Jonida Maliqi

Jonida Maliqi (born 26 March 1982) is an Albanian singer and media personality.

Throughout her career, Maliqi has won six awards at Kënga Magjike and first place in 2008. She is also a double winner of accolades at the Top Fest in 2006 and 2010 respectively. Maliqi played Bithia in the Albanian version of The Ten Commandments: The Musical and starred as Juliet in the Albanian theatre production of Roméo et Juliette. In 2012, she was appointed as the captain of her team at the Albanian version of the Dutch TV series I Love My Country whereas in 2014 she co-hosted the fourth season of Dancing with the Stars. In 2016, Maliqi appeared as a judge on the fifth season of The Voice of Albania and in 2018 she became the sixteenth representative of Albania at the Eurovision Song Contest 2019, finishing 9th in the second semi-final with 96 points and ended in the 17th place in grand final.

Life and career
Jonida Maliqi was born on 26 March 1983 into an Albanian family hailing from Gjirokastër in the city of Tirana. Maliqi attended the elementary and music school Dëshmorët e Lirisë in Tirana and thus took guitar and violin lessons at an early age. Following this, the singer enrolled at the Jordan Misja Lyceum, later studying canto at the Academy of Arts in Tirana. Maliqi started her early forays into the music industry at age 13 in 1995 as she participated at the 34th edition of Festivali i Këngës.

After her solo debut in 1999, Maliqi participates at "Festivali i Këngës" for another three consecutive years with songs "Çast", "Ik" and "Do Humbas Me Ty" which placed third at the 41st edition. In 2001, Maliqi pursued studies at the Academy of Arts under the mentorship of the Albanian professor Nina Mula, the mother of Albanian soprano Inva Mula. Meanwhile, her participation at various music festivals continued. In 2003, Maliqi won "The Best Performer" category at Kënga Magjike for "Vetëm Një Natë", whereas in 2004, she won the "Ethno Music Award" for "Nuk Kam Faj Që Robëroj". In 2005, Maliqi announced a work on her debut album Nuk Të Pres and won the "Best Interpretation Award" at Kënga Magjike for "Papagalli i Dashurisë".

After her graduation in 2006, Maliqi starred in the Albanian version of The Ten Commandments: The Musical as Bithia, and in the same year she released her debut album Nuk Të Pres upon her birthday. That year, her collaboration with Albanian pop singer Tuna spawned the hit "Forca e Femrës" which won the "Best Female Award" at Top Fest. The performance attracted much comment due to their antics on stage that were interpreted by many as a likely titillated lesbian act. Meanwhile, some tabloids instated Tuna as "protégée in Jonida's same-sex erotica and polymorphous sexuality". However, both artists denied the allegations about their lesbian relationship. In 2008, Maliqi returned with a new single "Njëri Nga Ata" which entered "Kënga Magjike" and won the competition alongside the "Best Song" and the "10th Anniversary Award". In 2010, she collaborated with Albanian rapper Big Basta and their song "Sot t'i Japim Fund" won the "Best Pop & R&B Song" at the Top Fest.

In 2011, Maliqi returned to "Kënga Magjike" with "Thesar pa Emër" which won "Çesk Zadeja Award" whereas in 2012 she became the captain of her team at the Albanian version of the Dutch TV-series "I Love My Country". In 2013, she won "Jon Music Award" for "Ti" and then was announced as a host of the first season of The Voice Kids but withdrew. On the same year, Maliqi starred at the musical "Romeo and Juliet" as Juliet opposite Albanian Skënderaj. In 2014, she co-hosted the fourth season of "Dancing with the Stars" whereas in 2015 she released a new song called "Jam Bërë Si Ti".

In 2016, Maliqi appeared as a judge on the fifth season of "The Voice of Albania" between 9 January 2016 and 16 April 2016. On 10 May 2018, Maliqi released the song "N’Errësirë". On 20 December 2018, Maliqi participated and won the 57th edition of the Festivali i Këngës thus becoming Albania's sixteenth representative at Eurovision Song Contest with the song "Ktheju tokës". The song finished seventeenth in the final.

In 2021, Maliqi co-hosted Festivali i Këngës 60.

Other ventures
Jonida launched her own haute couture boutique in 2009 and another shoe salon in 2017.

Philanthropy
Maliqi's diverse charitable activities include campaigns for encouraging awareness about breast cancer; promoting the value, acceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome, as well as consistent benefit performances at charity concerts. One of her notable publicised case took place during the live broadcast of "Top Show Magazine" at Top Channel in which she surprised a girl born with Down syndrome and presented her with a new iPad. Maliqi's other charitable endeavours cover a wide range of causes.

Private life
Maliqi was previously married to Albanian businessman Gent Prizreni. In March 2017, the couple announced their divorce. Jonida and Gent have a son.

Albums

 * Nuk të pres (2005)