Parashqevi Simaku

Parashqevi Simaku
Born	(1966-09-01) 1 September 1966 (age 58) Kavajë, PR Albania
Occupation	Singer
Years active	1982–2006
Children	1
Musical career
Genres	Folk Light
Instruments	Vocals
Musical artist
Signature

Parashqevi Simaku (born 1 September 1966, in Kavajë) is an Albanian^[1] singer noted for her work in the 1980s. She has won numerous awards and worked with some of the best composers and musicians in Albania.

Simaku participated in Festivali i Këngës in 1982, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, and 1990.

Simaku collaborated professionally with her former husband, Robert Nolfe, an American musician and producer who had ties to Sony Music. In 2006 she signed a contract with Sony and BMG for her Albanian-language CD entitled Echoes from Iliria (Albanian: Jehonë nga Iliria) which she co-produced with Nolfe.^[2][3][4] The album blended traditional Albanian folk with contemporary influences.^[5]

In the US, Simaku has also been known to prefer variations of her name, including "Via Simaku," "Paravia," or simply "Simaku," instead of her full given name, Parashqevi.

Simaku's husband Robert Nolfe was reportedly granted custody of their son through court proceedings during their divorce. In the years after, Simaku faced personal struggles and was eventually discovered living in homelessness in December 2024. A video from WABC 7 News captured her collecting aid packages in the streets of New York, where her name was misspelled as "Simaku Nohfe" instead of "Simaku Nolfe".^[6]

• "Kënga e Qamiles"
• "Këndon kumrija"
• "Fustanin që ta solla mbrëmë"
• "Ky marak, maraku i shkretë"
• "Doli goca në penxhere"
• "Kur del goca në pazar"
• "Po më rreh zemra"
• "Çelin manushaqet"
• "Këndo qyqe se po vjen behari"
• "Këndon gjeli pika pika"
• "Si lule zambaku"
• "2 Këngë Popullore të Shqipërisë së Mesme"
• "Potpuri Këngësh Popullore"
• "Këngë Arbëreshe"

• "Gëzimi i shtepisë së re" (1983)
• "Në moshën e rinisë" (1985), Festivali i Këngës winner
• "Një mëngjes" (1986)
• "Kur lulëzon bliri" (1986)
• "Me sytë e tu" (1987)
• "Çdo mëngjes"
• "Çdo gjë bashkë ne e ndajmë"
• "Buzë detit jemi rritur"
• "Bashkëmoshatarët" (1987)
• "Koha nuk na pret" (1987)
• "E duam lumturinë" (1988), Festivali i Këngës winner
• "Gusht e prush" (1988)
• "Jetoj" (1989)
• "Nuk jam vetëm" (1989)
• "Sonetë për vete" (1990)
• "Lejla" (1990)
• "Dëgjoma këngën" (1991)
• "Se dashuria"
• "Kur të prisja ty"
• "Tik Tik Tak"
• "Mes nesh është dashuria"
• "Më the të dua"
• "Në sytë e tu"
• "Qyteti im"
• "Shoqet"
• "Bashkë ne të dy"
• "Sytë e një vogëlushi"
• "Dashuria e vërtetë"
• "Pyes veten"

• "Haxhireja"
• "Ura e Shijakut"
• "Pranvera do të vijë"
• "Anës lumenjve"
• "Dashuria"
• "Se-sa"
• "Jug-Veri"
• "Kur jam me ty"
• "Pak më shumë"
• "Dielli"

Festivali i Këngës