Alban Skënderaj
Skënderaj in 2017
Born (1982-04-20) 20 April 1982
Lushnjë, Albania
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter, actor, producer, television personality
Years active2004–present
Notable workDiscography
Spouse
​
(m. 2019)​
Children2
Parents
  • Qerim Skënderaj (father)
  • Afërdita Skënderaj (mother)
AwardsFull list
Musical career
Instrument(s)
  • Vocals
  • guitar
  • piano
LabelsAcromax

Alban Skënderaj (Albanian: [alˈban skənˈdɛɾaj]; born 20 April 1982) is an Albanian singer. Born in Lushnjë and raised in Vlorë, Skënderaj has established himself as a viable artist in Albania and the Albanian-speaking Balkans. Beyond his music career, the singer has been featured as a judge on the Albanian television series The X Factor Albania and The Voice of Albania.

Life and career

1982–2004: Early life and career beginnings

Alban Skënderaj was born on 20 April 1982 into an Albanian family in the city of Lushnjë, then part of the People's Socialist Republic, present Albania.[1][2][3] His father, Qerim Skënderaj, was born in the village of Ninësh, Mallakastër, and has served in the Albanian Armed Forces.[3][4] His mother, Afërdita Skënderaj, hailed from Vlorë and died in June 2017.[3][5] Skënderaj attended the Halim Xhelo secondary school in Vlorë.[2] At a young age, his family left Albania for political reasons as part of the Albanian Civil War in 1997 and relocated to Pistoia, Italy.[3][6][7] Skënderaj has three brothers, namely Arbër, Martin and Taulant.[3][8] After relocating to Italy, his brothers encouraged Skënderaj to pursue a music career. He started to take music lessons and began to play guitar.[6] Italian composer Sandro Bartolozzi discovered Skënderaj and invited him to the Artestudio53 in Florence, Italy, whereupon he continued to sing with various bands.[6]

2005–2017: Top Fest and Kënga Magjike

Skënderaj in 2017

After his return in Albania, Skënderaj eventually started to participate in various music contests. In April 2005, the singer won the 2nd edition of Top Fest with the song "Vetëm ty".[9][10] A year after, he returned to the 3rd edition of Top Fest, collaborating with the Kosovo-Albanian group Kthjellu on "Diçka", and resulted as the winners of the contest.[11] In December 2006, he unsuccessfully debuted at Festivali i Këngës at its 45th edition with the song "Eklips".[12][13] The singer released his second studio album, Melody in October 2008.[14] Finishing in second place in December 2010, Skënderaj returned to the contest's 49th edition collaborating with Albanian musician and spouse Miriam Cani on "Ende ka shpresë".[15][16] In November 2012, the singer won the 14th edition of Kënga Magjike with the song "Refuzoj".[17][18] From 2012 and 2015, he has been a juror for Televizioni Klan's X Factor Albania show.[19][20] In November 2014, the singer presented a concert at the Pallati i Kongreseve in Tirana to commemorate the 10th anniversary of his music career.[21]

Skënderaj's first number-one single, "Une dhe ti", was released in February 2016.[22][23] He released his first live studio album, Tingujt e ditarit tim, in April 2016.[24] "Kam nëvoje", his follow-up single featuring Kosovo-Albanian rapper Elinel, also went on to reach number one in Albania in May 2016.[25] In June 2016, he was honored as the male artist of the year at the Top Music Awards.[26] Three subsequent top 10 singles, "Duart lart", "Engjëll" and "Stoli i trëndafilave", were released in the course of that year.[27][28][29] As of 2017, Skënderaj served as a coach on the sixth season of Top Channel's The Voice of Albania.[30][31] In June 2017, the singer held a concert to further promote his first live studio album, Tingujt e ditarit tim, at the gardens of the National Library of Kosovo in Pristina.[32] Another pair of top 10 singles in Albania, "Dikur", "1000 premtime", "Nuk je vetëm" and "Dhurata", followed throughout 2017.[33][34][35][36] The track, "Dhurata" in collaboration with Miriam Cani, was dedicated to their daughter Ameli, which peaked atop the Albanian Top 100 chart.[37][38] Released in 2016, "Une dhe ti" was named as the song of the year at the 2017 Kult Awards in December 2017.[39]

2018–present: Continued success

Skënderaj's chart appearance ensued into May 2018 with the single "Ping Pong" featuring Kosovo-Albanian rapper MC Kresha, which became a top three single in Albania.[40] Another charting collaboration titled "Deja vu" with Albanian singer Young Zerka followed in June 2018.[41] The follow-up "Lea" became a number-one single in September 2018 and "Nëntor, 26" experienced similar success on its release.[42][43] Hapësira e një ëndrre, Skënderaj's second live studio album, was premiered in October 2018.[44] Three subsequent top 10 singles, "Plagë në gjysmëshpirt", "Drejt në zemër" and "Duamë", were released in 2019. Released to positive response, the music video of "Duamë" comprises footage from Skënderaj's marriage ceremony in the Maldives.

