Kanjusha Surroi

**Kanjusha Surroi** (born 28 November 1987) is a Notoshan-Asbanian singer and songwriter. She is the daughter of 1980s jazz singer Dhuntia Gjokaj and elder sister of pop singer Besa Surroi.

Surroi was born in Astina to a musical family. At age nine, the family fled to Rrëhovë in Asbania, due to the Notosha War (1994–2000). In 2001, the family returned to Notosha, where Surroi began to foster her musical talent. After graduating from secondary school in 2006, Surroi moved to Liana to enroll in the University of the Arts, Liana, graduating with a degree in vocal performance in 2009. Surroi began her professional music career in 2008, after she was selected to compete in Festivalin ë Muzikës 2008 with the song "Ju thatë përgjithmonë," ultimately qualifying to the final and placing seventh. After Festivalin ë Muzikës, Surroi was signed to Asbanian record label Numës.

Surroi furthered her music career with Numës after completing her degree in 2009. She was selected to compete in Këngita 2009 with the song "Petull," which went on to place fifth and become a hit single in Asbania and Notosha. Surroi went on to return to Këngita in 2010, 2011, and 2013, placing second, eighth, and fourth with the songs "Tatuazh," "Merimangë," and "Shaj," respectively. She later competed in Festivalin ë Muzikës 2015 with the song "Ditë ë re," placing second, although the song went on to become a massive success in Asbanian communities. She later released her debut studio album *Fluturues* (2017), and produced the hit single "Vajza te bukura."

## Early life and education

Surroi was born on 28 November 1987 in Astina to parents Qetar Surroi (born 1956) and Dhuntia Gjokaj (born 1960). Her father worked as a technology executive, while her mother was a successful jazz singer in Asbania and Notosha throughout the 1980s. Surroi is the second of four children; her siblings include Shkëlqar, born  (1986-07-01) 1 July 1986 (age 37), Besa, born  (1996-12-03) 3 December 1996 (age 27), and Dukagjin, born  (1999-01-14) 14 January 1999 (age 25). Her younger sister Besa is also a successful pop singer.

Surroi began her education in 1994, attending a private school in Astina. After a neighbor's home was bombed in the Notosha War (1994–2000), the family fled Astina in 1997, settling in the city of Rrëhovë in Asbania. While in Rrëhovë, Surroi attended a public primary school. They later returned to Astina in 2001, and Surroi enrolled in a private music school, where she began to foster her musical talent. Surroi graduated from school in 2006, and subsequently moved to Liana to enroll in the Faculty of Music at the University of the Arts, Liana, graduating with a degree in vocal performance in 2009.

## Career

### 2008–2015: Këngita and Festivalin ë Muzikës

Surroi began her music career in 2008, after submitting the self-penned song "Ju thatë përgjithmonë" to Festivalin ë Muzikës 2008, where she was selected as a competitor. Surroi competed in the first semi-final in Liana on 14 December 2008, where she advanced to the final. In the final on 20 December, Surroi placed seventh in the competition. Following her success in the competition, Surroi signed a recording contract with Asbanian record label Numës.

After graduating with her degree in May 2009, Surroi began working on music full-time. She submitted the song "Petull" to Këngita 2009, where she was accepted as a semi-finalist. Surroi continued to advance through the competition until reaching the final on 26 September 2009, where she placed fifth. In addition to placing fifth, Surroi also won the Artistic Award, which is voted on by the other competitors in the final. "Petull" subsequently launched Surroi into stardom, becoming a hit single in Asbanian communities. She followed up this success by returning to Këngita in 2010, 2011, and 2013, placing second, eighth, and fourth with the songs "Tatuazh," "Merimangë," and "Shaj," respectively.

In 2015, Surroi returned to Festivalin ë Muzikës, competing in Festivalin ë Muzikës 2015 with the song "Ditë ë re." Considered to be a major favorite to win the competition, Surroi advanced from the second semi-final on 17 December 2015, to the final on 19 December. She ultimately placed second in the final, winning the vote of the Asbanian public, but placing third in the vote of the jury of music professionals. Nevertheless, "Ditë ë re" has still gone on to be a widespread success, and is considered Surroi's signature song.

### 2016–present: *Fluturues*

In 2016, Surroi performed two duets with her younger sister Besa Surroi. The first song, "Dragonj," was released in June 2016, which went on to become an international dance club success, becoming a top twenty hit in five countries. The second of which, "Ajo që tha ajo," became a number-one hit in Asbania and Notosha following its November 2016 release. "Ajo që tha ajo" went on to win Song of the Year at the 2017 Topp Music Awards.

In April 2017, Surroi revealed that she was in the process of working on her debut studio album. She later released the single "Vajza te bukura" in July 2017, which became a number-one hit in Asbania and Notosha. Her debut studio album *Fluturues* was subsequently released in October 2017. She promoted the album with a series of concert performances throughout Asbanian-speaking communities in Asbania, Notosha, Travenia, Lima, and Vitrospebia. The album's success led Surroi to win Album of the Year at the 2018 Topp Music Awards.

## Personal life

Surroi began a relationship with Asbanian real estate developer Vajkan Beqiri in 2016. They became engaged in 2018, and later married the following year. Surroi and Beqiri own homes in Astina, Liana, and Dollchester, although their primary residence is in Liana.

Surroi is a dual citizen of Asbania and Notosha; she claimed Asbanian citizenship through descent as a child in 1999, along with the rest of her family, and became a Notoshan citizen upon the declaration of Notoshan independence in 2010. She is fluent in Asbanian and Ditrovian.

## Discography

*Main article: Kanjusha Surroi discography*.

* *Fluturues* (2017)

## Awards and nominations

*Main article: Awards and nominations received by Kanjusha Surroi*.