Andrei Ursu
{{short description|Romanian singer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Andrei Ursu
| other_names = Wrs
| image = WRS 2014 (cropped).jpg
| caption = Ursu in 2014
| birth_name = Andrei-Ionuț Ursu
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1993|1|16|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Buzău, Romania
| occupation = {{Flatlist|
- Dancer
- singer
- songwriter
}}
| years_active = 2015–present
| module = {{Infobox musical artist
| embed = yes
| genre = Electropop{{cite web|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/entertainment/wrs-eurovision-2022-romania/|title=Who is Romania's Eurovision entry? Meet Wrs|author=Gordon, Naomi|work=Radio Times|date=12 May 2022|access-date=13 April 2023|archive-date=13 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230413214236/https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/entertainment/wrs-eurovision-2022-romania/|url-status=live}}
| past_member_of = Shot
| instrument = Vocals
| label = Global
}}
}}
Andrei-Ionuț Ursu ({{IPA|ro|anˈdrej joˈnuts ˈursu}}; born 16 January 1993), previously known as Wrs ({{IPA|ro|urs|IPA|LL-Q7913 (ron)-Filosoful-urs.wav}}; stylized in all lowercase), is a Romanian singer-songwriter and dancer. He represented Romania at the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 with the song "{{lang|es|Llámame|i=no}}", placing 18th in the final.
Life and career
Andrei-Ionuț Ursu was born in Buzău on 16 January 1993. He started dancing at the age of 12, encouraged by his parents who were folk music dancers.{{cite web|title=Cine este WRS, solistul de la Eurovision care a fost mai întâi dansator. A colaborat cu Antonia şi Ruby|trans-title=Who is WRS, the Eurovision soloist who was the first dancer. He collaborated with Antonia and Ruby|url=https://click.ro/primetime/cine-e-wrs-solistul-de-la-eurovision-411457.html|access-date=February 20, 2022|publisher=Click!|language=ro|author=Gheorghe, Chelu|date=February 20, 2022|archive-date=16 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220316185901/https://click.ro/primetime/cine-e-wrs-solistul-de-la-eurovision-411457.html|url-status=live}} Ursu worked as a dancer for artists such as Inna, Antonia or Carla's Dreams and was part of the Pro TV ballet crew on shows such as {{lang|ro|Vocea României}} and {{lang|ro|Românii au talent}}.{{cite web|title=wrs, noul artist din portofoliul Global Records, lansează primul single "why"|trans-title=wrs, the new artist from the Global Records portfolio, releases the first single "why"|url=https://www.unsitedemuzica.ro/stiri/wrs-noul-artist-din-portofoliul-Global-Records-lanseaza-primul-single-why-p9118|access-date=January 20, 2020|publisher=UnSiteDeMuzica.ro|language=ro|author=Silvia, Trașcă|date=January 20, 2020|archive-date=25 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220225091647/https://www.unsitedemuzica.ro/stiri/wrs-noul-artist-din-portofoliul-Global-Records-lanseaza-primul-single-why-p9118|url-status=live}}
In 2015, he started his musical career in the boyband Shot. After two years, he left the project, moved to London and began composing music.
