Maléna
Maléna in 2021
Background information
Birth nameArpine Martoyan
Born (2007-01-10) 10 January 2007
Yerevan, Armenia
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • songwriter
Instruments
Years active2018–present
LabelsTKN

Arpine Martoyan (Armenian: Արփինե Մարտոյան; born 10 January 2007), known professionally as Maléna (Armenian: Մալենա), is an Armenian singer and songwriter.[1] She represented Armenia in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2021 with the song "Qami Qami", and went on to win the competition, becoming the second Armenian entrant to win the Junior Eurovision Song Contest.

Early life

Born in Yerevan on 10 January 2007, Maléna was raised by her mother Anna Manucharyan, an actress.[2] Together with her mother, she has appeared in several episodes of television comedy series Stone Cage.[3] Maléna studies at the Sayat-Nova music school, where she learned to play the cello.[4][5]

Career

Junior Eurovision Song Contest

Maléna performing with four dancers and a colourful background behind her
Maléna performing at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2021

Maléna first attempted to represent Armenia in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2018, taking part in the national selection Depi Mankakan Evratesil with the song "Par" under the name Arpi, placing 8th in the semi-final.

Since 2020, Maléna has been collaborating with TKN Entertainment, a Yerevan-based record label owned by Tokionine.[1] She was set to represent Armenia in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2020 with the song "Why", but the country withdrew from the contest due to the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war.[6]

She was again selected the following year to represent Armenia in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2021 in Paris, France with the song "Qami Qami" ("Wind, Wind" in Armenian).[7][4][8] The song, described as "space-pop", was composed by Tokionine and was written by Vahram Petrosyan, Tokionine, David Tserunyan and Maléna herself.[9] While talking about co-writing the song and the message of it, Maléna said: "I’d never think that I’d be writing lyrics that one day would be shared with such a big audience. It’s such a huge honor. The song is about finding yourself and finding a way to keep going. Don’t you ever think of falling down again…always be true to who you are".[10] Maléna won the contest with 224 points, becoming the second Armenian entrant to win the competition, first being in 2010.[11][12][13] As a result of her win, Armenia earned the right to host the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2022.[14] In May 2022, Maléna made an appearance during the first semi-final of Eurovision Song Contest in Turin, Italy, announcing Yerevan as the host city for the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2022.[15]

Following her win, she received the Armenian Scholarship for a summer program at the Berklee College of Music, in Boston, Massachusetts. In addition, she performed her winning song at the Armenian Heritage Park in Boston, on 31 July 2022.[16]

On 23 October 2022, Maléna released a cover of the song "Cheri Cheri Lady" by German band Modern Talking.[17] In February 2023, the song went viral on TikTok in Indonesia[18] and Vietnam,[19] reaching the top of the iTunes[20] and Top 50 Viral on Spotify[21] in Vietnam. On 26 February, the song reached the general Top 50 songs in Vietnam on Spotify.[22] The song debuted at number 72 on the Billboard Vietnam Hot 100 list published on 2 March 2023.[23]

In 2022, she was appointed the UNICEF Armenia Goodwill Ambassador.[24]

In May 2023, she was selected as Armenia's spokesperson to announce Armenian jury results in the grand final of Eurovision Song Contest 2023.[25][26]

In October 2023, she was revealed as one of the co-writers for the Armenia's Junior Eurovision 2023 entry.

Artistry

Influences

Maléna is inspired by pop and R&B music. She pointed out Jaden Smith and Rosalía as her favourites, for their musical creations and visual style.[10]

Discography

Singles

Title Year Peak chart positions Album
VIE
[27]
"Par" (Պար)
(as Arpi)		 2018 * Non-album singles
"Why" 2020
"My Life Is Going On" 2021
"Qami Qami" (Քամի Քամի)
"Chem Haskanum" (Չեմ հասկանում)
(with Kristina Si)
"Cheri Cheri Lady"
(with Tokionine)		 2022 26
"Can't Feel Anything" —
"Flashing Lights" 2023 —
"—" denotes a single that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
"*" denotes the chart did not exist at that time.

