Maléna (singer) explained

Maléna
Background:solo_singer
Birth Name:Arpine Martoyan
Birth Place:Yerevan, Armenia
Birth Date:10 January 2007
Years Active:2018–present
Label:TKN

Arpine Martoyan (Armenian: Արփինե Մարտոյան; born 10 January 2007), known professionally as Maléna (Armenian: Մալենա), is an Armenian singer and songwriter.[1] She represented Armenia in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2021 with the song "Armenian: [[Qami Qami]]|i=unset", and went on to win the competition, becoming the second Armenian entrant to win the Junior Eurovision Song Contest.

Early life

Born in Yerevan on 10 January 2007, Maléna was raised by her mother Anna Manucharyan, an actress.[2] Together with her mother, she has appeared in several episodes of television comedy series Stone Cage.[3] Maléna studies at the Sayat-Nova music school, where she learned to play the cello.[4]

Career

2018–2022: Junior Eurovision Song Contest

See main article: Armenia in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2021. Maléna first attempted to represent Armenia in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2018, taking part in the national selection Depi Mankakan Evratesil with the song "Par" under the name Arpi, placing 8th in the semi-final.

Since 2020, Maléna has been collaborating with TKN Entertainment, a Yerevan-based record label owned by Tokionine.[5] She was set to represent Armenia in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2020 with the song "Why", but the country withdrew from the contest due to the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war.[6]

She was again selected the following year to represent Armenia in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2021 in Paris, France with the song "Qami Qami" ("Wind, Wind" in Armenian).[7] [8] [9] The song, described as "space-pop", was composed by Tokionine and was written by Vahram Petrosyan, Tokionine, David Tserunyan and Maléna herself.[10] While talking about co-writing the song and the message of it, Maléna said: "I’d never think that I’d be writing lyrics that one day would be shared with such a big audience. It’s such a huge honor. The song is about finding yourself and finding a way to keep going. Don’t you ever think of falling down again…always be true to who you are". Maléna won the contest with 224 points, becoming the second Armenian entrant to win the competition, first being in .[11] [12] As a result of her win, Armenia earned the right to host the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2022.[13] In May 2022, Maléna made an appearance during the first semi-final of Eurovision Song Contest in Turin, Italy, announcing Yerevan as the host city for the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2022.[14]

Following her win, she received the Armenian Scholarship for a summer program at the Berklee College of Music, in Boston, Massachusetts. In addition, she performed her winning song at the Armenian Heritage Park in Boston, on 31 July 2022.[15]

2022–present

On 23 October 2022, Maléna released a cover of the song "Cheri Cheri Lady" by German band Modern Talking.[16] In February 2023, the song went viral on TikTok in Indonesia[17] and Vietnam,[18] reaching the top of the iTunes[19] and Top 50 Viral on Spotify[20] in Vietnam. On 26 February, the song reached the general Top 50 songs in Vietnam on Spotify.[21] The song debuted at number 72 on the Billboard Vietnam Hot 100 list published on 2 March 2023.[22]

In 2022, she was appointed the UNICEF Armenia Goodwill Ambassador.[23]

In May 2023, she was selected as Armenia's spokesperson to announce Armenian jury results in the grand final of Eurovision Song Contest 2023.[24] [25] In October 2023, she was revealed as one of the co-writers for the Armenia's Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2023 entry, "Do It My Way" by Yan Girls. At the contest, held in Nice, France, the song reached 3rd place.[26]

Artistry

Influences

Maléna is inspired by pop and R&B music. She pointed out Jaden Smith and Rosalía as her favourites, for their musical creations and visual style.[27]

