Esma Redžepova

Esma Redžepova ( Macedonian: Есма Реџепова; born August 8, 1943 in Skopje, Macedonia ) is a Macedonian singer known. It belongs to the Roma population. In her career she recorded 108 songs and 20 albums. Esma singing in Romani, Serbian and Macedonian. Esma is now appreciated and revered throughout the former Yugoslavia. Her fans gave her the nickname " Queen of the gypsies " ( Queen of the Gypsies).

Esma grew up in Šuto Orizari, a suburb of Skopje with a high proportion of Roma and Sinti. Her mother was a Turkish woman, her father a Serb with Roman and Jewish roots. Esma's brother persuaded her to a song contest Romanesque songs participate. From then on she won several competitions and eventually started singing professionally. One of her most famous songs is caje Šukarije ( Beautiful Girl ). It was an anthem for all Roma and Sinti.

Outside of her career as a singer, she is also known for her humanitarian efforts. With her husband Stevo Teodosievski she adopted 47 children and opened an orphanage for homeless children in Macedonia.

She was selected along with the singer Vlatko Lozanoski from broadcasting MRI to compete for Macedonia at the Euro Vision Song Contest 2013. However, the duo failed to qualify for the finals themselves.