Music of Kosovo is music that originates from
Kosovo
Kosovo ( sq, Kosova or ; sr-Cyrl, Косово ), officially the Republic of Kosovo ( sq, Republika e Kosovës, links=no; sr, Република Косово, Republika Kosovo, links=no), is a partially recognised state in Southeast Euro ...
, a country in the
Balkans
The Balkans ( ), also known as the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throughout the who ...
. Kosovo's population is mainly
Kosovo Albanians
The Albanians of Kosovo ( sq, Shqiptarët e Kosovës, ), also commonly called Kosovo Albanians, Kosovar/Kosovan Albanians or Kosovars/Kosovans, constitute the largest ethnic group in Kosovo.
Kosovo Albanians belong to the ethnic Albanian sub-gr ...
, also known as Kosovars, and there are various
minority ethnic groups as well. Kosovan music is closely related to that of neighbouring
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 ...
, as well as to that of countries in the former
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia (; sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Jugoslavija, Југославија ; sl, Jugoslavija ; mk, Југославија ;; rup, Iugoslavia; hu, Jugoszlávia; rue, label=Pannonian Rusyn, Югославия, translit=Juhoslavija ...
.
Throughout its history, Kosovan music has played an important cultural role and also a significant part of the Kosovan national identity, drawing its artistic basis from the ancient and traditional
folk music
Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has b ...
(with distinctive instrumentation of Albania),
rhapsody, and
classical music. In recent times, Kosovo has seen the rise of
popular music
Popular music is music with wide appeal that is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. These forms and styles can be enjoyed and performed by people with little or no musical training.Popular Music. (2015). ''Fu ...
.
Popular music dominates the Kosovan music market, although classical music and folk music remain vibrant. Kosovan musicians have reconstructed traditions that were suppressed while the country was under Yugoslav rule.
Mainstream music in Kosovo is based on
Western
Western may refer to:
Places
*Western, Nebraska, a village in the US
*Western, New York, a town in the US
*Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia
*Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia
*Western world, countries that id ...
trends, and popular genres include
pop,
rock
Rock most often refers to:
* Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids
* Rock music, a genre of popular music
Rock or Rocks may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
,
hip hop,
electronic
Electronic may refer to:
*Electronics, the science of how to control electric energy in semiconductor
* ''Electronics'' (magazine), a defunct American trade journal
*Electronic storage, the storage of data using an electronic device
*Electronic co ...
, and
jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...
.
Folk music
In the past,
epic poetry
An epic poem, or simply an epic, is a lengthy narrative poem typically about the extraordinary deeds of extraordinary characters who, in dealings with gods or other superhuman forces, gave shape to the mortal universe for their descendants.
...
in Kosovo and northern Albania was sung on a lahuta (a one-string fiddle) and then a more tuneful çiftelia was used which has two strings-one for the melody and one for drone.
Cultural anthropology researches revealed the antiquity of this tradition and how was it developed in parallel with other traditional music in the
Balkans
The Balkans ( ), also known as the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throughout the who ...
, while various archaeologists discovered finds dating back to the 5th Century B.C. such as stone paintings depicting musicians with instruments, notably the portrait of "Pani" holding an
aerophone similar to flute.
Traditional music
Kosovo Albanian music
It is characterized by use of ''
çiftelia'' (an authentic Albanian instrument), ''
mandolin'', ''mandola'' and ''percussion''. The most notable Albanian rock bands are:
Gjurmët, Asgjë Sikur Dielli - Jazz Drummer,
Ilir Bajri is a notable
jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...
and
electronic
Electronic may refer to:
*Electronics, the science of how to control electric energy in semiconductor
* ''Electronics'' (magazine), a defunct American trade journal
*Electronic storage, the storage of data using an electronic device
*Electronic co ...
musician.
Ledri Vula,
Rita Ora
Rita Sahatçiu Ora (born Rita Sahatçiu; 26 November 1990) is a British singer and songwriter. She rose to prominence in February 2012 when she featured on DJ Fresh's single, "Hot Right Now", which reached number one in the UK. Her debut stud ...
,
Era Istrefi
Era Istrefi (; ; born 4 July 1994) is a Kosovo-Albanian singer. Born and raised in Pristina, Istrefi rose to significant international recognition with the breakthrough single "BonBon", which experienced commercial success worldwide and receive ...
,
Dua Lipa,
Regard ,
Dhurata Dora
Dhurata Dora (; née Dhurata Murturi, born 24 December 1992) is a Kosovo-Albanian singer.
