Young Zerka | |
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Birth name | Donald Najtellari |
Born | 1 May Korçë, Albania |
Genres | |
Occupation(s) |
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Years active | 2007–present |
Donald Najtellari (Albanian: [dɔ'nald 'najtɛɫaɾi]; born 1 May), known professionally as Young Zerka, is an Albanian singer and songwriter. Born in Korçë and raised in London, Najtellari grew up in a Jamaican household and began singing and writing music as a teenager. He later relocated to Albania and eventually rose to significant prominence in the Albanian-speaking Balkans. His musical career is marked by fusing elements of reggae and pop as well as his distinctive vocal and writing style.
Najtellari was born on 1 May into an Albanian family in the city of Korçë, Albania. [1] [2] At an early age, Najtellari emigrated to England settling in the city of London. [2] [3] [4] He was raised in a Jamaican household, which according to him, had a particular influence on his artistic formation. [2] [5] In both 2008 and 2009, Najtellari appeared on the music competition Top Fest with the songs "Sfera" and "Shpirt i plakur", respectively. [6] In 2014, he was featured on Kosovo-Albanian singer Dhurata Dora's "Roll" and "A Bombi", as well as on Albanian singer Alban Skënderaj's "24 orë". [1] In December 2014, he collaborated with Albanian singer Aurela Gaçe on the single "Pa kontroll", with whom they eventually won the 16th edition of the annual music competition Kënga Magjike. [7] His success continued in May 2015 with the release of the follow-up single "Boom Boom", which reached number 11 in Albania. [8]
Following the 2022 release of his original song, "Nafije", produced by popular artist and producer Alandy, on January 12, 2023, a remix was introduced to the public. [9] The collaboration between Young Zerka, DJ Geek, Dafina Zeqiri, and MC Kresha peaked charts in Albania at #2 on Top Music Awards. [10] Young Zerka, along with Alandy, appeared on Albania's top performing television show hosted by Luana Vjollca, Zemër Luana, for a debut television performance of the original "Nafije". [11] [12]
Najtellari's musical style has generally been regarded as reggae and pop. [1] [5] His musical inspiration varies from reagge musicians such as Bob Marley and Peter Tosh to pop artists as for instance Michael Jackson. [2] [5]
Title | Year | Peak chart positions |
Album | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ALB [13] | ||||||||||
"Boom Boom" [14] | 2015 | 11 | Non-album singles | |||||||
"Like Rihanna" [15] | 2016 | 13 | ||||||||
"Love" | 2 | |||||||||
"Syni i jemi"
[16] (with Ronela Hajati) |
— | |||||||||
"Harem" [17] | 32 | |||||||||
"A ma fal" | 2017 | — | ||||||||
"Anna" [18] | 2018 | — | ||||||||
"Nuk ma nin" | 53 | |||||||||
"Lule bore" (with Jumpa) |
2019 | 2 | ||||||||
"Ting Ting" | 11 | |||||||||
"Yalla" | 8 | |||||||||
"Nesër" (with Anila Mimani) |
5 | |||||||||
"Money" (with Eri Dee) |
42 | |||||||||
"Y.O.U." (with Niza) |
— | |||||||||
"Whine for me" (with Niza) |
— | |||||||||
"Let me thru" (with Niza) |
48 | |||||||||
"Pa gajle"
[19] (with Fifi) |
2020 | 34 | ||||||||
"Pishman"
[20] (featuring Argjentina Ramosaj) |
27 | |||||||||
"Konflikt" [21] | 23 | |||||||||
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. |
Title | Year | Peak chart positions |
Album | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ALB [22] | ||||||||||
"Pa Lule" ( Kastro Zizo featuring Young Zerka) |
2013 | — | Non-album singles | |||||||
"Roll" ( Dhurata Dora featuring Young Zerka) |
2014 | |||||||||
"Hotel" (Enzo featuring Andrei Vornicu and Young Zerka) | ||||||||||
"24 orë" ( Alban Skënderaj featuring Young Zerka) | ||||||||||
"A Bombi" ( Dhurata Dora featuring Young Zerka) | ||||||||||
"Pa kontroll" ( Aurela Gaçe featuring Young Zerka) | ||||||||||
"Papalove" ( Kastro Zizo featuring Young Zerka) | ||||||||||
"Habibi" (Dj Flow featuring Young Zerka) |
2016 | — | ||||||||
"Uhh Baby" (Dj Viper featuring Young Zerka) |
— | |||||||||
"Nona" ( Ledri Vula featuring Young Zerka) |
2017 | 14 | ||||||||
"Belly Dancer" (Dj Moh Green featuring Faydee and Young Zerka) |
2018 | — | ||||||||
"Deja Vu" (Alban Skënderaj featuring Young Zerka) |
5 | |||||||||
"Smile" (Keepman featuring Young Zerka) |
80 | |||||||||
"Kce sonte" (Dj Dagz and Dj Pm featuring Young Zerka) |
2019 | 32 | ||||||||
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. |