Dino Merlin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dino Merlin
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Dino in 2011
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Edin Dervišhalidović |
| Born | 12 September 1962 Sarajevo, PR Bosnia and Herzegovina, Yugoslavia |
| Genres | Pop-rock, ethno-pop, pop, disco, world |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, singer-songwriter, record producer |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards |
| Years active | 1983–present |
| Labels | Magaza, Croatia Records |
| Associated acts |
Various
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Edin Dervišhalidović (born September 12, 1962), known as Dino Merlin, is a famous Bosnian singer-songwriter and record producer. He was born in Sarajevo. He started and led the band Merlin. This band became one of the most popular rock groups in Southeast Europe.
People often call Dino "The Wizard" (Bosnian: Čarobnjak). He is seen as one of the most important and successful artists from the former Yugoslavia. Throughout his career, he has released many albums that topped the music charts. He has also gone on many record-breaking tours. Dino has received many awards, including the special Sixth of April Sarajevo Award. He even wrote the national anthem for the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. He is loved for his unique voice, exciting stage presence, and beautiful songs.
Contents
Dino Merlin's Early Life and Beginnings
Edin Dervišhalidović was born on September 12, 1962. He grew up in the Alifakovac neighborhood of Sarajevo. At that time, Sarajevo was part of Yugoslavia. His father, Abid, was a carpenter. His mother, Fatima, was born and raised in Sarajevo. His parents divorced when he was seven years old. After that, his mother raised him.
Dervišhalidović went to Moris Moco Salom primary school. He was the captain of the school's soccer, basketball, and table tennis teams. The school and the places around it, like the Emperor's Mosque, inspired his later music.
He later went to Sarajevo Technical High School. In his free time, he played music with his childhood friend, Mensur Lutvica. Mensur played the keyboard. They later started the band Merlin together.
Dino Merlin's Music Career
Starting His Musical Journey
Dino's mother did not want him to be a musician. But she still helped him buy his first guitar when he was 12. He wrote his first song when he was 14 years old. Dino mostly taught himself music. He did take a few lessons from an older neighbor named Mirsad. Mirsad's younger brother, Mensur Lutvica, played the keyboard. Mensur went to the same school as Dino. They became good friends and later started the band 'Merlin'. Mensur often played music with Dino on the streets of Sarajevo.
Dino was greatly inspired by famous Yugoslavian musicians. These included Bijelo Dugme, Zdravko Čolić, Kemal Monteno, and Toma Zdravković. He entered several music contests where he sang their songs. Later, he became good friends with Goran Bregović. Goran was the founder and main songwriter of Bijelo Dugme.
After starting university, Dino formed a band. Mensur Lutvica played keyboard, Amir "Tula" Bjelanović played guitar, Džafer Saračević played drums, and Enver Milišić played bass guitar. Each of them wrote a band name idea on a paper. They put the papers in a hat. The name "Merlin" was picked, and that became the band's name.
The Band Merlin's Success
After his first semester at university, Dino left to focus on music. But he did not have enough money to rent a recording studio. During this time, he married his girlfriend Amela. He worked two shifts a day at a metal factory for a few years. It was during this time that he wrote most of the songs for his first album.
In 1984, Dino rented a studio in Sarajevo. It was owned by producer Brano Likić. Dino wrote all the songs and paid for the recordings himself. Every major record label in Sarajevo turned him down. Dino only had enough money for six songs. While recording the last song, a music agent named Muradif Brkić came into the studio. He heard the song "Kokuzna Vremena." Brkić offered Dino a contract with his record label, Sarajevo Disk. He also agreed to pay for the rest of the songs.
The band Merlin released their first album, Kokuzna vremena, in 1985. With the band, Dino recorded five studio albums:
- Kokuzna vremena (1985)
- Teško meni sa tobom (1986)
- Merlin (1987)
- Nešto lijepo treba da se desi (1989)
- Peta strana svijeta (1990)
Dino Merlin's Solo Career
Dino Dervišhalidović started his solo career in 1991. He used the name Dino Merlin. Since then, he has released six studio albums:
- Moja bogda sna (1993)
- Fotografija (1995)
- Sredinom (2000)
- Burek (2004)
- Ispočetka (2008)
- Hotel Nacional (2014)
During the Bosnian War, some members of the Merlin band passed away. This included their manager, Kemal Bisić, who was very close to Dino.
After the band broke up, the Bosnian government asked Dino to write the country's first national anthem. It was called "Jedna si jedina". This song was the national anthem until the late 1990s. In 1993, he wrote "Sva bol svijeta" ("All the grief in the world"). He sang this song for Bosnia's first Eurovision Song Contest in 1993. The song talks about the challenges people faced during the war. It also calls for peace.
