Edita Abdieski (born 14 November 1984) is a Swiss pop singer. She rose to fame during the debut series of the German X Factor show, which she won in November 2010.[1][2]

Edita Abdieski
Edita Abdieski (2011)
Edita Abdieski (2011)
Background information
Birth nameEdita Abdieski
Born (1984-11-14) 14 November 1984 (age 39)
Bern, Switzerland
GenresPop
Occupation(s)Singer
Years active2006–present
LabelsColumbia, Sony
Websitewww.edita.de

Early life edit

Abdieski is the eldest child born to a Macedonian Albanian father and a Montenegrin Albanian mother.[3] Raised in Bern alongside three younger siblings, she spent much of her childhood in the Bern borough of Bümpliz-Oberbottigen, where she was enrolled at primary and secondary school.[4] Her father died of cancer in 1992.[5] At eleven, Abdieski became part of her first school band and by the age of thirteen, she began writing songs.[3] After leaving school, she was trained as qualified office employee,[3] but as she hoped to embark on a professional singing career, Abdieski enrolled at the Swiss Musical Academy in Bern – much against the wishes of her mother, who was sceptical about her daughter's ambition, prompting Abdieski to leave home and move into a girls' flat-sharing community in 2002.[5] To fund her academical training, she was forced to take four side jobs at times.[6]

Career edit

2002—2009: Career beginnings edit

In 2002, a producer asked Abdieski and school friend Vanessa Tancredi to collaborate on a mundart album, a collection of songs in Swiss German dialect.[6] Barely trained in mundart singing, Abdieski even so accepted the offer to record a full-length album, and during the following two years, the pair worked with production duo Thomas Fässler and Ben Mühlethaler on what would eventually become the debut album of Vanessædita.[7]

Meanwhile, Abdieski was hired as a backing vocalist for the Swiss pop–rock band Lunik and worked with musician Santiago Cortés on his debut album Welcome to My Airline (2005).[3] The album's leading single, "Don't Leave Me," sung and co-written by Abdieski, reached number forty on the Swiss Singles Chart.[8] Still with Vanessædita, Abdieski was cast in the leading role of Kimberly in the musical Dance Me! – The Streetdance Musical in fall 2005. A same-titled album, on which she appeared along with her ensemble, was released in January 2006 but failed to chart.[9]

After Vanessædita's contract signing with Muve Recordings, their album Z'Debü ("The Debut") was finally released in Switzerland in March 2006. Although its first single "Wenn ig nume wüsst" entered the top fifty of the Swiss Singles Chart, the pop soul–influenced album underperformed commercially, only reaching number eighty-two on the Swiss Albums Chart.[10] In 2007, Abdieski and Tancredi disbanded amicably, citing musical differences.[11] Abdieski later stated, that after one album, she had become aware that mundart singing was "not [her] thing."[6]

2010: X Factor edit

Abdieski auditioned for the debut series of X Factor in 2010, singing Joss Stone's "Tell Me 'Bout It". She was mentored by Till Brönner and was announced the winner on 9 November 2010, winning a record deal with Sony Music.[1]

Episode Theme / Date Song title Original performer Result (Placement)
Casting Free choice "Tell Me 'bout It" Joss Stone to Bootcamp
Bootcamp Free choice "Mama Do (Uh Oh, Uh Oh)" Pixie Lott to Judges' House
Judges' House Free choice "With a Little Help from My Friends" Joe Cocker to the Live Shows
Live show 1 Playlist 2010 (21 September 2010) "Empire State of Mind" Alicia Keys 13.92% (4/9)
Live show 2 Blockbuster Night (28 September 2010) "Street Life" Randy Crawford 12.91% (5/8)
Live show 3 Kings and Queens of Pop (5 October 2010) "Respect" Aretha Franklin 15.33% (3/7)
Live show 4 Mystery Night (12 October 2010) "Heavy Cross" Gossip 18.15% (3/6)
Live show 5 Laut und leise (Loud and Quiet) (19 October 2010) "Just Like a Pill" Pink 19.43% (3/5)
"Russian Roulette" Rihanna
Live show 6 A Night at the Club (26 October 2010) "Release Me" Agnes 27.42% (1/4)
"Why Don't You Love Me" Beyoncé Knowles
Live show 7 Michael Jackson & Friends (2 November 2010) "Blame It on the Boogie" The Jackson Five 41.53% (1/3)
"You Are So Beautiful" Diana Ross
Live show 8 Finale (9 November 2010) "Run" Leona Lewis 74.10% (1/2)
"Wo Willst Du Hin" Xavier Naidoo
"I've Come to Life" Edita Abdieski

