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Slađana Milošević

From Unearthing The Music

Slađana Milošević in September 2005. Credits: Medija centar Beograd

Aleksandra "Slađana" Milošević Hagadone (Serbian Cyrillic: Александра Слађана Милошевић; born 1955 October 3 in Belgrade, PR Serbia, FPR Yugoslavia), better known as Slađana Milošević, pronounced [slǎdʑana milǒːʃeʋitɕ], is a Serbian singer-songwriter, composer, record producer, and writer. During the early 1980s, she was one of the leading new wave vocalists in Yugoslavia.

Biography

Early career

Slađana Milošević was born in Belgrade, Yugoslavia. Her talent for music became very apparent at an early age, and she started her education in classical music at the age of five, playing the piano.[1] A few years later, her interest turned to studying the violin. At the age of twelve she became a singer and a bass-guitarist in a rock and roll school band, though she had not given up on playing the violin.[1] She recorded a first single at the age of fifteen, playing violin and singing Indian influenced music with a group called "Ganesha".[1]

1971—1977: Music groups

From then on, her interests had shifted towards various artistic expressions such as acting, playing music and dancing in fringe theatres and experimental movies.[1] She acted in Belgrade's Ex Art Theatre, Atelje 212 Theatre and in Academic Kino Club Krsmanović.[1] As a violinist, a member of the Radio Television Belgrade Orchestra, her career led her to doing studio work.[1] Nevertheless, playing in a big orchestra appeared to be an obstacle for further creative development, so she decided to proceed as a soloist.[1]

As a singer, she had won her first prize at the "Maglaj Youth Festival" in 1974.[1] In 1976, she toured the Soviet Union as a soloist in the Sasha Subota Orchestra, where she had recorded an LP Compilation of World Hits and a single, "Mikado" for Soviet label Melodiya.[1] Besides extensive touring with hundreds of concerts performed throughout the former Soviet Union, she took part in numerous TV shows. One of the highlights was her interpretation of Marina Tsvetaeva's poem "I Like When You Are Yearning for Me", sung in Russian on Moscow TV, in a special birthday greeting for Soviet Union's President Leonid Brezhnev.[1]

1977—1987: Successful solo artist

Being in constant discordance with the restrictive regime and the media, despite all her efforts, she could not release a solo record in her homeland Yugoslavia for many years. Thus, she invested her own funds and finally managed to produce and release her first single in 1977. Unexpectedly, it achieved immediate success, hitting No. 1 on the charts. Milošević's provocative first song "Au, Au" proved controversial[1], but her persistence and consistence of ideas had won over, and she proved influential to younger musicians.[1]

From then on, every song she released hit the top of the charts: “Au, Au” (1977), “Simpatija” (1978),[2] "Sexy dama" (1978),[3] then "Amsterdam", and "Očigledno nije mi svejedno", off the Gorim od želje da ubijem noć LP (1979).[1] Milošević’s fame spread throughout the entire region and the surrounding countries - for instance, in 1979, she was invited to a one hour long performance for the New Year celebrations of the Hungarian national TV.[1]

In 1982, as a special guest, she embarked with her band on a national Yugoslav tour with English rockabilly legends Matchbox.[1] In 1983, she started a band "Neutral Design", in Munich, Germany and released a self-titled album.[1] The songs from this LP were broadcast and sold in West Germany, Sweden, Yugoslavia and other European countries. A single "Das Licht von Kairo / Miki, Miki" was released in Yugoslavia, to impressive sales and acclaim.[1]

At Opatija Festival 1984 Milošević won a "Special Award for Interpretation" for the composition "Samsara".[1] Another great success followed, with maxi-single "Princeza", a duet with Dado Topić, which premiered at the Jugovizija 1984.[1] In the summer of that year, Alexandra filmed a 24 minute animated show "The Girl in a World of Chips", for Bosnian TV, Sarajevo.[1] The show was awarded a Plaquette at the international Montreux TV Festival.[1] It also took "The Best Yugoslav TV Show of the Year" award on national "Struga TV Competition".[1]

Milošević continued her collaborations with fellow musicians abroad and moved to London to work with the likes of Alan Darby, Russell Bell and Peter Godwin (David Bowie's songwriter).[1] She also created music for commercials for BBC1's Advertising Department.[1] As a composer and arranger she contributed to the creation of an LP by Alan Darby, released in Great Britain in 1985, on CBS Records.[1]

She took part in the "U.S.E. Project" (United States of Europe, a song performed by Alan Darby, and authored by Midge Ure of Ultravox), and recorded in Stevie Wonder’s studios in Paris where she took a role of a vocal producer assistant.[1] In 1985, her composition "Princess" was awarded a "Grand Prize" at Mesam Festival, Belgrade, winning "Song of the Year" title.[1]

