Albania’s president has granted Dua Lipa, a 27-year-old British pop star, Albanian citizenship. Dua Lipa was born in London to Kosovar-Albanian parents who had fled conflict and political instability in the Balkans. She has often proudly spoken about her Albanian origins on social media and in interviews with the press. The singer also enjoys visiting Albania with her family and taking part in the country’s traditions, like balancing a glass on her head while dancing. President Bajram Begaj granted Dua Lipa citizenship ahead of Albania’s 110th anniversary of independence from the Ottoman Empire, saying he considered it an honor to do so because the singer has helped spread Albanians’ fame worldwide through her music.
Dua Lipa has recently been given the great honor of Albanian citizenship, in recognition of her invaluable contribution to promoting Albanian culture and music around the world. This news comes as no surprise, given her immense popularity and success in the music industry, and serves as a testament to her relentless dedication and hard work.
Starting small: Dua was born in London to parents of Kosovar-Albanian descent who had to flee their homeland due to political turmoil and unrest in the Balkans. Despite this, Dua managed to fulfill her childhood ambition of becoming a renowned personality.
Dua, who enjoys going on family trips across the country and participating in traditional activities like dancing with a glass on her head, recently became an Albanian citizen. She expressed her excitement at being able to call herself an Albanian with papers after taking her citizenship oath at Tirana city hall. Dua went through the necessary procedures for obtaining a passport, including getting her photo taken, fingerprinted and signing an application form for identification. The singer will be concluding her annual concert tour in Skanderbeg Square on Independence Day. Despite being only 27 years old, she has already established herself as one of Britain’s biggest pop stars, fulfilling a desire that she had since her primary school days in Camden.
Delighted mom and dad: Dua, the firstborn child of Dukagjin Lipa and his spouse Anesa, was welcomed into the world in London back in 1995. Anesa has Bosnian and Kosovan roots.
As two young professionals in Kosovo, Dukagjin and Anesa had bright futures ahead of them. Dukagjin was working hard towards becoming a dentist while Anesa was studying to become a lawyer. However, their dreams were cut short when they made a tough decision to leave their homeland in search of a safer place to call home. Despite leaving behind their promising careers, they were determined to start a new life together and build a future filled with love and security.
Dua Lipa, a successful pop star, is also a big sister to Rina and Gjin, who are now 18 and 16 years old, respectively. She was born in London and attended a small state primary school. She discovered her love for performing through Saturday classes at Sylvia Young Theatre School, which is world-renowned. Her family moved to Pristina when she was younger due to her father’s job as a marketing manager. However, Dua bravely returned to the United Kingdom alone at the age of 14, pursuing her dreams of becoming a pop star. She achieved 4 A-Levels at a Camden all-girls sixth form college before signing with Warner Bros. Records in 2014. Over the past eight years, Dua has toured around the world with a No.1 album, received three Grammy awards and six Brit awards. Despite her success, Dua remains close to her family.
Up-and-coming talent: Dua got her start in showbiz by attending weekend classes at the prestigious Sylvia Young Theatre School. As shown in a childhood photo, she was already on her way to becoming a star.
Dua Lipa, a British-Kosovan singer who co-founded the Sunny Hill Foundation with her father, has been making waves in the music industry after taking home three Grammys. The foundation has donated 100,000 euros to charities and cultural events in Kosovo, where Dua feels proud to represent both her Kosovan and British heritage. She believes that being from Kosovo instantly makes you a key person there, with people recognizing the country as the birthplace of notable artists like Rita Ora and Dua Lipa. Additionally, the Sunny Hill Festival, which was headlined by Dua Lipa in 2018, has helped promote cultural events in the region.
In 2019, Dua was seen spending time with her immediate family, which included her mother Anesa, brother Gjin, sister Rina and father Dukagjin. It was heartwarming to witness the close bond they shared as a family.
Dua Lipa’s family, including her parents and younger siblings, posed for a photo in New York in 2019. According to Dukagjin, they take pride in representing their country and are happy to promote European living and a sense of belonging. They hope to show the world that Kosovo is a peaceful, music-loving country that welcomes everyone. Dua was recently honored as an Honorary Ambassador of Kosovo in Pristina, an event she shared on Instagram with gratitude and dedication to promoting her country globally.
In August 2022, Dua Lipa was bestowed with the great honour of being made an Honorary Ambassador of Kosovo, in a prestigious ceremony held at the Office of the President in Pristina. The recognition of her achievements is indeed a privilege and a source of great pride for the popular singer.
Pristina is honoring its hometown hero, Dua Lipa, with a mural celebrating her continued success. The musician recently received a letter from the President of Kosovo, describing her as a “once-in-a-lifetime musician” who has made the country proud on her world tour. Dua’s father, Dukagjin Lipa, a former rocker who shares his daughter’s passion for music, comes from a family of well-known historians. However, in July 2020, Dua sparked controversy with a tweet that referenced extreme Albanian nationalists. The tweet featured a map showing Albania, Kosovo, and parts of neighboring countries, accompanied by the word “autochthonous,” suggesting that Kosovar-Albanians are indigenous to the region, a claim disputed by Serbs. Despite this controversy, Dua continues to be celebrated in her hometown and beyond.
In July 2020, Dua Lipa faced criticism from fans and critics after posting an image on social media that showed a map of Albania and Kosovo on a red flag with Albania’s eagle emblem. Albanian nationalists believe that Kosovo is a country of ethnic Albanians who settled there before the Serbs. However, Serbia and Russia do not recognize Kosovo as a separate entity. Earlier, a petition was circulated on social media demanding that Apple maps should include Kosovo in their maps. Dua spoke out about the controversy, saying that her intention was not to promote ethnic separatism but to represent her Albanian roots and mother country. Dua’s family fled Kosovo during the Kosovo War and settled in Hampstead, north London. Her parents picked up jobs waiting tables at cafes and bars while Dua attended Fitzjohn’s Primary School. Later, her family moved to Pristina where she struggled initially with her studies but fell in love with music. She returned to the UK to pursue her dreams and enrolled at Parliament Hill School where she achieved four A-Levels. Her original song Hotter Than Hell led to her signing with Warner Bros. Records in 2014. She released her debut single New Love in August 2015 and her first No.1 came in 2017 with the catchy summer pop anthem New Rules. In March 2020, she released her second album Future Nostalgia, which topped the charts in 15 countries including the UK.