In January 2020, Ursu signed with Global Records and started his electro-pop solo project under the stage name Wrs.{{cite web|title=Wrs lansează "Llámame", piesa înscrisă în competiția națională de la Eurovision|trans-title=Wrs launches "Llámame", the song entered in the national Eurovision Song Contest|url=https://virginradio.ro/wrs-lanseaza-llamame-piesa-inscrisa-in-competitia-nationala-de-la-eurovision/|access-date=February 10, 2022|publisher=Virgin Radio|language=ro|date=February 10, 2022|archive-date=26 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220326081453/https://virginradio.ro/wrs-lanseaza-llamame-piesa-inscrisa-in-competitia-nationala-de-la-eurovision/|url-status=live}} That same month, he released his debut single "Why". In February 2022, he released the single "{{lang|es|Llámame|i=no}}", with which he was selected to represent Romania at the Eurovision Song Contest 2022.{{cite web|title=Cine sunt cei 10 artişti care vor participa în finala naţională Eurovision VIDEO|trans-title=Who are the 10 artists who will participate in the national final of Eurovision VIDEO|url=https://adevarul.ro/entertainment/tv/s-au-decis-cei-10-finalisti-finala-nationala-eurovision-1_620837fd5163ec4271e8116d/index.html|access-date=February 13, 2022|publisher=Adevărul|language=ro|author=Sergiu, Nicolae|date=February 13, 2022|archive-date=31 May 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220531080232/https://adevarul.ro/entertainment/tv/s-au-decis-cei-10-finalisti-finala-nationala-eurovision-1_620837fd5163ec4271e8116d/index.html|url-status=live}}{{cite web|title=Romania: WRS to Eurovision 2022|url=https://eurovoix.com/2022/03/05/romania-eurovision-2022/|access-date=March 5, 2022|publisher=Eurovoix|author=Grace, Emily|date=March 5, 2022|archive-date=21 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220321070242/https://eurovoix.com/2022/03/05/romania-eurovision-2022/|url-status=live}}
On 12 May 2023, Ursu released his first studio album, titled {{lang|es|FIESTA '23}}. On 10 October 2023, he announced his intention to drop his stage name.{{cite Instagram|last=Ursu|first=Andrei|user=andreiursumusic|postid=CyOWdPWNa-_|title=Un nou capitol, rebranduire, o schimbare de stil sau reinventare. Putem sa ii spunem in orice fel. Mi-am urmat o voce interioara care imi spune ca drumul meu artistic sa continue sub numele cu care m-au lasat ai mei pe lume. Abia astept sa luati parte la aceasta calatorie noua si sa va bucurati de muzica la care lucram in perioada asta.|language=ro|date=2023-10-10|access-date=2023-10-22}}
Personal life
In a May 2023 interview with El País, Ursu revealed that he does not label his sexuality.{{cite web|url=https://elpais.com/gente/2023-05-11/hola-mi-bebebe-el-hit-que-le-dio-al-representante-de-rumania-en-eurovision-2022-un-ano-de-exito-y-bolos-en-espana.html|title='Hola mi bebebé': el hit que le dio al representante de Rumania en Eurovisión 2022 un año de éxito y bolos en España|author=Llanos Martínez, Héctor|work=El País|language=es|date=11 May 2023|access-date=12 May 2023|archive-date=12 May 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230512115039/https://elpais.com/gente/2023-05-11/hola-mi-bebebe-el-hit-que-le-dio-al-representante-de-rumania-en-eurovision-2022-un-ano-de-exito-y-bolos-en-espana.html|url-status=live}} He is in a relationship with a man named Vlad Condurache.{{cite web|url=https://www.protv.ro/articol/91293-andrei-ursu-wrs-prima-fotografie-cu-iubitul-sau-cum-arata-barbatul-care-i-a-furat-inima|title=Andrei Ursu (WRS), prima fotografie cu iubitul său! Cum arată bărbatul care i-a furat inima|publisher=Pro TV|language=ro|date=21 June 2023|access-date=5 November 2023|archive-date=5 November 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231105202828/https://www.protv.ro/articol/91293-andrei-ursu-wrs-prima-fotografie-cu-iubitul-sau-cum-arata-barbatul-care-i-a-furat-inima|url-status=live}}
Discography
=Studio albums=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |
| scope="col"| Title
! scope="col"| Details |
|---|
| scope="row"| {{lang|es|FIESTA '23}}
|
|
=Extended plays=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+List of extended plays ! scope="col" style="width:10em;"| Title ! scope="col" style="width:17em;"| Details |
| scope="row"| Mandala
|
|
|---|
| scope="row"| Cântece de Inimă
|
|
| scope="row"| Cântece de Inimă - Vol 2
|
|
| scope="row"| Canciones del Corazón
|
|
=Singles=
==Charted single as lead artist==
Notes
{{notelist-ua}}
See also
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
{{sister project links|wikt=no|b=no|q=no|s=no|commons=Category:Wrs|n=no|v=no|species=no|d=Q111009310}}
- {{Discogs artist|artist=6914883}}
{{s-start}}
{{succession box
| before = Roxen
with "Amnesia"
| title = Romania in the Eurovision Song Contest
| years = 2022
| after = Theodor Andrei
with "D.G.T. (Off and On)"
}}
{{s-end}}
{{Romania in the Eurovision Song Contest}}
{{Eurovision Song Contest 2022}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ursu, Andrei}}
Category:21st-century Romanian singers
Category:Global Records artists
Category:English-language singers from Romania
Category:Romanian LGBTQ singers