Balkan superheroes: The angel with the most beautiful smile

Places known because of people

When in the Balkans, if you mention that you are familiar with the music of Tose Proeski, especially in Macedonia, you will get free rakia, for sure. Of Course, this is not a reason to follow my story, but to make you aware of how important this person is here.

Tose Proeski, also known as the angel with the most beautiful smile, is a singer and humanitarian born and raised in Krushevo. He started his career when he was 16, and instantly became the most adored public person. Not just little girls were calling his phone just to hear his voice (by the way, he was answering) and putting posters on the walls, older generations got attached to his charisma too. Very shortly after his first public show up, there was no living person not knowing his name. Explosive popularity like this is not a rare case, and most often they end very quickly. We, on the Balkans, say that strong fire doesn't last long. But this was not a case.

Toshe loved music, and you could see that in each of his appearances. He was strongly attached to his birthplace, Krushevo, and he was mentioning his family every time when he had the opportunity. His concerts took place everywhere and very often. He loved to sing. I can't remember if there was a non humanitarian concert of him. He used his popularity to help everyone that was in need. He became the UNICEF ambassador, signed contracts with big names in the global musical world and still remained the simple, best smiling angel from Krushevo.

As I am writing the story about him, I am avoiding reaching this part, where I am explaining that he ends up his physical existence 10 years ago when he was 27. The days after were days of national grief.

Whenever I play his music on Youtube, I scroll over the comments. Most often when it’s Macedonian music, there is a battle among comments, and most often is offensive for several nations. However, in the case of Toshes music, you can read the comments as one Balkan union. And if Rakia is the drink that unites the Balkans, for sure Toshe is that musician. Croatians, Bosnians, Slovenians, Greeks, Bulgarians, Serbs, Albanians, and Macedonians united in the biggest loss for this piece of the world.

Memorial house Todor Proevski

Memorial House Toshe Proeski, Krusevo, Macedonia (FYROM)

Krushevo

Krushevo, Macedonia (FYROM)