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Delara (singer)

Delara
دلارا
Delara singing into a microphone.
Delara performing in 2017
Background information
Birth nameDelara Nikman
Also known asAmanda Delara
Born1997 (age 27–28)
Sweden
OriginNorway
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • piano
Years active2016–present
Labels
Websiteamandadelara.com

Amanda Delara Nikman (Persian: آماندا دلارا نیکمن; born 1997), known by her stage name Delara (formerly Amanda Delara), is a Norwegian and Iranian singer. Starting her career in 2016 with debut single, "Paper Paper", she has released four EPs and one studio album, Shahrazad (2023). In 2024, her song "Siste dans", from the film The Snow Sister, reached number-one in Norway.

Early life

Delara Nikman[a] was born in Sweden in 1997 to Iranian parents.[1] Her mother grew up in Iran during the war with Iraq and was raised by a single mother.[1] Delara moved to Norway at the age of one, spending fourteen years in Lillehammer, and subsequently in Neskollen from the age of fifteen.[3] Her original plan was to become a doctor.[4] At the age of six, she heard "Numb/Encore" by Jay-Z and Linkin Park, which had a lasting impact on her; she describes it as the first time she felt a love for music.[1] Delara won a school talent competition, which led her to think that she could pursue a career in music.[5] She started making music full-time after secondary school.[1]

As a teenager, Delara would post videos on Instagram of her singing while playing piano. At the age of sixteen, she got a hold of the Snapchat account of Kaveh [no], a fellow Norwegian–Iranian artist who was popular at the time, and sent him videos of herself singing.[5] He invited Delara to his studio in Økern, Oslo, and became a mentor to her, helping her with recording her self-written songs.[5]

Career

Debut single "Paper Paper" was released in August 2016 under the name Amanda Delara, through the independent record label GR:OW.[5][6] The dark pop song reached Spotify's Viral charts both globally and in the US.[7] She additionally signed with Sony Music Norway in 2017,[8] prior to the release of R&B follow-up singles "Dirhamz" and "New Generation", and Delara's first EP, Rebel, released later that year.[9][10][11] In the same year, she also released a cover of "Gunerius" by Karpe[b], which was featured in the Norwegian television series Skam.[13]

Delara performing in 2018

The single "We Don't Run from Anyone" was released in early 2018,[14] and was used as the theme song to the television series Mesternes mester [no].[2] It was included on her second EP, Running Deep, released in May 2018, which Delara described as showcasing a more personal side of herself.[15] The EP, along with the follow-up single "Soldiers" produced by Askjell Solstrand,[16] garnered Delara a nomination at the 2018 Spellemannprisen in the category of Pop Artist of the Year.[17]

Et lite stykke Norge, Delara's third EP and her first in Norwegian, was released in January 2020.[18] Its cover features Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson, considered one of the most influential Norwegian writers, and its lyrics discuss Delara's identity as a minority in Norway, as well as the Law of Jante, crime, and self-confidence.[18][19] Some of its content was incorporated into the national curriculum for secondary schools in Norway.[20] In September 2020, she decided to use the mononymous Delara as her stage name.[21][22] Later that year, "Checka", a collaboration with rapper Loredana, became a hit in German-speaking Europe,[5] charting in the top five in three countries and earning Gold certifications in Austria and Switzerland.[23][24] It was included on her fourth EP, Timepiece, released in May 2021 and created during the COVID-19 pandemic, which features music that is more calm and the productions less heavy.[25][26]

Shahrazad (2023), Delara's debut album, was named after the character (depiction pictured) from One Thousand and One Nights.

In May 2023, Delara was one of seventy women of colour who accompanied Alicia Keys in a reimagined version of "If I Ain't Got You" for the soundtrack of Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story.[27] In June 2023, Delara's Norwegian-language cover of the Swedish-language "Josefin" by Albin Lee Meldau became popular on TikTok, resulting in her releasing a studio version.[28] It charted at number two in Norway and has been certified double platinum by IFPI Norge.[29][30] Shahrazad, Delara's debut album, was released in November 2023; it was named after the character of the same name from the Middle Eastern folk tale collection One Thousand and One Nights.[31] At the 2023 Spellemannprisen ceremony, Shahrazad won in the category of Release of the Year.[32]

