Rona Nishliu

Rona Nishliu (born 25 August 1986) is an Albanian Kosovar singer and songwriter.[1] She came to international prominence after representing Albania in the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 in Baku, Azerbaijan, where she placed fifth and achieved the best placement for Albania to date.[2]

Rona Nishliu
Rona Nishliu performing at a jazz concert in Pristina, Kosovo.
Background information
Born (1986-08-25) 25 August 1986
Titova Mitrovica, SFR Yugoslavia
(present-day Kosovo[a])
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • radio personality
  • philanthropist
InstrumentsVocals
Years active2004–present
Associated actsVesa Luma, Teuta Kurti

Early life and career

2004–2012: Early life and beginnings

Rona Nishliu was raised in her birth town Mitrovica, but had to move with her family to Pristina at the age of thirteen due the political reasons in her hometown. In 2004 she entered "Ethet e së premtës mbrëma" (Friday night's fevers), a similar show to Idols. She successfully passed the first rounds and entered the live shows, where she finished Top 5. After the show, she worked on Radio Blue Sky in Prishtina as a presenter.[3]

In 2005, Rona teamed up with Vesa Luma and Teuta Kurti to enter the 43rd edition of Festivali i Këngës, for a chance to represent Albania in the 2005 Eurovision Song Contest with "Flakareshë". The trio were qualified for the final night held on 18 December 2005 but lost to Ledina Çelo who was declared the winner. The song was a Pop-Dance track, and even without winning the contest, became an instant hit on the radios.[4]

2012: Eurovision Song Contest

Nishliu represented Albania in the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 in Baku, Azerbaijan after winning the national selection on 29 December 2011 with the entry "Suus".[5] She is the first singer from Kosovo to represent Albania in the contest. Because of the Qafa e Vishës bus tragedy, RTSH deferred the first semi-final by more than two hours on 22 May, resulting in low ratings during Nishliu's appearance.[6] It did not affect Nishliu's own participation in the contest, as she got second place in the semi-final and advanced to the finals. Albania used its jury votes to vote for the other 17 countries in the semi-final, and it used the jury votes again on 26 May.[6] RTK also did not air highlights from the first semi-final due to the bus crash. She ended up winning fifth place in the final with 146 points; Albania's best result to date.[7] She became an Albanian citizen on 12 January 2012.[8]

2013–present

Nishliu was committed to her humanitarian work immediately after Eurovision. She became a member of a project called "Bonu cool, mos bjer shpullë" (Be cool, don't slap!), a project that raises gender awareness. She released a song especially for this occasion called "Se vetëm zemra flet saktë" (Because only the heart speaks right) which speaks against adolescent gender violence, produced and penned by Rona herself.[9] The song is part of a wide public awareness campaign led by the Kosovo Gender Studies Centre. It was supported and financed by the European Union.[10]

On 18 September 2014, Rona Nishliu held a concert in Belgrade, Serbia to promote the Kosovar culture, part of the "Mirëdita, dobar dan" festival.[11][12] She received a standing ovation from the public.[13][14]

Nishliu became a coach on the sixth series of The Voice of Albania.[15]

Public image

In Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro and North Macedonia, she is known as a pop singer/musician. The audience in Pristina and Tirana know her also as an experimental jazz singer. Her interpretation is characterized with nuances of soul music influences as well. Her vocal range and interpretative power are her strongest points.[16]

Philanthropy

Nishliu is depicted for her humanitarian spirit, taking part in numerous humanitarian concerts for the people in the need. While being a student, she organized few Humanitarian Concerts, including the one entitled to help displaced Kosovo Albanian families of Mitrovica living in poverty. In 2009 she took place as a guest lecturer in UNDP Kosovo's activity on Awareness Raising on the Importance of Volunteerism for the Youngsters in Vushtrri. She is an activist of the National Association of Autism in Kosovo, she is also a Chairperson of the Institute for Sustainability and Development of Youth in Kosovo.[16]

