Eli Fara (; born 21 May 1967) is an Albanian singer. Prior to 2000, she was awarded the Merited Artist of Albania by the Government of Albania.

Life and career

Fara was born on 21 May 1968 into an Albanian family of Aromanian descent in the city of

Korçë Korçë (; sq-definite, Korça) is the eighth most populous city of the Republic of Albania and the seat of Korçë County and Korçë Municipality. The total population is 75,994 (2011 census), in a total area of . It stands on a plateau some ...

, then part of the People's Socialist Republic, present

Albania Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea and shares ...

. She first came to prominence as a performer of the urban folk songs of her home region. In 1988, she was invited to appear at the National Folklore Festival in

Gjirokastër Gjirokastër (, sq-definite, Gjirokastra) is a city in the Republic of Albania and the seat of Gjirokastër County and Gjirokastër Municipality. It is located in a valley between the Gjerë mountains and the Drino, at 300 metres above sea le ...

. Albania had no record industry to speak of prior to the

fall of Communism The Revolutions of 1989, also known as the Fall of Communism, was a revolutionary wave that resulted in the end of most communist states in the world. Sometimes this revolutionary wave is also called the Fall of Nations or the Autumn of Natio ...

and as late as 1993 it was still only possible to buy cassette albums by a handful of artists - one of whom was Eli Fara. She has spent much of the intervening period overseas but has remained very popular in her native country. In recent years she has recorded more modern music although she still sings some of the folk songs from Korçë that first brought her to the attention of the Albanian public. In 2012, Fara was a finalist at Kënga Magjike (The Magic song) with "Romale", a song mixed with various genres.Lista e plotë e finalistëve të Kënga Magjike 2012
(Albanian)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fara, Eli 1967 births Living people People from Korçë Merited Artists of Albania Albanian-language singers Albanian people of Aromanian descent Aromanian musicians 21st-century Albanian women singers Festivali i Këngës contestants Albanian pop musicians 20th-century Albanian women singers