Soni Malaj

Sonja "Soni" Malaj (born 23 October 1981), also known mononymously as Soni, is an Albanian singer, songwriter and dancer.

Life and career

Soni Malaj was born on 23 October 1981 into an Albanian family in the city of Tropojë, then part of the People's Republic of Albania, present Albania. Her real name is Sonja Malaj. She spent her childhood until the age of 9 in Tropoja. The family then moved to Tirana where Soni would continue her career as a singer.

She has participated in competitions like "Top Fest" (2006), and she placed second in Kënga Magjike with Flori Mumajesi, with the song "Fluturimi 3470". After Serbian singer Marija Šerifović won Eurovision Song Contest 2007, there was speculation that her winning song Molitva was actually plagiarism of Soni Malaj's song Ndarja. Soni Malaj also won Top Fest 11.

She was a judge on the second, third and sixth seasons of the Albanian talent Show X Factor.

In 2018, Malaj unsuccessfully attempted to represent Albania in the Eurovision Song Contest 2019, after finishing fifth at the 57th edition of Festivali i Këngës with the song "Më e fortë". In March 2021, Televizioni Klan (TV Klan) announced her as one of the contestants selected to compete at the 22nd edition of Kënga Magjike.

Discography

Albums Nuk qaj për ty (2002) Mbretëresha e natës (2003) E vogëla (2005) Mesdhe (2006) Unik (2010)

Singles

As lead artist

Title Year Peakchartpositions Album ALB "Larg natës" 2004 E vogëla "Eja në Ballkan" "Eja, eja" 2005 "Zjarr" "Një me dy" 2006 "Ndarja" "Do të vij" "Të dua ty" 2007 "Fluturimi 3470" "Shpirti im binjak" 2008 "Me faj pa faj" "Zona zero" "Zemër e pa kurdisur" 2009 "Shukarije" 2012 "Jeto" 2013 "Me të jeton" 2014 "Tulipani i bardhë" "Me rrena" 2015 17 "Me mua" 2016 20 "Ti, jeta" — "Për vete më mbaj" — "Përgjithmonë" 2017 35 "Pa ty" — "Loca" 30 "Zeshkanja" 60 "En la intimidad" 2018 79 "Më e fortë" — "Ta fala" 2019 — "Te quiero" — "Shije tradhëtie" — "Versioni im" 2021 — "Pak si..." 3 "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.