Vace Zela

Vaçe Zela was born on 7 April 1939 in Lushnjë, Albania. She started her career as a singer in 1945, in the so-called Syndicate's Chorus (Albanian: Kori i Sindikatave) in Lushnjë, and later in Radio Lushnjë. She was the first winner of Albanian music competition Festivali i Këngës with the song "Fëmija i parë" (English: First Child), on 26 December 1962. She recorded Albanian urban lyric songs for the Columbia Society in Italy in 1948. She was also a regular performer on Radio Tirana since its foundation in 1938. Vaçe Zela sang songs written by some of the most prominent Albanian composers, such as Kristo Kono, Pjetër Dungu, Simon Gjoni, and Çesk Zadeja. She was known for her expressive voice and her interpretation of various genres, such as folk, classical, and light music. She was awarded the title People's Artist in 1977, and received several other honors and recognitions for her contribution to the Albanian music. She ended her music career in 1992 after holding a huge concert in Sarajevo. She lived with her husband in Basel, Switzerland, for health reasons. She was awarded the "Honor of the Nation" decoration by the President of Albania Bujar Nishani in November 2012. Vaçe Zela died on 6 February 2014 due to an unknown disease. She was buried in Tirana, where thousands of fans and celebrities attended her funeral. She is remembered as one of the most influential and beloved singers in Albanian history.