Medina

Parlophone (UK)
EMI (GER)

**Medina Danielle Oona Valbak** (born Andrea Fuentealba Valbak to a Chilean father andDanish mother on 30 November 1982), known by the mononym **Medina** is a Danishpop, dance and R&B singer and songwriter. She currently has released six albums including For altid and We Survive. [1] She became popular with singles such as "Kun for Mig". At the 2010 Danish Music Awards, she won female artist of the year, Album of the year, and Songwriter of the year.

## Career

### 2007–2009: *Tæt på* and *Velkommen til Medina*[edit]

She released her first singles in Denmark titled "Flå" (Danish for "Rip") and "Et øjeblik" ("One moment") in 2007, followed by her debut album, *Tæt på* (*Up close*).

She rose to national fame in 2008 with the release of "Kun for mig" (which was later released as the English "You and I"), the lead single off her second album, *Velkommen til Medina* (*Welcome to Medina*).[1] The single spent six weeks at No.1 on the Danish Singles Chart, eventually reaching the triple-platinum status.[2][3] The second single off the same album, "Velkommen til Medina" also peaked at No.1 in Denmark which spent five weeks at the top of the singles chart and reached a platinum status there.[4][5] Even Medina's third and fourth single, "Ensom" ("Lonely") and "Vi to" ("The two of us") peaked at No.2 in Denmark and they both managed to earn her a platinum-award at home.[3][6]

### 2009–2010: *Welcome to Medina*

In September 2009, Medina released an English-language version of "Kun for mig", titled *You and I*, in the UK, Germany, Austria and Switzerland. This version reached No.39 on the UK Singles Chart and entered the top-10 on the German Singles Chart.[7][8]

In 2009, two collaborative singles of Medina have also reached the top of the Danish charts. First is "100 dage" by Medina and Thomas Helmig and the second is "Mest ondt" by Burhan Gfeaturing Medina.

Awards won by Medina include *Best Danish Act* at the 2009 and 2011 MTV Europe Music Awards.[9] In 2010 Medina won six awards at the Danish Music Awards, she was awarded Danish Female Artist of the Year, Danish Album of the Year (Velkommen til Medina), New Danish Name of the Year, Danish Hit of the Year (Vi to), Danish Songwriter of the Year (together with Providersand Danish Producer of the Year (Providers for Medina).[10]

In July 2010, Medina's international debut album, *Welcome to Medina* was released in Germany, Austria and Switzerland which reached No.9, No.45 and No.24 respectively.[11][12] Apart from seven new songs, the album also includes English-language versions of the four singles off its Danish counterpart, including "Lonely" (English version of "Ensom"), which has been released as the second single off the album.

In June 2010, a group of Islamist youths pelted Medina with eggs during a concert in Ishøj near Copenhagen. They were offended by the association with which the name "Medina" was connected as it is one of the most sacred and hallowed Muslim cities: "Sexy dancing and revealing clothing".[13]

## Discography

Main article: Medina discography

Danish studio albums
* *Tæt på* (2007)
* *Velkommen til Medina* (2009)
* *For altid* (2011)
* *Arrogant EP* (2014)

Danish live albums
* *Tæt på - Live* (2014)

English studio albums
* *Welcome to Medina* (2010)
* *Forever* (2012)
* *We Survive* (2016)

## References

1. ^ Jump up to:***a*** ***b***
2. **Jump up^**
3. ^ Jump up to:***a*** ***b***
4. **Jump up^**
5. **Jump up^**
6. **Jump up^**
7. **Jump up^**
8. **Jump up^**
9. **Jump up^**
10. **Jump up^** Soundvenue.com (*in Danish*)
11. **Jump up^**
12. **Jump up^**
13. **Jump up^**

## External links

* Medina Official site
* Medina MySpace site
* Medina Video Interview (german page/english Video) Bonedo.de

Categories:

* 1982 births
* Danish female singers
* Danish dance musicians
* Danish pop singers
* Danish singer-songwriters
* Danish people of Chilean descent
* English-language singers of Denmark
* Living people
* People from Aarhus
* Synthpop singers