Rade Vrcakovski — Vrcak returns to stage at Makfest 41

After a long absence from the spotlight, Rade Vrcakovski — known as Vrcak — stepped back onto a major Macedonian festival stage at the 41st Makfest in Shtip. He shared the bill with singer Simona Popovska, rekindling memories of his run of hits in the 2000s.

Comeback with a duet

The two performed the song "Sonce po dozhd" ("Sun After Rain"), marking Vrcak's first Makfest presentation after several years away from the festival circuit. The appearance was singled out as one of the notable moments of this year's program.

Unlike many other performers that night, Vrcak did not give an interview to the broadcaster and offered no public explanation of his immediate plans. Popovska, however, posted photos from their joint performance on social media and praised the experience.

"I am immensely happy to be part of this special musical comeback after a long time, Vrcak back on stage. 'Sun After Rain' is the song that brought us together in this story. Grateful for every applause, every emotion and for the energy we felt last night," Popovska wrote on Facebook.

She also thanked collaborators Zlatko Jovanovski, Zoki Davitkov and Ljupcho Nestorov for their roles in the project.

Vrcak is widely associated with a prolific period in Macedonian pop and hip‑hop during the 2000s, both as a performer and a songwriter. He recorded notable duets and shared stages with artists such as Tamara Todevska and Adrijan Gadzha; the three represented Macedonia at the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest in Belgrade with the song "Vo ime na ljubovta" ("In the Name of Love").

Before Makfest, Vrcak had recently appeared as a guest at a concert with Elvir Mekic and Jovan Jovanov—another reminder of the era when domestic pop and hip‑hop acts regularly dominated youth playlists. Whether the Makfest performance signals a sustained return to recording and touring or a series of selective appearances remains unconfirmed.

Photo: press material from the event