ILIRA

A Berlin-based singer and songwriter with dynamic electro-pop sound, Ilira made her major-label debut with the single "Whisper My Name" in 2018. Born and raised in Brienz, Switzerland, Ilira Gashi grew up listening to a wide variety of popular music, including hip-hop, heavy metal, pop, and alternative rock and artists spanning Rihanna and Nirvana. She competed in singing competitions in Switzerland and Albania as a teenager (her parents are originally from Albania and Kosovo), including representing Switzerland in Eurovision Song Contest 2011 as part of the band the Colors. In the meantime, she wrote songs to downloaded drum samples and began sharing them on social media. As a young adult, Ilira relocated to Berlin and eventually signed with FOUR/Sony Music. In 2017, she was featured on the Jumpa track "Wasted" before issuing her debut single, "Whisper My Name," in mid-2018. By the end of the year, she released "Fading," a duet with Alle Farben, as well as the solo follow-up "GET OFF MY D!CK." ~ Marcy Donelson