Zoran Vanev turns 53 this year — from folk star to doctor in Switzerland

Zoran Vanev, a household name from North Macedonia's pop-folk era, marks another year in 2026: born in 1973, he is turning 53 this year. After a string of memorable hits in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Vanev stepped away from the spotlight and built a second career in Switzerland.

From festival stages to a clinic in Zurich

Vanev first rose to widespread recognition in 1993 with the cult song "Angela," written in collaboration with Mirche Kikirikov. His repertoire later included enduring tracks such as "Angela, Angela," "Juzhna pruga," "Lila" and "Monika," songs that kept his name alive on playlists across the Balkans.

At the height of his popularity he made the decisive move to relocate to Switzerland and retrain. He graduated from the Paracelsus Academy for Alternative Medicine in Zurich and became the first Macedonian in Switzerland holding a state-recognized Doctor of Natural Medicine title. Today his private clinic receives patients from many countries.

Despite his medical career and life abroad, Vanev remains connected to his hometown of Shtip and to music. He owns a home with a pool in Shtip where he spends time when in Macedonia, and a few years ago he surprised fans by performing at the jubilee Makfest with the song "Dusho moja."

Vanev is married to Lidija; the couple have two sons. According to published notes, next year they will mark three full decades of marriage. He regularly visits Macedonia whenever his schedule allows, and continues to be remembered as a symbol of an era that produced true pop-folk evergreens.

Photo: press material from the event