Life and career
Dhurata Murturi was born into an Albanian family in the city of Nuremberg in Bavaria, Germany. She went to elementary school in the to ...
,
Nora Istrefi,
Majk (rapper)
Kastriot Rexha (; born 27 November 1989), known professionally as Majk or Dr. Mic, is a Kosovo-Albanian rapper.
Life and career
1989–2005: Early life and career beginnings
Kastriot Rexha was born on 27 November 1989 into an Albanian fam ...
,
Genta Ismajli,
Rona Nishliu
Rona Nishliu (born 25 August 1986) is a Kosovo-Albanian singer and songwriter. She came to international prominence after representing Albania in the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 in Baku, Azerbaijan, where she placed fifth and achieved the best ...
,
Vedat Ademi
Vedat Ademi (born 22 August 1982) is an Albanian singer-songwriter. He made his début in 2007 with "Më mashtruan sytë" at the 4th edition of Top Fest. However, he made the national breakthrough in 2011, after releasing his album ''Koha s'kth ...
and
Adelina Ismajli are some of the most popular commercial singers in Kosovo today.
Tallava
Tallava or Talava is a music genre originating from Albanian-speaking communities in Kosovo as well as in North Macedonia, with a presence in Albania. Having originated in the Roma community in Kosovo in the 1990s, it evokes regional Balkan musi ...
is a minority music genre from
Kosovo
Kosovo ( sq, Kosova or ; sr-Cyrl, Косово ), officially the Republic of Kosovo ( sq, Republika e Kosovës, links=no; sr, Република Косово, Republika Kosovo, links=no), is a partially recognised state in Southeast Euro ...
, also popular in
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 ...
and the
Republic of North Macedonia
North Macedonia, ; sq, Maqedonia e Veriut, (Macedonia before February 2019), officially the Republic of North Macedonia,, is a country in Southeast Europe. It gained independence in 1991 as one of the successor states of Yugoslavia. It ...
, in the Albanian-speaking communities.
Having originated in the Roma community in Kosovo in the 1990s, it is oriental-sounding, and perceived of as low-status. Nevertheless, it is becoming increasingly popular in Albania and North Macedonia. It is identified as part of the wider
Pop-folk
Turbo-folk (sometimes referred as pop-folk or popular folk) is subgenre of contemporary pop music with its origins in Serbia, that initially developed during the 1980s and 1990s, with similar music styles in Bulgaria ( chalga), Romania ( mane ...
genre of the
Southeastern Europe
Southeast Europe or Southeastern Europe (SEE) is a geographical subregion of Europe, consisting primarily of the Balkans. Sovereign states and territories that are included in the region are Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia (a ...
, which includes
Chalga
Chalga (; often referred to as pop-folk, short for "popular folk" or ethno-pop, short for "ethnic pop") is a Bulgarian music genre. Chalga or pop-folk is essentially a folk-inspired dance music genre, with a blend of Bulgarian music (Bulgarian e ...
from Bulgaria,
Skiladiko
Skiladiko or Skyladiko , ( gr, Σκυλάδικο), is a derogatory term to describe a branch of laiko music and some of the current nightclubs in Greece in which this music is performed. It also refers to the so-called "decadent" form of laiko ...
from Greece,
Manele
Manele (from Romanian, ''fem.'' ''sg.'' manea; ''pl.'' manele, the plural form being more common) is a genre of pop folk music from Romania.
The manele can be divided into "classical manele" and "modern manele". The "classical manele" are a Tu ...
from Romania and
Turbo-folk
Turbo-folk (sometimes referred as pop-folk or popular folk) is subgenre of contemporary pop music with its origins in Serbia, that initially developed during the 1980s and 1990s, with similar music styles in Bulgaria (chalga), Romania (manele ...
from Serbia.
Kosovo Serb music
Serbian
music in Kosovo today represents a minority group and is a mixture of traditional music (which is part of the wider Balkan tradition) with its own distinctive sound and various Turkish influences.
Some of
Serbian traditional dance kolo
Kolo may refer to:
Places Poland
*Koło
*Koło, Łódź Voivodeship
* Koło, Lublin Voivodeship
* Koło, Lubusz Voivodeship
Other places
* Kolo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Kolo, Central African Republic
* Kolo (Tanzanian ward), Kondoa district, Dod ...
originated from Kosovo. Serb songs from Kosovo were an inspiration for 12th song wreath (
sr. Руковет) by composer
Stevan Mokranjac, who is often called “father of Serbian music”. Most of Serbian music from Kosovo was dominated by church music, with its own share of sung
epic poetry
An epic poem, or simply an epic, is a lengthy narrative poem typically about the extraordinary deeds of extraordinary characters who, in dealings with gods or other superhuman forces, gave shape to the mortal universe for their descendants.
