Ronela Hajati facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ronela Hajati
Ronela Hajati in 2021
Born	(1989-09-02) 2 September 1989 (age 35) Tirana, Albania
Nationality	Albanian
Occupation	Singer, songwriter, dancer
Years active	2006 – present
Parent(s)	Marash Hajati (father)
Musical career
Genres	Pop
Instruments	Vocals
Labels	Key Onima

Ronela Hajati (born September 2, 1989), also known simply as Ronela, is a singer, songwriter, and dancer from Albania. She was born and grew up in Tirana. Ronela started performing in singing and dancing shows when she was a child. Later, she decided to make music her career. People know Ronela for being able to sing and perform in many different styles. In 2021, she won the 60th Festivali i Këngës competition. This win meant she would represent Albania at the Eurovision Song Contest 2022.

Ronela's Early Life and Career

Growing Up in Albania

Ronela Hajati was born on September 2, 1989, in the city of Tirana, Albania. Her family is Albanian. Her mother came from Korçë, and her father, Marash Hajati, was from Shkodër. Ronela loved music from a very young age. She learned to play the piano and studied ballet when she was in elementary school. She also took part in many singing and dancing contests in Albania.

Ronela continued to perform at different music events, like Top Fest and Kënga Magjike. She became well-known in the Albanian-speaking areas when she released her song "Mala Gata" in May 2013. Later in 2013, she entered the Kënga Magjike competition with her song "Mos ma lsho." She won the Internet Award for this song in the final show.

Rising to Fame

In December 2015, Ronela released another song called "A do si kjo." It became popular and reached number 13 in Albania. Her next hit song, "Marre," came out in June 2016 and also reached number 13.

Between 2017 and 2018, Ronela released four more songs: "Mos ik," "Sonte," "Maje men," and "Do ta luj." All these songs were successful and made it into the top 30 in Albania. In December 2018, Ronela competed in the Kënga Magjike competition again. She sang "Vuj" and finished in fourth place.

After a short break, Ronela released "Pa dashni" in March 2019, which reached number six in Albania. In June 2019, her song "Çohu," with Albanian rapper Don Phenom, became number seven on Albania's Top 100 chart. After her top 10 song "Lage," Ronela had her first number-one hit with "MVP" in September 2019. In July 2020, the Albanian football team KF Tirana asked Ronela to create and sing their team song, "Bardh' e blu." This was part of their 100-year celebration.

RRON Album and Eurovision

Her First Album and Eurovision Journey

Ronela Hajati announced her first album, RRON, in March 2021. The first song from the album, "Prologue," came out that same month. It reached number 19 on the Albanian Top 100 chart and then climbed to number two a month later. The second song, "Shumë i mirë," reached number 15 in late 2021. It was nominated for an award at the 2021 Netët e Klipit Shqiptar event in Ulcinj, Montenegro.

After "Shumë i mirë," Ronela released "Aventura" in May 2021, which became number three in Albania. In June 2021, Ronela worked with Kosovo-Albanian musician Vig Poppa on "Alo," the fourth song from her album. This song became a top 15 hit that month. Her song "Leje," released in October 2021, reached number 13.

In November 2021, the Albanian TV station Radio Televizioni Shqiptar (RTSH) announced that Ronela was one of 20 artists chosen to compete in the 60th Festivali i Këngës with her song "Sekret." In December 2021, Ronela won the competition. This meant she would represent Albania at the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 in Turin, Italy.

Ronela performed "Sekret" in the first semi-final of Eurovision on May 10, 2022. Even though many people thought she would do well, she did not make it to the final. She finished in 12th place. After Eurovision, her song became popular in some countries, reaching number three in Albania and number 67 in Greece.

Competing in San Marino

On February 20, 2023, Ronela Hajati was chosen as one of the 106 acts for the semi-finals of Una voce per San Marino. This is the competition to choose San Marino's representative for Eurovision 2023. She was one of four acts from her semi-final to move to the "Second Chance" round. Later, she became one of the 22 finalists. Ronela sang a Spanish song called "Salvaje" in the competition. However, she did not finish in the top 10 of the final.

Ronela's Music Style

Ronela is known for being very flexible with her music, her style, and how she performs. She is mainly a pop artist. But she also likes to try different types of music, like R&B and reggae. She has said that American musician Michael Jackson is her hero and a big inspiration for her music. Ronela also likes Puerto Rican musician Ricky Martin. She even went to his concert in New York City in October 2021.

Ronela's Personal Life

Ronela Hajati is seen as someone who promotes body confidence and self-acceptance. She also keeps her personal life private. In 2015, she started a relationship with Albanian musician Young Zerka. They worked together on many songs and music videos before they broke up in 2018. As of December 2021, Ronela lives with her mother in Tirana.

Discography

EP's

• RRON (Part I)
• RRON (Part II)

Singles

As lead artist

As featured artist

Songwriter credits