Alina Roques

**Alina Tanzai Roques** (born 29 April 1970) is a Lungarian singer and songwriter. The recipient of various honorific nicknames, such as the "Princess of Pop," "Princess of R&B," and "Voice of our Generation," Roques received widespread recognition throughout the world during the 1990s.

Born in Münchenbon, Neunzach, Roques was raised in a musical family. After graduating from the Münchenbon School of Music in 1989, Roques moved to Munbach to begin a career in music. After arriving in Munbach, Roques worked as a backup singer, until being signed to Lena and Intercontinental Lungary as a solo singer in 1990. She made her debut later that year, with the release of the single "Vision of Us." Following the song's release, Roques received widespread media attention for her powerful vocals and wide vocal range, and the song went on to peak at number-one in five countries, including Lungary. Following the success of "Vision of Us," Roques released her debut studio album *Alina Roques* (1990), which debuted at number-one in several countries. At the 1991 Lungarian Music Awards, Roques won the awards for Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best New Artist, becoming the first to ever do such.

Following the success of her debut release, Roques received much anticipation for her follow-up studio album. She was given creative control over the album, and used this newfound artistic freedom to explore other genres such as disco, dance, and soul, instead of the more expected pop and R&B. The album's lead single "Emotions" experimented with disco music, and was also a widespread success. Her second studio album *Emotions* (1991) further cemented Roques as a pop icon. She released three further albums in the decade: *Hero* (1993), *A Beautiful Dream* (1996), and *Royal* (1998), all of which peaked within the top two in Lungary and were widely successful. Roques accumulated twelve number-one singles in Lungary during the decade, holding the then-record for the greatest amount, and still holding the record for the most number-ones accumulated in a single decade.

The 2000s brought a number of controversies and personal issues for Roques. In 2001, she shelved plans for her upcoming sixth studio album in order to rerecord tracks and release "Outta Your Mind" as the album's lead single, a diss track targeted at Lungarian singer Tina Waxman, whom Roques had been involved in numerous tabloid-reported altercations with. "Outta Your Mind" received poor responses from critics and audiences alike, with many accusing Roques of being childish for feuding with a 19-year-old, and taking the side of Waxman in the feud. Her sixth studio album *Obsessed* (2001), also received poor reviews and commercial sales. Following the failure of *Obsessed*, Roques received media scrutiny after allegations from her then-husband Jacob Dählke came out that Roques was a neglectful mother to their twin daughters. By 2003, it was reported that Roques and Dählke were no longer living together, and their children were residing with Dählke. In 2004, Roques received a further career stall after being arrested for drug possession, and then checking into a rehabilitation clinic for a prescription pill addiction.

After leaving rehab in 2005, Roques announced plans to return to music. She released the single "Belong" later that year, which was critically lauded and a widespread success; the single was credited with marking Roques' comeback and getting her career back together, peaking at number-one in fourteen countries and becoming the most successful single of her career. The song was followed up by the release of her seventh studio album *Phoenix* (2006), which became the most successful album of her career. Roques has went on to release four other albums: *Daffodil* (2008), *Fired Up* (2011), *We're Beautiful* (2014), and *Everlasting* (2018). In her entire career, Roques has released eleven studio albums, six of which charted at number-one in Lungary, while all five others reached the top five. She has amassed thirteen number-one singles in her career, the second-greatest amount of any musician, and has sold more than 75 million records worldwide, making her one of the best-selling Lungarian musicians of all-time.

## Early life and education

Roques was born on 29 April 1970 in Münchenbon, Neunzach, to parents Ricardo (1940–1999) and Stefania Roques (née *Hassel*; born 1942). Her father was born in Lungary to a Molandican father and a Lungarian mother, while her mother is Lungarian. Her family was quite musical; her father worked as a composer, often composing jingles for television and radio advertisements, while her mother was a classically trained opera singer who worked in opera part-time, while working full-time as a primary school music education teacher. Being biracial, Roques has stated that growing up was hard for her, and she was the only non-white student in her class at school; she recalls often telling peers that her family was of Borgiz origin to explain her darker complexion, rather than admitting her father was of Tarfican heritage. Roques grew up in a middle-class family as an only child.

Roques began her education in 1976, attending a local, public primary school in Münchenbon. Ever since childhood, Roques had wished to become a singer, and began training to become an opera singer when she was five. Roques became disillusioned with opera when she was nine, and began listening to pop and R&B music primarily, citing Lana Nük as one of her musical idols. After graduating from primary school in 1986, Roques enrolled in the Münchenbon School of Music, where she studied vocal performance, and later graduated in 1989. During a 1988 visit by Michalina Porizowska to her school, Roques was selected to perform a solo for Porizowska and her staff.

## Career

### 1989–1990: Breakthrough and *Alina Roques*

After graduating from secondary school in 1989, Roques moved from Münchenbon to Munbach in order to begin her music career. She resided in a small three-bedroom house in West Munbach, where she lived with two older girls whom were also pursuing music careers; one of her roommates was the cousin of a friend from music school. Upon arriving in Munbach, Roques found employment as a barista at a local coffee shop. In September 1989, Roques began working as a backup singer at Munbach recording studio Strub Studios, recording backup vocals for various musicians who chose to record there. She was offered the job by the father of a friend from music school, who purchased the recording studio shortly before hiring her.

While working at the studio, Roques became introduced to various record producers, many of whom considered her vocals to be some of the strongest they had ever heard. She was invited to record demo tapes with producer Alix Gordon, who then sent the tapes to various record labels; the tapes impressed a variety of record executives, and a bidding war commenced amongst labels in an effort to sign Roques. Ultimately, she signed to Lena Sounds and Intercontinental Music Lungary in February 1990. After signing to a label, Roques began work on her debut studio album; record executives planned to market Roques as a pop and R&B singer, although she desired to experiment with other genres as well; ultimately, however, she agreed to record the music that they had given her, out of fear that any insubordination would result in her sacking.

Roques released her debut single "Vision of Us" in August 1990; the song was one of the songs written by Gordon and Roques and sent to record labels as a demo tape; however, the single version featured newer production that Gordon was not included in the making of. The song was considered to be reminiscent of pop music from the late-1980s, but featured Roques performing vocals described as "showy," showing off a much wider vocal range than contemporary pop singers were capable of. This feat led to widespread media attention for Roques and the single, went on to peak at number-one in five countries, including Lungary. Following the success of "Vision of Us," Roques released her debut studio album *Alina Roques* in October 1990, which debuted at number-one in several countries. At the 1991 Lungarian Music Awards, Roques won the awards for Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best New Artist, becoming the first to ever do such. In order to promote the album, Roques was chosen to support Pauline Wiktor on her Goddess World Tour.

### 1991–1994: *Emotions* and *Hero*

After the widespread success of *Alina Roques*, Roques was granted complete creative control over any ensuing releases by her label. Excited to have this newfound artistic freedom, Roques was eager to begin work on her sophomore release, and began writing new songs while on tour. After completing the tour and returning to Lungary in April 1991, Roques began recording for the album. Inspired by genres such as disco, dance, and soul, Roques frequented local nightclubs and listened to her parents' record collection to garner inspiration for the album.

## Discography

*Main article: Alina Roques discography*

* *Alina Roques* (1990)
* *Emotions* (1991)
* *Hero* (1993)
* *A Beautiful Dream* (1996)
* *Royal* (1998)
* *Obsessed* (2001)
* *Phoenix* (2006)
* *Daffodil* (2008)
* *Fired Up* (2011)
* *We're Beautiful* (2014)
* *Everlasting* (2018)

## Awards and nominations

*Main article: Awards and nominations received by Alina Roques*