...
.
[ Oral epic poetry and folk songs cultivated the ]Kosovo Myth
The Kosovo Myth ( sr, Косовски мит / ''Kosovski mit''), also known as the Kosovo Cult and the Kosovo Legend, is a Serbian national myth based on legends about events related to the Battle of Kosovo (1389). It has been a subject in Ser ...
. Many epic poems are about events related to the Battle of Kosovo, which is important to Serbian history, tradition and national identity
National identity is a person's identity or sense of belonging to one or more states or to one or more nations. It is the sense of "a nation as a cohesive whole, as represented by distinctive traditions, culture, and language". National identity ...
. Serbian national instrument Gusle was also used by their minority in Kosovo.
Jordan Nikolić, Viktorija, Sejo Kalač, Đani, Jana, Tina Ivanović, Slađa Delibašić, Rasta, Nevena Božović
Nevena Ivanović (; sr-cyr, Невена Ивановић, ; , ; born 15 June 1994) is a Serbian singer and songwriter. She made her singing debut by representing Serbia at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2007 with song "Piši mi", placing ...
are some of the most popular Kosovo Serb commercial singers.
Rock music
While rock music in Kosovo has always been Western oriented, Yugoslavian influence became also evident to a minor extent but it was short-lived. One of the first popular Albanian rock bands was called ''Blue Star'' which formed in 1964 in Pristina and later it was renamed to ''Modestët''. In the beginning of the 1970s, the rock music scene in Mitrovica, Kosovo
Kosovo ( sq, Kosova or ; sr-Cyrl, Косово ), officially the Republic of Kosovo ( sq, Republika e Kosovës, links=no; sr, Република Косово, Republika Kosovo, links=no), is a partially recognised state in Southeast Euro ...
(then Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia (; sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Jugoslavija, Југославија ; sl, Jugoslavija ; mk, Југославија ;; rup, Iugoslavia; hu, Jugoszlávia; rue, label=Pannonian Rusyn, Югославия, translit=Juhoslavija ...
) comprised both Albanian and Serbian bands, though each had their own separate audience and performed in their own languages. However, there was a band called MAK which had both Albanian and Serbian musicians, and another bi-ethnic band was FAN also based in Mitrovica, but their collaboration was short-lived as well.
Pristina was the most important city for Albanian rock music during the 1980s. In the mainstream circles Gjurmët (founded 1981) were among favorites. Their combination of rock with " muzikë qytetare" laid the foundation of Albanian rock. Other known bands that formed during this period were Ilirët, 403, Telex, Seleksioni 039, Minatori and Menkis. On the other hand, the underground music was more leaning towards punk
Punk or punks may refer to:
Genres, subculture, and related aspects
* Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres
* Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock, or aspects of the subculture s ...
. Most notable underground rock/punk band of Pristina in the 1980s was Lindja with its lead musician Luan Osmani (lead guitar). The beginning of the 1990s introduced other rock bands and individuals that played mainly in Kosovo like Troja, Dardan Shkreli, Blla blla blla and Elita 5 (from North Macedonia).
During the parallel governance (1989–1999) and after the 1999 war
War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regular o ...
in Kosovo, several new Kosovo-Albanian bands emerged, among which most famous are Diadema, KEK (''Kreativ e jo Komercial'' – English: creative and not commercial), 7me7, The Hithat, Cute Babulja, Por-no, Gre3n, Retrovizorja.
After 2004 many alternative rock band appeared forming a new wave. Many bands formed, dissolved than re-formed. Bands like Votra, Gillespie, The Bloody Foreigners, and Gre3n (ceased existing in 2008). Also the Glasses, the Dizzies (with some band members of Gillespie) The Freelancers most of them debuting in 2009.
