Ilir Shaqiri (singer)

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Ilir Shaqiri
Born (1960-12-12) 12 December 1960 (age 65)
Burojë, Skenderaj, Yugoslavia
(now Kosovo)
Occupations
  • singer
  • songwriter
Years active1980s–2025
Notable work
  • Fjalët e qiririt
  • Ushtar Kavaja
Musical career
Genres
  • Albanian folk music

Ilir Shaqiri (born 12 December 1960) is a Kosovo Albanian singer, songwriter and author. He is known for his extensive musical output, humanitarian engagement through music and his involvement in cultural and artistic activities during and after the Kosovo War. Shaqiri is regarded as a prominent figure in Albanian popular and patriotic music. [1]

Contents

Early life and education

Ilir Shaqiri was born in the village of Burojë, in the municipality of Skenderaj. He completed his primary education in Turiqec and secondary education in Prizren. He later pursued higher education in Albanian language and literature in Prizren and Pristina, where he earned a master's degree in literature. Alongside his academic formation, he cultivated a strong interest in music, poetry and song writing from an early age. [2]

Career

Shaqiri began his music career in the 1980s, developing a repertoire that combines elements of lite music, folk traditions and patriotic themes. Over the decades, he has written and performed hundreds of songs and has appeared in more than a thousand concerts across Kosovo, Albania, North Macedonia and throughout the Albanian diaspora. [3]

A significant portion of his performances have been organized for humanitarian causes, particularly during periods of political unrest and social hardship in Kosovo. During the war, Shaqiri was associated with the cultural and artistic activities of the Kosovo Liberation Army (UÇK), contributing songs and performances intended to boost morale and preserve national identity. [4]

In line with his musical career, Shaqiri has been active in literary and cultural life. He is a member of the Kosovo Writers’ League and has published literary works, including poetry and prose, which reflect similar thematic concerns to those found in his music. [5]

Musical style

Shaqiri's music is characterized by a fusion of contemporary popular forms with traditional Albanian melodic and lyrical elements. His songs frequently address subjects of homeland, sacrifice, humanitarian solidarity and cultural memory, contributing to his reputation as a representative voice of Albanian patriotic song. [6]

Discography

Selected albums

Selected songs

References

  1. ↑ "Pensionohet këngëtari i njohur i muzikës kombëtare, Ilir Shaqiri!". Telegrafi. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
  2. ↑ "Ilir Shaqiri feston ditëlindjen e 65-t". Gazeta Blic. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
  3. ↑ "Del në qarkullim libri '200 këngë nga opusi muzikor i kantautorit Ilir Shaqiri'!". KultPlus. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  4. ↑ "Këngëtari i Lirisë". Telegrafi. Retrieved 7 March 2018.
  5. ↑ "Profil". Lidhja e Shkrimtarëve e Kosovës. Retrieved 22 December 2025.
  6. ↑ "Ilir Shaqiri laureohet me çmimin e Lidershipit Ekselent". Kosovarja. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  7. ↑ "Ushtar Kavaja". ObserverKult. Retrieved 11 January 2025.
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