She supported the organization of the Yugoslav Live Aid (the international movement for hunger relief in Africa, originated by Bob Geldof) and took part in a song dedicated to the cause, titled "Za milion godina" (1986).[1] Her composition "Fantastično putovanje", was performed on Mesam Festival 1986.[4] Soon after, the Italian National Television with producer Gian Luigi Morgia filmed her 20 minutes show for RAI2 TV channel.[1]

1988—1990: Yugoslav icon of 1980s

In 1988, Milošević did a successful remake of a song "Dolazi zima" at the author's (Dušan Mihajlović) request.[1]

A new album, "Aleksandra Slađana Milošević & Darko Kraljić" featuring mellow jazz ballads, (a deviation from her rock style), was recorded in 1987. That same year, a song off of the album "Bez nade" won the "Grand Prize" at Mesam Festival.[1]

During her career, she performed title songs for several movies: Crazy Years, National Class and a few documentary movies.[1] Frequently she featured as a guest vocalist and a guitarist on other musician's albums such as: Dado Topić, Leb i Sol, Goran Milošević (Slađana's brother, singer of Generacija 5), Nityananda, YU grupa and others.[1]

She took part in numerous humanitarian projects. She was the originator and the executive producer of the Charity Festival "United Yu-Rock Forces", organized for the benefit of paraplegics in Belgrade in 1988.[1] Belgrade Paraplegic Organization nominated her an "Honorable Member" for the support she had given to the cause.[1]

In 1988, she joined a group of young classical composers from Belgrade Conservatorium in recording and performing new classical artistic music.[1] In 1989, the composition "Toccata" by Igor Gostusky with Milošević’s vocal interpretation won two first prizes at the Experimental Classical Music Contest in Opatija and Munich.[1] That same year, Slađana Milošević was invited to take part in the Invitational Contest of International Friendly Cities Singers Meeting in Beijing, China.[1] She had won a "Special Honorary Award" for an overall two-part competition that included interpretation of a traditional Chinese song and her original music. In a free form competition she had won a "Silver Cup Award". Since she was so well received by Chinese audience, for whom this was one of the first encounters with western music, she was invited to perform in various concert-venues and television shows.[1]

The success of the first tour in China resulted in yet another invitation in 1989, when she performed a number of concerts and TV shows.[1] Chinese label "Hundred Flowers Records" signed and compiled Milošević’s hit songs for their market in 1989.[1] Upon returning to Europe she co-hosted a TV periodical titled "Cultural Bridge Beijing-Belgrade", produced by TV Belgrade. Further on, she continued to contribute in maintaining and developing cultural relations between China and Yugoslavia.[1]

In 1989, she joined Baby Sister, a headlining band on the Sunset strip rock club scene in Los Angeles, California. A contract with a legendary American manager Richard Papasian and his management company Artists at Work was soon signed.[1] After completing short tours in Yugoslavia and Switzerland she worked on new material in London.[1]

1990—1999

In 1990, she continued working on her album with American recording and production team in Los Angeles that included major American artists, such as Guns N' Roses songwriter West Arkeen, Lary Wilkens, Jeff Buckley, Derek Davies and John Buxter with whom she created music for a Canadian CD-ROM production company.[1] In the meanwhile she worked on improving her guitar skills, studying with Scott Henderson, Bruce Bouillet, Scott Van Zen, James Hagadone and others. During that time she appeared on American TV shows and its live scene.[1]

Besides furthering her musical career, she enrolled in a Business school and specialized in the investment field, becoming a stockbroker.[1] In this position she worked in film industry (Renegade Film Productions), digital communications (Digital Communications Inc.), interactive multimedia industry and projects in developing new computer technologies.[1] After connecting with Tania Delic's International Trust Peace Fund, which enabled continuation of her musical endeavors, she visited Yugoslavia in 1995.[1]

She recorded five new songs, among which "Times are Changing" a collaboration with American author Derek Davis.[1] She scripted and directed an animated video clip for "Times are Changing" in 1995. The following year, she and her brother Goran Milošević, recorded a duet "One must forgive" (also released on Goran's album). Milošević continued appearing in numerous TV shows and live performances in Yugoslavia and Europe.[1]

In 1997, she started working on material for a new album. During that period she visited China twice, where in Beijing she had directed a video clip for a title song "Harmony" for the soon to be released album.[1] This video was a symbolic tale of man's discordance with nature, which poses a treat to his existence. In spring of 1998, the CD Harmony – Compilation of Ballads vol. 1 was promoted in an artificial garden of Eden Aleksandra had designed for that purpose.[1]