Music abroad
Musicians
The contemporary pop stars Rita Ora
Rita Sahatçiu Ora (born Rita Sahatçiu; 26 November 1990) is a British singer and songwriter. She rose to prominence in February 2012 when she featured on DJ Fresh's single, "Hot Right Now", which reached number one in the UK. Her debut stud ...
and Dua Lipa are ethnic Albanians from Pristina and have achieved an international recognition for their music. Also Era Istrefi
Era Istrefi (; ; born 4 July 1994) is a Kosovo-Albanian singer. Born and raised in Pristina, Istrefi rose to significant international recognition with the breakthrough single "BonBon", which experienced commercial success worldwide and receive ...
had an international breakthrough with her song " BonBon", which charted globally, and was featured on 2018 FIFA World Cup anthem " Live It Up". Another widely recognized musicians are :de:Ardita Statovci and Petrit Çeku, both winners of prestigious music awards. Gjon's Tears
Gjon Muharremaj (; born 29 June 1998), known professionally as Gjon's Tears, is a Swiss singer and songwriter. He was scheduled to represent Switzerland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 with the song " Répondez-moi" prior to the event's ca ...
a Swiss singer and songwriter of Kosovar-Albanian descent, who auditioned for the eighth season of the French singing competition ''The Voice: la plus belle voix'' and reached the semi-finals, as well as who will represent Switzerland at the Eurovision Song Contest 2021
The Eurovision Song Contest 2021 was the 65th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. It took place in Rotterdam, Netherlands, following the country's win at the with the song " Arcade" by Duncan Laurence. The Netherlands was set to host the ...
.
Eurovision
SAP Kosovo
The Socialist Autonomous Province of Kosovo, sh-Latn-Cyrl, Socijalistička Autonomna Pokrajina Kosovo, Социјалистичка Аутономна Покрајина Косово, separator=" / ", sq, Krahina Socialiste Autonome e Kosovë ...
was represented by RTV Priština at the ''Jugovizija Jugovizija, Cyrillic: Југовизија, English: Yugovision, was the Yugoslav national final to select their entry for the Eurovision Song Contest, organized by the Yugoslav broadcaster Yugoslav Radio Television (JRT) and its subnational publ ...
'', the national pre-selection of Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia (; sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Jugoslavija, Југославија ; sl, Jugoslavija ; mk, Југославија ;; rup, Iugoslavia; hu, Jugoszlávia; rue, label=Pannonian Rusyn, Югославия, translit=Juhoslavija ...
, but their entry has never won. '' Jugovizija 1986'' was organised by RTV Priština. Before 2008 Kosovo declaration of independence, Viktorija a singer from Vučitrn
Vushtrri ( sq-definite, Vushtrria) or Vučitrn ( sr-Cyrl, Вучитрн), is a city and municipality located in the Mitrovica District in northern Kosovo. According to the 2011 census, the town of Vushtrri has 26,964 inhabitants, while the m ...
represented Yugoslavia as part of Aska in 1982 and Nevena Božović
Nevena Ivanović (; sr-cyr, Невена Ивановић, ; , ; born 15 June 1994) is a Serbian singer and songwriter. She made her singing debut by representing Serbia at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2007 with song "Piši mi", placing ...
from Mitrovica represented Serbia in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2007
The Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2007 was the fifth edition of the annual Junior Eurovision Song Contest. It was held in the Ahoy indoor sporting arena in Rotterdam, the Netherlands on 8 December. The host country was chosen by the European Bro ...
.
Kosovo's national public service broadcaster, Radio Television of Kosovo
Radio Television of Kosovo (RTK; sq, Radio Televizioni i Kosovës, sr, Радио Телевизија Косова / ''Radio Televizija Kosova'') is the public service broadcaster in Kosovo. RTK operates two radio services broadcasting a div ...
(RTK), has attempted to attain European Broadcasting Union (EBU) membership. The broadcaster had applied to enter Kosovo for the Eurovision Song Contest 2009
The Eurovision Song Contest 2009 was the 54th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. It took place in Moscow, Russia, following the country's victory at the with the song "Believe" by Dima Bilan. Organised by the European Broadcasting Union (E ...
and Kosovo would have made its Eurovision Song Contest debut in 2011 if it joined the EBU. However, RTK is ineligible to become a full EBU member as it is not part of the International Telecommunication Union
The International Telecommunication Union is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for many matters related to information and communication technologies. It was established on 17 May 1865 as the International Telegraph Unio ...
due to Kosovo not being a United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmoniz ...
members state.
From 2013 on, RTK has observer status within the EBU and did participate in the Eurovision Young Dancers 2011
The Eurovision Young Dancers 2011 was the twelfth edition of the Eurovision Young Dancers, held at the Dance House in Oslo, Norway on 24 June 2011. Organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and host broadcaster the Norwegian Broadcastin ...
