Vlado Janevski in 2019. Photo: Tiveropolnik/Wikimedia Commons.
News on Monday of music legend Vlado Janevski’s passing aged 65 prompted an outpouring of grief across North Macedonia, with thousands of farewell messages shared by fellow musicians, public figures and fans.
Artists paid tribute to one of the country’s most distinctive voices and a staple name on the music stage for more than three decades, recalling his contribution to Macedonian pop music and the lasting emotional connection his songs created with generations of listeners.
Many described his music as part of the soundtrack of their lives, with his ballads and evergreen hits continuing to hold a special place in the hearts of audiences across the country and the region.
Janevski died after a short illness in a hospital in Skopje, according to reports.
Born on November 27, 1960 in Skopje, Janevski was among the few Macedonian singer-songwriters whose romantic ballads in particular managed to outlive the trends and eras in which they were created.
He performed with several bands in the 1980s and early-1990s before establishing himself as a solo artist, eventually releasing a string of hits that cemented his place among the country’s most influential musicians.
In 1998, he became the first representative of the then freshly independent country Macedonia at the Eurovision Song Contest, performing the song “Ne zori zoro” (“Don’t Rise, Dawn”).
Beyond Eurovision, Janevski released six studio albums that produced some of the most memorable Macedonian pop songs and romantic ballads. His warm and distinctive voice and deeply personal style made him a household name, with many of his songs being passed from one generation to another.
Some of the hits include, “Ako ne te sakam” (“If I Don’t Love You”), “Nekogash i negde” (“Sometimes and Somewhere”), “Crno tikveshko” (“Black Tikvesh Wine”), “Doma si e doma” (“Home Is Home”), I togash nekoja budala” (“And Then Some Fool”), “Ova e nashe Skopje” (“This Is Our Skopje”), “Eden baknezh” (“One Kiss”) and “Evergreen”.
Janevski’s last public appearance shared on social media was in March, when he joined Croatian singer Vesna Pisarovic as a guest at her concert at the Philharmonic Hall in Skopje. Earlier, in February, he held a joint concert with legendary Serbian musician Momcilo ‘Bajaga’ Bajagic in Skopje.
His next performance, advertised at the start of the year but later cancelled, was supposed to have been in August in the lakeside town of Ohrid.