2010: First Studio Album One edit

In November and December 2010, Edita was recording her debut studio album which will be called One. The record will be released in March 2011.[needs update] It will include her top ten hit "I've Come to Life" and her 2nd single "The Key" which was written by Jörgen Elofsson who has also written songs for Celine Dion Britney Spears and Il Divo. Another highlight will be a feature with Latin star Ricky Martin. The track is called "The Best Thing About Me Is You" and features writing from another Swedish heavyweight, Andreas Carlsson. Keeping up the Scandinavian presence are Norwegian production/songwriting teams Dsign Music and Tracksville ("When The Music Is Over"), as well as writers Mads Hauge ("Another Universe") and Torgeir Bjordal ("I Don't Know"). In January Edita won the DIVA Award in the category "Talent of the Year". Abdieski shot the video for her single "The Key" in Teneriffa. On 25 January 2011 it was confirmed that another track on One will be called "Give A Little Love, Get A Little Love". The song was written by Ben Cullum, Jamie Cullum's brother.

2011: Edita Club Tour and new album edit

In June 2011, Edita was on her first Club Tour in four German and two Swiss cities. She presented two new songs called "Done With You" and "Really Love Me", which she wrote by herself. The two songs are from her expected upcoming second studio album.

Discography edit

Studio albums edit

Year Title Chart positions (peak) Sales
GER AUT SWI EU
2011 One 32 52 10 Worldwide: –

Singles edit

Year Title Chart positions (peak) Album
GER AUT SWI EU
2010 "I've Come to Life" 9 27 8 37 One
2011 "The Key" 51

Featuring Singles edit

Year Title Chart positions (peak) Album
GER AUT SWI EU
2011 "The Best Thing About Me Is You"
(Ricky Martin feat. Edita)
Música + Alma + Sexo

Awards edit

Year Nominee / work Award Result
2010 Edita Abdieski Diva Award – Talent of the Year Won
2011 Prix Walo – Newcomer of the Year Nominated

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Edita Abdieski gewinnt Castingshow X Factor". Focus. Focus.de. Deutsche Presse-Agentur. November 10, 2010. Archived from the original on August 19, 2020. Retrieved November 10, 2010.
  2. ^ Nachrichten, n-tv. "Edita meldet sich zurück". n-tv.de (in German). Retrieved July 27, 2018.
  3. ^ a b c d "Soulstimme will auf den Gurten". St. Galler Tagblatt. November 5, 2010. Archived from the original on December 1, 2012. Retrieved November 10, 2010.
  4. ^ Hebeisen, Ane (November 10, 2010). "Pop-Olymp oder RTL 2?". Der Bund. DerBund.ch. Retrieved November 10, 2010.
  5. ^ a b Zivadinovic, Maja (November 9, 2010). "Schulden, Streit – Versöhnung mit Mama". Blick. Archived from the original on November 11, 2010. Retrieved November 10, 2010.
  6. ^ a b c Christ, Stefanie (October 29, 2010). "Edita Abdieski: "Ich war nie ein Fan von Castingshows"". Berner Zeitung. Retrieved November 10, 2010.
  7. ^ "Interview mit Vanessædita". Hung Medien. Swisscharts.com. March 19, 2006. Archived from the original on March 24, 2010. Retrieved November 10, 2010.
  8. ^ "SANTIAGO CORTÉS – DON'T LEAVE ME (SONG)". Hung Medien. Swisscharts.com. Retrieved November 12, 2010.
  9. ^ "DanceMe Ensemble – Dance Me – The Streetdance Musical". Amazon.com. Archived from the original on February 10, 2013. Retrieved November 12, 2010.
  10. ^ "Discography Vanessædita". Hung Medien. Swisscharts.com. Archived from the original on June 13, 2011.
  11. ^ "Die vergessene Ex-Partnerin von Edita Abdieski". Basler Zeitung. BazOnline.ch. November 11, 2010. Retrieved November 11, 2010.

External links edit

Preceded by
None
X Factor
Winner

2010
Succeeded by