As an award winning-recording artist, producer, actor, model and entrepreneur, who has performed for large-scale stadium crowds, Bleona consistently embodies female empowerment, clarity of vision, and a strong DIY spirit. She is an enchanting rule-breaker who first proclaimed "I Run My Own Game," on her self-financed debut album. And she meant it.
Fast forward, Bleona has collaborated with notable A-list industry heavyweights, including Timbaland (Justin Timberlake), Dark Child (Britney Spears), John Shanks (Bon Jovi), Roccstar (Chris Brown) and Fuego (Jason Derulo) among others, creating a unique sonic blend of American Pop music with a global approach that appeals to every culture,
Bleona worked closely with Timbaland over the course of the last 3 years, resulting in her first English language single "Show Off" in 2010 featuring Petey Pablo, followed by a second single "Pass Out" in 2012 featuring Timbaland & Brasco.
Following her work with Timbaland, she invited his crew, including his official DJ, Freestyle Steve to take the stage with her as she embarked on a European tour in Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia, Italy, and Germany where she performed for sold-out audiences ranging from 50,000 - 80,000+ per show.
To date, Bleona has recorded eight albums, graced over 35 covers of fashion magazines and has toured extensively, performing to sold-out crowds in her native Albania and throughout Europe. Her provocative on-stage demeanor, presented with a highly unforgettable visual and auditory extravaganza, has earned her the respect and devotion of a wide range of fans, including high-level government dignitaries, Royal families, Russian billionaires, and global influencers. She is a universal communicator and connector, proficient in four languages, including English, German, Italian and her native tongue.
Though her background reads like a best-selling novel, it is every bit true, and then some. Bleona was born in Albania and educated in Western Europe with a BA in acting. She's toured since age 15 and has lived all over the world, with huge aspirations of conquering America, and the world in her blood.
Her story starts at age 5, when she joined the House of Pionieri (the Albanian equivalent of the Mickey Mouse Club) and was picked to be the little girl who gave flowers to the Prime Minister and government dignitaries. She also appeared on her first magazine at age 5, a children's publication titled, Pionieri. As a result of her family's close affiliation with the Albanian government, she did her first solo concert at age 9 at the Christmas party of the Albanian Secret Service that her father was part of.
At age 15, she virtually became a household name as a result of her captivating performance at the December Festival. At age 16, she embarked on a ten-city tour for the Albanian Spring Festival, blowing audiences away and becoming one of Albania's highest profile artists. She also marks the first Albanian artist ever to be on iTunes, when Pop music was still a relatively modern phenomenon, and she is the youngest recipient to ever be presented with the Career Achievement Award at the Albanian VMAs.
Her career was entirely self-managed. Early highlights include her 1998 debut album "Kam Qejfin Tim" (I Run My Own Game), which was funded through her concerts. At the time, there were no record labels in Albania, and no one had ever recorded a full album. By 2001, she had released three albums and was performing 80 concerts a year in between going to school, including her second album "Nese Me Do Fort" (If You Really Love Me) in 1999; her third album "Sme Behet Vove" (I Could Care Less) in 2000.
Her fourth album "Ik Meso Si Dashurohet" (Need to Learn How to Love) was released in 2002, followed by a multi-city outdoor promo tour that was attended by 30,000-50,000 per show. Her last concert held in the Albanian capital of Tirana, was attended by 80,000 to 100,000 people, nearly the entire region, which was a staggering success that set Bleona apart from other artists.
By the time she recorded her fifth album, "Ti Nuk Di As Me Ma Lyp" (You Weren't Man Enough For Me), she sold an unprecedented 300,000 copies the first three months of release. Word-of-mouth was rapidly building and Bleona was invited to perform in the states at New York's legendary Webster Hall, also recording her sixth album "Boom Boom" while in America. Her seventh album "Mandarin" sold over 800,000 copies, setting up her global career trajectory.
When she wrote "Take It Like A Man," her intention was to create a strong message of female independence and girl power. To celebrate the track, which shot up to #7 on the UK charts despite having any promotional support, she performed at the WP 2013 and headlined the Las Vegas Gay Pride in 2013.
She cemented her international superstar status when she was invited to perform a second consecutive year at the legendary White Party 2014 as part of the 25th Anniversary celebration. Other than Gaga, she marks the only artist invited to perform two years in a row. As a result, her single "Famous" has become an anthem for the gay community.
Bleona, who became a U.S. citizen in 2011, is proficient on violin, designs a jewelry and shoe line.
Her much anticipated ShoeDazzle line launched in December 2014, and is available to the popular line's 18 million subscribers. Her new jewelry line and e-commerce site will launched in February 2015, showcasing her creativity and unique eye for style and elegance.
With a BA on Acting in the Stanislavski System, she is a serious actor who is now breaking into the film industry.
Additionally, Bleona also finds time to give back, supporting countless charities throughout the world including the Elton John Foundation, AmFar and MusiCares among others.
