Part of Toše's reach across the former Yugoslavia came from a simple decision: he sang to people in their own language. Over his career he recorded in Macedonian, Serbian, Croatian, Bosnian, Slovenian and Aromanian, the language of his own family.
Two versions of one album
From 2002 most of his studio albums appeared in two editions — one in Macedonian, one in Serbian or Croatian — so that radio in Skopje, Belgrade, Zagreb and Sarajevo could all play the same songs. On his last album many of the songs were written first in Serbo-Croatian and then translated into Macedonian for the home release.
Collaborations fans remember
- Esma Redžepova. The great Macedonian Romani singer appeared on "Magija" ("Magic") from the 2002 album and in its video. In January 2003 she joined him on stage for his UK debut at the Equinox club on Leicester Square in London.
- Anja Rupel. With the Slovene singer he recorded "Krajnje vreme", part of his move into the Croatian and Slovenian markets after signing with Dallas Records at the end of 2004.
- Željko Joksimović and Leontina Vukomanović. They wrote "Čija si", the song that won Beovizija in Belgrade in 2003.
- Songwriting partners. Grigor Koprov and Ognen Nedelkovski in the early years; Phoebus, Manolis Vlachos and Marina Tucaković on the Athens album; Miro Buljan, Antonija Šola and later Nikša Bratoš and others from 2005.
Aromanian roots
Kruševo is the only place in North Macedonia where Aromanian has an official status, alongside Macedonian, since 2006. Toše's first festival appearance as a child was with a song in Aromanian. He did not make a point of his Vlach background in interviews, but he never hid it either, and Aromanian communities count him as one of their own.
English
English appeared mainly at Eurovision, where he sang "Life", and on the posthumous album The Hardest Thing. In a 2005 interview he mentioned that, if he ever tried for a global career, he might return to the older family surname Proia, which he thought foreigners would find easier.
See also songs and their stories and the discography.