Dato Khujadze

David "Dato" Koabaidze (Georgian: დათო ხუჯაძე, Russian: Дато Худжадзе; (or Xujadze) born on 25 June 1975, Tbilisi) is a popular Georgian pop-singer in Russia and Israel.

In the early 1990s, he participated in Flash and Sahe Georgian pop bands. He started his solo career in 2000. Using national melodies and soul, dancing rhythms of reggae and Latina. In 2002, he released his first album I want you to want this and I don't want to hurt you in 2003. In 2005, Sand Dream album was released. This album includes 16 songs and 2 videos – Forgive me and Sand Dream.

Dato also had a brief political career in the government of Georgian president Eduard Shevardnadze. He briefly served in the Georgian parliament, but his political career ended with the Rose Revolution.^[1]

Prizes and achievements:

• Grand-Prix of Slaviansky Bazar musical festival in year 2000;
• Grand-Prix of Black Music Festival in Moscow
• Special prize of Voice of Asia festival (Kazakhstan)
• Duet with American rapper Coolio at his sole concert in Tbilisi;
• Musical experience with American band Puerty Motion
• Frequent Singer of year in Georgia;
• Music Video on Dato’s song Mahindji Var, produced by ParanoiaFilm company, became the laureate of 15th Moscow International Advertising Festival, participated in out-of-competition program of Cannes Lions festival and New York Film and video festival, was shown at Short Film Festival Clermont-Ferraud.

Notable singles of Dato are "Makhinji Var" and "Janaia" in collaboration with Ligalize.

References

• Official website (in Russian)