Personal life

After a music collaboration proposed by Cani's father, Skënderaj started a relationship with Albanian singer Miriam Cani in 2007.[45] On 28 November 2015, Cani gave birth to a daughter, Ameli Skënderaj.[46][47] In June 2019, Skënderaj presented a concert as part of his Hapësira e një ëndrre event in Pristina, Kosovo, at which both Cani and Skënderaj performed "Dhurata" and started the performance by revealing she was pregnant.[48] Their son Duam was born on 14 January 2020.[49]

Discography

  • Fllad në shkretirë (2006)
  • Melody (2008)
  • Ende ka shpresë (2011)
  • Tingujt e ditarit tim (2016)
  • Hapësira e një ëndrre (2018)

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Alban Skënderaj – Biografia" (in Albanian). TeksteShqip. Archived from the original on 28 February 2018. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  2. 1 2 "Alban Skënderaj #Bio" (in Albanian). Top Channel. 2 December 2017. Archived from the original on 18 April 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Babai i Alban Skënderajt: 16 ditët më të vështira të jetës time" (in Albanian). Panorama. 5 February 2017. Archived from the original on 31 January 2020. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  4. ↑ "Njihuni me babain dhe vëllain e Alban Skenderaj" (in Albanian). Kosovarja. 23 December 2018. Archived from the original on 15 December 2019. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
  5. ↑ "Ditë zie për Alban Skenderajn, humb njeriun më të shtrenjtë". Telegrafi (in Albanian). 25 June 2017. Archived from the original on 10 October 2017. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  6. 1 2 3 "La prima volta di Alban nella 'sua' Pistoia" (in Italian). Il Tirreno. 27 November 2017. Archived from the original on 27 October 2021. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  7. ↑ "Alban Skënderaj koncert special në vendin ku është rritur, nuk është Shqipëria". Dritare (in Albanian). 25 November 2016. Archived from the original on 27 October 2021. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  8. ↑ "9 fakte që ndoshta nuk i dini rreth Alban Skënderaj!" (in Albanian). Gazeta Tema. 3 January 2019. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  9. ↑ "Albani tregon si bëheshin 'selfie'-t në vitet '90, ja si dukej këngëtari kur ishte adoleshent". Panorama (in Albanian). 2019. Archived from the original on 22 December 2021. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  10. ↑ Velija, Kreizia (3 October 2020). "Alban Skënderaj dhe Albana Osmani në një duet muzikor" (in Albanian). Top Albania Radio. Archived from the original on 22 December 2021. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  11. ↑ "Dikur krijuan një prej baladave më të pëlqyera, sot ndjekin karrierat solo". Telegrafi (in Albanian). 3 July 2017. Archived from the original on 22 December 2021. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  12. ↑ "Albania: Festivali i Këngës #45". Eurovisionworld. Archived from the original on 19 October 2020. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  13. ↑ Klier, Marcus (24 December 2006). "Aida & Frederik Ndoci to Helsinki". ESCToday. Archived from the original on 29 March 2020. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  14. ↑ "Skenderaj lanson albumin e shumëpritur". Telegrafi (in Albanian). 6 October 2008. Archived from the original on 25 December 2021. Retrieved 25 December 2021.
  15. ↑ Sahiti, Gafurr (15 November 2010). "Albania: 38 semi-finalists announced". ESCToday. Archived from the original on 23 September 2020. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  16. ↑ "Aurela Gaçe wins Albanian ticket to Germany". European Broadcasting Union (EBU). 25 December 2010. Archived from the original on 4 August 2020. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  17. ↑ "Alban Skënderaj fitues i 'Kënga Magjike 2012'". Telegrafi (in Albanian). 10 November 2012. Archived from the original on 22 December 2021. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  18. ↑ "Fituesi i Këngës Magjike 2012 është Alban Skenderaj". Bota Sot (in Albanian). 11 November 2012. Archived from the original on 14 November 2012. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  19. ↑ "X Factor Albania së shpejti" (in Albanian). Televizioni Klan (TV Klan). Archived from the original on 18 December 2011. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  20. ↑ "Bleona, anëtare e jurisë së 'X Factor Albania 4'" (in Albanian). Televizioni Klan (TV Klan). 17 February 2015. Archived from the original on 22 December 2021. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  21. ↑ "Albani, dy koncerte për 10 vjetorin e karrierës". Telegrafi (in Albanian). 30 October 2014. Archived from the original on 23 December 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
  22. ↑ Velija, Kreizia (28 February 2016). "Alban Skënderaj përsëri 'mbret' i Top Awards" (in Albanian). Top Albania Radio. Archived from the original on 22 December 2021. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  23. ↑ "Alban Skenderaj thyen rekord në Top Awards" (in Albanian). Top Channel. 12 March 2016. Archived from the original on 22 December 2021. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  24. ↑ "Tingujt e ditarit tim – Live Album by Alban Skënderaj on Apple Music". Apple Music. 21 April 2016. Archived from the original on 23 December 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
