Albert Stanaj

Albert Stanaj
Born
Albert Daniel Stanaj

(1994-02-12) 12 February 1994 (age 30)
Shkodër, Albania
Citizenship
  • United States
  • Albania
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
Years active2016–present
Musical career
GenresPop rock[1]
InstrumentsGuitar, piano
LabelsRepublic
Websitestanaj.com

Albert Daniel Stanaj (Albanian: [alˈbɛɾt staˈnaj]; born 12 February 1994), known professionally as Stanaj, is an Albanian-born American singer and songwriter.

Life and career

1994–present: Early life and continued success

Stanaj was born to an Albanian family on 12 February 1994 in Shkodër and was raised in the city of New York, the United States.[2][3][4] He attended the Archbishop Stepinac High School in White Plains, New York.[4] He also participated in numerous music festivals in Albania, Europe as well as the United States.[2] At 18, he moved to Los Angeles to continue his professional musical career.[5] His debut single "Ain't Love Strange" released in 2016 peaked at number two in Albania.[6]

Artistry

Stanaj has cited Justin Timberlake, Maxwell, Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston as his major influences.[2][4]

Discography

Albums

Extended plays

List of extended plays, with selected chart positions
Title Album details Peak
chart
positions
US
[7]
The Preview
  • Released: 9 August 2016
  • Label: Republic Records
  • Format: Digital download, streaming
 —[a]
From a Distance
  • Released: 27 January 2017
  • Label: Republic Records
  • Format: Digital download, streaming
 —
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Singles

As lead artist

List of singles as lead artist, with selected chart positions
Title Year Peak
chart
positions 		Album
ALB
[8] 		CIS
[9] 		NL
[10]
"Ain't Love Strange" 2016 2 — — The Preview
"Bad Woman" 2017 — 295 — From a Distance
"Romantic" 1 — 93
"The Way I Love Her" 18 — — Non-album singles
"Dirty Mind"
(featuring Ty Dolla Sign) 		2018 — — —
"Amorfoda" — — —
"Sunflower" 2019 — — —
"Sweat" — — —
"Love Me" — — —
"405" — — —
"Last Girlfriend" 2021 — — —
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
List of singles as featured artist, with selected chart positions
Title Year Peak chart positions Album
US
[7] 		ALB
[11] 		NL
[10]
"Playing to Lose"
(Lemaitre featuring Stanaj) 		2016 — — — Chapter One
"Bed of Roses"
(Afrojack featuring Stanaj) 		2018 — — 28 Non-album singles
"You Remind Me"
(Gryffin featuring Stanaj) 		—[b] — —
"Sober"
(Afrojack featuring Rae Sremmurd and Stanaj) 		2019 — — —
"Momma Always Told Me"
(Mike Posner featuring Yung Bae and Stanaj) 		2021 — — —
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Other charted songs

List of other charted songs, with selected chart positions
Title Year Peak
chart
positions 		Album
CIS
[9]
"Changed" 2017 333 From a Distance
"Find me" 396
"Romantic (NOTD Remix)" 329
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Songwriting credits

Song Year Artist(s) Album Ref.
"34+35" 2020 Ariana Grande Positions [12]
"Met Him Last Night" 2021 Demi Lovato Dancing with the Devil... the Art of Starting Over [13]

Notes

  1. ^ The Preview did not enter the Billboard Album Chart, but peaked at number 13 on the Heatseekers Albums chart.[7]
  2. ^ "You Remind Me" did not enter the Billboard Hot 100, but peaked at number 25 on the Dance/Electronic Digital Songs and number 43 on the Dance/Electronic Songs chart.[7]

References

  1. ^ "Albert Stanaj – Credits". All Media Network. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
  2. ^ a b c "Stanaj | Biography & History". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 9 April 2021. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  3. ^ "Stanaj–Biografia" (in Albanian). TeksteShqip. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  4. ^ a b c Frydenlund, Zach (23 January 2015). "Here's What We Know About Albert Stanaj, the Singer/Songwriter Who's Been Working With Drake". Complex Networks. Archived from the original on 29 November 2020. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  5. ^ Frydenlund, Zach (13 March 2015). "Interview: Singer/Songwriter Stanaj Talks Meeting Jay Z, Playing the Piano at Drake's Mansion, and New Projects". Complex Networks. Archived from the original on 3 February 2017. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  6. ^ Velija, Kreizia (19 November 2016). "Stanaj, artisti shqiptar që po çan tregun amerikan" (in Albanian). Top Albania Radio. Archived from the original on 10 April 2021. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  7. ^ a b c d "Stanaj Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  8. ^ Note: "The Top List" are the charts conducted by Top Channel since December 2015. For peak positions in Albania:
  9. ^ a b "Stanaj – Listen All Songs". Tophit. Retrieved 27 April 2021. Note: The 'Peak Position On Top Radio Hits' column is to be taken into consideration.
  10. ^ a b "Discografie – Stanaj" (in Dutch). Dutch Charts. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  11. ^ Note: "The Top List" are the charts conducted by Top Channel since December 2015. For peak positions in Albania:
  12. ^ Positions (booklet). Ariana Grande. Republic Records. 2020. p. 1. UPC 602435350967.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. ^ Dancing with the Devil... the Art of Starting Over (booklet). Demi Lovato. Republic Records. 2021. p. 1. UPC 602435785493.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)