Proeski, Tose

▪ 2008

Todor Proeski 

      Macedonian pop singer-songwriter

born Jan. 25, 1981, Prilep, Macedonia, Yugos.

died Oct. 16, 2007, near Nova Gradiska, Croatia

delighted fans across the Balkan region with his upbeat, often romantic pop music; his appeal—based in part on his good looks and clean-cut image—transcended ethnic divisions, and he was popular throughout the former Yugoslav republics, Bulgaria, and Greece. Proeski studied classical music, as well as the Serbo-Croatian and English languages, first in Krusevo (where he grew up) and later at the Skopje Music Academy. He broke into show business in 1996, at age 15, and released his first album, Nekade vo nokta (“Somewhere in the Night”), three years later. Several of Proeski's later albums were simultaneously released in both Macedonian and Serbo-Croat versions, including his seventh, Igri bez granici (“Games Without Borders”), which came out in August 2007. He was named a UNICEF ambassador to the Balkans in 2004. After Proeski's death in a car crash was announced, radio stations throughout the region broadcast his music continuously, the Macedonian parliament adjourned for the day, and thousands of mourners lined the streets lighting candles, placing flowers near makeshift shrines, and chanting his songs; the Macedonia government proclaimed the day of Proeski's funeral a national day of mourning and flew official flags at half staff.

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