Georgia
Tamara Tako Gachechiladze-Milanova is a Georgian R’n’B, Pop and Jazz singer, songwriter, actress and chorus conductor.
She is born on March 17, 1983, and started to sing at the age of 8. Tamara was a leading solo singer in Georgian children TV show Basti Bubu. Since her childhood, Tamara has had a lot of concerts, TV shows, tours, videos and studio work and she is quite famous.
At the age of 11, she won a contest in Georgia called Crystal tree, and three years later she won the international contest Crystal note, in Russia. Since 1997, she is a soloist of the big band Tbilisi Concert Orchestra.
In 2001, she graduated from the Tbilisi State Conservatory as a chorus conductor and she finished music school with a music theory and a piano teacher diploma. At the age of 18, she won the international contest Yalta 2001, and one year later, she took the grand prix of the international competition Slavianski Bazaar 2002.
In 2004, she released her first solo album. In 2009, became a member of pop-techno group Stephane and 3G, extra for Eurovision song contest 2009. She won the national selection for Eurovision with a song called We don’t wanna put in.
Tamara was a finalist on Dancing with the stars show in Georgia. In 2010, she released her second album with Stephane and 3G. In 2011, she performed at the MTV Europe Music Awards in Batumi. In 2015, she won a TV show called Your Face Sounds Familiar in Georgia.
In 2017, Tamara represented Georgia at Eurovision Song Contest in Kiev with her song Keep the faith.
Tamara also performed in many countries all over the world. She confessed that she has a little ritual: “I say a little prayer before I go on stage!”.
The Golden Stag trivia...
1. How and when did you discover your passion for music?
I discovered my passion for music in my early childhood. My house was full of music, as my father is a composer and a conductor and my mother used to be a singer. So, it came naturally. Although, at the age of 9 I decided to become a professional singer, influenced by Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston.
2. Define your musical style in one phrase.
Universal! (I sing jazz, folk, pop, r’n’b, rock, rap...)
3. Favorite musicians.
As musicians - Bob Mintzer, Pat Metheny, Gil Evans, Bob James, Miles Davis, Claude Debussy, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Piotr Tchaikovsky, Alexander Skriabin…., and artists - Barbra Streisand, Nat King Cole, Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston.
4. What do you prefer to read / eat/do in your spare time.
Depends on mood, sometimes I prefer to read or eat some Georgian food or sushi. But I love the most to listen some music and to sing, making solo concerts at home ;); also, I like spending time with my family and friends.
5. If not a singer, then you would be a ...
If not a singer, I would definitely be a psychologist.
6. How do you define happiness?
Since childhood, I am constantly saying that I am the most happy person in the whole world. And I am extremely grateful for that. I even made a tattoo on my left hand –“I was born to be happy” and it is true! Happiness starts when you are born in this amazing world and it stays if you keep a harmony within yourself!
7. Your motto for this Festival.
Golden stag statue! I love deers.
