Ilona is a singer-songwriter born and raised in Bogotá

Bogotá

Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...

, Colombia

Colombia

Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...

. Her beginnings in music were through presentations on the public transport bus service

Public transport bus service

Bus services play a major role in the provision of public transport. These services can take many forms, varying in distance covered and types of vehicle used, and can operate with fixed or flexible routes and schedules...

 in Bogotá when she was 15 years old, and her surprised audience gave her money. Ilona played with her guitar on public places and eventually established a band with a bassist and a drummer with whom he performed regularly in bars in the city. At 24, Ilona released her first studio album

Studio album

A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...

 entitled Desde Mi Ventana ("From My Window"), produced by Cachorro López

Cachorro López

Gerardo López , known professionally as Cachorro López, is an Argentine record producer, musician and songwriter. Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, he enrolled in various musical ensembles, including Zas and Los Abuelos de la Nada...

, gaining momentum, and receiving a Latin Grammy Award nomination for Best New Artist

Latin Grammy Award for Best New Artist

The Latin Grammy Award for Best New Artist is an honor presented annually at the Latin Grammy Awards, a ceremony that recognizes excellence and creates a wider awareness of cultural diversity and contributions of Latin recording artists, nationally and internationally...

. Her debut album sold 15,000 units in Colombia earning the singer a Gold album certification. Ilona caught the attention of Argentine musician León Gieco

León Gieco

Raúl Alberto Antonio Gieco, better known as León Gieco is a pop-folk music composer and interpreter. He is known for mixing popular folkloric genres with Argentine rock, and for lyrics with social and political connotations...

 and agreed to do a duet with her on the song "En La Zona". English boy band

Boy band

A boy band is loosely defined as a popular music act consisting of only male singers. The members are expected to dance as well as sing, usually giving highly choreographed performances. More often than not, boy band members do not play musical instruments, either in recording sessions or on...

 Blue also recorded with Ilona the song "One Love

One Love (Blue song)

"One Love" is the lead single from English boy band Blue's second studio album, One Love . It reached number three on the UK Singles Chart. The music video was shot in Los Angeles in July 2002...

".

In 2004, American singer Soraya

Soraya (musician)

Soraya was an American singer/songwriter, guitarist, arranger and record producer.A successful Colombian music star, she had two number-one songs on Billboard's Latin Pop Airplay charts...

 during her promotional tour in Chile, sponsored Ilona, who was visiting the country on a promotional plan on radio stations and newspapers. Upon learning of her presence in Chile, Soraya invite her as the opening act

Opening act

An opening act or warm-up act is an entertainer or entertainment act that performs at a concert before the featured entertainer...

 of her concert at the Teatro Providencia. Three years later, Ilona released her second album, Allá En El Sur

Allá en el sur

Allá En El Sur is the second studio album released by Colombian singer-songwriter Ilona on February 12, 2008. The album received a nomination for a Latin Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Album at the 8th Latin Grammy Awards, losing to Yo Canto by Italian performer Laura...

, a 'rock' focused album produced by Benny Faccone. The album was nominated for a Latin Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Album

Latin Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album, Female

The Latin Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Album is an honor presented annually at the Latin Grammy Awards, a ceremony that recognizes excellence and creates a wider awareness of cultural diversity and contributions of Latin recording artists, in the United States and internationally...

 at the 8th Latin Grammy Awards

Latin Grammy Awards of 2007

The 8th Annual Latin Grammy Awards took place on November 8, 2007 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.The show aired on Univision. Juan Luis Guerra was the nights big winner winning 5 awards including Album of the Year...

, losing to Yo Canto

Io canto

Io canto is the ninth studio album by Italian singer–songwriter Laura Pausini, released by Warner Music on 10 November 2006. On 14 November, Warner Music released Io cantos Spanish language edition, Yo canto, for the hispanophone market. Yo canto–Io canto is a limited edition double album...

by Italian performer Laura Pausini

Laura Pausini

Laura Pausini, is a Grammy Award-winning Italian soul singer-songwriter. She debuted in 1993, winning the newcomer artists' section of the 43rd Sanremo Music Festival with the song "La solitudine", which became an Italian standard and an international hit, reaching the top spot on the Italian...

. Ilona acknowledges as an influence to her music the work of Ella Fitzgerald

Ella Fitzgerald

Ella Jane Fitzgerald , also known as the "First Lady of Song" and "Lady Ella," was an American jazz and song vocalist...

, Tracy Chapman

Tracy Chapman

Tracy Chapman is an American singer-songwriter, best known for her singles "Fast Car", "Talkin' 'bout a Revolution", "Baby Can I Hold You", "Give Me One Reason" and "Telling Stories". She is a multi-platinum and four-time Grammy Award-winning artist.-Biography:Tracy Chapman was born in Cleveland,...

, Norah Jones

Norah Jones

Norah Jones is an American singer-songwriter and occasional actress.In 2002, she launched her solo music career with the release of the commercially successful and critically acclaimed album Come Away With Me, which was certified a diamond album in 2002, selling over 20 million copies...

, John Mayer

John Mayer

John Clayton Mayer is an American pop rock and blues rock musician, singer-songwriter, recording artist, and music producer. Born in Bridgeport, Connecticut and raised in Fairfield, Connecticut, he attended Berklee College of Music in Boston. He moved to Atlanta in 1997, where he refined his...

, Alanis Morissette

Alanis Morissette

Alanis Nadine Morissette is a Canadian-American singer-songwriter, guitarist, record producer, and actress. She has won 16 Juno Awards and seven Grammy Awards, was nominated for two Golden Globe Awards and also shortlisted for an Academy Award nomination...

 and Sting.