Nexhmije Pagarusha
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Nexhmije Pagarusha (; 7 May 1933 – 7 February 2020) was a Kosovo-Albanian singer and actress, often referred to as the queen of Kosovan music. Pagarusha gained acclaim as a recording artist in Kosova and neighbouring countries for her distinct soprano vocal range, which she displayed performing various Kosovan folk songs during her career, which spanned 36 years, from 1948, in her debut in Radio Prishtina, to 1984, in her final concert in
Sarajevo Sarajevo ( ; cyrl, Сарајево, ; ''see names in other languages'') is the capital and largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 275,524 in its administrative limits. The Sarajevo metropolitan area including Sarajevo ...
. Her music style was not limited just to Albanian music, as she performed
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 ...
, pop, funk, opera/classical, and many more.


Biography

Nexhmije Pagarusha was born in the small village of Pagarusha, near the town of
Mališevo Malisheva, ) is a town and municipality in Kosovo. According to the Kosovo Agency of Statistics (KAS) estimate from the 2011 census, there were 54,613 people residing in Malisheva Municipality, with Kosovo Albanians constituting the majority of th ...
,
Vardar Banovina The Vardar Banovina, or Vardar Banate ( mk, Вардарска бановина, Vardarska banovina; sr, Вардарска бановина, translit=Vardarska Banovina; al, Banovina e Vardarit, italics=no), was a province ( banate) of the Kin ...
,
Kingdom of Yugoslavia The Kingdom of Yugoslavia ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Kraljevina Jugoslavija, Краљевина Југославија; sl, Kraljevina Jugoslavija) was a state in Southeast and Central Europe that existed from 1918 until 1941. From 1918 ...
(present-day
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 ...
). She finished primary school in Mališevo and then went to Belgrade, where she attended a music school for three years, in the ''solo canto'' section. She began her music career as a singer for Radio Pristina in 1948. Her musical creative work lasted for almost 40 years, and due to the contrast in genres she performed in, it is not easy to define Pagarusha as a specific type of singer. She sang both
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 ...
and classical music, especially
opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a libr ...
. Pagarusha was given titles such as ''Bilbili i Kosovës'' (''
Nightingale The common nightingale, rufous nightingale or simply nightingale (''Luscinia megarhynchos''), is a small passerine bird best known for its powerful and beautiful song. It was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family Turdidae, but is no ...
of Kosovo''), Queen of Kosovar music, and Madame Butterfly. She performed not just in her own country but also in other European countries, such as
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 ...
,
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 ...
,
Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and H ...
,
Bulgaria Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedo ...
etc. She led several tours with the music ensemble ''Shota'' in these countries, and also in
Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
. In Kosovo, she gained the title ''Këngëtare e shekullit'' (''Singer of the Century''). A song "Baresha" (''The Shepherdess''), is one of her most popular songs. It was composed by her husband, Rexho Mulliqi and the lyrics were written by Rifat Kukaj. Pagarusha played in many theatre plays and movies and also as an actress she won many prizes. She ended her music career in 1984 after holding a huge concert in
Sarajevo Sarajevo ( ; cyrl, Сарајево, ; ''see names in other languages'') is the capital and largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 275,524 in its administrative limits. The Sarajevo metropolitan area including Sarajevo ...
. In 2000 she sang a song called "Për ty" (''For You'') in an Albanian TV show, after 16 years of absence. She worked as a senior adviser for music on Radio Kosovo and on Radio Blue Sky, both located in Pristina.
She was awarded the "Honor of the Nation" decoration ( sq, Nderi i Kombit) by the
President of Albania The president of Albania ( sq, Presidenti i Shqipërisë), officially styled the President of the Republic of Albania ( sq, Presidenti i Republikës së Shqipërisë), is the head of state, commander-in-chief of the military and the representa ...
Bujar Nishani Bujar Nishani (; 29 September 1966 – 28 May 2022) was an Albanian politician. He served as President of Albania from 24 July 2012 to 24 July 2017. Nishani was the youngest person to have been chosen as president of Albania, taking office at ...
in November 2012. Nexhmije Pagarusha died on 7 February 2020 due to an unknown disease.


Singles

Pagarusha interpreted more than 150 songs. Some of her most successful ones are: * ( en, The Shepherdess) * ( en, Alright, oh young bride) * ( en, I took the test) * ( en, When you fly like a bird in the sky) * ( en, When you show up at my doorstep) * ( en, At the cypresses) * ( en, How'd the flower rise in the morning) * ( en, Open that heart full of memories) * ( en, Swallow bird) * ( en, A flower) * ( en, Prizren's lily) * ( en, My eyes for you are wet)


Filmography

* ''Makedonska krvava svadba'', sq, Dasma e përgjakur, ''Bloody Wedding'' (1967) as Nedžmije Pagaruša * ''Jugovizija'', sq, Jugovizioni, ''Jugovision'' (1973) * ''Gëzuar viti i ri'', ''Happy New Year'' (1976) * ''E kafshoja terrin'', ''Biting the darkness'' (1977) * ''I ikuri'', ''Gone'' (1980) * ''Tre vetë kapërcejnë malin'', ''Three people overpass the mountain'' (1981) * ''Lepuri me pesë këmbë'', ''The Five-Legged Hare'' * ''Fluturimi i Micakut'', ''Micak's flight'' * ''Daullet e të çmendurve'', ''The drums of the crazy ones'' * ''Rexha i nënës në grazhd të kalit'', ''Mother's son Rexha in the stall'' * ''Vrasësit bëjnë dasmë natën'' (1997), ''The killers throw a wedding at nighttime''


See also

* Music of Kosovo * Music of Albania


Notes


References


External links

*
Fan site
in Albanian {{DEFAULTSORT:Pagarusha, Nexhmije 1933 births 20th-century Albanian women singers Kosovan singers 2020 deaths Kosovo Albanians People from Mališevo