Discography

Singles
  • "Flakareshë" (Slap) (with Vesa Luma and Teuta Kurti)
  • "Të lashë" (I left you)
  • "Shenja" (The sign)
  • "Eja" (Come)
  • "Veriu" (The north)
  • "A ka arsye?" (Is there any reason?) (ft. Bim Bimma)
  • "Shko pastro pas saj" (Go after her)
  • "Zonja Vdekje" (Mrs. Death)
  • "Suus"
  • "Se vetëm zemra flet saktë" (Because only the heart speaks right)

Awards and nominations

Kënga Magjike

Year Nominee / work Award Result
2006 "Shenja" TV Klan Prize Won
2009 "Humbja" Best Vocal Won

Poli Fest Awards

Year Nominee / work Award Result
2007 "Veriu" First Prize Won

Video Fest Awards

Year Nominee / work Award Result
2008 "Shko pastro pas saj" Best Pop Nominated

Festivali i Këngës

Year Nominee / work Award Result
2011 "Suus" First Prize Won
Best Interpreter Won

Eurovision Song Contest 2012

Year Nominee / work Award Result
2012 "Suus" Contestant 5th

Annotations
  • ^
    Kosovo is the subject of a territorial dispute between the Republic of Kosovo and the Republic of Serbia. The Republic of Kosovo unilaterally declared independence on 17 February 2008, but Serbia continues to claim it as part of its own sovereign territory. The two governments began to normalise relations in 2013, as part of the 2013 Brussels Agreement. Kosovo is currently recognized as an independent state by 97 out of the 193 United Nations member states. In total, 112 UN member states recognized Kosovo at some point, of which 15 later withdrew their recognition.
    • gollark: Yep!
    gollark: One fun spell on the psispellcompendium blinks you about 100 blocks by abusing spell circles and using Sleep to sync all the effects up.
    gollark: You can't control direction, though...
    gollark: Yep.
    gollark: Or for caves blink them around.

    References
    1. "Rona Nishliu Biografia" (in Albanian). Retrieved 29 March 2018.
    2. "ESC 2012 Final Results". Eurovision Song Contest. Retrieved 17 September 2014.
    3. Radio Blue Sky
    4. "Vesa Luma, Teuta Kurti & Rona Nishliu – Flakareshë". Retrieved 17 September 2014 – via YouTube.
    5. "Rona Nishliu to represent Albania in Baku". Retrieved 29 March 2018.
    6. "Albania to broadcast tonight's Semi-final deferred | Eurovision Song Contest – Baku 2012". Eurovision Song Contest. Retrieved 24 August 2012.
    7. "Eurovision Song Contest 2012 Grand Final | Eurovision Song Contest – Baku 2012". Eurovision Song Contest. Retrieved 24 August 2012.
    8. "Artistët nga Kosova me pasaportë të Shqipërisë" (in Albanian). Retrieved 29 March 2018.
    9. Nuhiu, Rinor. "Rona Nishliu releases a new single!". escxtra.com. Archived from the original on 5 October 2013.
    10. Sahiti, Gafurr. "Rona Nishliu releases new music video". ESCToday. esctoday.com.
    11. "Festival "Mirdita – Dobar dan": Dijalog kroz umetnost (Serbian)".
    12. "Zëri i Rona Nishliut jehon në Beograd për një botë pa paragjykime".
    13. "Feature: Kosovo singer makes breakthrough with performance in Belgrade".
    14. "Express 25.09.2014 – Miredita, Dobar Dan!".
    15. "Rona Nishliu to join 'The Voice of Albania' as a coach". Retrieved 29 March 2018.
    16. "Rona Nishliu's official ESC profile". Retrieved 29 March 2018.
    Awards and achievements
    Preceded by
    Aurela Gaçe
    with Feel the Passion    		 Albania in the Eurovision Song Contest
    2012    		 Succeeded by
    Adrian Lulgjuraj and Bledar Sejko with Identitet
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