Colombian musician Janko celebrates birthday with an original song in Macedonian

Janko, the Bogotá-based musician often called "Janko the Colombian," marked his birthday by posting a video in which he performs an original song in Macedonian. The short clip—shared with his followers—was presented as a personal gift to fans who have followed his work for years.

Although he was born in Colombia, his dedication to Macedonian folklore and traditional music has become the defining feature of his career. The artist uses the name Janko Bogdan Penjafort Vilja and, together with his band, has spent years promoting Macedonian songs internationally; many of their social-media posts quickly go viral.

Bandmate's greeting in Macedonian

Band colleague and close friend Nikola Castaño published an emotionally charged video message in Macedonian to celebrate the occasion. In the post’s caption he wrote that “Today is Janko's birthday — my friend and musical brother.” In the video, Nikola not only speaks in Macedonian but also sings a traditional Macedonian folk song, saying the number perfectly describes the bond between them.

Followers in the comment threads praised both musicians for their devotion to Macedonian culture. Longtime fans recalled Janko’s earlier visit to Skopje, where he shared a stage with folk singer Vlatko Miladinovski and together performed the anthology song "Velat ne nema" to a packed hall.

On his birthday post and subsequent uploads, thousands of Macedonians from home and the diaspora sent wishes for health, happiness and more performances that celebrate the country’s musical heritage.

Photo: Printskrin\/ Fejsbuk