In 2024, Delara appeared on the fifteenth season of Coke Studio Pakistan, contributing to the song "Piya Piya Calling" alongside Karpe, Pakistani singer Kaifi Khalil, and Norwegian dance group Quick Style. The song was recorded remotely, with its music video shot in mid-2023, and features lyrics in Arabic, Balochi, English, Persian, Gujarati, Norwegian, and Urdu.[33][34] It became a top-five hit in Norway and went on to win the P3 Gull for Song of the Year at the 2024 ceremony, where Delara had two additional nominations.[29][35] "Siste dans", a Christmas song written for the film The Snow Sister (2024), became viral on social media, with the song being used in videos to memorialise people who had died.[36][37] It reached number-one in Norway in November 2024, becoming Delara's song to do so.[29]

Other ventures

In 2021, Delara participated in the reality television series Over Atlanteren [no], where she and five other Norwegian celebrities with little sailing experience were tasked with sailing across the Atlantic Ocean.[38]

Personal life

Delara has an Iranian passport and has been active bringing awareness to social issues affecting Iran such as human rights abuses.[1] Following the death of Mahsa Amini, Delara collaborated with Amnesty International to organise a protest in front of the Norwegian parliament in late 2022, with over 1,000 participants.[5] At the red carpet of the 2022 P3 Gull ceremony, Delara carried a sign in support of Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi, who was arrested during protests.[39]

Delara speaks Persian and was interviewed on the Persian-language channel Iran International about her activism.[17][40] Though most of her songs are in English, she has also released songs in Norwegian.[41] In addition, Delara revealed she was teaching herself Spanish during the COVID-19 pandemic.[5]

Discography

Studio albums

  • Shahrazad (2023)

EPs

  • Rebel (2017)
  • Running Deep (2018)
  • Et lite stykke Norge (2020)
  • Timepiece (2021)

Singles

List of singles, with year released and chart positions
Single Year Peak positions Certifications Album
NOR
[29] 		AUT
[42] 		CHE
[43] 		DEU
[44] 		SWE
[45]
"Paper Paper" 2016 — — — — — Rebel
"Dirhamz" 2017 — — — — —
"Gunerius" (remix) — — — — —
  • IFPI Norge: 2× Platinum[30]
 Non-album single
"New Generation" — — — — —
  • IFPI Norge: Gold[30]
 Rebel
"Tilbake til meg"
(with Arshad Maimouni and Lars Vaular) 		— — — — — Non-album single
"We Don't Run from Anyone" 2018 — — — — — Running Deep
"Keep Your Dollars" — — — — —
"Soldiers" — — — — —
  • IFPI Norge: Gold[30]
 Non-album single
"Nå er det oss" 2020 —[c] — — — —
  • IFPI Norge: Platinum[30]
 Et lite stykke Norge
"Tell Me One Thing" — — — — — Non-album single
"Checka"
(with Loredana) 		— 4 5 2 — Medusa and Timepiece
"Shark Tank" 2021 — — — — — Timepiece
"Swole" — — — — —
"Gone for the Night"
(with Robbz x Brookz and Adaam) 		— — — — —[d] Non-album singles
"People Come and Go" 2022 — — — — —
"Som noen går"
(with Yosef Wolde-Mariam and Jonas Benyoub [no]) 		— — — — —
"Josefin" 2023 2 — — — 30
"Unbound" — — — — — Shahrazad
"Didn't You Know" — — — — —
"Kalash"
(featuring Beam) 		— — — — —
"Volare" 2024 20 — — — —
  • IFPI Norge: Gold[30]
 Non-album single
"Piya Piya Calling"
(with Karpe and Kaifi Khalil featuring the Quick Style) 		5 — — — — Coke Studio Season 15
"Siste dans" 1 — — — — Non-album single

Awards and nominations

Award Year Category Nominee(s) Result Ref.
Gaffa Awards 2017 Norwegian Newcomer of the Year Amanda Delara Won [48]
Norwegian Music Publishers Award [no] 2021 Work of the Year – Popular Music "Nå er det oss" Nominated [49]
2025 Creator of the Year – Popular Music Amanda Delara Nikman Pending [50]
Song of the Year – Popular Music "Piya Piya Calling"
(with Karpe, Kaifi Khalil and the Quick Style) 		Pending
Ole Vig Prize [no] 2024 — Amanda Delara Won [51]
P3 Gull 2017 Newcomer of the Year Nominated [52]
2020 Song of the Year "Nå er det oss" Nominated [53]
2024 Artist of the Year Delara Nominated [35]
Song of the Year "Piya Piya Calling"
(with Karpe, Kaifi Khalil and the Quick Style) 		Won
"Volare" Nominated
Spellemannprisen 2018 Pop Artist of the Year Running Deep and "Soldiers" Nominated [54]
2023 Lyricist of the Year Amanda Delara Nikman – Shahrazad Nominated [32]
Pop Shahrazad Nominated
Release of the Year Won

