INTERVIEW: Bleona — Music Musings & Such

INTERVIEW:

Bleona

___________

THERE is something alluring and utterly…

entrancing about Bleona. Maybe it is the accent and the way she sings; perhaps it is the passion and seductiveness she puts into the music – there is a feast for the soul, eyes and heart! I have been speaking with the Albanian-born, California-based artist about her new song, Wicked Love, and what follows that (Bleona’s just number one in the Billboard Breakout Dance Songs Chart).

She talks about moving from Albania to the U.S. - and shares a favourite musical memory. Bleona reveals her favourite music and what gigs are coming up; what it was like recording and creating Wicked Love; if we will see her in the U.K. this year; what it was like working with Timbaland – the Albanian songwriter tells me what it is like being revered as a musical icon.

___________

Hi, Bleona. How are you? How has your week been?

Hi, darling. As I am writing these answers for this interview, I am sitting in the lounge of the Westlake Recording Studios in Los Angeles, CA. I just finished my vocals from my new record called I Don’t Need Your Love, while now, I am getting ready to give this interview for Wicked Love - which is already out, as you know.

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourself, please?

My name is Bleona…

I have been singing and performing since I was five. I have released eight albums back home and I am working on my first album in English (Executive Producers: Timbaland, Federico Vindver and Rob Knox etc.)

My music is Dance-Pop and is fun - but, it also has a very strong message about female empowerment! Back home, I have always been known as a rebellious entertainer and my music now, in English, is not any different.

Wicked Love is out. What can you reveal about its creation?

It is a song about real love, but that which is twisted. I got in the studio with the amazing Rob Knox and we came up with a record of real feelings; about how people are not perfect, because the human race is not perfect but, in the end, you still LOVE THEM and you still would do everything for them...

It has heat-sauciness and tropical bliss! Did you write it with summer and festivals in mind?!

No. It just what came out for our hearts in the studio but, given the fact that in Los Angeles it is always summer, it would be super-hard to come up with a ‘winter-colour’ type of record (smiles).

Is there going to be more material coming down the line?

Absolutely. As I said earlier; I just finished the second record today. It is really beautiful. My plan is to finish my first English E.P. and release teaching songs and videos every two months – so, I will be a little ‘busy’ this year (smiles).

You were born in Albania but found your way to L.A. What compelled the reason to come to Los Angeles?! What is the city like for music and inspiration?

If you want to rock the world, there is only one place you need to start from: Los Angeles, California. I just happened to want exactly that. It is the only way to start. If you make it in the U.S., you have made it pretty much everywhere! I love this country and I am privileged to live in the U.S.!

A lot of Americans don't understand how lucky they are to be born in the U.S. Coming from a different world, I understand that nothing is impossible in America.

Did you always want to be an Albanian icon?

I fell in love with the music at a very early age. All I knew is that I wanted to do music and I wanted to be on stage. The fame, the money and the icon status came later. It wasn’t planned…I just did what I loved and I loved doing it.

Music, I know, came into your life very early. Was there a particular artist that motivated you to start songwriting?

I was raised listening to Celine Dion, Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey - which happened to be the three greatest voices of this world!

So, I was very clear, since I was a little girl, that ‘this profession I have chosen’; it wasn’t going to take ‘just talent’, but hard work and dedication; some self-sacrifice and self-discipline - and, I think they are, absolutely, some of the people that inspired me on writing my own records.

What was it like hooking with Timbaland? What did he bring to singles, Show Off and Pass Out?

Timbaland was a challenge...but I love to challenges; I LIVE for challenges…

I love to challenge myself! EVERY DAY! It’s funny you are mentioning his name right now because, as we speak, he is working in Studio D and I am working out of the Studio E at Westlake Studios. We just greeted each other when I first got in the building and, as I was entering, Tim was like: “Here comes ‘Miss Dedication!”.

It is heart-warming, after all these years, to hear that one of the world’s best music producers; the first thing that comes on his mind when they see you is the word ‘DEDICATION’. I am happy about this fact as I want to be respected as an artist - especially from other professionals like Timbaland.

So, today overall, I am having a great day...

What do you hope to achieve in 2018?

I hope for my music to be played everywhere - and I hope for people to have the time of their lives while they are listening to it. That’s all.

Which albums are most important to you – in terms of their power and impact?

Adele, Sam Smith and Bruno Mars, I would say, translate to POWER!

Can we catch you perform anytime soon? What dates do you have coming up?

My next concert will be in N.Y.C. at the end of April.

Will you come to the U.K. and play this year?

I would love to do that. I am looking forward to people inviting me to sing in the U.K.

Have you got a favourite memory from your time in music – the one that sticks in the mind?

It would take long nights to talk about memories in music for me. I remember, when I did my first tour ever, I passed through the main square of the town on my way to my concert. I saw so many people gathered together, like 20-30,000 people, and I asked my team that was with me in the car: “What else is going on tonight other than my concert? Where are these people going?”...

They started laughing and they said: “They are here for your concert, indeed!” I was like: “Whaaaaaaaa?! They all came to see meeee?!”

It was a very strange feeling that I will never forget…