Bledar Sejko

{{Short description|Albanian guitarist, composer and singer}}

{{Expand Polish|topic=bio|Bledar Sejko|date=March 2014}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Bledar Sejko

| birth_name =

| alias =

| image = ESC2013 - Albania 05 (crop).jpg

| caption = Sejko at the Eurovision Song Contest 2013

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1971|02|19}}

| birth_place = Tirana, SR Albania

| hometown =

| instrument = Guitar

| genre = Rock

| occupation = {{hlist|Guitarist|singer|composer}}

| years_active = Late 1980s-

| label =

| associated_acts = Adrian Lulgjuraj

| spouse =

| website =

}}

Bledar Sejko (born February 19, 1971) is an Albanian guitarist, composer, and singer who represented Albania in the Eurovision Song Contest 2013 in Malmö with his song "Identitet", which he performed with Adrian Lulgjuraj.{{Cite web |last=Escudero |first=Victor |date=23 December 2012 |title=Adrian Lulgjuraj & Bledar Sejko win Festivali i Këngës! |url=http://www.eurovision.tv/page/news?id=adrian_lulgjuraj_and_bledar_sejko_win_festivali_i_kenges |access-date=23 December 2012 |website=Eurovision.tv |publisher=EBU}} According to Sejko, the song includes combined motives from Northern Albania and Chameria.{{Cite web |last=Telegrafi |date=24 December 2012 |title=Sejko: Serbët vodhën melodinë shqiptare |url=http://www.telegrafi.com/?id=6&a=17240 |website=Telegrafi}} He also appeared in the 2011 edition of the contest, performing alongside Aurela Gaçe in her song Feel the Passion.{{Cite web |date=22 December 2012 |title=Reprezentant Albánie 2013 |url=http://escportal.cz/reprezentant-albanie-2013/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140101050300/http://escportal.cz/reprezentant-albanie-2013/ |archive-date=2014-01-01 |access-date=18 June 2014 |website=escportal.cz |publisher=ESC Portal – Czech OGAE Website |language=cs}}

Sejko's first group, which included Redon Makashi and Elton Deda was one of the first pop groups of Albania created in clandestinity in the late 1980s: Communist Albania did not allow pop music to be recorded, performed or broadcast. Sejko's nickname has always been Qepa (Onion). He taught guitar to Makashi and has always been known as a great performer of the instrument in Albania.{{Cite web |last=Gazeta Albania |date=24 January 2009 |title=Redon Makashi: "Ndarja ime me "qepën" dhe me Elton Dedën |url=http://lajme.shqiperia.com/lajme/artikull/iden/180144/titulli/Redon-Makashi-Ndarja-ime-me-qepen-dhe-me-Elton-Deden |website=gazeta Albania}} He created Megahertz, the first rock band in Albania.{{Cite book |last=Haziri |first=Lulëzim |title=Rokenrolli shqiptar: artikuj te botuar rreth rokenrollit |publisher=Shkupi |year=2000 |location=Skopje |page=85 |language=sq}}

Sejko's last participation to the Festivali i Këngës before "Identitet" had been in 1992 with his group Thunder Way. Their song, "Legjenda e Heroit" (The Hero's Legend), had come last in that festival.