Tuna (singer)

{{Short description|Macedonian-Albanian singer-songwriter (born 1985)}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Tuna

| native_name = Туна

| native_name_lang= mk

| image =

| caption =

| birth_name = Altuna Sejdiu

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1985|7|14}}

| birth_place = Skopje, SR Macedonia, SFR Yugoslavia

| origin =

| genre =

| occupation = {{hlist|Singer|songwriter}}

| years_active = 2000–present

| label = Onima

| associated_acts =

}}

Altuna Sejdiu ({{langx|mk|Алтуна Сејдиу}}; {{IPA|sq|alˈtuna ˈsɛjˈdiu}}; born 14 July 1985), also known professionally as Tuna ({{langx|mk|Туна}}), is a Macedonian-Albanian singer and songwriter.{{cite web |publisher=TeksteShqip |title=Tuna–Biografia |url=https://www.teksteshqip.com/tuna |access-date=15 February 2020 |language=sq}}{{cite web |publisher=Top Channel |title=Tuna–Bio |date=27 March 2019 |url=http://topawards.top-channel.tv/index.php/artist/tuna/ |access-date=15 February 2020 |language=sq}}

Life and career

Altuna Sejdiu was born on 14 July 1985 into an Albanian family in the city of Skopje, then part of the Socialist Republic of Macedonia, present North Macedonia. Her father, Shaban Sejdiu, is a freestyle wrestler and two-time Olympic bronze medal winner.{{cite web |title=A e keni ditur që babai i Tunës është medalist olimpik? |url=https://telegrafi.com/e-keni-ditur-qe-babai-tunes-eshte-medalist-olimpik-foto/ |website=telegrafi.com |accessdate=15 February 2020 |language=Albanian |date=10 August 2018}}{{cite web |title=Si rrallëherë Tuna publikon foto me babain: Modeli im që nga fillimi |url=https://www.revistawho.com/breakingnews/si-rrallehere-tuna-publikon-foto-me-babain-modeli-im-qe-nga-fillimi/ |website=revistawho.com |accessdate=15 February 2020 |language=Albanian |date=14 May 2019}} Tuna discovered her passion for music at an early age participating in various music festivals.

Her professional career began in 2002 when she competed in the talent search competition Play - Search For A Star organized by the Macedonian record label M2 Production.{{cite web|url=http://www.vecer.com.mk/default.asp?ItemID=3EF0D7AA0E02DE49BD4DEA03DF4AB5E2|title=Туна со нов спот и нов дечко|publisher=Večer|date=5 July 2013|accessdate=29 August 2013|language=Macedonian|archive-date=29 August 2013|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130829175339/http://www.vecer.com.mk/default.asp?ItemID=3EF0D7AA0E02DE49BD4DEA03DF4AB5E2|url-status=dead}} Sejdiu was one of two winners from the competition, which resulted in the release of her first single "Najdi den, najdi nokj, najdi vreme" (Find a day, Find a night, Find time).{{cite web|first=Sonja|last=Aleksoska Nedelkovska|url=http://star.dnevnik.com.mk/?pBroj=2035&stID=12009|title=Избрани победниците на аудицијата "Плеј-потрага по ѕвезди" на "М2"|publisher=Dnevnik|accessdate=31 August 2013|language=Macedonian|archive-date=22 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150722115449/http://star.dnevnik.com.mk/?pBroj=2035&stID=12009|url-status=dead}} Tuna later began to establish her career in Albania and turned focus to releasing material in the Albanian language. In 2003, she released her debut self-titled album Tuna, with her successful songs "Piroman" (the Albanian version of "Najdi Nok Najdi Den Najdi Vreme")

, "Ciao Machoman" and "12 Muaj/12 Meseci" (12 Months) which was followed by her second album, S'ka me diktaturë, in 2005.