. According to the Kosovar newspaper '' Koha Ditore'', a future entry would be selected via a national final called ''Akordet e Kosovës'', a former pop show that had been taken off the air some years ago.
Kosovo Albanian
The Albanians of Kosovo ( sq, Shqiptarët e Kosovës, ), also commonly called Kosovo Albanians, Kosovar/Kosovan Albanians or Kosovars/Kosovans, constitute the largest ethnic group in Kosovo.
Kosovo Albanians belong to the ethnic Albanian sub-gr ...
artists have competed at the Festivali i Këngës
Festivali i Këngës (; ), also referred to as simply FiK, is an annual music competition in Albania organised by the national broadcaster Radio Televizioni Shqiptar (RTSH). Broadcast every year since its inauguration in 1962, it has also deter ...
since the 80s and have represented Albania in several occasions. The Kosovar singer, Rona Nishliu
Rona Nishliu (born 25 August 1986) is a Kosovo-Albanian singer and songwriter. She came to international prominence after representing Albania in the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 in Baku, Azerbaijan, where she placed fifth and achieved the best ...
, represented Albania with "Suus
"Suus" (; or His own) is a song by Kosovo-Albanian singer and songwriter Rona Nishliu. It was released as part of a CD compilation on 4 May 2012 by Universal Music. The song was written by the singer herself and composed by Florent Boshnjaku. ...
" and placed 5th in the grand final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2012
The Eurovision Song Contest 2012 was the 57th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. It took place in Baku, Azerbaijan, following the country's victory at the with the song " Running Scared" by the duo Ell & Nikki. It was the first time Azerb ...
, whereas Lindita Halimi
Lindita Halimi (born 24 March 1989), commonly known as simply Lindita, is a Kosovo-Albanian singer and songwriter. She rose to fame after winning the sixth edition of Top Fest with "Ëndërroja" (I dreamed) in 2009.
In 2016, she participated in ...
represented Albania in 2017
File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a s ...
with "World
In its most general sense, the term "world" refers to the totality of entities, to the whole of reality or to everything that is. The nature of the world has been conceptualized differently in different fields. Some conceptions see the worl ...
". Additionally, Elhaida Dani's song I'm Alive which represented Albania in the Eurovision Song Contest 2015
The Eurovision Song Contest 2015 was the 60th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. It took place in Vienna, Austria, following the country's victory at the with the song "Rise Like a Phoenix" by Conchita Wurst. Organised by the European Broa ...
, was written and produced by Zzap & Chriss, both Kosovo Albanian record producers and songwriters.
Some singers, especially Kosovo Serbs
Kosovo Serbs are one of the ethnic groups of Kosovo. There are around 100,000 Kosovo Serbs as of 2014 and about half of them live in North Kosovo. Other Serb communities live in southern Kosovo. After Albanians, they form the largest ethnic com ...
, participate in Serbian national selection organised by RTS
RTS may refer to:
Medicine
* Rape trauma syndrome, the psychological trauma experienced by a rape victim
* Revised Trauma Score, a system to evaluate injuries secondary to violent trauma
* Rubinstein–Taybi syndrome, a condition characterized by ...
. Nevena Božović also represented Serbia
Serbia (, ; Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin and the Balkans. It shares land borders with Hungar ...
as a member of Moje 3
Moje 3 ( sr-cyr, Моје 3; English: ''My 3'') was a Serbian girl group consisting of Mirna Radulović, Nevena Božović and Sara Jovanović. They represented Serbia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2013 in Malmö with the song " Ljubav je svud ...
in the Eurovision Song Contest 2013
The Eurovision Song Contest 2013 was the 58th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. It took place in Malmö, Sweden, following the country's victory at the with the song "Euphoria" by Loreen. Organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EB ...
and as a solo artist in the Eurovision Song Contest 2019
The Eurovision Song Contest 2019 was the 64th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. It took place in Tel Aviv, Israel, following the country's victory at the 2018 contest with the song " Toy" by Netta. Organised by the European Broad ...
.
See also
* Classical music in Kosovo
* Music of Albania
The music of Albania ( sq, Muzika Shqiptare) is associated with the country of Albania and Albanian communities. Music has a long tradition in the country and is known for its regional diversity, from the Ghegs in the North to the Tosks in the S ...
* Albania in the Eurovision Song Contest
* Radio in Kosovo
Annotations
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Music Of Kosovo
Kosovan music
Southern European music