Zena Donnelly
Zena Donnelly will represent Ireland in the 2016 Junior Eurovision Song Contest with the song Bríce Ar Bhríce (Brick by Brick).Fourteen year old Zena Donnelly is an Irish singer and songwriter. She was put in the spotlight in 2010 following an impromptu performance with the late Whitney Houston during one of her final concerts in Dublin. Zena was only seven at the time and held up a homemade banner which read 'I love you Whitney, can I sing with you?' Zena was invited onto the stage to perform The Greatest Love of All with the legendary singer, the moment was captured on camera and was uploaded to YouTube.
Zena has won RTE's Nationwide TV Talent Competition Show Off or Get Off, performed for Music Inc., and played the lead role in Annie The Musical at the National Concert Hall. Zena also performed as a special young guest at the Cheerios Childline Concert in the 3Arena alongside other artists including Olly Murs, Boyzone and Mc Busted. Recently she won The Soloist nationwide competition in Ireland from Age 12 to 31.
Branching out from music Zena has started to be cast in films such as The Food Guide To Love, Céad Ghrá, Cuckoo, Dance Emergency and A Christmas Star, where she also sings among others, the music soundtrack, We Can Shine. More recently she has been cast in the role of Maggie Colgan in the theatre production Before Monsters Were Made and the lead role of Sarah in TV Series Spooky Stakeout.
Zena is passionate and has a huge heart. She loves Gaelic football, movies, fashion (she played a big part in the design of her fabulous quirky costume for Junior Eurovision this year. She loves iceskating and swimming and takes part in all her pastimes with her usual sense of fun and enthusiasm. Zena has also started to write her own songs, in English and Irish, which she hopes to record in the near future.
Representing Ireland in 2016 is all the more special for Zena aince last year she came second to Amy Banks in the national selection for the 2015 Junior Eurovision Song Contest. Irish broadcaster TG4 is delighted and thrilled that gorgeous, talented Zena is representing Ireland this year.
