She started to sing while she was a teenager in the 1950s, and her career spans over five decades. Her musical success was closely linked to her marriage with Stevo Teodosievski, who was a composer, arranger and director of a musical ensemble, the Ansambl Teodosievski. He wrote many of her songs and fully managed her career until his death in 1997. Her musical style was mostly inspired by traditional Roma and Macedonian music. Some other influences are also noticeable, such as pop music. Esma Redžepova started her career at a period when Romani music was very denigrated in Yugoslavia and Roma people considered it shameful for women to sing in public. Redžepova was one of the first singers to sing in Romani language on radio and television.
Redžepova was particularly noted for her powerful and emotional voice. In 2010, she was cited among the 50 great voices in the world by NPR, a prominent American media organization. Redžepova was also noted for her extravagant attires and her turbans, as well as the use she makes of typical stereotypes about Roma women, such as sensuality and happiness. In 2010, she was awarded the Macedonian Order of Merit, and she was entitled National Artist of the Republic of Macedonia in 2013 by the Macedonian President, Gjorgje Ivanov.
With her late husband Stevo Teodosievski she has fostered forty-seven children, and has received numerous accolades for her humanitarian work. She supports Roma and women rights and was also involved in local politics in her hometown, Skopje.
Redžepova, together with Vlatko Lozanoski, represented Macedonia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2013 in Malmö, Sweden.
Esma was born in the predominately Romani Šuto Orizari municipality of Skopje, now capital of the Macedonia. She was the second youngest of six children. Her mother was a Turkish Muslim, while her father was a Serb born in Tirana, Albania. His grandmother and grandfather were an Iraqi Jew and a Catholic Roma respectively. Her family was relatively (but not abjectly) poor growing up, her father working variously as a porter, singer, drummer, circus strongman and shoe shine. Her parents stressed that all six children finish primary school. At age nine Esma was introduced by one of her brothers to a local Romani music organisation, where she was able to quickly learn complicated rhythms. Her mother encouraged her musical gifts and Esma and her brother soon joined their school’s folklore group.
In 1957, age 14, she was personally invited to sing at a school talent contest for Radio Skopje. This concert proved to be a turning point—not only did she place first, beating out 57 other schools and winning 9000 dinars, but national band leader and future husband Stevo Teodosievski also happened to be in attendance. After securing permission from her parents, Esma began touring with his musical ensemble. Legend has it she left home with a single suitcase filled with one dress and one Čoček costume.
In recent years, Esma has remained popular throughout the Balkans. In 2004, she recorded a duet with Eurovision performer Toše Proeski called “Magija”.
Her best known single Čaje Šukarije is the feature song on the 2006 Borat movie soundtrack, which she claims was used without her permission. As of December 16th, 2006 together with Naat Veliov from Kočani Orkestar she is planning an 800,000 euro ( USD 1,000,000) lawsuit against the producers of the film. The movie Gypsy Caravan (2007) features Esma as one of five Romani music acts on their tour through the USA.
Esma died on December 11, 2016.
Mangava Tut
Esma Redzepova Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Vecno da sme zaedno doveka
Dojdi mili raka podaj mi i ne odi se
Veruvaj jas nikogas ne ni pomisliv
Deka vecno ke me sakas,
Ti so pogled se mi kaza,
So tvoite oci ubavo nasolzeni.
Umiram po tebe, veruvaj mi.
Mangava tut, mangava tut,
Meraba tuke, mangava tut.
Tie ciganski zborovi ne gi zaboravam
Te sakam veruvaj, bez tebe nemozam
Ke cezneam, ke cezneam, drug jas ne sakam.
Te sakam jas, te sakam jas
Umiram po tebe, veruvaj mi.
Mangava tut, mangava tut,
Meraba tuke, mangava tut.
The song "Mangava Tut" by Esma Redzepova speaks about the yearning and deep love that the singer has for someone. The chorus of the song, "Mangava tut, mangava tut, meraba tuke, mangava tut," appears to be in Romani, and it roughly translates to "I invite you, I invite you, come here, I invite you." It seems that the singer is calling out to their lover, saying that they are waiting for them and that they want to be together forever.
The opening lines, "Uste srce moe te ceka, vecno da sme zaedno doveka, dojdi mili raka podaj mi i ne odi se," can be translated to "My heart is still waiting for you, let's be together forever, come, my love, give me your hand and don't go away." The singer expresses their desire to be with their lover always and begs them not to leave.
In the following verse, the singer talks about how they never thought that their lover would love them forever until they saw it in their eyes. The singer tells their lover that they love them deeply and that they cannot live without them. The song is a passionate expression of love and the desire to be with someone forever.
Line by Line Meaning
Uste srce moe te ceka
My heart is still waiting for you
Vecno da sme zaedno doveka
To be together forever and ever
Dojdi mili raka podaj mi i ne odi se
Come, my dear, hold my hand and don't go away
Veruvaj jas nikogas ne ni pomisliv
Believe me, I never thought
Deka vecno ke me sakas,
That you'll love me forever
Ti so pogled se mi kaza,
You told me with your gaze
So tvoite oci ubavo nasolzeni.
With your beautiful teary eyes
Te sakam jas, te sakam jas
I love you, I love you
Umiram po tebe, veruvaj mi.
I'm dying for you, believe me
Mangava tut, mangava tut,
Come here, come here
Meraba tuke, mangava tut.
Welcome here, come here
Tie ciganski zborovi ne gi zaboravam
I don't forget those Gypsy words
Te sakam veruvaj, bez tebe nemozam
I love you, believe me, I can't live without you
Ke cezneam, ke cezneam, drug jas ne sakam.
I'll long for you, I'll long for you, I don't want anyone else
Contributed by Mackenzie M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@macedonia5920
Celata Pesna :
Uste srce moe te ceka
Vecno da sme zaedno doveka
Dojdi mili raka podaj mi i ne odi se
Veruvaj jas nikogas ne ni pomisliv
Deka vecno ke me sakas,
Ti so pogled se mi kaza,
So tvoite oci ubavo nasolzeni.
Te sakam jas, te sakam jas
Umiram po tebe, veruvaj mi.
Mangava tut, mangava tut,
Meraba tuke, mangava tut.
Tie ciganski zborovi ne gi zaboravam
Te sakam veruvaj, bez tebe nemozam
Ke cezneam, ke cezneam, drug jas ne sakam.
Te sakam jas, te sakam jas
Umiram po tebe, veruvaj mi.
Mangava tut, mangava tut,
Meraba tuke, mangava tut.
@macodanz
Prekrasno. Pocivaj vo mir Tetka Esma ❤
@HimzadGusic-yn2zs
Ekeeeeeeee👍👍👍👐
@user-gj2su4ne5p
Няма да излезне от сърцата ни.❤вечна ще бъде .❤
@jasminasarajlic4274
, svaka cat dama u svakom smislu, bila i ostala
@sadicsinanovic2201
Romska kraljica.. Puno selama svima zdravlja rahatluka bereceta Amin 🌙
@srinivasnayak6598
Odlicna pesna pozd4av odd India
@acotrajkovski8413
Narodni smo
@bojanamileva1755
Carice pocivaj vo mir 😢
@lukapupovac4605
Најбоља. Нека почива у миру😢.
@magdalenapetrova1855
Nema vtora cato Esma. Pohivai v mir ,poclon!