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Alessandra Watle Mele (born 5 September 2002), known mononymously as Alessandra, is an Italian-Norwegian singer. She competed in the seventh season of The Voice – Norges beste stemme in 2022, reaching the live shows.[1] She represented Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 with "Queen of Kings", which finished in 5th place at the grand final with 268 points.[2][3] Her track peaked at number one in Norway and was a top ten hit in eleven countries.

Alessandra Mele
Mele performing at Melodi Grand Prix 2023
Mele performing at Melodi Grand Prix 2023
Background information
Birth nameAlessandra Watle Mele
Also known asAlessandra
Born (2002-09-05) 5 September 2002 (age 22)
Pietra Ligure, Savona, Italy
OriginLillehammer, Norway
Genres
OccupationSinger
Years active2022–present
LabelsStarlab Music
Websitealessandra-music.com

Early life and education

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Mele was born on 5 September 2002 in Pietra Ligure, Savona to an Italian father from Albenga and a Norwegian mother from Stathelle,[4] and grew up in Cisano sul Neva.[1][5][6] At the age of twelve, she won the fifth edition of VB Factor, a local talent show in the Val Bormida region.[5] After graduating from high school in 2019, she relocated to Norway and moved in with her maternal grandparents in Porsgrunn,[7] before moving to Lillehammer to study at the Lillehammer Institute of Music Production and Industries.[8]

Career

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2022: The Voice Norway

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In 2022, Mele was a participant in the seventh season of The Voice – Norges beste stemme, the Norwegian version of The Voice franchise.[9][10] After her Blind Audition, she joined the team of coach Espen Lind.[10] She was eliminated in the live shows.

The Voice Norway performances and results
Round Song Original artist Result
Blind Auditions "I Will Pray (Pregherò)" Giorgia feat. Alicia Keys Joined Team Espen Lind
The Battles "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" Michael Jackson and Siedah Garrett Advanced
Knockouts "The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress" Jimmy Webb Advanced
Live Show 1 "One Night Only" Deena Jones & the Dreams Eliminated

2023–2024: Melodi Grand Prix and Eurovision Song Contest

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On 4 January 2023, Mele was announced as one of twenty-one artists to compete in Melodi Grand Prix 2023, the Norwegian national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2023.[11] She performed her entry "Queen of Kings" in the first semi-final on 14 January 2023, and was among the three acts from that semi-final that qualified for the final on 4 February 2023.[12] She went on to win the competition, receiving the most points from both the public and the international jury, thereby winning the right to represent Norway at the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 in Liverpool, United Kingdom.[13] She performed in the semi-final on 9 May 2023 and qualified for the grand final. She finished fifth in the final.[14]

Alessandra Mele performing in Dublin, Ireland as part of her Queen of Kings Tour in 2024 
Alessandra Mele performing in Dublin, Ireland as part of her Queen of Kings Tour in 2024

Mele participated as the duet partner of the Ghost in the fourth season of Maskorama.[15]

On 10 May 2024, she was announced as Norway's spokesperson for the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 final.[16] However, the day after in the hours before the final was due to take place, she announced that she would step down from the role, with NRK's channel hostess Ingvild Helljesen replacing her as spokesperson.[17]

Personal life

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In an interview with Eurovision Fun, Mele reported that she is bisexual, with her song "Queen of Kings" representing her experiences as a bisexual woman.[18]

Mele was previously in a relationship with Ludwig Gassner.[19][20]

Discography

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Extended plays

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Title Details
Best Year of My Life
  • Released: 16 February 2024
  • Label: Island Records
  • Formats: Digital download, streaming, CD

Singles

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As lead artist

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List of singles as lead artist, with selected chart positions and certifications, showing year released and album name
Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album or EP
NOR
[21]
FIN
[22]
HUN
[23]
IRE
[24]
LTU
[25]
NLD
[26]
POL
[27]
SWE
[28]
UK
[29]
WW
[30]
"Queen of Kings" 2023 1 3 6 18 7 12 20 7 10 69 Best Year of My Life
"Pretty Devil" 40 126
  • IFPI NOR: Platinum[31]
"Bad Bitch" 176
"Heavy"
"Narcissist" 2024 69 168
"Supposed to Be" Non-album singles
"Marameo" [A]
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Notes

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  1. ^ "Marameo" did not enter the official Topplista Top 40 Singles Chart, but peaked at No. 22 on the Topplista Top 40 Radio Airplay chart.[33]

