Imany
Musical artist
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Nadia Mladjao (born 5 April 1979), better known by her stage name Imany (/ˈɪməni/ IM-ə-nee), is a French pop-soul recording artist of Comorian descent. Her debut album, The Shape of a Broken Heart,[1] which was released in 2011, reached platinum status in France, Greece and triple platinum in Poland.
5 April 1979
Imany’s work frequently engages themes of resilience, emotional struggle, personal autonomy, and the search for meaning. Critics and interviewers note her emphasis on narrative clarity and emotional sincerity; she often describes her songwriting as a process rooted in storytelling and melodic exploration. Her performances are marked by a combination of vocal intensity and restrained acoustic accompaniment, a stylistic choice that underscores her preference for directness over ornamentation.[2]
Early life
Career
She became a model for Ford Models Europe. She went to the United States for seven years,[4][5] before coming back to France, when she started her singing career.[6][7][8]
In 2008, she began singing. She performed at the Beau Lounge, at the Réservoir, at the Bellevilloise, and at the China Club.
Imany’s first album, The Shape of a Broken Heart, which was named after a drawing she made with closed eyes,[9] contains twelve songs written in English.
Imany produced the soundtrack for the 2014 film French Women by Audrey Dana.[10]
In 2016 the Filatov & Karas remix of her song "Don't Be So Shy" became a Europe-wide hit, topping the charts in Austria, France, Germany, Poland and Russia.
Activism
Her public presence often merges artistic and social concerns. Performances and public commentary consistently situate her as a cultural figure attentive to questions of gender justice, lived experience, and emotional wellbeing—an alignment evident in later works such as her project Women Deserve Rage (2025), which explores themes of empowerment, anger, and self‑assertion through a feminist lens. Beyond her musical output, Imany is involved in health advocacy, particularly through her work with ENDOmind, an organization focused on raising awareness about endometriosis, a condition affecting millions of women worldwide. Her participation in this initiative reflects a broader engagement with issues of bodily autonomy, women’s health, and social visibility.[11]
Awards and nominations
| Award | Year | Nominee(s) | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Echo Music Prize | 2017 | Imany | Best International Newcomer | Nominated | [12] |
| Best International Female | Nominated | ||||
| "Don't Be So Shy" | Hit of the Year | Nominated |
Discography
Studio albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FRA [13] |
AUT [14] |
BEL (Fl) [15] |
BEL (Wa) [16] |
GER [17] |
ITA [18] |
POL [19] |
SWI [20] | ||||||
| The Shape of a Broken Heart |
|
19 | — | 55 | 47 | 47 | 10 | 4 | 36 | ||||
| The Wrong Kind of War |
|
7 | 23 | 49 | 19 | 19 | 40 [23] | 10 | 9 | ||||
| Voodoo Cello |
|
24 | — | — | 92 | 34 | — | 34 | 47 | ||||
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | |||||||||||||
Extended plays
| Title | EP details |
|---|---|
| Acoustic Sessions |
|
| There Were Tears |
|
| No Reason No Rhyme |
|
| Time Only Moves |
|
Soundtracks
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FRA [13] |
BEL (Wa) [16] |
POL [19] | |||
| Sous les jupes des filles (soundtrack - Imany and various artists) |
|
84 | 120 | 16 |
|
Singles
As lead artist
| Single | Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FRA [13] |
AUS [27] |
AUT [14] |
BEL (Wa) [28] |
GER [17] |
ITA [18] |
JPN [29] |
POL [30] |
RUS [31] |
SWI [32] | ||||
| "You Will Never Know" | 2011 | 26 | — | — | —[A] | — | 2 | — | 5 | 1 | — | The Shape of a Broken Heart | |
| "Please and Change" | — | — | — | — | — | — | 56 | — | — | — | |||
| "The Good the Bad & the Crazy" | 2014 | 79 | — | — | —[B] | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | Sous les jupes des filles soundtrack | |
| "Don't Be So Shy" (Filatov & Karas remix) |
2015 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 22 | — | 1 | 1 | 3 | The Wrong Kind of War | |
| "There Were Tears" | 2016 | 50 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 38 | — | — | ||
| "Silver Lining (Clap Your Hands)" | 38 | — | — | —[C] | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Nothing to Save" | 179 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "No Reason No Rhyme" | 2017 | 171 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Hey Little Sister" | 2019 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Time Only Moves | |
| "Wonderful Life (Stream Jockey Rework)" | 2021 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 19 | — | — | Voodoo Cello | |
| "The A Team" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Like a Prayer" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | |||||||||||||
