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 Istok, then part of the FR Yugoslavia, present 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.