Pop icon Dua Lipa receives heartfelt recognition from homeland

Dua Lipa, iconic music star who has won millions of hearts with her chart-topping tracks and stage performances, recently has been honoured in Kosovo in a deeply emotional ceremony that celebrated her roots. 

The music icon said she “feels like my two sides are now one” as she shared how meaningful the moment was for her and her family.

President Vjosa Osmani praised Dua as “one of the most iconic cultural figures in our country’s history” and called it an “honour” to present her with the recognition.

Images from the event showed Dua smiling brightly as she stood alongside President Osmani. Other photos captured her greeting fans, receiving gifts and sharing hugs with those who came to see her. 

A children’s choir welcomed her by singing one of her beloved songs while the UK Ambassador to Kosovo, Jonathan Hargreaves, watched the joyful scene.

In her statement, Dua spoke from the heart, saying, “It completes the duality I have always had within. I love this country and this means so much to me and my family.”

President Osmani later shared the photographs on social media, writing, “Dua and Kosovo have always been inseparable. From the world’s biggest stages to the hearts of millions, she’s carried our story with strength, pride, and grace. Our gratitude is endless for everything Dua has done, and continues to do for Kosovo.”

The Levitating hitmaker already holds citizenship for Britain and Albania. However, she received Albanian citizenship in 2022 from President Bajram Begaj for spreading Albania’s name internationally through her music.

The One Kiss icon returned to Kosovo this week for the Sunny Hill Festival, the three day event she created with her father Dukagjin Lipa. 

Her connection to the country has been long standing, and she helped establish a charity that supports vulnerable communities in Kosovo.

Born in London in 1995 to Albanian parents Anesa and Dukagjin from Kosovo, the singer grew up surrounded by music. Her father, former singer and guitarist in a rock band, inspired her passion. 

For the unversed, Dua Lipa began singing at the age of five and uploaded her own songs on YouTube when she was just fourteen. Her debut album arrived in 2017 and two years later she won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist.