Kaliopi

The following year, the band released their first album titled “Kaliopi.” They also participated in the prestigious Split Festival with the song “Da more zna,” winning the award for the best debut performer at the festival. The song itself became one of the most listened to. In 1986, the group once again won the first prize at the Video Spot Festival with the song “Ostani vo mene” (Stay in Me).

Their second album, “Rodjeni” (Born), was released in 1987. The album contained nine previously unreleased songs, including the Yugoslav mega-hit “Bato (Rodzeni). Other notable hits from the time of the band Kaliopi include “Kofer ljubavi” (Suitcase of Love), “Ostani u meni” (Stay in Me), “Nebo mi sja” (The Sky Shines for Me), and “Bolero Lora.” Following the album’s promotion, they performed extensively throughout the former Yugoslavia and embarked on a major concert tour in the Soviet Union. This period of Kaliopi’s career was marked by numerous awards, including the “Young Fighter” award (1986), the award for the most popular TV personality by “Večer” (1986), the award for the best performer by “Nova Makedonija” (1986), the award for the best pop singer in the SFRY and Macedonia by “Ekran” (1986), and others.

After successful promotion at numerous festivals, the band announced that they would no longer participate in national festivals. The only exception was the Yugoslav Eurovision selection in 1987, where they performed the song “Emanuel” and finished in 10th place.

During their peak of popularity, Kaliopi and her former husband and band founder, Romeo Grill, moved to Switzerland, resulting in the disbandment of the group. They took a 10-year hiatus and ceased their active music career. However, their previously recorded audio and video materials continued to be present in the electronic media in North Macedonia.

Kaliopi made a triumphant return to the Macedonian music scene in 1996. Her performance at the Skopje Festival with the song “Samo ti” (Only You), for which she won the Grand Prix, marked the beginning of a major comeback for the music industry. That year, Kaliopi was selected as the winner of the festival that determined the Macedonian representative for the Eurovision Song Contest. However, her song did not survive the audio preselection that was held in 1996.

In 1997, Kaliopi won the Grand Prix at the Eurofest, a festival for pop melodies, with the song “Ne plači” (Don’t Cry). The following year, she participated again in the Macedonian selection for Eurovision with the song “Ne zaboravaj” (Don’t Forget) and finished in 9th place.

In December 1998, Kaliopi released her first solo album (and third overall) titled “Obi Me” (Color Me). This album managed to gain a diverse fan base for Kaliopi since it offered new and authentic songs that resonated with the audience. The song “Obi Me” became a huge hit, ranking high on all the music charts. Other notable hits from the album include “Daj da pijam” (Let Me Drink), “Ne plači” (Don’t Cry), “Čergi” (Dances), and “Azija” (Asia). 

During this period, Kaliopi crowned her success with several awards, including Buba Mara for the best female singer in 1999 and 2000, as well as 12 Veličestveni awards for the best female singer and best album (“Obi Me”) in 1999 and 2000. In January 2000, Kaliopi started her promotional tour and released the new single “Daj da pijam” along with a music video. That same year, she founded her own production company, Kaliopi Music Production, which exclusively focuses on projects related to her work. In the remaining months of 2000, she embarked on a summer tour and began preparing for her second solo album.

At the beginning of 2001, Kaliopi officially released her second album in collaboration with producer, arranger, and composer Darko Dimitrov. The album was titled “Ako denot mi e noќ” (If My Day Is Night) and contained 10 compositions with Kaliopi’s lyrics and music, as well as a bonus track – a reinterpretation of the old Macedonian folk song “Snošti minav pokraj vazi” (Last Night I Passed by the Vase). This album was a great success for Kaliopi. It featured commercially appealing songs that instantly became absolute hits, including the title track “Ako denot mi e noќ” (If My Day Is Night), “Dali me sakash” (Do You Love Me), “Mesečina” (Moonlight), “Za samo eden den” (For Just One Day), “Na pat do Makedonija” (On the Way to Macedonia), and more.

The release of her second solo album coincided with the documentary film “Povtorno Kaliopi” (Kaliopi Again), which aired in June. In July 2001, Kaliopi held an unplugged concert in the ancient amphitheater of Heraclea, Bitola. Approximately 4,000 people attended the concert.

In the midst of the conflict in Macedonia in 2001, Kaliopi released the music video for the song “Na pat do Makedonija” (On the Way to Macedonia) from her second solo album, “Ako denot mi e noќ” (If My Day Is Night). The song was dedicated to the numerous Macedonian defenders who sacrificed their lives for their homeland. 

Later, in November 2001, Kaliopi embarked on a major tour called “Na pat do Makedonija” (On the Way to Macedonia), which included concerts in Kocani, Gevgelija, Kumanovo, Veles, Prilep, Kavadarci, Stip, Strumica, Ohrid, Radovis, Bitola, and three concerts in Skopje. In the same month, the music video for the anthological theme “Mesečina” (Moonlight) was released. Kaliopi dedicated this song to her son Pako, and it became a beloved song among her audience, who regularly sing along from the first to the last verse during her concerts.

After receiving awards for Best Singer, Author, Song, and Face of the Year, Kaliopi continued to achieve success in her career. In 2002, she once again participated in the Macedonian Eurovision Song Contest with her own song, but this time not as a performer. The song “Pesna za nas” (Song for Us), entirely written by Kaliopi, was performed by the young talented singer Gjorgi Krstevski. During the contest, Kaliopi provided backing vocals and played the piano, showing her support for the young singer. The song placed 5th in the competition.

In July, Kaliopi released her mega-popular single “Najmila” (Dearest), and in October, she released the album “Najmila – Kaliopi, Live and Unreleased.” This album featured her greatest hits performed live, as well as two new songs: “Najmila” and “Zasluzhena zemja” (Deserved Land).

In 2003, Kaliopi released her latest single, “Ne mi go zemaj vremeto” (Don’t Take My Time)In November, she released her next single, “Za kogo postojam” (For Whom I Exist). At the end of December, Kaliopi released her third studio solo album, “Ne mi go zemaj vremeto” (Don’t Take My Time).

With the new album, Kaliopi released her first single intended for the former Yugoslavian music market, “Smeh” (Laughter). Kaliopi embarked on a tour across Macedonia to promote the new album, and she also released the new single “Toa sum jas” (That’s Me) along with its music video. Later, Kaliopi collaborated with Vasil Zafirchev on the duet “Purpurni dozhdovi” (Purple Rain). The music video for this song was one of the most artistically accomplished pieces seen on Macedonian television. At the end of 2004, Kaliopi released a duet with her longtime friend and godmother, the queen of Roma music, Esma Redzepova-Teodosievska. The song was titled “Bel den” (Beautiful Day).

In 2004, Kaliopi’s music was also featured in the play “Taa glumechka kuka” (That Acting House), an adaptation of Anne Frank’s diary. On October 15, 2004, the premiere of the first Macedonian musical, “Chiya si” (Whose Are You), took place in Skopje. The musical had already been promoted in Ohrid and Bitola during the summer. Kaliopi played the role of Nina in the musical.

In December 2004, the premiere of the play “Tanc na nochnite peperutki vo Orient-ekspresot” (Dance of the Night Butterflies in the Orient Express), directed by Violeta Dzoleva and based on the dramatic text by Petre Bakevski, took place. Kaliopi also composed the music for this play.

In 2005, Kaliopi was selected, along with four other Macedonian singers, for the Macedonian Eurovision Song Contest selection. However, she withdrew from the competition. Nevertheless, Kaliopi was still involved in the Eurovision Song Contest as the composer of the song “Ne” (No), performed by Aleksandra Pileva, which finished in third place. In May, Kaliopi had two concerts in Sweden and performed in the Croatian city of Dubrovnik. In Dubrovnik, Kaliopi appeared alongside Tose Proeski and Esma Redzepova-Teodosievska.

In 2005, she also composed the song “Samo ushte eden den” (Just One More Day) for the popular singer Karolina Goceva.

In September 2005, Kaliopi released the album “Jas, Isidora.” In 2010, she released her new album “Poraka” (Message), which was well-received by the public. In 2011, she had the opportunity to represent Macedonia at the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 in Baku with the song “Crno i belo” (Black and White), where she reached the final and finished in 12th place.

On November 24, 2015, she once again received the chance to represent Macedonia at the Eurovision Song Contest 2016 in Stockholm. Kaliopi represented Macedonia with the song “Dona” by author and writer Romeo Grill. The song was presented on Macedonian Radio-Television on March 7, 2016.

In 2018, Kaliopi released two other singles, “Presuda” and “Hajde da pjevamo”. Another two singles were released in 2023: “Znam” with Aleksandar Ristovski-Princ and “Kad Osvane” with Ognen Šapkovski.