References

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  1. ^ a b Svelstad, Oda Elise (2 February 2023). "MGP-låten til Alessandra Mele er verdshit allereie – sanninga som faren ikkje veit om". NRK (in Norwegian Nynorsk). Archived from the original on 2 February 2023. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  2. ^ Adams, Oliver (4 February 2023). "Alessandra sings "Queen of Kings" for Norway at Eurovision 2023". Wiwibloggs. Archived from the original on 4 February 2023. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  3. ^ "Norway: Alessandra wins 'Melodi Grand Prix' with 'Queen of Kings'". Eurovision Song Contest. 4 February 2023. Archived from the original on 4 February 2023. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  4. ^ "Nasjonalbiblioteket". Archived from the original on 5 February 2023. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  5. ^ a b "La cantante savonese Alessandra Mele all'Eurovision Song Contest con la canzone "Queen of Kings"". Il Vostro Giornale (in Italian). 5 February 2023. Archived from the original on 5 February 2023. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  6. ^ Gramaglia, Maria (15 January 2023). "Alessandra Mele di Cisano ce l'ha fatta: ha passato il turno e canterà in finale a MGP 2023 in Norvegia". Savonanews.it (in Italian). Archived from the original on 4 February 2023. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  7. ^ "Nasjonalbiblioteket". Archived from the original on 5 February 2023. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  8. ^ Holt, True N. (7 January 2022). "The Voice-Alessandra flyttet til Norge for musikken". TV 2 (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  9. ^ "From The Voice to Eurovision: Alessandra Watle Mele to rep Norway – POPXD". Archived from the original on 28 March 2023. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  10. ^ a b "La cantante savonese Alessandra Mele a "The Voice Norvegia": "Volevo portare qui un po' di orgoglio italiano"". Il Vostro Giornale (in Italian). 14 January 2023. Archived from the original on 7 February 2023. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  11. ^ Sand, Camilla; Nielsen, Vetle (4 January 2023). "Dette er årets artister i Melodi Grand Prix". NRK (in Norwegian Bokmål). Archived from the original on 30 January 2023. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  12. ^ Vautrey, Jonathan (14 January 2023). "MGP 2023: Umami Tsunami, Ulrikke and Alessandra qualify from Semi-Final 1". Wiwibloggs. Archived from the original on 5 February 2023. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  13. ^ Petersen, Rasmus (4 February 2023). "Norway: Alessandra is the Queen of Kings – To Eurovision 2023 after winning MGP". Eurovisionworld. Archived from the original on 5 February 2023. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  14. ^ "Grand Final of Liverpool 2023 - Eurovision Song Contest". eurovision.tv. Archived from the original on 18 May 2023. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
  15. ^ "Alessandra dukker opp i Maskorama" (in Norwegian). ESCNorge. 9 December 2023. Archived from the original on 10 December 2023. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
  16. ^ Løland, Tuva Mathilde (10 May 2024). "Alessandra Mele deler ut Norges stemmer i Eurovision" (in Norwegian Bokmål). Nettavisen. Archived from the original on 10 May 2024. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  17. ^ Ness Aksnes, Elise Violeta; Gaathaug Nielsen, Jonathan; Ryland, Ørjan (11 May 2024). "Trekker seg" (in Norwegian Bokmål). Dagbladet. Archived from the original on 11 May 2024. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
  18. ^ Matamis, Apostolis (23 January 2023). "Alessandra Mele: "My song was written especially for Eurovision"". Eurovision Fun. Archived from the original on 5 February 2023. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  19. ^ Horsinek, Tuva Mathilde Løland, Håvard Hjorthaug Vege, Jesper (24 November 2023). "Alessandra Mele røper brudd". Nettavisen (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 24 November 2023. Retrieved 24 November 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  20. ^ "Alessandra Mele har blitt singel". www.vg.no (in Norwegian Bokmål). 24 November 2023. Retrieved 24 November 2023.
  21. ^ Peak chart positions for singles in Norway:
  22. ^ "Alessandra – Queen Of Kings" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Archived from the original on 19 May 2023. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  23. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ". Single (track) Top 40 lista (in Hungarian). Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. 23 February 2023. Archived from the original on 9 April 2023. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
  24. ^ "Official Irish Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. 19 May 2023. Archived from the original on 19 May 2023. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  25. ^ "2023 21-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. 26 May 2023. Archived from the original on 27 May 2023. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
  26. ^ "Alessandra – Queen of Kings". dutchcharts.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  27. ^ Peak chart positions for singles in Poland:
  28. ^ "Veckolista Singlar, vecka 20" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Archived from the original on 20 May 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  29. ^ "Alessandra | full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 19 May 2023. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  30. ^ "Billboard Global 200: Week of May 27, 2023". Billboard. Archived from the original on 27 May 2023. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  31. ^ a b "Norwegian certifications – Alessandra" (in Norwegian). IFPI Norway. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
  32. ^ "OLiS - oficjalna lista wyróżnień" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 20 September 2023. Click "WYKONAWCA" and enter Alessandra in the search box.
  33. ^ "Topplista: Radio 2024 uke 41" (in Norwegian Bokmål). VG-lista. 11 October 2024. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
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Awards and achievements
Preceded by Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest
2023
Succeeded by