Ester Peony
{{short description|Romanian singer and songwriter}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{good article}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Ester Peony
| image = Ester Peony.png
| image_size = 200px
| alt = A blond-haired woman in a black jacket smiling to the camera
| caption = Peony during an interview in 2019
| birth_name = Ester Alexandra Crețu
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1993|7|21|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Câmpulung, Romania
| occupation = {{hlist|Singer|songwriter}}
| instrument = Vocals
| years_active = 2014–present
| label = Cat
| associated_acts = Vescan
| website =
| notable_instruments =
}}
Ester Alexandra Crețu ({{IPA|ro|ˈester alekˈsandra ˈkret͡su}}; born 21 July 1993), known professionally as Ester Peony (formerly only Ester), is a Romanian singer and songwriter. She represented Romania in the Eurovision Song Contest 2019 with the song "On a Sunday" after winning the selection show Selecția Națională 2019. However, she failed to qualify for the Grand Final in Tel Aviv. Peony started to compose music for Romanian artists before gaining recognition for posting covers on YouTube in 2015. Later that year, she attained commercial success in Romania with her single "Sub aripa ta" featuring Vescan.
Early life
Ester Alexandra Crețu{{Cite news |title=Ester Peony – Romania |publisher=European Broadcasting Union |url=https://eurovision.tv/participant/ester-peony |access-date=19 May 2019 |archive-date=2 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230402114517/https://eurovision.tv/participant/ester-peony |url-status=live}} was born in Câmpulung, Romania on 21 July 1993.{{Cite news |title=Ester Peony a venit la matinalul Digi FM |language=ro |trans-title=Ester Peony came to Digi FM |publisher=Digi FM |url=https://www.digifm.ro/on-air/emisiuni/bogdan-miu-si-catalin-striblea/ester-peony-a-venit-la-matinalul-digi-fm-30567 |access-date=16 March 2019 |archive-date=29 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190329210618/https://www.digifm.ro/on-air/emisiuni/bogdan-miu-si-catalin-striblea/ester-peony-a-venit-la-matinalul-digi-fm-30567 |url-status=dead }}{{Cite news |date=21 July 2017 |title=Wish you all a great day |publisher=Ester Peony |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/BWzegNOh9Sg/ |url-access=registration |access-date=8 May 2019 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/s/instagram/BWzegNOh9Sg |archive-date=24 December 2021 |via=Instagram}}{{cbignore}} Note: This is a celebratory post, hinting at Peony's birth date. She and her parents emigrated to Montreal, Canada in 2001. There, she showed a particular interest in music and started studying jazz singing at the age of eight. Peony relocated to Romania four years later and graduated from the Dinu Lipatti High School of Art in Pitești, where she studied classic singing and classic guitar. In 2013, she enrolled at the Music Interpretation Faculty in Bucharest to study jazz.
Career
Peony released her debut single "Cuminte de Crăciun" under her mononym Ester in late 2014. At the same time, she had been composing music for other Romanian artists.{{Cite news |title=Ester Peony – Biography |publisher=TVR |url=http://www.tvr.ro/ester-peony-biography_24027.html#view |access-date=5 March 2019 |archive-date=17 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210217211955/http://www.tvr.ro/ester-peony-biography_24027.html#view |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |last=Groot, Evert |date=17 February 2019 |title=Romania goes for Ester Peony with 'On a Sunday' |publisher=European Broadcasting Union |url=https://eurovision.tv/story/ester-peony-to-tel-aviv-for-romania |url-status=live |access-date=18 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190218052722/https://eurovision.tv/story/ester-peony-to-tel-aviv-for-romania |archive-date=18 February 2019}} In 2015, she started posting covers on YouTube. The cover videos gained her attention, and she was subsequently offered a record deal with a Romanian label. Later that year, Peony released the song "Sub aripa ta", featuring Romanian rapper Vescan. The song was played on radio and television stations across the country. In 2016, she embarked on her first tour with Vescan. The singer changed her stage name to Ester Peony and independently distributed her debut EP Dig It in May 2018,{{Cite news |title=Dig It – EP by Ester Peony on iTunes |publisher=iTunes Store |url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/dig-it-ep/1384800104 |url-status=live |access-date=5 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190218081927/https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/dig-it-ep/1384800104 |archive-date=18 February 2019}} for which she was also one of the main composers.
