In memoriam: Toše Proeski (1981-2007)

The Balkans have lost an angel

Croatian singer Tony Cetinski , on hearing of the tragedy, had only good words to say about his one-time duet partner: "He was a man like I'd never met before, one of a kind. He had enough love and goodness for everything. We were so close that we even called one another 'bruv'. Despite the fact that he was young, he was wise, modest, kind and good. He died far too young. We spoke every time he came to Croatia. Our work collaboration was the fruit of a friendship, not interest. I still can't believe he's gone. His tragedy goes to show the side of our work that people neither see nor understand. what risks we run every time we go out."


By WAVE Team
Source: Eurovision Song Contest Serbia 2008


Toše (Todor) Proeski, the Macedonian representative at the 2004 Eurovision Song Contest who died in a car crash on a Croatian motorway, was born in Krusevo, Macedonia on 25th January 1981. As a singer of both pop and traditional music, he was often top of the charts for weeks on end in Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia.

Toše began his career when he decided to participate in the teenage festival Makfest in 1996. Following this public exposure, he was awarded in Prilep for his strong vocal capabilities, which led to his rise to fame when he participated in Makfest with the song Pusti me (Let me go) in 1997. His fan base quickly grew and he continued to participate successfuly in festivals such as SkopjeFest and OhridFest. In collaboration with Grigor Koprov, one of thegreatest lyricists and composers of his homeland, Toše produced some of the greatest hits of his career such as Usni na usni (Lips on lips) and Sonce vo tvoite rusi kosi (The sun in your golden hair). His debut album Nekade vo nokta (Somewhere in the night) was released in 1999. In the summer same year, Toše performed his first solo concert in Skopje which, in spite of the rain, was unforgettable for all the fans.

In 1998, Toše took part in the Macedonian national Eurovision Song Contest SkopjeFest for the first time together with Megatim Plus, with the song Ostani do kraja (Stay until the end) he was placed 8th. In 2000, he tried once more, this time with the song Solzi pravat zlaten prsten (Golden ring made of tears), which was the public's favourite despite overall finishing in third place, behind Karolina Gočeva and the winners XXL. His second album Sinot božji (The son of god) was released in the summer of 2000. The album brought some great hits, like Nemir (Restless), a duet with Karolina Gočeva, Vo kosi da ti spijam (Sleeping in your hair), Izlazi me ušte ednaš (Lie to me one more time), as well as Iluzija (Illusion)- which won the Grand Prix at the Slavianski Bazaar Festival in Vitebsk- and Tajno moja (Secret of mine)

Toše became hugely popular in all the former Yugoslavian republics winning the Oscar of Popularity and playing in one sell-out concert after the other in Serbia and Skopje.

Toše's third album was Ako me pogledneš vo oči (If you look into my eyes) in Macedonian and Serbian.

In 2003, the Serbian/Montenegrin music festival Beovizija, which the following year was to become the national pre-selection for the Eurovision Song Contest, was launched. Toše won the competition with the song Čija si? (Whose are you?), which became a hit in all the former Yugoslav republics. Not only a talented performer but a songwriter as well, Toše wrote several hits for himself including Ima li den za nas (Is there a day for us), Slusas li (Can you hear), Malecka (Little one) and Polsko cvjeke (Field flower). In 2004, Proeski composed Muza (Muse) which was a huge hit for Martin Vučić (Macedonia's Eurovision Song Contest representative in 2005). In interviews, Proeski had stated that he has written over 100 songs but was waiting for the right moments to record them as they are still in demo form.

In 2004 Toše finally got the chance to represent his country at the Eurovision Song Contest in Istanbul, where his song Life , which was an English version of Angel si ti (You're an angel) which placed 14th.

Toše, a deeply religious person by nature, was also well known for his humanitarian work over the years. He played many charity concerts throught FYR Macedonia and was the Mother Theresa Humanitarian Award. In 2003 he became a Regional UNICEF Ambassador and the following year he was named a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. His song This world became the UNICEF anthem.

Toše signed a contract with Dallas Records so his next album could be released in Croatia and Slovenia. To establish himself in these countries, Toše recorded Krajnje vreme with Slovenian singer, Anja Rupel. In 2005, Toše's fifth album Po tebe (After you) was released all over ex-Yugoslavia. Po tebe, is one of the most successful Balkan albums ever. It has been topping music charts for months in Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The same year he had a mega hit with Tony Cetinski, the Croatian representative at the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest, with the song Lagala nas mala (She lied to us) which reached No.1 in Macedonia, Croatia and the former Serbia and Montenegro. His latest work, Božilak (Rainbow), is a compilation of 14 selected traditional Macedonian songs. The artist is backed up by a symphonic orchestra on the album. His last album in Croatian, Igra bez granica (Life without borders) was released last August.

Croatian singer Tony Cetinski , on hearing of the tragedy, had only good words to say about his one-time duet partner: "He was a man like I'd never met before, one of a kind. He had enough love and goodness for everything. We were so close that we even called one another 'bruv'. Despite the fact that he was young, he was wise, modest, kind and good. He died far too young. We spoke every time he came to Croatia. Our work collaboration was the fruit of a friendship, not interest. I still can't believe he's gone. His tragedy goes to show the side of our work that people neither see nor understand. what risks we run every time we go out."


(Published: 09.11.2007.)

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