Biography
Born on January 5, 1978, in Stockholm, Swedish pop artist Emilia grew up under the dual influence of a Swedish mother and an Ethiopian father. Traditional Ethiopian music and jazz from her father’s collection filled the household and awakened her passion for singing and performance at an early age. After attending one of his concerts when she was ten, she resolved to build a career in music and soon entered Stockholm’s Adolf Fredriks Music School. For eight years she pursued classical training there while continuing to explore soul and pop on her own. In 1996 Lars Anderson, son of ABBA member Stig Anderson, discovered her, and the pair began writing and recording her debut album. Balancing these sessions with university classes and a job proved demanding, yet the effort resulted in the September 1998 release of her first single, “Big Big World.” The track became the fastest-selling single in Swedish history, reaching gold status after six days on radio and platinum five days later. It swiftly conquered charts from Norway to Turkey. The album Big Big World appeared in 1999 and ultimately surpassed one million copies sold. Her self-titled follow-up enlisted producers and songwriters from the upper echelon of the pop industry. Although it did not match the chart performance of its predecessor, the project brought the substantial sales and high-profile touring that accompany global recognition. After an extended absence from the spotlight, Emilia resurfaced in 2007 with her third studio album, Sma Ord Av Karlek, issued on the independent Bonnier label rather than Universal, her previous major. In 2009 she competed to represent Sweden at the Eurovision Song Contest but did not reach the finals; My World followed shortly afterward and featured the single “Teardrops.” In 2012 she recorded a cover of Rihanna’s “We Found Love,” then released her fifth studio album, I Belong to You, on Warner Bros. under the name Emilia Mitiku. The record included the single “Lost Inside” and contained some of her most emotionally direct and daring material.
Albums
Singles
