Elena Ionescu

{{Short description|Romanian singer (born 1988)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Elena Ionescu

| image = ElenaMandinga (cropped).jpg

| caption = Elena Ionescu in 2012

| birth_name = Elena Ionescu

| alias = Elena

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1988|5|17}}

| origin = Caracal, Romania

| instrument = Vocals

| genre = Pop, Latino

| occupation = Singer

| years_active = 2006–present

| label =

| associated_acts = Mandinga

| website =

}}

Elena Ionescu (17 May 1988) is a Romanian singer and the first winner of Survivor România.{{Cite news |last=Stan |first=Filip |date=2020-05-30 |title=Castigator Survivor Romania 2020 este Elena Ionescu |language=ro |url=https://www.romaniatv.net/castigator-survivor-romania-2020-cum-se-voteaza-in-finala-survivor-romania-live-video-kanal-d_523837.html |url-status=live |access-date=2023-08-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210923181530/https://www.romaniatv.net/castigator-survivor-romania-2020-cum-se-voteaza-in-finala-survivor-romania-live-video-kanal-d_523837.html |archive-date=2021-09-23}}

She was the lead singer of pop band Mandinga from 2006 until 2016, replacing Elena Gheorghe after she left the group to work on her solo career. Ionescu left the group in 2016 to pursue a solo career as well.{{cite web|url=http://wiwibloggs.com/2016/03/14/romania-elena-ionescu-leaves-mandinga-to-pursue-solo-career/132661/|title=Romania: Elena Ionescu leaves Mandinga to pursue solo career|date=14 March 2016|publisher=Wiwibloggs|last=Honciuc|first=Bogdan|access-date=15 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160315170308/http://wiwibloggs.com/2016/03/14/romania-elena-ionescu-leaves-mandinga-to-pursue-solo-career/132661/|archive-date=15 March 2016|url-status=live}}

Mandinga won the Romanian national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 in Baku, Azerbaijan, where Ionescu performed the hit song "Zaleilah".{{cite news|url=http://news.mediatica.ro/content/view/3663/35/|title=She's the sexiest contestant in Eurovision 2012|work=Mediatica|accessdate=5 May 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20120711200906/http://news.mediatica.ro/content/view/3663/35/|archivedate=11 July 2012}} Ionescu was the second lead singer of Mandinga to represent Romania in the Eurovision Song Contest, as Elena Gheorghe represented the country in 2009.