When Serbia and Belgrade were bombed by NATO in spring of 1999, Aleksandra and her brother recorded and shot a video clip for "No More Tears", a song they wrote together.[1] It was an emotional call against violence and the sadness it consequently causes. Finnish singer Janne Hurme recorded this song for the Finnish market, where it reached considerable success.[1]

Alexandra scripted and directed the first videoclip off the "Animal Tested" album, released in December 1999.[1] Titled "Legalize Freedom", it proved controversial and was, due to the rules of political regime of the time, immediately banned on almost every TV stations in Yugoslavia.[1]

2000—2003

On January 13, 2000, the Serbian New Year day, Milošević delivered an award to the "Most Resisting Media Reporter", a political prisoner at the time. The celebration/protest was organized by "Otpor!" (Yugoslav Youth Resistance) at the main Belgrade's town square.[1] Slađana Milošević took an active role during the protests against the authoritarian political regime of then Yugoslav President Slobodan Milošević.[1]

Later that year, over 100 000 people were present on Belgrade's Republic Square during the Democratic Opposition gatherings organized by NGO G17+, when Slađana took stage to play a set with her band. She joined the efforts of the people of Serbia in their struggle for freedom and their demands for the new government.[1] She also took part in the "Vreme je" (The Time has Come) project conceptualized by ANEM (Association of Independent Media) and G17+. She sang and played the song in support of the awakening of the democratic awareness in Serbia and the first free elections. She had played concerts on public squares during the entire democratic campaign and spoke on the media in favor of it. After speaking at a Press Conference in Belgrade's Media Center in July 2000 with Mlađan Dinkić, one of G17+ leaders (former Treasurer in Đinđić’s Government, current Minister of Economy of Serbia), she was arrested in her residence.[1] There was neither an explanation nor were there any charges brought up. After questioning, she was let free. The incident was reported on Voice of America, and Milošević would suffer this kind of harassment for a while longer. [1]

In the year 2000, Slađana's album "Animal Tested" was released in Great Britain for Wastelands Unlimited Record Label. She commented: “This album of mine is created to challenge stupidity and backwardness, and is a voice against all-out manipulation.”[1] The second clip off of the album, “My Cross is Bleeding”, was also self written and directed in summer 2000.

Due to her efforts in bringing new solutions to the disorganized music industry, Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Serbia appointed Aleksandra Slađana Milošević a “Coordinator of the Reform of Music Industry in Yugoslavia” in March 2001.[1] RTS Radio "Program 202" produced 8 episodes of a one-hour weekly radio show she wrote and hosted, titled "Animal Tested". Her first literary achievement (with co-author Dr. Jasmina Malešević) Adam Don't Get Mad, was published and released by "Draslar Partner", on September 4, 2001.[1]

In the year 2002, her record label PGP RTS released the greatest hits compilation Metamorfoza, a triple CD box set. The compilation was to celebrate her 25 Years Jubilee. Slađana also shot Metamorphosis, a one-hour TV show, for the national TV RTS.[1]

Discography

Studio albums

  • Gorim od želje da ubijem noć (PGP-RTB, 1979)[5]
  • Neutral design (Jugoton, 1983)[6]
  • Alexandra Slađana Milošević & Darko Kraljić, with Darko Kraljić (PGP-RTB, 1988)[7]
  • Slađana+Dado, with Dado Topić (PGP-RTB, 1989)[8]
  • Animal Tested (Wastelands Unlimited, 2000)[9]

Compilation albums

  • Alexandra S. M. Compilation (Hundred Flowers Records, China, 1988)[10]
  • Harmony (PGP-RTS, 1998)[11]
  • Metamorfoza Vol.1 (PGP-RTS, 2002)[12]
  • Metamorfoza Vol.2 (PGP-RTS, 2002)[13]
  • Metamorfoza Vol.3 (PGP-RTS, 2002)[14]

References

  1. Official Biography of Slađana Milošević
  2. "Sympathy". Sladjana.com. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
  3. "Sexy Lady". Sladjana.com. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
  4. Mesam – 2. Međunarodni Sajam Muzike – Parada Hitova at Discogs
  5. GORIM OD ZELJE DA UBIJEM NOC at sladjana.com
  6. Neutral design at Discogs
  7. Alexandra Slađana Milošević & Darko Kraljić at Discogs
  8. "Sladjana+Dado". Sladjana.com. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
  9. Animal Tested at Discogs
  10. ALEXANDRA S.M. COMPILATION
  11. HARMONY Compilation of ballads
  12. Metamorfoza Vol. 1 at Discogs
  13. Metamorfoza Vol. 2 at Discogs
  14. Metamorfoza Vol. 3 at Discogs

External links

Text adapted from Wikipedia

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