Discography

Singles

TitleYearPeak chart positionsAlbum
VIE
[28]
"Par"
2018rowspan="9"
""2020
"My Life Is Going On"2021
"Qami Qami"
"Chem Haskanum"
"Cheri Cheri Lady"
(with Tokionine)
202226
""
"Flashing Lights"2023
"Never Have I Ever"
2024
"—" denotes a single that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
"*" denotes the chart did not exist at that time.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: López. José David. 2021-11-17. Maléna Fox will represent Armenia at Junior Eurovision 2021!. 2021-11-27. ESCplus.
  2. Web site: 2021-11-20. «Մանկական Եվրատեսիլ 2021»-ին Հայաստանի ներկայացուցիչ Մալենան դերասանուհի Աննա Մանուչարյանի դուստրն է. 2021-11-27. Bavnews․am. hy-AM.
  3. Web site: Իսկ Դուք Մալենային հիշում եք, երբ նա մայրիկի հետ նկարահանվում էր "Քարե դարդ"-ում. a1news.am. 20 December 2021. 23 December 2021.
  4. Web site: Հայտնի է, թե ով կներկայացնի Հայաստանը «Մանկական Եվրատեսիլ 2021» մրցույթին. lurer.com. 18 November 2021. 21 December 2021.
  5. Web site: López. José David. 2021-11-17. Maléna Fox will represent Armenia at Junior Eurovision 2021!. 2021-11-27. ESCplus.
  6. Web site: Armenia withdraws from Junior Eurovision 2020. EBU. junioreurovision.tv. 5 November 2020. 31 October 2021.
  7. Web site: ՈՎ ԿՆԵՐԿԱՅԱՑՆԻ ՀԱՅԱՍՏԱՆԸ "ՄԱՆԿԱԿԱՆ ԵՎՐԱՏԵՍԻԼ"-ՈՒՄ. 15 October 2021. hraparak.am. 31 October 2021. hy.
  8. Web site: MALÉNA WILL REPRESENT ARMENIA AT THE JUNIOR EUROVISION 2021!. 17 November 2021. eurovision.am. 17 November 2021.
  9. Web site: Armenia: "Qami Qami" Revealed For Junior Eurovision. Granger. Anthony. Eurovoix. 19 November 2021.
  10. Web site: Junior Eurovision Song Contest: Paris 2021 - Collection. 2021-11-27. lyricstranslate.com. en.
  11. Web site: 2021-12-19. Junior Eurovision 2021 winner: Armenia's Malena with "Qami Qami". 2021-12-19. wiwibloggs. en-US.
  12. Web site: Carter. William. Junior Eurovision: Maléna Wins it for Armenia!. 19 December 2021 . 2021-12-19. en-US.
  13. Web site: 2021-12-21. Armenia to host 20th Junior Eurovision in 2022 . 23 December 2021. junioreurovision.tv. EBU. en-gb.
  14. Web site: Maléna a special guest at Eurovision 2022, Armenia presented as host country of Junior Song Contest. Public Radio of Armenia. 11 May 2022. 14 May 2022.
  15. Web site: Junior Eurovision Winner Maléna Receives Armenian Scholarship to Berklee Summer Program Berklee . 2022-08-04 . www.berklee.edu . en.
  16. Web site: Mancheño . José Miguel . 2022-10-23 . Escucha «Cheri Cheri Lady» la nueva cover de Maléna, ganadora de Eurovisión Junior 2021 . 2023-02-28 . ESCplus España . es.
  17. Web site: 2023-02-28 . Viral, Malena dengan Lagu 'Cheri Cheri Lady', Remixnya Jadi Soundtrack Banyak Video TikTok! . 2023-02-28 . suara.com . id.
  18. Web site: Ca khúc 'Cheri Cheri Lady' gây sốt trở lại . 2023-02-28 . VnExpress . vi.
  19. Web site: Soundcharts – Maléna Streaming Chart History . 2023-03-02 . app.soundcharts.com.
  20. Web site: Daily Viral Songs Vietnam – February 24, 2023 – Spotify Charts . 2023-02-28 . . en . 2023-02-24.
  21. Web site: Daily Top Songs Vietnam – February 26, 2023 – Spotify Charts . 2023-02-28 . . en . 2023-02-26.
  22. Web site: Thảo . 2023-03-02 . Bài hát mới debut trên BXH Billboard Vietnam tuần này: Ít nhưng "chất"! . 2023-03-03 . Billboard Việt Nam . vi.
  23. Web site: Maléna - Appointed as a UNICEF Armenia Ambassador in December 2022. UNICEF.
  24. Web site: 2023-05-13 . Eurovision 2023 Spokespersons – Who will announce the points? . 2023-05-13 . Eurovisionworld . en-gb.
  25. Web site: Granger . Anthony . 2023-05-13 . Armenia: Junior Eurovision Winner Maléna Spokesperson for Eurovision 2023 . 2023-06-04 . Eurovoix . en-GB.
  26. Web site: Granger . Anthony . 25 October 2023 . Armenia: Yan Girls With “Do It My Way” to Junior Eurovision 2023 . 14 November 2023 . Eurovoix.
  27. Web site: 2021-12-19. Maléna: 'I'm obsessed with Eurovision - this win is a dream' . 2021-12-21. junioreurovision.tv. en-gb.
  28. Web site: Billboard Vietnam Hot 100: Chart date 2023-03-09 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230309063110/https://billboardvn.vn/billboard-vietnam-hot-100/ . 9 March 2023 . 9 March 2023 . Billboard Việt Nam . vi.