The couple had travelled to Italy to seek medical advice for their young childJamie Downham Deputy Associate Editor, the Mirror and Simon Hamalienko Senior Content Editor (Live)
12:54, 27 Nov 2025Updated 17:12, 27 Nov 2025
Singer Shpat Kasapi died after suffering a fatal heart attack(Image: Jam Press)
A much-loved pop star has died from a sudden cardiac arrest aged just 40. Singer Shpat Kasapi is reported to have suffered a fatal heart attack in Monza, Italy, and passed away in the arms of his wife Selvije Jao. The couple are thought to have been in Italy seeking medical advice for their young son.
Kasapi, an Albanian singer with a string of chart hits, had no known medical conditions making his death yesterday even more of a shock for family and friends. In a heart-wrenching Instagram post, Selvije wrote a letter to her late husband, telling him: “You left us here alone, without you.”
Shpat Kasapi with his wife Selvije Jao, who has paid tribute to him on Instagram(Image: Jam Press)
Alongside a heartbreaking picture of Kasapi looking happy and relaxing and holding their son, she said: “You died in my arms. How close we were, how cooperative we were in maintaining our privacy.
“You left us here alone, without you. You always told me you would love me until death do us part. Why did you die in my arms? Why did you break my heart like this, my love?”
She added: “I hope to meet you in Heaven. God wanted you close to him, but I can’t wait to wake up from this nightmare and find you here with us again.”
Shpat was a cherished figure in the Albanian and Kosovan music scene, reports the Daily Star. Since his career took off in the early 2000s, he enjoyed numerous chart hits including Ajo Me Mungon (I Miss Her), Valle Kosovare (Kosovar Dance), Dashni Pa Limit (Love Without Limits), and Aroma e Saj (Her Aroma).
He was hugely popular – the music video for his latest single N’dahem Sot has nearly a million YouTube views and he has nearly 340,000 monthly listeners on the Spotify streaming platform.
Selvije shared an emotional post about the death of her husband(Image: Jam Press/Selvije Jao)
He also competed to represent Albania in the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest in a gruelling competition that whittled down 20 acts. However, he was beaten by Kejsi Tola who performed her song Carry Me in Your Dreams for the Balkans country in Russia that year.
In 2021, he married Selvije in a private ceremony after they met during the filming of one of his music videos. The couple, who lived in the Albanian capital Tirana, had a son named Roel.
Izet Mexhiti, mayor Çair in North Macedonia, was among the public figures paying tribute today. A translated Facebook post read: “His sudden passing has left a huge void in family, friends and all those who appreciated his art
“Shpat left behind a precious artistic legacy and memories that will remain long in the hearts of the public. His music is a value that does not fade. On this difficult day, we express our deepest condolences to the Kasapi family, relatives and the entire artistic community. May his memory be eternal, and may he rest in peace.”