Era Istrefi

Era Istrefi is a Kosovo Albanian pop singer, born on 4 July 1994 in Pristina, where she also grew up. She became known around the world in 2016 with "BonBon" and sings in both Albanian and English. Her father, Nezir Istrefi, was a journalist who died in 2004; her mother, Suzana Istrefi, was a singer active in the 1980s and 1990s, and her older sister Nora Istrefi is a singer too.

She made her debut in 2013 with "Mani Për Money", followed by "A Po Don?" and "E Dehun", which won her three Videofest Awards, among them Best New Artist. The ballad "13", produced in the United States, came out in December 2014 and was featured in V Magazine. In 2015 she released "Njo Si Ti" and "Shumë pis" with the Kosovar rapper Ledri Vula, her first entry in the Albanian charts.

"BonBon" was released on 30 December 2015 with a video shot in Brezovica, Kosovo. It spread around the world online, reached number one in Albania and earned gold certifications in several countries. In February 2016 she signed with Sony Music and Ultra Music and released an English version, with remixes featuring Post Malone and Marshmello.

"Redrum", with the Australian producer Felix Snow, topped the Albanian chart in 2017, and "No I Love Yous" with French Montana followed. In 2018 she sang the official FIFA World Cup song "Live It Up" with Will Smith and Nicky Jam and performed it with them at the closing ceremony of the World Cup final on 15 July. That year she also appeared on albums by Steve Aoki and Jonas Blue, and in 2019 "Selfish" with Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike topped Billboard's Dance Club Airplay chart. She then recorded "Nuk E Di" with her sister Nora.

She describes her music as a mix of dancehall, hip hop, pop and electronic music, and has said that reggae and Jamaican music were her first great love at sixteen. She names Rihanna and Lana Del Rey as her idols, and the Kosovar singer Nexhmije Pagarusha as an inspiration. Her awards include a European Border Breakers Award and several Top Music Awards.