Karolina Gočeva

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Karolina Gočeva was born on April 28, 1980, in Bitola, then part of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. At the age of ten she sang Madonna’s “Like a Prayer” at the “Šaram Baram” children’s show in Bitola. Soon after, she appeared at several music festivals, including the “Si‑Do” children’s festival in 1991 and “Makfest” in Štip with “Mamo, pušti me” (“Mom, Let Me Go”). The song became the title track of her debut children’s album, released in 1992.

Festival years and debut in adult pop (1994–2000)

Through the 1990s, Gočeva was a regular at Macedonian festivals, especially Skopje Fest. She debuted there in 1994 with “Koj da ti kaže” (“Who Told You”) and returned in later editions, building recognition for her voice. In 2000 she signed with Avalon Production and released her first adult studio album, Jas Imam Pesna (“I Have a Song”), which featured “Sakaj me” (“Love Me”), “Bez ogled na se” (“No Matter What”), and “Nemir” (“Restlessness”), a duet with the late Macedonian singer Toše Proeski.

Eurovision 2002 and regional reach

In 2002 Gočeva represented North Macedonia at the Eurovision Song Contest in Tallinn with “Od nas zavisi” (“It Depends on Us”), finishing 19th. She then issued her second album, Zošto Sonot Ima Kraj (“Why Does the Dream Have an End”), including “Ti možeš” (“You Can”) and “Jamajka” (“Jamaica”). As her audience in the Balkans grew, she recorded material in Serbian, broadening her appeal across former Yugoslav markets.

Albums in Macedonian and Serbian (2003–2005)

Her third album, Znaeš Kolku Vredam (“You Know How Much I’m Worth”), arrived in 2003, followed by the Serbian version Kad zvezde nam se sklope… kao nekada (“When the Stars Align… Like Before”). In 2005 she released Vo Zaborav (“In Oblivion”) and its Serbian counterpart U Zaboravu, featuring “Se lažam sebe” (“I’m Lying to Myself”) and “Ruža Ružica” (“Red Rose”).

Eurovision 2007 and an artistic shift

Gočeva returned to Eurovision in 2007, representing North Macedonia with “Mojot svet” (“My World”) in Helsinki. She qualified from the semi‑final and placed 14th in the final. Around this time she began exploring traditional Macedonian sounds. In 2008 she released Makedonsko Devojče (“Macedonian Girl”), a pop project infused with folk elements in collaboration with composer Zlatko Origjanski, which earned strong critical notices and underscored her versatility.

Makedonsko Devojče series and live success (2014–2018)

Continuing this direction, Gočeva issued Makedonsko Devojče 2 in 2014, deepening the folk influence. The album’s reception led to sold‑out concerts in Macedonia, Serbia, and Bulgaria. In 2018 she released Izvor (“Source”), maintaining her blend of traditional and contemporary styles.

Recent projects

In 2022 Gočeva worked with Duke Bojadziev and Ismail Lumanovski on Pesni za Ljubov i Kopnež (“Songs for Love and Longing”), reinterpreting Macedonian songs from the 1950s to the 1970s and highlighting musical heritage. In 2024 she announced a new pop‑oriented album, preceded by the singles “Od nebo do dno” (“From Sky to Bottom”) and “Daj na sunce” (“Give to the Sun”), released in 2024.

Social engagement

Beyond recording and performance, Karolina Gočeva has taken part in social campaigns addressing drug use, uterine cancer, and gender‑based violence.