Elvana Gjata facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Elvana Gjata
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Elvana Gjata at a concert in 2015
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| Born | 3 February 1987 |
| Other names |
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| Education | University of Arts, Tirana |
| Occupation | Singer, songwriter, entrepreneur, actress |
| Years active | 2001–present |
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Notable work
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| Awards | Full list |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Labels | East Music Matters (EMM) |
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Elvana Gjata (born February 3, 1987) is a famous Albanian singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman. She was born and grew up in Tirana, Albania. Many people call her a "Diva of Albanian music" because she is so popular.
Elvana became well-known in Albania and other Albanian-speaking areas after releasing her first two albums, Mamës (2007) and Afër dhe larg (2011). She became even more successful with many hit songs and her extended plays (EPs) 3 (2018) and Çelu (2021). Many of her songs have reached number one on the Albanian music charts. Elvana Gjata has also won many awards, including two Balkan Music Awards and several awards from Albanian music festivals like Festivali i Këngës and Kënga Magjike.
Contents
Elvana Gjata's Journey to Stardom
Early Life and Music Beginnings (1987–2010)
Elvana Gjata was born on February 3, 1987, in Tirana, Albania. Her parents are Fatmir and Donika Gjata. Her father worked in the Albanian Armed Forces for over 20 years. Elvana's older sister, Migena, is also a musician who works as a soprano singer in Germany. Elvana studied at the University of Arts in Tirana, where she planned to become a film director. She has said that she grew up in a humble but happy home.
When Elvana was 14, she tried out for an Albanian talent show called Ethet e së premtes mbrëma. This was when she decided to focus on music. In December 2003, she took part in the 42nd Festivali i Këngës with her song "Pranë teje," but she didn't win. Her next song, "Të kam xhan," came out in 2004, and she competed with it in Kënga Magjike that year. After this, she started working on her first album, Mamës.
Elvana also competed in Kënga Magjike again in 2007 and 2009. In June 2011, she won the 8th Top Fest competition with her song "Me ty."
Rising Success with Afër dhe Larg (2011–2016)
In August 2011, Elvana Gjata released her second album, Afër dhe Larg. It had 15 songs, including the very popular title track "Afër dhe Larg". This song was so successful that it won Elvana her first international award at the 2012 Balkan Music Awards in Bulgaria.
In February 2012, Elvana joined the third season of Albania's Dancing with the Stars. She was one of the favorites and received high scores throughout the show. She ended up winning the competition! In April 2012, she released the song "Gjaku im" to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Independence of Albania. She dedicated this song to the Albanian people.
Elvana also became the face of the Albanian TV platform Tring Digital. In March 2013, she released a popular song called "Beso" with Albanian rapper 2po2.
In February 2014, Elvana released "Disco Disco" with the duo Kaos, and then "Puthe." That year, she also released her first EP, Acoustic Live Session, which featured live versions of five of her songs. She also became the official face of the Albanian phone company, Albtelecom.
In March 2015, she worked with Albanian musician Flori Mumajesi on "Kuq e zi je ti." This song became the official supporters' song for the Albanian national football team at the 2016 UEFA European Championship. A year later, her song "Love me" with singer Bruno was nominated for Song of the Year at the 2016 Top Music Awards. In July 2016, she surprised everyone by releasing her number one hit "Njësoj" without any warning. In October 2016, she had another number one song, "Lejla," with Albanian rappers Capital T and 2po2.
New Music and International Collaborations (2017–2021)
After spending some time in the United States, Elvana Gjata started working with American producer Poo Bear and French DJ David Guetta. In February 2017, she was invited by Poo Bear to attend the 59th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. By June 2017, her first English song, "Forever Is Over," became a number one hit in Albania.
Elvana released her second EP, 3, on her 31st birthday, February 3, 2018. This EP included two more number one songs, "Më fal" and "Xheloz." In April 2018, she was featured on Poo Bear's song "Shade" and worked with American singer Ty Dolla Sign on her song "Off Guard." After returning to Albania, her songs "Ku Vajti" and "Mike" also became very popular, reaching number 2 on the charts.
In February 2019, after a short break, she released another number one song, "Tavolina e mërzisë." In June 2019, Elvana worked with Capital T again on "Fustani," which also hit number one in Albania. "Fustani" was followed by "Meine Liebe" with German-Albanian singer Ardian Bujupi.
In August 2019, Elvana released "A m'don" and performed at the Sunny Hill Festival in Pristina. She shared the stage with famous artists like Miley Cyrus, Calvin Harris, and Dua Lipa. In October 2019, the Albanian TV station Radio Televizioni Shqiptar announced that Elvana would compete in the 58th edition of Festivali i Këngës. This competition chooses Albania's song for the Eurovision Song Contest 2020. Her song was "Me tana." Many people thought she would win, but she finished in second place in the final.
After a year away, she released her song "Thirr" on her 34th birthday, February 3, 2021, and it immediately went to number one. Her third EP, Çelu, came out in April 2021. Songs from this EP like "Drandofilat," "Kunadhe," and "Mos u ngut" reached number one on the Albanian Top 100 chart. In June 2021, Elvana's next song, "Loti," also reached number one in Albania and was popular in Switzerland. Her success continued in July 2021 with "E di" featuring singer Yll Limani. In August 2021, she released "Papa" with Romanian artists Sickotoy and Inna.
Continued Success (2022–Present)
From January to March 2022, Elvana Gjata released more successful songs. These included "Ska" with rapper Mozzik, "Pow," and "Ex" with DJ Gimi-O and rapper Bardhi. In April 2023, she released "Rrotullo" with singer Dhurata Dora. Her song "Synin" came out on June 16, 2023.
Elvana Gjata held a big concert called "Decade" at the "Air Albania" stadium on June 22, 2023. This concert celebrated her two decades in music. In July 2023, she released "Si Na" and "Pak." In October 2024, RTSH announced that Elvana would compete in the 63rd edition of Festivali i Këngës again, with the song "Karnaval." She finished second in the final.
Elvana Gjata's Music Style
Elvana Gjata's music and fashion sense are often talked about in Albania and the Albanian-speaking parts of the Balkans. Many people admire her fashion style, calling her a fashion icon.
Elvana's music is usually described as R&B and pop. However, she also likes to try different types of music, such as EDM, ethnic-pop, dance-pop, funk, pop rock, and soul. She has said that Albanian musicians like Vaçe Zela, Parashqevi Simaku, Aurela Gaçe, and Nexhmije Pagarusha, as well as Canadian singer Celine Dion, have inspired her music.
Other Projects
Besides music, Elvana Gjata has also worked in other areas like film, fashion, and design. In 2014, she appeared on the covers of British Velvet and Albanian Anabel magazines. In 2016, she entered the fashion world by working with Albanian fashion designer Valdrin Sahiti to create a special collection of gowns called "Lejla."
Discography
- Mamës (2007)
- Afër dhe Larg (2011)
- Acoustic Live Session (2013)
- 3 (2018)
- Çelu (2021)
Filmography
- 2 Gisht Mjaltë (2019)
- 2 Gisht Mjaltë 2 (2024)
- Tenxherja Kapakun (2024)
See also
In Spanish: Elvana Gjata para niños
- Elvana Gjata videography
- List of awards and nominations received by Elvana Gjata
Images for kids
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Elvana Gjata at a concert in 2015
