The singer known as Cansever lost her battle with a serious illness at the age of 59 in a hospital in Essen, leaving behind a rich career and a life story marked by numerous hardships.
The Balkan music scene has lost yet another recognizable voice. Džansever Dalipova, known to the wider audience as Cansever, passed away on Friday, August 8, 2026, at a hospital in the German city of Essen. News of her death, which followed a long and difficult illness, was confirmed by her family and management team.
Born on July 8, 1967, in the Macedonian city of Veles, Dalipova was surrounded by music from an early age. However, her life path was far from simple. At just 12 years old, she lost sight in one eye in an unfortunate accident. Only a few years later, in 1994, she was diagnosed with a severe form of spinal rheumatism, which caused serious mobility problems for a long time. After years of struggle, she underwent surgery in Germany in 2009.
Despite all her health challenges, her voice remained an undeniable asset. She began her career in Macedonia, where she released her first album in 1992. A key turning point came in 1997 when she performed on the popular Turkish show "Ibo Show," hosted by renowned singer Ibrahim Tatlises. Her performance of the song "Kara Çadır" drew massive attention from Turkish audiences and opened the doors to a major career in that country.
Over time, she built a reputation as a respected performer of arabesque music while remaining extremely popular in the Balkans. Audiences in the region remember her for numerous Roma hits, including "Kemano bašal e romenge," "Kali," "Sa ka dav akaja rat," "Me jakha but roven," "Ka Panda Sarenge Muja," and "Miliyonya." She never hid her Roma heritage, often emphasizing how much music that brings people and cultures together meant to her.
Late last year, Dalipova publicly spoke about her battle with leukemia. After a bone marrow transplant, it seemed she had overcome the hardest part of the fight, but unfortunately, the disease returned. Social media quickly filled with messages of sorrow and farewell from her colleagues, friends, and audiences across the region and Turkey following the announcement of her death.
With the passing of Džansever Dalipova, the Roma and Balkan music scenes have lost a distinctive voice and an artist whose life story was filled with great trials but also immense love for music. The date and location of her funeral will be announced at a later time.
