Photo: sasha_ivanov_music / Instagram

The Belarusian performed in the occupied territories of Ukraine, for example, in the spring of 2022 he participated in a concert from “Russian Radio” in Luhansk. He also sang in a hospital for wounded Russian soldiers. The result is predictable — Ivanov is under Ukrainian sanctions.

«Nasha Niva» — the bastion of Belarus

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