Beat logo

Is Young Zerka the Next European Artist to Reach Mainstream American Fame? Top Music Critics Say "Yes!"

The international talent currently in the spotlight.

By PressOn.Published 3 years ago Updated 3 years ago 3 min read
1
Young Zerka was born in Korcë, Albania. Before relocating to the small, yet beautiful balkan country once more, Zerka lived in England for eight years.

We've seen Europe based artists flourish, winning the eyes and ears of other major continents. Names like Enrique Iglesias of Spain, DJ Calvin Harris of Scotland, and Tove Lo of Sweden may sound all too familiar. Let's not get started on the abundance of iconic English music talents that have influenced the United States music industry. Ed Sheeran, The Beatles and Adele are just few to mention. But the eastern European nations have tons of talented artists, it's just that they need walk on the big stage. Enter Young Zerka.

The birth of Young Zerka, the artist.

Due to his hometown roots in the widely known "music city" of Korçe, a love for music for Young Zerka bloomed when he was, well, super young. He would even join his dad in traditional serenades, or as they call it, "serenata."

In his late childhood, he left Albania, entered London, and was adopted by a Jamaican-English family. These eight years in England would ultimately be key influences to his music today. AllHipHop's 2021 Here's the Heat stated, "he has an Albanian identity infused with Jamaican vibes." This is true, however, he can shape shift himself into any form of talent. Zerka is known for appreciating and bringing people together. As stated in numerous media interviews, bringing cultures and others together through his music is one goal he has.

Once he relocated to Albania, his professional music career jumpstarted. Beginning with appearances on Top Fest, he eventually reached bigger stages, such as Dancing with the Stars (Albania) and Kenge Magjike, which he won with Aurele Gaçe in 2014.

Breakthrough Viral Music

The viral single with Dhurata Dora titled "Roll" in 2014 was a breakthrough time for the artist and the ball rolled to his court, no pun intended. This gave him the opportunity to showcase his versality and sound to music media. The releases of "Harem", "Like Rihanna", and "Nona" feat. Ledri Vula added even more fuel to the fire. These three singles alone racked up roughly 95 million views on YouTube. "Boom Boom" appealed to dozens of countries with its universal sound, reaching nearly 15 million streams visually. (The comments are filled with fans shouting out the artist from all around the world!)

"Like Rihanna", most viewed music video:

"Nona" ft. Ledri Vula, labeled the song of the summer:

Media Spotlight and Upcoming Album

As seen on This is 50, The Source, Medium, Elevator, and more, Young Zerka is currently in the spotlight in U.S. music media. A few news headlines highlighting other achievements include AllNewsBuzz announcing his history making rank on AllHipHop and Tribune Byte on The Source's 2021 watch list.

Also announced: his anticipated, upcoming full-length album titled Part of Me. His current (and new) fans are well aware of its nearby introduction, due to the previews Zerka released these past couple months. The releases of "Sorry" feat. Alandy and "Desire" was the perfect way to grasp the attention of audiences.

The success of his single "Sorry" lead Zerka to his debut on This is 50, a music media site founded by the iconic, popular American rapper 50 Cent, or otherwise known as Curtis Jackson. With goals of showcasing other talents, 50 Cent was inspired by big music publications that put him on, and founded This is 50. In '09 and '10, the website won a BET Award for best online magazine. Hint: it won't be the last time Young Zerka appears on the publication.

The Source welcomed Young Zerka on their now online publication, and released an exclusive in-person interview this summer. The article mentions that the artist used to collect the magazines when he was growing up. There he gives advice to anyone with dreams of their own stating, "work and keep on working." (Like Rihanna?)

Filming of music video to "Nesër" feat. Anila Mimani, 2019 release.

Connect with Young Zerka and his team below.

Instagram: @youngzerka | @eri.dee MGMT | @keymanagement1

celebrities
1

About the Creator

PressOn.

3x author | Detroit, MI

Reader insights

Be the first to share your insights about this piece.

How does it work?

Add your insights

Comments

There are no comments for this story

Be the first to respond and start the conversation.

Sign in to comment

    Find us on social media

    Miscellaneous links

    • Explore
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Support

    © 2024 Creatd, Inc. All Rights Reserved.