Stella Nyambura Mwangi (born 1 September 1986)[1] is a Kenyan-Norwegian singer, rapper, and songwriter.[2] Her work has been used in films such as American Pie Presents: The Naked Mile and Save the Last Dance 2, and also in TV-series such as CSI: NY, Scrubs and Survival of The Thickest.[3] In Norway, she won the Melodi Grand Prix 2011, and in that same year represented Norway at the Eurovision Song Contest 2011 in Düsseldorf, Germany.

Stella Mwangi
Stella Mwangi at a video shoot in Nairobi, June 2012
Stella Mwangi at a video shoot in Nairobi, June 2012
Background information
Birth nameStella Nyambura Mwangi
Also known asStella, STL
Born (1986-09-01) 1 September 1986 (age 38)
Nairobi, Kenya
OriginEidsvoll, Norway
GenresPop, hip hop, dance, trap, electro house
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • rapper
Years active2007 - present
Labels
Websitestellamwangi.com

Early and personal life

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Stella was born in Murang'a in the Central Province of Kenya in 1986 and spent her first 5 years there before her family moved to Eidsvoll in Norway in 1991.[4] She started to practice playing music when she was eight years old. She also plays the piano. Her father made sure she and her siblings learned the Gikuyu language and Swahili even far away from home. He used cultural music and poetry to teach them the languages and this inspired Stella's music and her connection to the Kenyan culture.[5]

Mwangi's father was killed in a hit-and-run accident in February 2012.[6]

Eurovision Song Contest 2011

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In 2011, Mwangi participated in the Norwegian national selection Melodi Grand Prix 2011 to represent Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest 2011, which was held in Düsseldorf, Germany. On 12 February 2011, Mwangi emerged as the winner.

On 10 May, she represented Norway at the Eurovision Song Contest with the song "Haba Haba"[7] but failed to qualify for the Eurovision final, despite being one of the big favourites of the contest.[8]

Mwangi first topped the official singles chart in Norway in week 6, 2011 with her winning song "Haba Haba".[9]

Melodi Grand Prix 2018

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Stella competed in the Melodi Grand Prix for the chance to represent Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest 2018 along with Alexandra Rotan with the song You Got Me. They placed third overall.

Discography

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Albums

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Album title Album details Peak chart positions
NOR
[10]
Living for Music
Kinanda
  • Released: 10 June 2011
  • Label: EMI Norway
  • Formats: Digital download, streaming
15
Eyes Off Me
  • Released: 9 September 2021
  • Label: Recurrent Records / Position Music
  • Formats: Digital download, streaming
Icon
  • Released: 16 June 2022
  • Label: Choicetracks Inc. / Position Music
  • Formats: Digital download, streaming
"—" denotes an album that did not chart or was not released.

Extended plays

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Title Details
Stella Mwangi
No Games
  • Released: 19 August 2019
  • Label: Recurrent Records / Position Music
  • Formats: Digital download, streaming

Singles

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Year Title Peak chart positions Album or EP
NOR
[10]
ZAF
[11]
"Take It Back" 2007 Living for Music
"The Dreamer" 2008
"Makelele Remix"
"Smile" 2010
"Haba Haba" 2011 1 4 Kinanda
"Lookie Lookie"
"Take My Time"
(featuring Mohombi)
"Hula Hoop"
"Bad As I Wanna Be" 2012 Non-album singles
"Shut It Down" 2013
"Bouncer Ræva" 2014
"Stella Stella Stella" 2014
"Koolio"
"Biashara"
(featuring Kristoff and Khaligraph Jones)
"Chukua Hatua" 2015
"Obe Baba"
(featuring Raj Okemwa)
"Identifyourself" 2016
"Big Girl" Stella Mwangi
"Ready to Pop" 2017 Non-album singles
"Kuchizi"
"Not Your Ordinary" 2018 No Games
"You Got Me"
(with Alexandra Rotan)
Non-album singles
"10 Toes"
"F.I.L."
(with Alexandra Rotan)
"Repeat" No Games
"So What" 2019
"Number 1"
(with Victoria Kimani)
Non-album singles
"Ma Itù"
"In the Spot"
(with JS16)
2020
"Long Way Coming"
(with Aaron Salovaara)
"Eyes Off Me" 2021 Eyes Off Me
"Watch"
(with Valorant)
Non-album single
"Naughty" Eyes Off Me
"Icon" 2022 Icon
"I Do What I Want"
"Talk That Talk" 2024 Non-album single
"—" denotes a single that did not chart or was not released.

References

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  1. ^ STL MUSIC Stella Nyambura Mwangi. Brønnøysund Register Centre
  2. ^ "Den beste rapperen jeg har hørt – NRK – Østlandssendingen". Nrk.no. 21 February 2008. Retrieved 13 April 2014.
  3. ^ "Sweetslyrics - Stella Mwangi biography". Archived from the original on 17 April 2011. Retrieved 5 February 2011.
  4. ^ Stella Mwangi: – Nå føler jeg meg fri
  5. ^ [1] Exclusive Interview With Stella Mwangi – A Few Things You Did Not Know About Her at the Wayback Machine (archived 4 July 2012)
  6. ^ "Stella Mwangis pappa påkjørt og drept" (in Norwegian). 1 February 2012. Retrieved 11 February 2012.
  7. ^ Storvik-Green, Simon. "Stella Mwangi victorious in Norway". European Broadcasting Union. Retrieved 12 February 2011.
  8. ^ "Hva skjer med Stella nå? – Kjendis". Kjendis.no. 11 May 2011. Retrieved 13 April 2014.
  9. ^ "VG-lista – Topp 20 Single uke 6, 2011". Lista.vg.no. 1 January 1970. Archived from the original on 10 July 2012. Retrieved 13 April 2014.
  10. ^ a b "Discography Stella Mwangi". Norwegian Charts Portal. Hung Medien.
  11. ^ [2] Archived 26 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine
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Awards and achievements
Preceded by Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest
2011
Succeeded by