#SHOWBIZ: Dua Lipa granted citizenship in Kosovo: 'My two sides are now one'
The singer, who was born in London to Kosovan-Albanian parents and lived briefly in Kosovo's capital, Pristina, as a child, said the honour "completes the duality I have always had within."
The BBC reported that President Vjosa Osmani hosted the special ceremony, describing it as an "honour" to grant citizenship to an individual she hailed as "one of the most iconic cultural figures in our country's history."
The President praised Lipa for carrying Kosovo's story "with strength, pride, and grace" on a global stage, adding that the country's gratitude for her efforts is "endless."
Lipa's connection to Kosovo is well-documented.
She has often spoken of her love for the country and in 2018, she and her father co-founded the Sunny Hill Festival in Pristina.
The annual music event aims to "change the rhetoric of what people think about Kosovo and it being war-torn," a reference to the country's past.
Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, a move recognised by the UK, US, and many other nations, but not by Serbia itself.
The 'Radical Optimism' singer is currently in Kosovo for this year's three-day Sunny Hill Festival, where she headlined on Friday.
She shared her feelings on Instagram, writing that it was "hard to put into words what it means" to share the night with her fans "in the city that shaped me, surrounded by so much energy, joy, and pride."
This is not the first time Lipa has been recognised for her efforts to promote her heritage.
In 2022, she was also awarded Albanian citizenship and named an Honorary Ambassador of Kosovo, a title she described as an "honour and a privilege to be able to represent my country all over the world."
The ceremony was a heartfelt affair, with a children's choir performing a rendition of her hit song 'Levitating'.
UK Ambassador to Kosovo, Jonathan Hargreaves, was also in attendance and posted a photograph with Lipa on social media, proudly saying that both the UK and Kosovo consider her "one of our own."
With this latest honour, Dua Lipa now holds citizenship for Britain, Albania, and Kosovo.
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