  25. ↑ "The Top List – 15/05/2016" (in Albanian). Top Channel. 15 May 2016. Archived from the original on 2 February 2020. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  26. ↑ Kasaj, Justin (24 June 2016). "Zbuloni fituesit e Top Music Awards 2016" (in Albanian). Infomedia Albania. Archived from the original on 5 August 2018. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  27. ↑ "Alban Skenderaj publikon klipin e 'Duar lart'". Telegrafi (in Albanian). 8 June 2016. Archived from the original on 23 December 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
  28. ↑ "'Engjëll', kënga e re e Alban Skënderaj dedikim për Miriam Canin" (in Albanian). Televizioni Klan (TV Klan). 8 July 2016. Archived from the original on 11 July 2016. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
  29. ↑ "Alban Skënderaj i këndon tradhtisë: 'Stoli i trëndafilave'". Dritare (in Albanian). 28 October 2016. Archived from the original on 23 December 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
  30. ↑ "Alban Skënderaj, trajneri i ri i The Voice of Albania" (in Albanian). Top Channel. 24 September 2016. Archived from the original on 2 March 2017. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
  31. ↑ "Alban Skënderaj, pjesë e panelit të 'The Voice'". Telegrafi (in Albanian). 24 September 2016. Archived from the original on 22 December 2021. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  32. ↑ "Alban Skënderaj me koncert madhështor në Prishtinë". Telegrafi (in Albanian). 11 May 2017. Archived from the original on 23 December 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
  33. ↑ "Alban Skenderaj publikon 'Dikur'". Koha (in Albanian). 11 February 2017. Archived from the original on 23 December 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
  34. ↑ "Video/ Publikohen '1000 Premtime'-t e Alban Skenderajt". Syri (in Albanian). 23 March 2017. Archived from the original on 23 December 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
  35. ↑ "Alban Skënderaj merr kreun e 'The Top List'" (in Albanian). Top Channel. 11 September 2017. Archived from the original on 3 February 2020. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
  36. ↑ "Alban Skënderaj dhe Miriam Cani vijnë me 'Dhuratë'". Politiko (in Albanian). 26 November 2017. Archived from the original on 6 August 2020. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
  37. ↑ "Emocionuese: Miriam Cani e Alban Skënderaj publikojnë këngën kushtuar vajzës" (in Albanian). Privé. 28 November 2017. Archived from the original on 23 December 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
  38. ↑ "'Je dhurata më e bukur në jetë', Alban Skënderaj dhe Miriam Cani publikojnë videon dhuratë për vajzën e tyre" (in Albanian). IN TV. 28 November 2017. Archived from the original on 20 April 2018. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
  39. ↑ "Një Mbrëmje Gala si ajo e Çmimeve Kult 2017! Ja kush janë fituesit" (in Albanian). Akademia Kult. Archived from the original on 31 October 2019. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
  40. ↑ "Alban Skënderaj në 'Top 3' me këngën e re!" (in Albanian). Top Channel. 16 May 2018. Archived from the original on 20 May 2018. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  41. ↑ "Alban Skenderaj dhe Young Zerka sjellin 'Deja Vu'". Koha (in Albanian). 29 June 2018. Archived from the original on 5 January 2022. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
  42. ↑ "Alban Skënderaj sjell këngën e tij më të preferuar, i këndon vajzës me emrin 'Lea'". Telegrafi (in Albanian). 15 September 2018. Archived from the original on 5 January 2022. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
  43. ↑ Velija, Kreizia (3 December 2018). "Top Awards: Alban Skënderaj: 'Shumë i lumtur si çdo herë të jem pjesë e Top Awards'" (in Albanian). Top Albania Radio. Archived from the original on 5 January 2022. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
  44. ↑ "Hapësira e një ëndrre – Live Album by Alban Skënderaj on Apple Music". Apple Music. 1 October 2018. Archived from the original on 23 December 2021. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
  45. ↑ "Kanë 10 vite bashkë, por e dini si ka nisur historia e dashurisë së Albanit dhe Miriamit?". Daily Xing (in Albanian). 25 October 2017. Archived from the original on 23 December 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
  46. ↑ "Alban Skenderaj bëhet baba për 28 Nëntor". Koha (in Albanian). 28 November 2015. Archived from the original on 23 December 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
  47. ↑ "Alban Skenderaj dhe Miriam Cani bëhen prindër për 28 nëntor". Telegrafi (in Albanian). 28 November 2015. Archived from the original on 23 December 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
  48. ↑ "Albani dhe Miriami ndajnë lajmin e gëzuar me publikun në Prishtinë – ata do të bëhen sërish prindër". Telegrafi (in Albanian). 19 June 2019. Archived from the original on 23 December 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
  49. ↑ "Alban Skënderaj dhe Miriam Cani bëhen prindër për herë të dytë". Telegrafi (in Albanian). 14 January 2020. Archived from the original on 23 September 2020. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.