Ismet Peja (27 April 1937 – 23 November 2020) was an Albanian folk singer from Kosovo.[1] He has been credited as among the most influential Albanian folk singers.[2]
Ismet Peja | |
|---|---|
| Born | 27 April 1937 |
| Died | 23 November 2020 (aged 83) |
| Occupation | Singer |
He was the son of Musa Peja, who was also an Albanian folk singer. He began to play music in his youth, at about 13-14. He became a singer and went on to build a difficult "urban repertoire", which in the years he further expanded, also including commercial songs.[3] He became part of the group "Hajdar Dushi"[4] with which he achieved his greatest successes and had numerous presentations at TVP and Radio Prishtina. His first album was released in 1986 with the "Hajdar Dushi" orchestra. He released a large number of music albums and 4 videotapes. In 2010, Ismet Peja and Burim Mehmeti released "Knoma Kengen Sa T`jam Gjalle". Lyrics and music for the song were written and composed by Besim Bunjaku. In 2012, Ismet Peja and Vellezerit Mziu released the album "Gamle Folkesange".[5]
He died on 23 November 2020.[5] The then Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Vlora Dumoshi reacted to his death, stating that his name will be "eternally associated with the original Albanian song, with the Albanian folk melody and with the musical activity of Kosovo in general."[6]
References edit
- ^ John Shepherd, ed. (2003). Continuum Encyclopedia of Popular Music of the World: Europe. Continuum via University of Michigan. pp. 95–97.
- ^ Meike Gutzweiler (2018). Reise Know-How Reiseführer Albanien. Reise Know-How Verlag Peter Rump. p. 602. ISBN 9783831749355.
- ^ Donna A. Buchanan, ed. (2007). Balkan Popular Culture and the Ottoman Ecumene Music, Image, and Regional Political Discourse. Scarecrow Press. p. 275. ISBN 9780810866775.
- ^ Pero Zlatar (1984). Glasnik iz Tirane. Grafički zavod Hrvatske. p. 157.
- ^ a b "Vdiq ikona e muzikës popullore Ismet Peja". kultplus.com. Archived from the original on 1 July 2021. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
- ^ "Vdes këngëtari Ismet Peja". Evropaelire. Archived from the original on 1 July 2021. Retrieved 1 July 2021.