Nexhmije Pagarusha

Nexhmije Pagarusha was born in the small village of Pagarusha, near the town of Mališevo, Vardar Banovina, Kingdom of Yugoslavia (present-day Kosovo). 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's not easy to limit Pagarusha as a specific type of singer. Her interpretations in folk music were exactly as perfect as her interpretations of classical music, especially opera. Pagarusha is loved by music critics and adored by music admirers. She is called Bilbili i Kosovës (Nightingale of Kosovo), Queen of Kosovar music, Madame Butterfly, etc.

She gained great popularity not just in her own country but also in other European countries, such as Albania, Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria etc. She led several tours with the music ensemble Shota in these countries, and also in Israel. 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. 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 (Albanian: Nderi i Kombit) by the President of Albania Bujar Nishani in November 2012.[4]

Nexhmije Pagarusha died on 7 February 2020 due to an unknown disease.

Pagarusha interpreted more than 150 songs. Some of her most successful ones are:

• Makedonska krvava svadba, Albanian: Dasma e përgjakur, Bloody Wedding (1967) as Nedžmije Pagaruša[5]
• Jugovizija, Albanian: Jugovizioni, Jugovision (1973)
• Gëzuar viti i ri, Happy New Year (1976)[6]
• E kafshoja terrin, Biting the darkness (1977)[7]
• I ikuri, Gone (1980)[8]
• Tre vetë kapërcejnë malin, Three people overpass the mountain (1981)[9]
• Lepuri me pesë këmbë, The Five-Legged Hare[10]
• 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

• Music of Kosovo
• Music of Albania

• Nexhmije Pagarusha at IMDb
• Fan site in Albanian language