Dua Lipa has been granted Albanian citizenship. The London-born singer, whose parents are Kosovo Albanian immigrants, took an oath at the city hall in the capital city of Tirana on November 27.
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Albanian President Bajram Begaj, said the 27-year-old singer/songwriter has made Albanians famous throughout the world because of her music.
Dua Lipa shared an image of herself in the city hall surrounded by Albanian flags and while holding a folder emblazoned with the country’s emblem. “Thank you President Bajram Begaj and Mayor [Erion Veliaj] for this honor—got my Albanian citizenship!” she wrote on Twitter.
She added, “Faleminderit, po ndihem shume krenare,” in Albanian, which translates into, “Thank you, I’m feeling very proud” in English.
“Happy to give the one and only Dua Lipa the decree of Albanian citizenship,” wrote President Begaj on Twitter. “She has made us proud with her global career and engagement in important social causes.”
The honor comes as the country celebrates the 110th anniversary of independence from the Ottoman Empire. Albania was declared independent on November 28, 1912, and the day is commemorated as a national holiday in the country.
In August 2022, Lipa was also named an Honorary Ambassador of Kosovo. Born to Kosovo Albanian parents, Lipa grew up in London before relocating to the Kosovo capital of Pristina with her family in 2008 after Kosovo declared independence.
At 15, Lipa returned to London, where she kicked off her music career. She posted songs to SoundCloud and videos of herself singing Alicia Keys and Christina Aguilera covers on YouTube.
“It’s an honor and a privilege to be able to represent my country all over the world and to continue my work and efforts globally to see that we leave our mark and make a difference,” wrote Lipa on Instagram after receiving the honor. “The youth of Kosovo deserves the right to visa liberalization, freedom to travel, and to dream big. Thank you.”
Dua Lipa recently wrapped up her tour in support of her 2020 album Future Nostalgia. Earlier in the year, she collaborated with Young Thug and Calvin Harris for “Potion” and teamed up with Megan Thee Stallion for their joint single, “Sweetest Pie.”
Photo: Hugo Comte / Warner Music
