Dua Lipa 'feeling grateful' after being awarded Kosovo citizenship

RTÉ News​

16 hours ago

Singer Dua Lipa has said she is "feeling grateful" after being awarded citizenship of Kosovo by the country's president.
The 29-year-old was born in London to Kosovo-Albanian parents, Anesa and Dukagjin Lipa, and moved to the country's capital of Pristina aged 11, when her family returned after Kosovo gained its independence in 2008, before moving back to London aged 15.
In a post on Instagram, Lipa said: "Feeling so grateful to have been awarded my Kosovan citizenship by our president @vjosaosmani."
Kosovo's president, Vjosa Osmani, posted a picture of herself presenting a certificate of citizenship to the singer with a caption saying "welcome home Dua".
She added: "Special honour that today, by presidential decree, to grant citizenship of the Republic of Kosovo to Dua Lipa, one of the most important cultural and artistic personalities in the history of our country.
"Dua and Kosovo have always been inseparable. She has been and continues to be one of the most powerful voices on the world's biggest stages, making history with her achievements and becoming an inspiration to millions of people around the globe.
"Our gratitude is endless for all that Dua has done and continues to do for Kosovo, for our youth, for our art and for the international image of our country.
"Dua, Kosovo is always proud of you."
At her initiation ceremony, Lipa was welcomed by a group of children dressed in white singing her 2020 UK hit single Levitating.
In a statement, Lipa added: "Every time I come back to Kosovo, it always feels like coming home.
"Receiving citizenship from president Osmani is such an honour and feels like my two sides are now one.
"It completes the duality I have always had within. I love this country and this means so much to me and my family."
It comes after the singer appeared at the country's Sunny Hill Festival, which she created in 2018, on Friday, where she performed the song Era with her father in Albanian.
She said of the performance in a post on X: "Sharing this night with you all, in the city that shaped me, surrounded by so much energy, joy, and pride… it's hard to put into words what it means.
"Performing for you and sharing the stage with my dad @dukagjinlipa was a moment I'll never forget.
"I feel so incredibly lucky and grateful, and we still have two more nights to celebrate together."
In November 2022, the singer was granted Albanian citizenship by its president Bajram Begaj.
Since beginning her career in 2013, Lipa has had four UK number one singles and two UK number one albums, she is best known for songs such as Training Season, New Rules and One Kiss, which she recorded with DJ Calvin Harris.