Marina Grabovari
Her career in music resembles a meteor that amazes you when you watch it pass through the sky of a clear night full of stars! Or similar to the saying of Julius Caesar: Veni, Vidi, Vinci (I came, I saw, I won).
Grabovari was born in 1964. She comes from a family that is not directly related to art, although she is the granddaughter of the singer Aferdita Katundi with a brilliant voice, but she also did not finish her artistic career.
As she herself testified, she never wanted to be a singer or to have anything to do with music, but the absence of an 8-year-old girl in school is the reason for her to participate as a singer in the “Palace of Pioneers” in the elementary School Festival, there at the age of 13.
And it will be this appearance at this school festival that will change the course of her life. After several engagements at the “Pioneer Palace” under the care of master Robert Radoja, Marina earns the right to attend the “Jordan Misja” Artistic High School in the re-opened canto branch, starting her journey to become a professional singer.
Grabovari`s professors and those who knew her said that Marina was a good “mezzo-soprano” and could become an excellent lyrical singer. However, Marina will finish her studies in this high school in the field of dramatic art. She was one of the protagonists of the festival in 1982, which after a period was considered as the successor of Icon Vace Zela. But….surprisingly she was not seen again.
Grabovari is in his 4th year at the Liceu when she appears on stage for the first time in the May Decade of the Liceu with a song by Avni Mula “Kur kendoj per ty moj Nene”. It will be the year 1982 when the composer A. Mula discovers the 18-year-old Marina Grabovari, who will then join the microphone in the professional scene.
The famous composer and singer Avni Mula himself would say:
“That girl is the most beautiful memory in that part of my artistic life. I met that girl by chance. I was amazed when I heard her perform with so much passion. I didn’t tell anyone about my plan. I kept it a secret as a festival surprise. Even Marina herself did not know that she would sing at that festival until the day of the semi-general rehearsal. I took her to the hall and just told her to listen. Marina got angry when she heard Luan Zhegu sing her song. Only then I did say: yes, dear Marina, what you have been singing all these days will be competitive at the festival. Confused, she went up to the stage. Everyone looked curiously and did not understand what that girl wanted there. When the song ended, the conductor and many others in the hall were amazed. They said that her singing was a volcano…….
In October 1982, Radio announced a competition for young voices where Marina participated but was not selected to be part of the festival that year. However, that same year, thanks to the perseverance of master Avni Mula, who knew very well the vocal and interpretive skills of Marina, she was only 18 years old, she will participate in the 21st song festival in RTSH, stunning all the attendees with her voice and she even undoubtedly won the first prize with the song “Nje djep ne barricade”, contrary to the doctrinal context of the song, she excelled, her charm on stage left a big impression on the Albanian public. 
Everyone was surprised by this “volcano” that erupted suddenly and that at this moment showed the premise of becoming a second Vace Zela. It should be mentioned that the talented singer was not included in the RTSH rehearsals and appeared at the Festival only with a dress rehearsal in the morning.
That’s all she needed. She sings with more passion the song composed by Avni Mula and the words written by Hysni Milloshi, dedicated to Partia. Six months later in June 1983, Grabovari sings the song “Midnight” at the first Festival of Performers and …. suddenly “loses” in circulation in the singer’s area.
After refusing to participate in the Festival of the working class organized in Metallurgic, Marina leaves the stage. To justify the opposition, she had declared in Xhelil Gjon’s office that she would leave the song altogether.
Well, later she will face more difficulties and obstacles. Grabovari is removed from all the musical events that she was going to participate in and then is denied the right to study at the ILA high school in the drama branch, but nevertheless she gains a right to study for the high school of teachers and the lower cycle in Shkoder .
After finishing her studies, she was sent to work as a teacher in the village of Thelb (somewhere within the radius of Dajti) to keep her away from the stage and the microphone of the song.
However, hurt by time, after the 90’s she never showed the desire, or better to say, she never tried to be a part of any festival event or other musical events. Marina avoided any contact, and anything related to concerts and music. 
Part of her success on stage for as long as she has been singing, Marina Grabovari has had the support of her husband, who was the well-known musician and composer Selim Ishmaku, the first person who gave her inspiration for the stage.
Her last performance in front of the microphone was the participation in a recital by Inva Mula.
Currently, Marina lives in Tirana and is a teacher at the “Jordan Misja” Artistic High School, she does not teach music but works as a lower cycle teacher for other subjects.
The text was published for the first time on the Facebook page “Albanian Cinematography” in January 2015 and was revisited in March 2021
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