In 2008, Tuna unsuccessfully participated in the pre-selection competition Skopje Fest in order to represent North Macedonia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2008 with the song "Prašuvam bez glas".{{cite web |publisher=European Broadcasting Union |title=Super Saturday: Festival time in Skopje! |url=https://eurovision.tv/story/super-saturday-festival-time-in-skopje |website=eurovision.tv |accessdate=16 February 2020 |language=English |date=23 February 2008}}{{cite web |title=Tuna dhe Adrian Gaxha konkurrojnë për në Eurovision |url=https://telegrafi.com/tuna-dhe-adrian-gaxha-konkurrojne-per-ne-eurovision/ |website=telegrafi.com |accessdate=16 February 2020 |language=Albanian |date=3 February 2008}} In 2012, it was announced that she would judge alongside Alban Skënderaj, Pandi Laço and Soni Malaj on the second series of X Factor Albania.{{cite web |publisher=TV Klan |title=X Factor Albania 2 |url=http://www.tvklan.al/on_air.php?id=77 |website=tvklan.al |accessdate=16 February 2020 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130118210804/http://www.tvklan.al/on_air.php?id=77 |archivedate=18 January 2013 |language=Albanian}}{{cite web |title=Tuna, pjesë e pandarë e "X Factor Albania" |url=https://telegrafi.com/tuna-pjese-e-pandare-e-x-factor-albania/ |website=telegrafi.com |accessdate=16 February 2020 |language=Albanian |date=20 October 2012}} The same year, she released her single "I Asaj" and experienced significant success throughout the Albanian-speaking World.{{cite web |title=Pas "I Asaj", Tuna do të sjellë befasi të tjera |url=https://telegrafi.com/pas-i-asaj-tuna-do-te-sjelle-befasi-te-tjera/ |website=telegrafi.com |accessdate=16 February 2020 |language=Albanian |date=28 July 2012}} Her success continued in the following year with the release of her follow-up single "Fenix".{{cite web |title="Fenix" i bën rekord 25 milionë, Cozman paralajmëron "Fenix 2" |url=https://telegrafi.com/fenix-i-ben-rekord-25-milione-cozman-paralajmeron-fenix-2-video/ |website=telegrafi.com |accessdate=16 February 2020 |language=Albanian |date=20 May 2015}}{{cite web |title=Hiti 26 milionësh, me të cilin do të mbahen mend Tuna dhe Cozman |url=https://telegrafi.com/hiti-26-milionesh-me-te-cilin-do-te-mbahen-mend-tuna-dhe-cozman-video/ |website=telegrafi.com |accessdate=16 February 2020 |language=Albanian |date=10 September 2015}}

In 2019, Tuna announced her third studio album, Fortuna, with seven songs and released it on 18 March 2019.{{cite web |publisher=Radio Television of Kosovo |title=TUNA PUBLIKON 7 VIDEOKLIPE NGA ALBUMI I RI |url=https://www.rtklive.com/sq/news-single.php?ID=337202 |website=rtklive.com |accessdate=16 February 2020 |language=Albanian |date=19 March 2019}}{{cite web |publisher=Vizion Plus |title=Tuna publikon albumin e ri, ja se kujt ia dedikon… |url=https://www.vizionplus.tv/tuna-publikon-albumin-e-ri-ja-se-kujt-ia-dedikon/ |website=vizionplus.tv |accessdate=16 February 2020 |language=Albanian |date=9 March 2019}} Throughout the year, she released her follow-up singles "Nuk ma do zemra" and "Amoni", the latter peaking at number seventy eight in Albania.{{cite web |publisher=Koha |title=Tuna publikon "Nuk ma do zemra" |url=https://www.koha.net/showbiz/177804/tuna-publikon-nuk-ma-do-zemra/ |website=koha.net |accessdate=16 February 2020 |language=Albanian |date=6 August 2019}}{{cite web |title=Tuna publikon këngën e re "Amoni" |url=https://telegrafi.com/tuna-publikon-kengen-e-re-amoni/ |website=telegrafi.com |accessdate=16 February 2020 |language=Albanian |date=29 October 2019}}