Esma Redžepova

Also known as Queen of the Gypsies, Esma Redzepova, Esma Rezepova

Macedonian-Romani singer, songwriter and humanitarian (1943-2016)

Film & TV

Acting · Skopje, Macedonia

Emma Redzepova was a Macedonian vocalist, songwriter, and humanitarian of Romani ethnicity. Because of her prolific repertoire, which includes hundreds of songs, and because of her contribution to Roma culture and its promotion, she was nicknamed Queen of the Gypsies.

Known for

Saban Bajramovic - My Journey — Himself2024
Local Heroes - World Talents — Herself2018
Princes Among Men — Herself - Singer2017
Vanja - Born in Pain2015
Balkan Soul & Gypsy Blues — Herself2009
Rromani Soul — Herself2008
Gypsy Caravan: When the Road Bends — Self2006
Im Herzen des Lichts – Die Nacht der Primadonnen — Self2002

via TMDB

Music · MusicBrainz

Type: Person
Country: MK
Active from: 1943-08-08
Active to

Article

Esma Redžepova-Teodosievska (Macedonian: Есма Реџепова-Теодосиевска, pronounced [ˈɛsma rɛˈd͡ʒɛpɔva tɛɔdɔˈsiɛfska]; 8 August 1943 – 11 December 2016) was a Macedonian Romani vocalist, songwriter and humanitarian. She was nicknamed "the Queen of the Gypsies" per her contribution to Romani culture and music.

She started to sing while she was a teenager in the 1950s, and her career spans over five decades. Her musical success was closely linked to her marriage with Stevo Teodosievski, who was a composer, arranger and director of a musical ensemble Ansambl Teodosievski. He wrote many of her songs and fully managed her career until his death in 1997. Her musical style was mostly inspired by traditional Romani and Macedonian music. Some other influences are also noticeable, such as pop music. Esma Redžepova started her career at a period when Romani music was very denigrated in Yugoslavia and Romani people considered it shameful for women to sing in public. Redžepova was one of the first singers to sing in Romani language on radio and television.