Notes

  1. ^ In an interview with NRK P3, Delara says she was born with the given name Delara; when her family moved to Norway, her parents decided she needed a Norwegian name so her name became both Delara and Amanda.[2]
  2. ^ At the time, Karpe used the stage name Karpe Diem.[12]
  3. ^ "Nå er det oss" did not enter the Norwegian Singles Chart, but peaked at number one on the Norwegian airplay chart.[46]
  4. ^ "Gone for the Night" did not enter the Swedish Singles Chart, but peaked at number fourteen on the Swedish Heatseeker chart.[47]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Korsvoll, Caroline (5 April 2024). "– Driven er en viktig del av personligheten min" (in Norwegian). OBOS. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
  2. ^ a b Roness, Espen (14 October 2023). "Delara ble rådet til å «roe ned på politikken»" (in Norwegian). NRK P3. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
  3. ^ Krager, Caroline (1 February 2020). "Stilorama: Artisten Amanda Delara". Melk & Honning (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 20 January 2025.
  4. ^ Weiss, Haley (21 July 2017). "Amanda Delara". Interview. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Afshary-Kaasa, Julia (31 May 2023). "Ledestjernen om r&b, protestene i Iran og musikkvideoen med Alicia Keys". D2 (in Norwegian). Retrieved 20 January 2025.
  6. ^ Johnsen, Elisabeth (8 October 2017). "Amandas utrolig år – har tatt Norge med storm: – Jeg har drømt om å jobbe med dette hele livet". Romerikes Blad (in Norwegian). Retrieved 21 January 2025.
  7. ^ Lieng Jakobsen, Yordana (10 March 2017). "Landets mest spennende artist" (in Norwegian). NRK P3. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
  8. ^ "Amanda Delara signerer til Sony Music med GR:OW Records" (in Norwegian). Sony Music Entertainment Norway. Norwegian News Agency. 8 March 2017. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
  9. ^ Hannah, Andrew (10 March 2017). "Amanda Delara's "Dirhamz" is a stunning R&B jam with a social conscience". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
  10. ^ Hannah, Andrew (1 June 2017). "Amanda Delara discusses the politics and attitude behind stunning new single "New Generation"". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
  11. ^ Sanne Kristensen, Henrik (12 January 2018). "Singelsnakk med Amanda Delara". Tidal Magazine (in Norwegian). Retrieved 20 January 2025.
  12. ^ Folvik, Herman Tinius (7 October 2020). "Knallår for Karpe: Økte inntektene med 467 prosent". Finansavisen (in Norwegian). Retrieved 26 January 2025.
  13. ^ Rakvaag, Geir (19 May 2017). "Mørk pop, lys framtid". Dagsavisen (in Norwegian). Retrieved 20 January 2025.
  14. ^ Maloney, Austin (17 January 2018). "Amanda Delara – 'We Don't Run From Anyone'". Nothing but Hope and Passion. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
  15. ^ Hannah, Andrew (11 May 2018). "Amanda Delara feels the fear and does it anyway on "Running Deep", the title track of her new EP". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
  16. ^ "♫ Ukens beste nye låt kommer fra Amanda Delara". 730.no (in Norwegian). 19 October 2018. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
  17. ^ a b Norwegian News Agency (7 September 2023). "Amanda Delara: – Jeg lærte å stole mer på meg selv og på kunsten min". Samtiden. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
  18. ^ a b ""Jeg vil at vi skal snakke om norske verdier som verdier, ikke ting som brunost og vafler"". Dagsavisen (in Norwegian). 12 January 2020. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
  19. ^ Hæhre, Jan Erik (12 January 2020). "Amanda Delara på norsk". Raumnes (in Norwegian). Retrieved 21 January 2025.
  20. ^ Gjestad, Fred C. (29 December 2024). "Kultur- og idrettsgalla: Disse er nominert til utøverprisene". Raumnes (in Norwegian). Retrieved 21 January 2025.
  21. ^ Johnsen, Elisabeth (26 September 2020). "Amanda Delara har skiftet navn: – Jeg forsøker å ikke ha forventninger". Romerikes Blad (in Norwegian). Retrieved 21 January 2025.
  22. ^ Arnesen, Kristoffer (30 September 2020). "Norsk artist herjer hitlistene i Europa - ikke på topp 50 i Norge" (in Norwegian). TV 2. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
  23. ^ a b "Gold & Platin" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
