Minelli (Romanian singer)

Minelli
Minelli at the Artist Awards 2019
Born
Luisa Ionela Luca

22 August 1988
Slobozia, Romania
Occupations
Years active 2006–present
Musical career
Genres Dance-pop, House
Instrument(s) Vocals
Labels Global
Formerly of

Luisa Ionela Luca (born 22 August 1988), known professionally as Minelli, is a Romanian singer and songwriter. Upon being part of the girl group Wassabi from 2006 to 2009, she rose to fame with her 2019 single "Mariola", which topped the Romanian Airplay 100 chart. Subsequently, in 2021, "Rampampam" became a hit in multiple territories.

Life and career

Minelli was born as Luisa Ionela Luca on 22 August 1988, and began singing at the age of 11, when she formed a band in her hometown. In 2004, she moved to Bucharest, and between 2006 and 2009, she was a member of the band Wassabi. They attempted to represent Romania at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2007, submitting the songs "Crazy" with Morandi and "Do the Tango with Me" to that year's national final. After Wassabi disbanded, Minelli focused on her solo career and began working as a singer and songwriter.

In 2019, Minelli released her first number-one single in Romania, "Mariola", which topped the country's Airplay 100 ranking. 2021's "Rampampam" became a hit multiple regions such as Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Lithuania and Poland. For the week ending 28 August 2021, "Rampampam" reached number 139 on the Billboard's Global Excl. U.S. As a songwriter, Minelli's repertoire includes songs such as "Inimi de ceară" (2017) performed by Andra, "Touch Me" (2019) by Antonia and "Flashbacks" (2021) by Inna.

Personal life

Minelli met Lucian Luca in 2007 at a recording studio, and the two later married. In 2010, they became parents when Sarah Maria, their first child, was born. In 2017, Minelli gave birth to her second child, a boy named Filip.

Discography

Extended plays

List of extended plays, with details
Title Details
Nostalgic Illusions

Singles

As lead artist

List of singles as lead artist, with selected chart positions and certifications
Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album
ROM
BUL
CIS
CRO
CZR
GER
Dig.

HUN
LIT
POL
RUS
UKR
WW
Excl. US

"Și m-am îndrăgostit de tine"
(as part of Wassabi)
2007 36 Non-album
singles
"Hello Lonely Girl"
(as part of Wassabi)
2008 74
"Don't Go Baby"
(as part of Wassabi)
2009
"Dacă strig"
(as part of Mojo)
2013
"Empty Spaces" 2017
"My Heart"
"Mariola" 2019 1 171
"Loca"
(featuring Erik Frank)
2020
"Discoteka"
(with Inna)
62
"Rampampam" 2021 2 1 1 4 1 77 1 1 2 1 2 139
  • ZPAV: 3× Platinum
"Nothing Hurts" 10 8 3 35 10 4 70
  • ZPAV: Gold
"MMM" 2022 9 15 69 1 62 1 13 3
  • ZPAV: Gold
"Deep Sea"
(with R3hab)
11 65 5 14
"Get Get Down"
(with Crispie)
"Could Be Something" 23
"Peligrosa" 2023
"Think About U"
(with Sickotoy)
51
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

As featured artist

List of singles as featured artist, with selected chart positions
Title Year Peak chart positions Album
ROM
CIS
FRA
GER
"Portilla de Bobo"
(LoL Deejays vs. Minelli and Follow Your Instinct)
2013 52 Non-album
singles
"Soare din nori"
(Blitză featuring Minelli)
"Hump"
(Arnold Palmer featuring Minelli)
2015
"Murder the Dancefloor"
(Emrah Is featuring Follow Your Instinct and Minelli)
2016
"Love On Repeat"
(Dave Ramone featuring Minelli)
87
"My Mind"
(Vanotek featuring Minelli)
"În dormitor"
(Vanotek featuring Minelli)
58
"Summer Love"
(Dave Ramone featuring Minelli)
2017
"No Sleep"
(Vanotek featuring Minelli)
"Paradise"
(PAX Paradise Auxiliary featuring Minelli)
2019 63
"Addicted"
(Sickotoy featuring Minelli)
2 130
"Done"
(Pascal Junior featuring Minelli)
2020
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Uncredited vocals

List of singles with uncredited vocals, with selected chart positions
Title Year Peak chart positions Album
ROM
"Fire to My Heart"
(Marco & Seba)
2019 58 Non-album
singles
"Pa Mi"
(Gran Error featuring Spania '99)
64
"Jacket"
(PAX Paradise Auxiliary)
"Muzica e pentru toți"
(Vanotek or Irina Rimes and Vanotek)
"Dum Dum"
(Sickotoy and Ilkay Sencan)
2020 20
"F..k That"
(Bastard!)
24
"Scara 2, etajul 7"
(Carla's Dreams)
3
"You Lose"
(Bastard!)
2021
"Shukar"
(Gran Error)
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Promotional singles

List of promotional singles
Title Year Peak chart positions Album
CIS
CRO
RUS
"21 Reasons"
(as part of Wassabi featuring Matteo)
2006 Non-album
singles
"Haos" 2018
"Bo$$" 2019
"Separated" 2020
"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"
"Hola!"
(with Romanian House Mafia and Jade Shadi)
2021
"Party"
(with Inna and Romanian House Mafia)
"Heart Instructions" 2022
"Confused" 36 39 23
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Guest appearances

List of guest appearances
Title Year Album
"Reality & Dreams"
(Morandi featuring Lisa)
2007 N3XT

Songwriting credits

List of selected songwriting credits
Title Year Artist Album
"Dame Dame" 2012 Mandinga Club de Mandinga
"Sufletul zâmbea"
"Inima nu vrea" 2014 Horia Brenciu featuring Delia None
"NaNaNa" 2017 Alina Eremia 360
"Dream About the Ocean" Inna Nirvana
"Între noi nu mai e nimic" FreeStay featuring Andra None
"Inimi de ceară" Andra
"Magique" Carine
"Come Around" Soundland and Timebelle
"Magical place" 2018 DJ Sava featuring Iova
"Nu mai e" Ioana Ignat
"Touch Me" 2019 Antonia
"Fuego" Maria Ilieva
"Jacket" PAX Paradise Auxiliary
"Take Me" Vanotek featuring Myata
"You Don't Love Me" Sickotoy featuring Roxen
"Hurricane" Alessiah
"Como ¡Ay!" 2020 Antonia
"Escape" Roxen
"Waiting For" Alessiah
"Touché" Sickotoy and Misha Miller
"Slow Dance" Gran Error
"Storm" Roxen
"Göz Göze" Alper Erözer
"Love Me" Alessiah
"Maza Jaja" 2021 Inna Heartbreaker
"Flashbacks"
"One Reason"
"Beautiful Lie"
"Gucci Balenciaga"
"Sunset Dinner"
"You and I"
"Thicky"
"Till Forever"
"Call 911" Sickotoy and Maruv None
"Someone" Vanotek featuring Denitia
"Up" Inna with Sean Paul
"Lonely" 2022 Inna Champagne Problems
"Love Bizarre"
"Baby"
"Fire & Ice"
"Solo"
"Cryo"
"Millennium"
"Kumera"
"Don't Let Me Down"
"Tattoo" Eva Timush None