Albania’s Edit Piaf, Vace Zela turns 69

Regarded as the greatest and legendary interpreter of the Albanian song, who for years on end captivated the Albanian public with her majestic voice and unforgettable renditions of the Albanian songs, Vace Zela, turned sixty nine years of age on 7 April 2008. Although currently residing in Switzerland, Vace’s day of birth is remembered and celebrated by many friends and well wishers all over the world and especially in Albania. Vace Zela was born in 1939 in Lushnja and she grew to become an Artist of the People. She never thought that her renditions of Albanian songs were to register her place in the book of 500 most influential personalities in the world, the only Albanian who has ever received such an award from the Institute of Biographies in America. In Paris she has been compared by local critics with the French singer Edit Piaf and in Italy with Mina. Amongst dozens of other awards she was also given a Gold Disc from America for her contribution to society in 1997, she was elected the Woman of the Year 1997-98 in Cambridge of England, the Golden Microphone by the Ministry of Culture of Kosovo, the Award of a Career and many others. For a long time now Vace Zela has not been on stage due to health problems.(Tirana Times Staff)