Rina Balaj (Albanian:[ɾiˈnabaˈlaj]; born 27 January 1999), known mononymously as Rina, is a Kosovo-Albanian rapper and singer.
Life and career
1999–2019: Early life and career beginnings
Rina Balaj was born on 27 January 1999 into an Albanian family in the city of Peja and raised in Istog, Kosovo.[2][3][4] At age 16, Balaj unsuccessfully auditioned for the fourth season of X Factor Albania in 2015.[5][6] In December 2017, she was featured on Albanian singer Endri's single "Janari" and reached number 6 in Albania.[3][7][8] Eventually signed by OnRecords, her debut single "Për ty" followed afterwards in March 2018.[9] In September 2018, Balaj released her breakthrough single "Gigi" in collaboration with Greek-Albanian rapper Sin Boy.[10] The single initially attained success in Albania, peaking at number 8, and later became acclaimed in neighbouring Greece, reaching the top 3.[11][12]
2020–present: Mama and Balerina
In May 2020, Balaj released her first collaborative album, MM, with Sin Boy featuring songs written in Albanian, Greek and English.[13][14][15][16] Four subsequent singles, "Meredith", "Tentacion", "GG" and "Sari" were released from the collaborative album.[17][18][19] "Meredith" peaked at number 86 in Greece, while "Tentacion" reached the top five peaking at number four.[12] "Sari" also experienced commercial success and reached number 32 in Albania and 52 in Greece, respectively.[11][12] In June 2020, her follow-up single, "Fallin In Love", went on to reach number 33 in Greece.[12][20] Later that year in December 2020, her single "Zjarr" in collaboration with Sin Boy reached number 35 in her native country.[11][21]
Artistry
Balaj's music style has generally been regarded as trap although her music also includes various styles of musical genres such as R&B and hip hop.[7][21][22] She has cited American rapper Post Malone as her favourite artist.[23] Music critics compared her music and appearance to that of American rapper Cardi B.[6][24]MM, the collaborative studio album with Sin Boy, was praised for recreating pop music and also adapting to different styles including reggaeton, disco and house.[16][25]
Personal life
In 2019, Balaj began a romantic relationship with Greek-Albanian rapper Sin Boy.[6][26][27]
Discography
Albums
MM (2020)
Balerina (2021)
Singles
As lead artist
2010s
List of singles in the 2010s decade, with selected chart positions
For "Ska konkurenc":"The Top List – 29 April 2018" (in Albanian). Top Channel. 29 April 2018. Archived from the original on 13 February 2021. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
For "Ashiqare":"The Top List – 23 September 2018" (in Albanian). Top Channel. 23 September 2018. Archived from the original on 3 January 2021. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
For "Fly":"The Top List – 11 November 2018" (in Albanian). Top Channel. 10 November 2018. Archived from the original on 2 February 2020. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
For "Ilegal":"The Top List – 5 May 2019" (in Albanian). Top Channel. 5 May 2019. Archived from the original on 31 December 2020. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
For "Sari":"The Top List – 21 June 2020" (in Albanian). Top Channel. 21 June 2020. Archived from the original on 17 July 2020. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
For "Zjarr":"The Top List – 26 December 2020" (in Albanian). Top Channel. 21 December 2020. Archived from the original on 28 December 2020. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
For "Addiction":"The Top List – 2 October 2021" (in Albanian). Top Channel. 2 October 2021. Archived from the original on 2 October 2021. Retrieved 2 October 2021.
For "Mia":"The Top List – 27/11/2021" (in Albanian). Top Channel. 27 November 2021. Archived from the original on 27 November 2021. Retrieved 27 November 2021.
For "Sativa":"The Top List – 5 February 2022" (in Albanian). Top Channel. 5 February 2022. Archived from the original on 5 February 2022. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
For "Blue":"The Top List – 7 May 2022" (in Albanian). Top Channel. 7 May 2022. Archived from the original on 28 May 2022. Retrieved 18 June 2022.
For "Si ti":"The Top List – 18 June 2022" (in Albanian). Top Channel. 18 June 2022. Archived from the original on 18 June 2022. Retrieved 18 June 2022.
For "Janari":"The Top List – 4 February 2018" (in Albanian). Top Channel. 4 February 2018. Archived from the original on 23 February 2020. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
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