In February 2019, Romanian Television (TVR) announced her as the Romanian representative for the Eurovision Song Contest 2019 in Tel Aviv, Israel, after she won the selection show Selecția Națională with her song "On a Sunday". The announcement was met with mixed reactions from the public.{{Cite news |date=17 February 2019 |title=Reacții controversate după ce Ester Peony a câștigat finala națională Eurovision 2019 |language=ro |trans-title=Controversy after Ester Peony won the Romanian National Selection for Eurovision 2019 |work=Libertatea |url=https://www.libertatea.ro/entertainment/reactii-controversate-dupa-ce-ester-peony-castigat-finala-nationala-eurovision-2019-foto-2550292 |url-status=live |access-date=18 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190218125607/https://www.libertatea.ro/entertainment/reactii-controversate-dupa-ce-ester-peony-castigat-finala-nationala-eurovision-2019-foto-2550292 |archive-date=18 February 2019}}{{Cite news |date=20 February 2019 |title=Peony für Rumänien: Voting gegen Homophobie? |language=de |trans-title=Peony for Romania: Voting against homophobia? |publisher=ARD |url=https://www.eurovision.de/news/ESC-Vorentscheid-Aufruhr-in-Rumaenien,rumaenien566.html |access-date=2 September 2019 |archive-date=2 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190902065605/https://www.eurovision.de/news/ESC-Vorentscheid-Aufruhr-in-Rumaenien,rumaenien566.html |url-status=live }} In 2019, TVR were able to spend significant amounts on their Eurovision entry for the first time; they spent about 100,000 euros on the visual and special effects in the performance.{{Cite news |date=3 May 2019 |title=Romania: Significant Investments Made in Special Staging Effects |publisher=Eurovoix |url=https://eurovoix.com/2019/05/03/romania-significant-investments-made-in-special-staging-effects/ |url-status=live |access-date=4 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190504192959/https://eurovoix.com/2019/05/03/romania-significant-investments-made-in-special-staging-effects/ |archive-date=4 May 2019}}{{Cite news |date=3 May 2019 |title=Bugetul pentru show-urile României la Eurovision este de 100.000 de euro |language=ro |trans-title=The budget for Romania's shows at Eurovision amounts to 100,000 euro |publisher=Romania24 |url=https://romania24.ro/bugetul-pentru-show-urile-romaniei-la-eurovision-este-de-100-000-de-euro-29152.html |access-date=4 May 2019 |archive-date=4 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190504194703/https://romania24.ro/bugetul-pentru-show-urile-romaniei-la-eurovision-este-de-100-000-de-euro-29152.html |url-status=live }} Romania failed to qualify for the Eurovision Grand Final as their second consecutive—and second overall—non-qualification, placing 13th with 71 points.{{Cite news |title=Tel Aviv 2019 – Second Semi-Final – Scoreboard |publisher=European Broadcasting Union |url=https://eurovision.tv/event/tel-aviv-2019/second-semi-final/results/romania |access-date=19 May 2019 |archive-date=24 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190524204001/https://eurovision.tv/event/tel-aviv-2019/second-semi-final/results/romania |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |title=Romania – Eurovision Song Contest |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU) |url=https://eurovision.tv/country/romania |url-status=live |access-date=15 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170513230046/https://eurovision.tv/country/romania |archive-date=13 May 2017}} During her Eurovision time, Peony had signed a record deal with Cat Music,{{Cite news |title=Romania: Ester Peony Signs With Cat Music |publisher=Eurovoix |url=https://eurovoix.com/2019/03/02/romania-ester-peony-signs-with-cat-music/ |url-status=live |access-date=5 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190302215650/https://eurovoix.com/2019/03/02/romania-ester-peony-signs-with-cat-music/ |archive-date=2 March 2019}} and is currently working on her debut studio album. She performed at the 2019 Golden Stag Festival.{{Cite news |date=22 August 2019 |title=Upcoming Romanian festival Cerbul de Aur has EUR 1.4 mln budget |publisher=Romania-Insider |url=https://www.romania-insider.com/golden-stag-2019-budget |access-date=23 August 2019 |archive-date=23 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190823193607/https://www.romania-insider.com/golden-stag-2019-budget |url-status=live }}
Influences and personal life
