Hazel Kaneswaran

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Hazel Kaneswaran
Background information
Born Blanchardstown, Dublin, Ireland
Genres Pop, soul, R&B
Occupations Singer-songwriter, recording artist, television personality
Years active 1996–present
Associated acts Dove, Girls Aloud, Jedward, Donna and Joseph McCaul.
Website www.hazelkaneswaran.ie//

Hazel Kaneswaran is an Irish recording artist, singer-songwriter and television personality who has been involved in the Irish music industry since 1996.[1] Among her siblings are model Gail Kaneswaran and singers Siva Kaneswaran from The Wanted[2] David Kaneswaran from Zoo.

Early life

Hazel Kaneswaran was born and raised in Blanchardstown, Dublin by her Singaporean father and Irish mother. Her father worked as a local window cleaner. It was through him that Hazel acquired her love of soul music. When her father passed away suddenly, aged 44, responsibility fell to Hazel, helping her mother to raise her six younger brothers as well as supporting the family financially through her job as an assembly line worker at a Thermo King refrigerator factory.[1]

Dove

Hearing about Hazel through her model sister, Gail, rapper and choreographer Graham Cruz got into contact with Hazel in order to collaborate.[1] Along with Don Ade, they formed the soul-pop act called Dubh which was the Irish word for 'black'. After finding that people found this name difficult to pronounce, they soon changed it to Dove[3] . Dove's first record, "Don't Dream", a cover of Crowded House's 1986 hit "Don't Dream It's Over" was released on August 16, 1999 by ZTT Records.[4] "Don't Dream" reached number 6 in the Irish charts while Dove were nominated for three awards at the 1999 Hot Press Awards for Best Single, Best Pop Act and Best New Act[5] While successful in Ireland, "Don't Dream" failed to replicate this success in the UK and was the last release by Dove under ZTT Records.

Popstars: The Rivals

In 2002 Hazel, who was pregnant at the time, traveled to Glasgow in order to audition for ITV1's televised musical talent show Popstars: The Rivals. After impressing judges Louis Walsh and Geri Halliwell with her version of Joan Armatrading's "Love and Affection", Hazel initially qualified for the final round of competition. However, when it transpired that Hazel was ten days older than the maximum age limit for the auditions, she was disqualified from competing. Soon after, Hazel gave birth to her baby boy in October, 2002.[6] The eventual winners of Popstars: The Rivals went on to form the girlband Girls Aloud, with Kimberley Walsh taking Hazel's place. Hazel remained on good terms with Louis Walsh, with the producer asking her to write songs for Jedward.[7]

Television personality

Hazel made the transition from singer to judge on the third season of RTE's You're A Star in 2004.[8] Donna and Joseph McCaul went on to win the competition and represent Ireland in the 2005 Eurovision Song Contest with the song "Love?" which was written by music composer Karl Broderick. Also in 2005, Hazel was one of the presenters at the 2005 Meteor Ireland Music Awards.[9]

Other notable television appearances by Hazel include Off The Rails, Harry Hill's TV Burp and The Panel.[8]

2014 Eurosong Contest

In November 2013 it was announced that Hazel Kaneswaran would mentor an act in the 2014 Eurosong contest, Ireland's precursor to the Eurovision,.[10] On the 5th of February 2014 it was announced that Hazel had chosen an Irish act named Can-linn featuring the vocals of singer Kasey Smith (from the band Wonderland) as her entry.[11]

Charity work

In May, 2000 Hazel, along with Graham and Don from Dove, raised money for the People In Need Trust by exchanging kisses for donations on Dublin's Grafton Street as well as taking part in that year's Telethon.[12]

In September 2010, Hazel joined the likes of former Miss World Rosanna Davison, TV3 presenter Sinead Desmond and Fair City actor Martina Stanley to take part in the Irish Heart Foundation's "Go Red For Women" campaign which sought to raise awareness of cardiovascular disease in women.[13]

In 2010 Hazel took part in a campaign encouraging Irish businesses to donate a portion of their sales profits to the GI Unit at Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin.[14]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Hazel Kaneswaran Biography". hazelkaneswaran.ie. Retrieved on February 4, 2014.
  2. ↑ "Our Siva Is Most Wanted...". showbiz.ie. Retrieved on February 4, 2014.
  3. ↑ "The Dove Interview". tripod.com. Retrieved on February 3, 2014.
  4. ↑ "Dove - Don't Dream (ZTT135)". youtube.com. Retrieved on February 3, 2014.
  5. ↑ "DOVE!!!!--they won't dry your skin like other pop bands!!!!". tripod.com. Retrieved on February 3, 2014.
  6. ↑ "Popstars contestant has baby". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved on February 3, 2014.
  7. ↑ "The two would-be Girls Aloud girls: One Called the Shots and quit... the other was fired... so how do they feel now?". dailymail.co.uk. Retrieved on February 4, 2014.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Hazel Kaneswaran". imdb.com. Retrieved on February 4, 2014.
  9. ↑ "The 2nd Meteor Ireland Music Awards Full Cast & Crew imdb.com. Retrieved on February 4, 2014.
  10. ↑ "Meet Ireland's Eurovision Mentors for 2014". krank.ie. Retrieved on February 3, 2014.
  11. ↑ "Meet the 2014 Eurovision Hopefuls". krank.ie. Retrieved on February 6, 2014.
  12. ↑ "KISS OF LIFE FOR PEOPLE IN NEED; Charities set to land pounds 5m". thefreelibrary.com. Retrieved on February 4, 2014.
  13. ↑ "IHF launches RED ALERT for Women". irishheart.ie. Retrieved on February 4, 2014.
  14. ↑ "DeWAR Gas Service Donates €3,000.00 To the G.I Unit at Our Lady’s Hospital Crumlin for Sick Children". dewar.ie. Retrieved on February 4, 2014.
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