References

  1. 1 2 López, José David (17 November 2021). "Maléna Fox will represent Armenia at Junior Eurovision 2021!". ESCplus. Retrieved 27 November 2021.
  2. ↑ "«Մանկական Եվրատեսիլ 2021»-ին Հայաստանի ներկայացուցիչ Մալենան դերասանուհի Աննա Մանուչարյանի դուստրն է". Bavnews․am (in Armenian). 20 November 2021. Retrieved 27 November 2021.
  3. ↑ "Իսկ Դուք Մալենային հիշում եք, երբ նա մայրիկի հետ նկարահանվում էր "Քարե դարդ"-ում". a1news.am. 20 December 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
  4. 1 2 "MALÉNA WILL REPRESENT ARMENIA AT THE JUNIOR EUROVISION 2021!". eurovision.am. 17 November 2021. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  5. ↑ "Հայտնի է, թե ով կներկայացնի Հայաստանը «Մանկական Եվրատեսիլ 2021» մրցույթին". lurer.com. 18 November 2021. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
  6. ↑ "Armenia withdraws from Junior Eurovision 2020". junioreurovision.tv. EBU. 5 November 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  7. ↑ "ՈՎ ԿՆԵՐԿԱՅԱՑՆԻ ՀԱՅԱՍՏԱՆԸ "ՄԱՆԿԱԿԱՆ ԵՎՐԱՏԵՍԻԼ"-ՈՒՄ". hraparak.am (in Armenian). 15 October 2021. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  8. ↑ Granger, Anthony (19 November 2021). "Armenia: "Qami Qami" Revealed For Junior Eurovision". Eurovoix.
  9. ↑ "Junior Eurovision Song Contest: Paris 2021 - Collection". lyricstranslate.com. Retrieved 27 November 2021.
  10. 1 2 "Maléna: 'I'm obsessed with Eurovision - this win is a dream' 🇦🇲". junioreurovision.tv. 19 December 2021. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
  11. ↑ "Junior Eurovision 2021 winner: Armenia's Malena with "Qami Qami"". wiwibloggs. 19 December 2021. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
  12. ↑ Carter, William (19 December 2021). "Junior Eurovision: Maléna Wins it for Armenia!". Retrieved 19 December 2021.
  13. ↑ Maléna - Qami Qami - WINNER - LIVE - Armenia 🇦🇲 - Junior Eurovision 2021 on YouTube
  14. ↑ "Armenia to host 20th Junior Eurovision in 2022 🇦🇲". junioreurovision.tv. EBU. 21 December 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
  15. ↑ "Maléna a special guest at Eurovision 2022, Armenia presented as host country of Junior Song Contest". Public Radio of Armenia. 11 May 2022. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
  16. ↑ "Junior Eurovision Winner Maléna Receives Armenian Scholarship to Berklee Summer Program | Berklee". www.berklee.edu. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
  17. ↑ Mancheño, José Miguel (23 October 2022). "Escucha «Cheri Cheri Lady» la nueva cover de Maléna, ganadora de Eurovisión Junior 2021". ESCplus España (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  18. ↑ "Viral, Malena dengan Lagu 'Cheri Cheri Lady', Remixnya Jadi Soundtrack Banyak Video TikTok!". suara.com (in Indonesian). 28 February 2023. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  19. ↑ "Ca khúc 'Cheri Cheri Lady' gây sốt trở lại". VnExpress (in Vietnamese). Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  20. ↑ "Soundcharts – Maléna Streaming Chart History". app.soundcharts.com. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  21. ↑ "Daily Viral Songs Vietnam – February 24, 2023 – Spotify Charts". Spotify Charts. 24 February 2023. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  22. ↑ "Daily Top Songs Vietnam – February 26, 2023 – Spotify Charts". Spotify Charts. 26 February 2023. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  23. ↑ Thảo (2 March 2023). "Bài hát mới debut trên BXH Billboard Vietnam tuần này: Ít nhưng "chất"!". Billboard Việt Nam (in Vietnamese). Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  24. ↑ "Maléna - Appointed as a UNICEF Armenia Ambassador in December 2022". UNICEF.
  25. ↑ "Eurovision 2023 Spokespersons – Who will announce the points?". Eurovisionworld. 13 May 2023. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
  26. ↑ Granger, Anthony (13 May 2023). "🇦🇲 Armenia: Junior Eurovision Winner Maléna Spokesperson for Eurovision 2023". Eurovoix. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  27. ↑ "Billboard Vietnam Hot 100: Chart date 2023-03-09". Billboard Việt Nam (in Vietnamese). Archived from the original on 9 March 2023. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
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