Luana (singer)

Luana
Birth name Stephanie Cea
Also known as Chéjah
Born Basel, Switzerland
Origin Italy
Genres Hip hop
Occupation(s)
Instruments
Years active 1983–present
Labels
  • Fun Key

Stephanie Cea better known by her stage names Luana and Chéjah, is a Swiss hip hop recording artist from Basel, Switzerland. She is one of Switzerland's foremost hip hop pioneers who started writing rhymes in 1983, when she first heard about the Rock Steady Crew. Luana became a member of the Zulu Nation movement, a social organization founded by New York hip hop artist Afrika Bambaataa. There she held the rank of a Zulu Queen, which is reserved for an elect number of outstanding musicians.

Luana debuted in 1990, on the first Swiss rap compilation album on vinyl, titled Fresh Stuff. Her performances were very known in the Coupole in Biel in the early 90s - when she was sharing the stage with groups like Duty Free, I AM, NTM, Lord Finesse, and Sens Unik, among many others. She opened up shows for De La Soul, Run DMC, Joe Cocker, 2Unlimited, N'Sync, TicTacToe and others. Most of her rhymes and songs are in English. Only on the compilation Wake Up (1993 - a drug prevention / awareness project which she started with her brother Umberto Cea and other MCs such as Kalmoo, JS One, Black Tiger and the Black brothers, among other artists from Basel-City. On the album Wake Up she was rapping in Swiss German dialect. The consequence of the Wake Up album is today's Youth cultural Festival called JUGENDKULTURFESTIVAL, that takes place every other summer in Basel ever since the Wake Up album was released.

Her debut studio album, titled Seriosistas (stylized SerioSistaS), was released in Switzerland in 1996. The album features guest appearances by Afrika Bambaataa, Cora E and Azania Steady. She worked with hip hop producers Higi Heilinger, Tom G!, DJ Ace and Mad Professor. She toured Switzerland with DJ Ace and DJ Def Cut. After that, Luana (converted to Christianity after visiting Prince Whipper Whip in Los Angeles) reinvented herself as Chéjah, producing a two-track-single titled "I Had a Dream / G.O.D.".

She sang at the Beach Club with Snap in 2013. Easter 2014 she sang at the Crazy for Jesus Camp in Disentis / Switzerland with Rapper VAS and Demetri Betts.

In Summer Luana tends to go to Lignano Sabbiadoro where she sings at the classy Playa Restaurant with the pianist and entertainer Sabino Dell'Aspro and Saxophonist Bruno Del Ben. She also sang there with different singers from Italian TV-Shows such as "Amici".

The producer Pearlbeatz is now producing an album with different female MCs where Luana will be featured as well.

Luana is finishing her own album at the moment. She also recorded one track with Oldschool legend Prince Whipper Whip from the movie Wild Style. Any support is welcome!!!

Next performance : 6th September 2014 - St. Johanns-Park with Black Tiger.

Basel, August 2014

Discography

Albums

Singles

References

    External links