Peony cites Delia, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, Cher, Queen, Michael Jackson and Ariana Grande as some of her musical inspirations.{{Cite news |date=18 April 2019 |title=Eurovision 2019, intervista ad Ester Peony: "Punto a divertirmi, ma ho un sogno…" |language=it |trans-title=Eurovision 2019, interview with Ester Peony: "I will have fun, but I have a dream..." |publisher=Eurofestival News |url=https://www.eurofestivalnews.com/2019/04/18/eurovision-2019-intervista-ad-ester-peony-punto-a-divertirmi-ma-ho-un-sogno/ |access-date=18 April 2019 |archive-date=18 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190418113041/https://www.eurofestivalnews.com/2019/04/18/eurovision-2019-intervista-ad-ester-peony-punto-a-divertirmi-ma-ho-un-sogno/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |last=Trașcă, Silvia |date=3 May 2019 |title=Ester Peony, înainte de plecarea la Tel Aviv: "Mi-am format personajul şi propriul stil" |language=ro |trans-title=Ester Peony, prior to her trip to Tel Aviv: "I have formed my own character and style" |publisher=Unsitedemuzică.ro |url=https://www.unsitedemuzica.ro/stiri/Ester-Peony-inainte-de-plecarea-la-Tel-Aviv-Mi-am-format-personajul-si-propriul-stil-p7326 |access-date=4 May 2019 |archive-date=4 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190504191852/https://www.unsitedemuzica.ro/stiri/Ester-Peony-inainte-de-plecarea-la-Tel-Aviv-Mi-am-format-personajul-si-propriul-stil-p7326 |url-status=live }} Her stage name refers to the peony flower. In Romanian, "peony" translates to "bujor", which refers to part of her mother's name.{{Cite news |date=7 March 2019 |title=Care este povestea din spatele numelui de scenă al lui Ester Peony |language=ro |trans-title=What is the story behind Ester Peony's stage name |work=Libertatea |url=https://www.libertatea.ro/entertainment/care-este-povestea-din-spatele-numelui-de-scena-al-lui-ester-peony-castigatoarea-eurovision-romania-2019-video-2567592 |access-date=7 March 2019 |archive-date=8 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190308081259/https://www.libertatea.ro/entertainment/care-este-povestea-din-spatele-numelui-de-scena-al-lui-ester-peony-castigatoarea-eurovision-romania-2019-video-2567592 |url-status=live }} The singer has been in a relationship with Alexandru Șerbu since about 2013; Șerbu acted as producer for "On a Sunday".{{Cite news |date=3 April 2019 |title=Ce nu se știa despre Ester Peony |language=ro |trans-title=What you did not know about Ester Peony |work=Libertatea |url=https://www.libertatea.ro/entertainment/ce-nu-se-stia-despre-ester-peony-reprezentanta-romaniei-la-eurovision-2593605 |access-date=3 April 2019 |archive-date=3 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190403114133/https://www.libertatea.ro/entertainment/ce-nu-se-stia-despre-ester-peony-reprezentanta-romaniei-la-eurovision-2593605 |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |date=7 April 2019 |title=Ester Peony "On A Sunday" (Romania 2019) Interview @ Eurovision in Concert 2019 |publisher=Wiwibloggs |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5aEXcZUMF8 |access-date=18 April 2019 |via=YouTube |archive-date=6 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191106175748/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5aEXcZUMF8&gl=US&hl=en |url-status=live }} Peony is a Christian.{{Cite news |last=Archip Romanciuc, Andreea |date=2 May 2019 |title=Ester Peony pleacă la Eurovision |language=ro |trans-title=Ester Peony goes to Eurovision |work=Libertatea |url=https://www.libertatea.ro/entertainment/ester-peony-pleaca-la-eurovision-cu-tatal-ei-si-cu-o-matusa-mama-nu-poate-sa-vina-la-tel-aviv-2620454 |access-date=4 May 2019 |archive-date=4 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190504192349/https://www.libertatea.ro/entertainment/ester-peony-pleaca-la-eurovision-cu-tatal-ei-si-cu-o-matusa-mama-nu-poate-sa-vina-la-tel-aviv-2620454 |url-status=live }}
Discography
=Extended plays=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |
| scope="col" style="width:5em;"| Title
! scope="col" style="width:18em;"| Details |
|---|
| scope="row" | Dig It
|
|
=Singles=
==As lead artist==
==As featured artist==
References
{{reflist|30em}}
{{Commons category}}
{{s-start}}
{{succession box
| before=The Humans
with "Goodbye"
| title=Romania in the Eurovision Song Contest
| years=2019
| after=Roxen
with "Alcohol You"
}}
{{s-end}}
{{Romania in the Eurovision Song Contest |state=autocollapse}}
{{Eurovision Song Contest 2019 |state=autocollapse}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Peony, Ester}}
Category:21st-century Romanian singers
Category:21st-century Romanian women singers
Category:English-language singers from Romania
Category:Romanian women pop singers
Category:Romanian singer-songwriters
Category:Romanian expatriates in Canada