Aurela Gaçe

2012 in Zurich

Aurela Gaçe (born October 16, 1974 in Llakatund near Vlora , Albania ) is an Albanian singer who lives in New York City . In addition to modern pop music , she often sings typical Labish folk music from her home region. She describes herself as a versatile singer who performs from polyphonic music to jazz and soul .

biography

Gaçe grew up in a village around ten kilometers north of Vlora in southern Albania. She started singing as a young child and later took part in demonstrations and competitions. According to her own statements, she was already obsessed with singing.

In 1993 Gaçe took part in the Festivali i Këngës for the first time with the song Pegaso - Albania's largest song festival , carried out by the state television broadcaster TVSH . A short time later she won the Festivali i Pranverës in 1994 . Her breakthrough came with the song Nata at the Festivali i Këngës in 1995, which was won by Ardit Gjebrea. After taking part every following year and winning more second and third places than any other participant in the 1990s, she won the Festivali i Këngës in 1999 with the song S'jam tribu and in 2001 with the song Ndjej .

In 2000, Gaçe graduated from the acting class at the Art Academy in Tirana . In 2001 she emigrated to the United States , where she mainly appeared in front of the Albanian exile community. Gaçe released albums at irregular intervals, continued to perform in Albania and took part in singing competitions such as Kënga Magjike , which she won in 2007 with the song Hape Veten . In summer 2010 she landed another hit with the dance-pop single Origjinale (a co-production with Doctor Flori and Marseli).

In December 2010, after an absence of almost ten years, she again took part in the Festivali i Këngës . In between she only had two guest appearances at this festival. With the song Kënga ime she won the third time and qualified for the Eurovision Song Contest 2011 in Düsseldorf . The track Feel The Passion was performed in English except for an Albanian chorus. On May 10, 2011, however, she was eliminated in the first ESC semifinals.

Gaçe is still active in the Albanian music scene. In 2013 she was a season coach in the talent show The Voice of Albania . In 2014 she won the music show Kënga Magjike again together with Young Zerka ; the winning song was called Pa Kontroll (Without Control) . The following year she was able to win again with the song Akoma jo with Kënga Magjike - this time solo.

Aurela Gaçe has two daughters, Grace (November 2011) and Abigail (born December 7, 2016).

Discography

Concert in Zurich , October 2010

Albums

1998: Oh Nënë
1998: The Best - Aurela Gaçe
2001: Tundu Bejke
2001: Superxhiro
2008: M'u Thanë Sytë
2012: Paraprakisht

Singles

1993: Pegaso

1994: Nuk mjafton

1995: Nata

1996: Me jetën dashuruar

1997: Pranvera e vonuar

1997: Fati ynë shpresë dhe marrëzi

1998: E pafajshme jam

1999: S'jam tribu

2000: Cimica

2001: Jetoj

2007: Hape Veten Ti

2009: Bosh

2009: Mu thanë sytë

2009: Jehonë

2010: Origjinale ( feat. Dr. Flori & Marsel )

2010: Kënga Ime / Feel The Passion

2011: Feel the Passion

2011: CA $ H (feat. Mc Kresha )

2012: Tranzit

2012: Boom Boom Boom

2012: Yes no

2013: Dua

2014: Pa Kontroll ( feat.Young Zerka )

2014: Merrem sonte

2015: Akoma jo

2016: Nënë e imja nënë

2017: S'mundem

2017: S'nuk ( feat.Fifi )

2017: Fustani

2018: Zemra Rratata ( feat.Eli Fara )
2019: Me Mbaj

Awards

1994: Winner of the Koncerti i pranverës at the RTSH with the song Nuk Mjafton
1996: 3rd place and best actress at the Festivali i Këngës 35 with the song Me Jetën Dashuruar
1997: 2nd place at the Festivali i Këngës 36 with the song E Kemi Fatin Shpresë Dhe Marrëzi
1998: 2nd place and best actress at the Euro Fest Shkup
1998: 3rd place at Festivali i Këngës 37 with the song E Pafajshme Jam
1999: Winner of the Festivali i Këngës 38 and special award for best interpreter by Top Albania Radio with the song S'jam Tribu
2000: 2nd place at the Maratona e Këngës Popullore e Qytetare
2001: Winner and best interpreter at the Festivali i Këngës 40 with the song Jetoj
2007: Winner and best interpreter at Kënga Magjike with the song Hape Veten
2010: Winner and best interpreter at the Festivali i Këngës 49 with the song Kënga Ime
Her video clip for the song Origjinale is considered the most viewed Albanian-language video on YouTube , it has been listened to over 4 million times and is also considered the Albanian Song of the Year 2010 .
2014: Winner of Kënga Magjike with the song Pa Kontroll together with Young Zerka