Sergej Poposki, 23, wins over Zagreb crowd as Balkan breakout star

Sergej Poposki, a 23-year-old singer from Prilep, is emerging as a new Balkan pop phenomenon after a surprise guest appearance in Zagreb that left a mixed crowd of entrepreneurs, diplomats and cultural figures impressed.

From intimate garage clips to a packed Zagreb venue

Poposki performed as a surprise guest at the International Business Meetup Club (IBMC) event held in the well-known Gradska kafana in Zagreb, singing several numbers before more than 200 entrepreneurs, diplomats, investors and prominent guests from Croatia and abroad.

The show was organised by Croatian businessman Josip Novosel (Dear Leader Joe), and attendees singled out Poposki's powerful voice and direct stage presence. Recently in Zagreb he also presented his new single and video "Ednash zasekogash" ("Once and for all"), produced with Miro Buljan and Tomislav Jovanović, which is already receiving regional radio and social-media attention.

His musical story began more modestly: Poposki posted simple acoustic videos recorded in a garage in Slovenia, performing with piano and microphone. Without expensive campaigns, those TikTok and social‑media clips amassed hundreds of thousands of views and helped him reach audiences across the region.

Because of the emotional depth in his voice, media outlets across the Balkans have been asking whether North Macedonia has a new Toše Proeski, and some have also compared him to the young Jakov Jozinović. Poposki himself played down the comparison: "Toše was something unique and I would never say that I am the new Toše. But if someone feels in my voice or emotion something that reminds them of him, for me that is a huge compliment. Still, I am just 'a garage boy' who wants to sing and build his own path," he has said.

Poposki's rise has already taken him to larger stages: he opened for the legendary Željko Bebek in front of a packed audience at the Križanke in Ljubljana.

His public successes have been shadowed by deep personal loss. In January of this year he won the Grand Prix at the WAF Awards festival in Skopje, and at the same time he received news that his mother had tragically died. Reflecting on that period he told interviewers: "I remember, I talked with my mother the day before she died, right after I sang. She told me something that I should come back to Prilep... And exactly when I lifted the award, in that same moment the worst thing happened to me. It changed my life. It's hard, but I think now I carry her energy. Every day I fight and believe in God."

Poposki credits his grandfather, a classically trained musician, for introducing him to piano and singing from the age of five. Despite hardships, he continues to represent North Macedonia on regional stages and is positioning himself as a singer to watch across the Balkans.

Photo: press material from the event