Bleona Qereti

One of the most well-known singers, actress and show-girl from Albania, Bleona's audience stretches from within Albania to the surrounding major Albanian Communities. These include, Kosovo , Macedonia , Montenegro as well as the Diaspora in Western Europe and the United States . Since she was young girl, she was actively engaged in different youth artistic activities in her hometown of Korca and Elbasan. Her first international representation was in the Balkans Festival in 1991 in Preveza , Greece . During 1991-1994 she worked as singer and show-girl in a variety show of the professional theater “Skampa”. During 1994, at the age of fifteen, she participated in the national song festival organized by the Albanian Radio and Television. During 1995 she participated in the spring song contest representing herself well .Her first major impression was at the national song contest in December 1995 with “Leave me on my own”. After a successful participation in the spring song festival of 1996, she was invited in a tournament in Switzerland among many well-known Albanian singers. She tried also with the traditional music by participating at the World Folk Festival held in France in August 1996. In October 1996 she started a tournament in Germany , Belgium and the Netherlands . She came back and participated in the Albanian National Song contest in December 1996. During spring of 1997, despite the difficult social and economical conditions in Albania , she managed to produce her first video clip “The Wind”. She represented herself in the spring song contest in 1997 with the same song. This video clip was broadcasted by a French television, TV5 in a special segment on Albania . In the summer of 1997, she received an invitation from Albanians living in Montenegro to hold a show in the city of Ulqin . In October 1997 she was invited by the Albanians in Switzerland for a one month tour. In December 1997 she took part in the Albanian National Song contest. In January 1998, Bleona achieved a formidable goal by producing her first album titled “I do what I like”. In May of that year, she participated as a singer and show-girl in a huge concert organized by the Koha Jone Company for the Albanians living in Greece together with the Director of the Fine Arts Academy, Kastriot Caushi. In September 1998 she began her acting studies at the fine arts academy. She participated in the Spring Song contest of 1999 representing herself as a show-girl and singing her future hit “If you truly love me”. During the Summer of 1999, she participated in a charity tour of several European countries including Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Netherlands, and Austria, Bleona set another milestone in her rising career by releasing her first music video “I do what I like”, in the fall of 1999. By November, she held a one month tour of Switzerland . By January 2000, she released her second album “If you truly love”. She then followed this up with the release of a new music video from the album. By this time, Bleona's career was gaining tremendous momentum and name recognition throughout the region. In September 2000 she participated in the biggest tour ever organized for the Albanians living in Europe . Her great success culminated in her signing her first real contract with German manager Jeton Dautaj and performed more than 80 concerts throughout Europe in the first half of 2001.