Nadia Mladjao (born 5 April 1979), better known by her stage name Imany ( ), is a French pop-soul recording artist of Comorian descent. Her debut album, The Shape of a Broken Heart, which was released in 2011, reached platinum status in France, Greece and triple platinum in Poland.
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.
Early life She was born in Martigues near Marseille, in a family from the Comoros in 1979. Her stage name, Imany (Imani) means faith in Swahili (from Arabic إيمان - imaan). As a youth, she was an athlete, doing high jump.
Career
She became a model for Ford Models Europe. She went to the United States for seven years, before coming back to France, when she started her singing career.Interview with France Today
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,Ten minutes with... Imany contains twelve songs written in English.
Imany produced the soundtrack for the 2014 film French Women by Audrey Dana.Imany signe la bande-son de Sous les Jupes des Filles
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.
Awards and nominations {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |- ! scope="col" | Award ! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" | Nominee(s) ! scope="col" | Category ! scope="col" | Result ! scope="col" class="unsortable"| |- !scope="row" rowspan=3| Echo Music Prize | rowspan=3|2017 | rowspan=2|Imany | Best International Newcomer | | rowspan=3|https://echopop-archiv.de/nominierte-und-gewinner/ |- | Best International Female
| "Don't Be So Shy" | Hit of the Year
Discography Studio albums + List of albums, with selected chart positions and certifications Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications FRA AUT BEL(Fl) BEL(Wa) GER ITA POLPeak chart positions for albums in Poland: "The Shape of a Broken Heart": "Sous les jupes des filles": "The Wrong Kind of War": "Voodoo Cello": SWI The Shape of a Broken Heart Released: 9 May 2011 Label: Think Zik! Formats: CD, digital download 19 — 55 47 47 10 4 36 FRA: Platinum ZPAV: 3× Platinum The Wrong Kind of War Released: 26 August 2016 Label: Think Zik! Formats: CD, digital download 7 23 49 19 19 40 10 9 FRA: Platinum ZPAV: Gold Voodoo Cello Released: 3 September 2021 Label: Think Zik! Formats: CD, digital download 24 — — 92 34 — 34 47 "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
Extended plays + List of EPs Title EP details Acoustic Sessions Released: 15 October 2010 Label: Think Zik! Formats: digital download There Were Tears Released: 26 April 2016 Label: Think Zik! Formats: CD, digital download No Reason No Rhyme Released: 14 April 2017 Label: Think Zik! Formats: digital download Time Only Moves Released: 25 October 2019 Label: Think Zik! Formats: CD, digital download
Soundtracks + List of albums, with selected chart positions and certifications Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications FRA BEL(Wa) POL Sous les jupes des filles (soundtrack - Imany and various artists) Released: 26 May 2014 Label: Think Zik! Formats: CD, digital download 84 120 16 ZPAV: Gold
Singles As lead artist + List of singles, with chart positions and certifications, showing year released and album name Single Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album FRA AUS AUT BEL(Wa) GER ITA JPN POLPeak chart positions for singles in Poland: "You Will Never Know": "Don't Be So Shy": "There Were Tears": "Wonderful Life (Stream Jockey Rework)": RUS SWI "You Will Never Know" 2011 26 — — — — 2 — 5 1 — FIMI: 2× Platinum The Shape of a Broken Heart "Please and Change" — — — — — — 56 — — — "The Good the Bad & the Crazy" 2014 79 — — — — — — — 1 — Sous les jupes des filles soundtrack "Don't Be So Shy" 2015 1 9 1 3 1 22 — 1 1 3 ARIA: Platinum BEA: Gold BVMI: Diamond FIMI: 3× Platinum IFPI AUT: Gold IFPI SWI: 2× Platinum ZPAV: Diamond The Wrong Kind of War "There Were Tears" 2016 50 — — — — — — 38 — — "Silver Lining (Clap Your Hands)" 38 — — — — — — — — — "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.
As featured artist Single Year Peak chart positions Album FRA BEL(Wa) "Le mystère féminin" 2013 120 — Dernier MC
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