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Right from the beginning Suela Mero’s life has been marked for distinction. Coming from a very well known family in Albania, Suela started singing and dancing at the age of five. By the time she got to kindergarten, she was already wooing classmates and teachers with her burgeoning talent. But Suela’s life has been marked as much by tragic circumstance as by her unwavering determination to sing. In June of 1982, Suela’s grandfather became the victim of a huge government plot in Albania. Life for Suela’s family took a decidedly Kafka-esque turn. Seemingly unable to withstand the torment that his family was now being subjected to, Suela’s suddenly outcast grandfather passed away of a stroke that same month. Adding to the disintegration of her family, the government forced Suela’s parents to get divorced shortly afterwards. The years that followed were a nightmare of cinematic proportions as members of Suela’s family became victims of many government attempts to destroy their reputations. Attempts were made on their lives. The government banished Suela and her father to a village near the Greek border called Mihan. She was only able to see her mother, in secret, once or twice a year. While in Mican, Suela began singing with the kids choir in the village. The conductor of the choir Nikollaq Milo became Suela’s mentor, promising her that one day she would become a famous singer. Singing daily with the choir from 7 to 14 years old, and drunk with the belief in her that Nick showed, Suela became determined to become a star. Those years of banishment in that remote village near the border became hugely influential throughout the rest of Suela’s life. By 1991, the political climate had cooled and Suela was able to return to Tirana, the capital of Albania. No longer in danger for their lives, Suela’s family was reunited. With her life seemingly peaceful again, for now, Suela put music aside in order to concentrate on finishing high school. In 1994, a two-year stint in Athens, Greece allowed Suela to hone her craft by holding court at local Karoake bars. Suela’s and career took another giant leap forward when she immigrated to Canada in 1996. Arriving under the umbrella of refugee status (a result of her previous political persecution), Suela spoke very little English and no French upon her arrival. Her only means of communication at this point was through music. She had to literally sing to survive, performing regularly at Greek “Bouzuki” clubs to make ends meet. In 1998, Suela returned to school, to study business at McGill University. While there she once again put her career on hold, while all the while learning valuable lessons that would soon become indispensible in dealing with the business aspect of the music industry. Her apprenticeship was taking on new and significant dimensions. Everything began to change for Suela in 2002. Literally pushed onto the stage by her friends, Suela competed in Canadian Idol and passed several auditions making it to the last 15. This remarkable accomplishment brought Suela’s childhood dream and her former mentor’s words back to the front of her consciousness: she was born to be a star. Dreams remain the product of hard and intense work, and Suela has put enormous time and energy into paying her dues. For three years following the Canadian Idol success, she sang regularly at weddings and other events, all the while writing and recording new material with her musician friend Nick A. This were moving steadily in the right direction, and there didn’t seem to be anything that could stand in Suela’s way. And then on New Year’s Eve, 2005, life threw another severe obstacle in Suela’s path. Coming home after the New Year’s evening’s celebrations, Suela was involved in a massive 35-car pile-up on the highway. The car Suela was in was the second car in the accident, right up at the front while dozens of cars continued to crash in behind it. The accident was so huge that it became a national news item within minutes. As if all the trauma of her previous life in Albania weren’t enough, Suela was now faced with the reality of being laid up in the hospital for a week, her body bruised, battered, and in a state of complete shock. Sitting in the hospital bed, something stirred inside of Suela. Questions began to form in her mind. Questions that most people never both to ask themselves. Questions like, “What am I doing with my life? What is stopping me from going full force ahead with my dream of making music?” It took a brush with death for Suela to realize what it meant for her to truly live. She had no choice. She had to live her dream. She needed to sing. Song ideas began bursting out of Suela. An unprecedented period of creativity followed. She began writing songs at a furious pace, began knocking on doors, and talking to industry people, who all recognized immediately her talent and her passion. That intangible quality that separates stars from the rest of us. In the days, weeks, months, and years following the accident, Suela has intensified her creative efforts. She is putting the finishing touches on her first EP. She has formed a tight band and put together a polished live show. She performs regularly around Montreal, DJ’s are requesting to remix her songs, she’s being promoted heavily on-line, making connections, and getting ready for the next step: finding a good manager and a dedicated record label. With the right support behind her, the final chapter of Suela’s dream can finally come true. Out of her struggle, something glamorous is emerging. The rest of us had better listen closely. ”