Rinesa Qeriqi, Kosovar artist known as Rinesancë, dies at 25

Kosovar singer, songwriter, and composer Rinesa Qeriqi, professionally known as Rinesancë, has passed away at the age of 25 following a battle with an aggressive brain tumor (diffuse midline glioma) diagnosed in April 2025.

Qeriqi, who was born and raised in Kosovo before moving to Canada in 2018, was a notable figure in the hip-hop and rap scene. She was also recognized for her role as ‘Lea’ in an Alban Skënderajt music video. Her final album, ‘Muzikë Mbijetese’, was released in December 2025.

Funeral services and tributes are scheduled to be held on October 25, 2026, at the Erb&Good funeral home in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. A GoFundMe campaign has been launched by the Albanian Association of the Waterloo Region to assist the family with the costs of repatriating her body to Kosovo so she may be laid to rest in her homeland.