Arpine Martoyan (Armenian: Արփինե Մարտոյան; born 10 January 2007), known professionally as Maléna (Armenian: Մալենա), is an Armenian singer and songwriter.[1] She represented Armenia in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2021 with the song "Qami Qami", and went on to win the competition, becoming the second Armenian entrant to win the Junior Eurovision Song Contest.

Maléna
Maléna in 2021
Background information
Birth name	Arpine Martoyan
Born	(2007-01-10) 10 January 2007 (age 15) Yerevan, Armenia
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter
Instruments	Vocals guitar cello
Years active	2018–present
Labels	TKN

Early life

Born in Yerevan on 10 January 2007, Maléna was raised by her mother Anna Manucharyan, an actress.[2] Together with her mother, she has appeared in several episodes of television comedy series Stone Cage.[3] Maléna studies at the Sayat-Nova music school, where she learned to play the cello.[4][5]

Career

Junior Eurovision Song Contest

Maléna first attempted to represent Armenia in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2018, taking part in the national selection Depi Mankakan Evratesil with the song "Par" under the name Arpi, placing 8th in the semi-final.

Since 2020, Maléna has been collaborating with TKN Entertainment, a Yerevan-based record label owned by Tokionine.[1] She was set to represent Armenia in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2020 with the song "Why", but the country withdrew from the contest due to the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war.[6]

She was again selected the following year to represent Armenia in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2021 in Paris, France with the song "Qami Qami" ("Wind, Wind" in Armenian).[7][4][8] The song, described as "space-pop", was composed by Tokionine and was written by Vahram Petrosyan, Tokionine, David Tserunyan and Maléna herself.[9] While talking about co-writing the song and the message of it, Maléna said: "I’d never think that I’d be writing lyrics that one day would be shared with such a big audience. It’s such a huge honor. The song is about finding yourself and finding a way to keep going. Don’t you ever think of falling down again…always be true to who you are".[10] Maléna won the contest with 224 points, becoming the second Armenian entrant to win the competition, first being in 2010.[11][12][13] Following her win, Public Television Company of Armenia (AMPTV) announced about hosting Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2022 in Armenia.[14] In May 2022, Maléna made an appearance during the first semi-final of Eurovision Song Contest in Turin, Italy, announcing Yerevan as the host city for the 20th edition of Junior Eurovision.[15]

Following her win, she received the Armenian Scholarship for a summer program at the Berklee College of Music, in Boston, Massachusetts. In addition, she performed her winning song at the Armenian Heritage Park in Boston, on 31 July 2022.[16]

Artistry

Influences

Maléna is inspired by pop and R&B music. She pointed out Jaden Smith and Rosalía as her favourites, for their musical creations and visual style.[10]

Discography

Singles

References

External links

• Maléna on Junioreurovision.tv

Awards and achievements
Preceded by Valentina with "J'imagine"	Winner of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2021	Succeeded by [to be determined]
Preceded by Karina Ignatyan with "Colours of Your Dream"	Armenia in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2020 (withdrawn) 2021	Succeeded by [to be determined]

На других языках

[es] Maléna (cantante)

[ru] Малена (певица)