Bleona

Bleona
Ibiza photo shoot by Vincent Peters
Background information
Birth name	Bleona Qereti
Born	(1979-05-14) 14 May 1979[1] Korçë, Albania
Genres	Pop R&B dance electronic
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter actress television personality
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	1996-present
Associated acts	Timbaland Rodney Jerkins David Foster John Shanks
Website	www.iambleona.com

Bleona Qereti (born 14 May 1979),^[1] professionally known as Bleona is an Albanian - American singer and actress. As of 2009, Bleona has been based in the United States and she has worked with producers such as Timbaland, Rodney Jerkins, and Grammy winner David Foster.^[2] She has released four singles since, titled "Show Off", "Without You" and "Pass Out," the latter co-produced by Timbaland. On September 10, 2013 she released the single "Take It Like A Man".^[3]

Early life

Bleona was born on 14 May 1979^[1] in Korçë, Albania. She began her career at Skampa Theater in Elbasan, and then moved to Tirana to pursue her singing career. At age 5, she began singing and performing at Albanian music festivals. ^[4] She released her first single, "Lermeni (Let Me Be Free)" in 1996, and a year later released her first album, Kam Qejfin Tim (I Run My Own Game).^[5] Bleona's first major tour took place that year, and she performed over 25 summer shows at concert halls in Switzerland and Germany. In 1997 she toured in support of the Albanian Democratic Party (headed by Sali Berisha), and released a music video for the track "Kam Qejfin Tim." Since then she has released approximately one new music video a year.^[6]

At age thirteen, Bleona's father and mother encouraged her to leave singing and go to finance school. Her parents later sent her to a German school to learn the German language, which she can speak and sing in English, Albanian, Italian, German.^[7] She studied the "Stanisklavski System" of acting, graduating with a BA from the Academy of Performing Arts in Tirana. She also plays violin.^[8]

From 1999 through 2002, Bleona released three more albums, all of which peaked at #1 in southeastern Europe.^[3] In 1999 she headlined the Humanitarian Tour for the People of Kosovo, where she played for approximately 5,000 people a show at venues in Sweden, Paris, and Prague, with a concert in Düsseldorf, Germany attracting 10,000 people. From 2000 to 2001 she performed at 80 concerts in Europe and the United Kingdom, and by 2002 she was headlining outdoor concerts. In that same year she released the DVD, "Nje xhiro neper Shqiperi" (Walking Through Albania) that documented Bleona’s outdoor concerts averaging 20 -30,000 fans in each city. The tour finale in Albania’s capital, Tirana attracted 100,000 fans despite a relentless rain that continued throughout the evening.

Career

2003-2007

Bleona Qereti light

In 2003 Bleona released the album Ti Nuk Di As Me Ma Lyp (You Weren't Man Enough for Me), Within 3 months of being released the album had sold 300,000 copies. Over the next four years she again toured throughout Kosovo, England, Germany, Switzerland, and Italy, and co-headlined with the rock group, Elita 5.^[9]

Bleona’s 2005 album, Boom Boom was recorded in both English and Albanian. That same year her single "S'dua" won the Media Award at the "Magic Song Festival Awards," Albania's version of the Grammy Awards.^[10][11] In 2006 Bleona became the youngest recipient of Albania’s VMA "Excellent Career Award" in the award's history.^[12] Her eighth album Mandarin sold over 800,000 copies in 2007, breaking her previous record.In theme with the album, which means "tangerine," she dyed her hair red in 2006 and kept it that way until 2007, featuring the color in three music videos.^[13] In 2007 she campaigned for the then-newly formed New Kosovo Alliance, a political party formed by Behgjet Pacolli.In 2008 Bleona won "Media Awards" with song "Magnetic" in "Magic Song Festival Awards".^[14]

Moving to the United States

Bleona's first tour of the United States was in 2004, when a club promoter invited her to New York City to perform at New York City’s legendary Webster Hall.^[15] Since then, she has continued to perform in both the United States and in Europe, as well as for the Royal families of Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates ^[16] Bleona’s numerous tours throughout Germany, London, Switzerland, Italy, New York and other countries have attracted an average of ten to twenty thousand fans making her one of the most successful entertainers in the music business.^[17]

Bleona moved to the U.S. in September 2010. Shortly afterwards she met producer Timbaland while both were attending the Grammy Awards ceremony. After a year of delays, she began working with him on three new tracks. She has worked on songs with Rodney Jerkins, Makeba, and engineered by Jimmy Douglass.^[18] Her English language single "Show Off" was released on September 27, 2010.^[19] In February 2011, Bleona became a citizen of the United States.^[20]

"Pass Out" single

In September 2012, Bleona’s co-produced single with Timbaland, "Pass Out" featuring Brasco was released.^[21] She toured Europe to promote the single, performing in Albania in the cities of Vlora, Elbasan, Shkoder and Tirana; the capital city of Pristina in Kosovo; Tetovo in Macedonia and Dusseldorf, Germany. Supporting her on tour was Dj Freestyle Steve and Brasco. Concert attendance ranged from 50 – 70,000 people per performance.^[22]

"Take It Like A Man and Las Vegas Pride"

In the Summer 2013, Bleona announced the release of her single Take It Like A Man produced by StopWaitGo.^[23] Maximum Pop called it "an uplifting dance floor filler that screams "GIRL POWER" at the top of its europop lungs".^[24] To coincide with the release she headlined Las Vegas Gay Pride on September 7, 2013.^[25]

In a recent interview with Attitude Magazine Bleona admitted that she would like to work with Calvin Harris, David Guetta and Avicii ^[26]

Reality television

In February 2014, Bleona started shooting new reality television series titled Euros of Hollywood which premiered on November 3, 2014 on Bravo network.The show followed Bleona recording her first album in English and her life in America .In 2015 Bleona be part of the jury of the X Factor in Albania and In 2016 she be part of the jury of Your Face Sounds Familiar in Albania.^[27]

Discography

Albums

Singles

Weekly charts

Music videos

DVDs

References

External links

• Bleona Official Website
• Billboard - Spotlight on Bleona
• Bleona Qereti - "I Told Timbaland To Give Me A Chance" (Global Grind, August 2011)