Esma Redžepova rođena je u Skoplju. Rođena je u obitelji sa šestero djece. Živjelo se teško i u siromaštvu, ali obitelj je unatoč siromaštvu nastojala školovati djecu. Esma se vrlo rano počela baviti glazbom. Sa svega 9 godina brat ju je učlanio u romsku glazbenu organizaciju. Njezini roditelji inzistirali su na tome da završi školu. Zahvaljujući glazbi uspjela se izvući iz siromaštva i približiti svjetskoj slavi i pozornicama. Još kao osnovnoškolka, Esma je sudjelovala na natjecanju školskih talenata za Radio Skopje. Otišla je bez znanja svojih roditelja, koji nisu podržavali da se bavi glazbom. Glazbena karijera za mladu Romkinju podrazumijevala je samo pjevanje po kafanama. Esma je na tom natjecanju pjevala pjesmu A bre babi, tradicionalnu pjesmu makedonskih Roma. To je ujedno bio i prvi put da je pjesma na romskom jeziku bila emitirana na radiju. Ni činjenica da je osvojila prvo mjesto, i nagradu od 9000 dinara, nije udobrovoljila njezine roditelje.

Makedonac Stevo Teodosijevski bio je na čelu Ansambla Teodosievski. Nakon što je čuo Esminu izvedbu pjesme na radiju, htio je da se i ona pridruži sastavu. Bio je uvjeren da bi mu ona mogla pomoći u popularizaciji romske glazbe, koja u to vrijeme nije bila baš omiljena među slušateljima. Uspio je uvjeriti njezine roditelje da ju puste da se pridruži sastavu, uz obećanje da neće pjevati po kafanama. Esma je upisala glazbenu akademiju kako bi usavršila pjevanje, i nakon 2 godine pridružila se Ansamblu Teodosievski. Stevo Teodosijevski bio je njezin glazbeni partner, ali kasnije je postao i njezinim suprugom.

Godine 1961, u Zagrebu, snimili su prvu gramofonsku ploču. Najpoznatija pjesma na toj ploči je Čaje šukarije, pjesma koju je Esma sama napisala, i koja je ubrzo postala hit na prostoru bivše Jugoslavije. Esma Redžepova je gotovo jedini priznati romski umjetnik, uz Šabana Bajramovića, koji je postigao vječnu slavu u svijetu romske glazbe.

Esma je 2000-ih godina ostvarila i nekoliko uspješnih suradnji s mladim pjevačima. Vjerojatno jedna od najpoznatijih suradnji je ona s grupom Magazin. Zajedno su snimili pjesmu Dani su bez broja. Snimala je i neke pjesme s makedonskim pjevačem Tošom Proeskim. Tim je suradnjama Esma uspjela romsku glazbu staviti na urbanu scenu i približiti je široj publici. Zajedno s Vlatkom Lozanoskim Esma je predstavljala Makedoniju na Eurosongu 2013. godine s pjesmom Pred da se razdeni, no nisu ušli u finale.

Esma Redžepova preminula je u dobi od 73 godine u bolnici u Skoplju. Bila je svjetski poznata po emocionalnosti koju je unosila u svoju glazbu. Njezin odlazak teško je pao mnogima i ostavio prazninu u svijetu romske glazbe.

On this day, 79 years ago, Esma Redžepova, the queen of Romani music, was born. She was world famous because of the emotionality she was introducing into her music. Esma is missed by many and her death left a tremendous emptiness in the world of Romani music.

Esma Redžepova was born in Skopje. She was born in a family with 6 children. They lived a very tough life in poverty, but despite that, the family tried to educate their children. Esma started her music career very early. When she was only 9 years old her brother enrolled her in a Roma music organization. Her parents insisted that she finish school. Thanks to music, she managed to get out of poverty and get closer to world fame and stages. When she was still an elementary school student, Esma took part in a school competition of young talents held by Skopje Radio. She left there without the knowledge of her parents, who did not support her in pursuing music. A music career for a young Roma woman meant only singing in bars. At that competition, Esma sang the song A bre babi, a traditional song of the Macedonian Roma. It was also the first time that a song in the Romani language was broadcast on the radio. Even the fact that she won first place and a prize of 9,000 dinars did not make her parents happy.

The Macedonian Stevo Teodosijevski was the leader of the Teodosievski Ensemble. After hearing Esma's performance of the song on the radio, he wanted her to join the band. He was convinced that she could help him popularize Roma music, which at that time was not very popular among listeners. He was able to convince Esma's parents to let her join the group, but he promised she is not going to sing in bars. Esma enrolled to the music academy to perfect her singing, and after 2 years she joined Teodosievski Ensemble. Stevo Teodosijevski was her musical partner, but later became her husband.

In the year 1961, in Zagreb, they they recorded the first gramophone record. The most famous song on that record is Čaje šukarije, a song that Esma wrote herself, and which soon became a hit in former Yugoslavia. Esma Redžepova is almost the only recognized Romani artist, along with Šaban Bajramović, who achieved eternal fame in the world of Romani music.

In the 2000s, Esma had several successful collaborations with young singers. Probably one of the most famous collaborations is the one with the Magazin group. Together, they recorded the song Dani su bez broja. She also recorded some songs with the Macedonian singer Toše Proeski. With these collaborations, Esma managed to put Roma music on the urban scene and present it to a wider audience. Together with Vlatko Lozanoski, Esma represented Macedonia at the Eurovision Song Contest 2013 with the song Pred da se razdeni, but they did not enter the final.

Esma Redžepova died at the age of 73 in a hospital in Skopje. She was world famous because of the emotionality she was introducing into her music. Esma is missed by many and her death left a tremendous emptiness in the world of Romani music.