  24. ^ a b "Edelmetall: Delara". swisscharts.com (in German). Retrieved 20 January 2025.
  25. ^ Keith, James (12 May 2021). "Premiere: Norwegian R&B Singer Delara Reveals Her Expensive Tastes In "Flashy" Video". Complex. Retrieved 22 January 2025.
  26. ^ Giovani, Gioia (8 June 2021). "Delara – the way we stereotype or we don't stereotype". French Fries Magazine. Retrieved 22 January 2025.
  27. ^ Mier, Tomás (8 May 2023). "Alicia Keys Performs Gorgeous 'If I Ain't Got You' With All-Women Orchestra". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
  28. ^ Tandberg, Amanda (26 June 2023). "Delaras coverversjon tok helt av: – Hva er det som skjer?". Raumnes (in Norwegian). Retrieved 22 January 2025.
  29. ^ a b c d "Delara" (in Norwegian). VG-lista. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
  30. ^ a b c d e f g h "Troféoversikt: Delara" (in Norwegian). IFPI Norge. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
  31. ^ Koopman, Bella (12 January 2024). "10 Questions With Delara Ahead of Her Norwegian 'Shahrazad' Tour". 10 Magazine. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
  32. ^ a b "Undergrunn vant Årets Spellemann" (in Norwegian). TV 2. 4 April 2024. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
  33. ^ Bhargava, Aaina (29 June 2024). "Karpe and Quick Style bring their distinct hybrid Norwegian flair to Coke Studio". Tatler Asia. Retrieved 26 January 2025.
  34. ^ Shadani, Zaib (17 July 2024). "Why "Piya Piya Calling" is an example of the soft power that Pakistan needs to promote". Arabian Business. Retrieved 26 January 2025.
  35. ^ a b "Dette er vinnerne av «P3 Gull» 2024: – Ikke hver dag en dansegruppe vinner en musikkpris!" (in Norwegian). NRK P3. 30 November 2024. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
  36. ^ Andreassen, Gunnar (13 December 2024). "VIDEO: Julestemning med «Siste dans» av Delara". Bodøposten (in Norwegian). Retrieved 26 January 2025.
  37. ^ Borge Fredriksen, Håkon (11 December 2024). "Fansen bruker låten til å takle sorgen: – Blitt brukt i begravelser" (in Norwegian). TV 2. Retrieved 26 January 2025.
  38. ^ Hennissen, Stine N. (17 June 2021). "Amanda Delara fra Neskollen seilte over Atlanteren". Raumnes (in Norwegian). Retrieved 20 January 2025.
  39. ^ "Sjå bilda frå raud løpar: Protesterte mot regimet i Iran" (in Norwegian). NRK P3. 26 November 2023. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
  40. ^ Monsen Tveit, Janne (20 October 2022). "Amanda Delara Nikman gjester Iran International – se video". 730.no. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
  41. ^ Ebbesen, Peder (10 January 2020). "Amanda Delara viser styrke på norsk". Aftenposten (in Norwegian). Retrieved 20 January 2025.
  42. ^ "Discographie Delara". austriancharts.at (in German). Retrieved 20 January 2025.
  43. ^ "Discographie Delara". hitparade.ch (in German). Retrieved 20 January 2025.
  44. ^ "Loredana & Delara: Checka" (in German). GfK. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
  45. ^ a b "Search: Delara" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
  46. ^ "Radio 2020 uke 18" (in Norwegian). VG-lista. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
  47. ^ "Veckolista Heatseeker, vecka 47, 2021" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 22 January 2025.
  48. ^ Staurland, Geir Magne (17 January 2018). "GAFFA-Prisen 2017: Hun er årets norske nykommer". Gaffa (in Norwegian). Retrieved 20 January 2025.
  49. ^ "Musikkforleggerprisen 2021" (in Norwegian). Norwegian Music Publishers Association. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
  50. ^ "Disse er nominert til Musikkforleggerprisen 2025!" (in Norwegian). Norwegian Music Publishers Association. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
  51. ^ "Ole Vig-prisen 2024 tildeles Amanda Delara" (in Norwegian). Stjørdal kommune. 1 July 2024. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
  52. ^ "De nominerte til P3 Gull 2017" (in Norwegian). NRK. 6 November 2017. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
  53. ^ "Vinnerne av P3 Gull 2020" (in Norwegian). NRK. 28 November 2020. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
  54. ^ "Nominerte Spellemannprisen 2018" (in Norwegian). Spellemannprisen. 8 February 2019. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
Quelle: Https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delara_(singer)