He returned to the Eurovision Song Contest two more times. In 1999, he sang "Putnici" with French singer Béatrice Poulot. In 2011, he performed "Love in Rewind". Dino has also taken part in other big European music events. These include the Copenhagen festival in 1996 and the Turkovision Song Contest in 1997.
Breaking Records and Major Success
In 2000, when he was 38, Dino released his most successful album. It was called Sredinom ("Through the Middle"). This album was a top seller in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It also sold very well in all the countries that were once part of Yugoslavia.
The album became a classic. It was the highest-selling album in the region in 30 years. Some people estimate that about 2,000,000 copies were sold.
The tour for Sredinom included over 200 concerts. One performance was at the Koševo City Stadium in Sarajevo. About 80,000 people came to watch. This was the largest crowd ever at Bosnia's national stadium. Dino Dervišhalidović has performed at this stadium three more times. He is the only artist to have filled this huge venue four times.
Current Success and Billboard Recognition
After a six-year break, Dino returned with his eleventh album, Hotel Nacional. It came out in June 2014. This album was featured in the top 10 on the Billboard World Albums list. This happened because of its huge online sales in the region. It is the only album from Slavic-speaking Europe ever to be on the Billboard charts. The album featured talented artists like Yoad Nevo and Richard Niles. The Hotel National World Tour was attended by 900,000 people across four continents. It is the biggest tour ever by an artist from Southeast Europe.
Dino released his song "Mi" in October 2020. Then came "Dođi" in early 2021. He released two more songs, "Mir svim dobrim ljudima" and "Jedan dan, jedna noć," in May.
Dino Merlin's Personal Life
Dino lives in his hometown of Sarajevo. He lives in the same house and on the same street where he was born. This is in the Alifakovac neighborhood. He has two children, a daughter named Naida and a son named Hamza.
Dino enjoys playing chess, skiing, collecting art, and reading. He also owns a record label and a store called Magaza. It is located in the center of Sarajevo, in Baščaršija.
Dino Merlin's Philanthropy and Charity Work
Dino is very active in helping others. He donates to scholarships for children in Bosnia and Herzegovina who need financial help. He has been a member of the Hastor Foundation since 2008. This is the biggest organization that gives scholarships to students in the country. He helps over a dozen students each year.
Dino worked for five years pro bono (without pay). He was the honorary president of AMUS. This is the main association for music artists in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He was one of the people who helped start the organization in 2013. In early 2018, he left his position because he did not have enough time for the work.
Dino has played many charity concerts. During the 2014 Southeast Europe floods, his team helped a lot with humanitarian work. They gave out water, food, blankets, and other supplies. These went to the areas in Bosnia and Serbia that were most affected.
In 2013, Dino received the International Humanitarian Award in Urfa, Turkey.
Dino Merlin's Discography
Albums
With the Band Merlin
- Kokuzna vremena (1985)
- Teško meni sa tobom (a još teže bez tebe) (1986)
- Merlin (1987)
- Nešto lijepo treba da se desi (1989)
- Peta strana svijeta (1990)
Solo Albums
- Moja bogda sna (1993)
- Fotografija (1995)
- Sredinom (2000)
- Burek (2004)
- Ispočetka (2008)
- Hotel Nacional (2014)
Compilation Albums
- Najljepše pjesme (1995)
- The Best of Dino Merlin (2001)
DVDs
- Live Koševo 2004 (2005)
- Koševo 19. Juli (2009)
- Beograd 2011 (2016)
- Hotel Nacional - Koševo 2015 (2016)
Blu-rays
- Arena Zagreb (2018)
- Arena Pula (2020)
Singles
- 1989: "Kad zamirišu jorgovani" (with Vesna Zmijanac)
- 1991: "Ja joj trijezan prići ne smijem" (from Bračna putovanja)
- 1993: "Zaboravi" (with Ceca)
- 1995: "Beograd" (with Ceca)
- 1997: "Zaspao je mjesec"
- 1999: "Putnici" (with Béatrice Poulot)
- 1999: "Smijehom strah pokrijem"
- 2000: "I have no cannons that roar" (with Yusuf Islam)
- 2001: "Tako prazan" (with Adi Lukovac)
- 2002: "Pustite me" (with Osman Hadžić)
- 2005: "Kako starim, sve te više volim" (with Bata Zdravković)
- 2006: "Kao moja mati" (with Zdravko Čolić)
- 2007: "Otkrit ću ti tajnu"
- 2008: "Med" (with Emina Jahović)
- 2011: "Love in Rewind"
- 2011: "Undo"
- 2014: "Ruža" (with Hüsnü Şenlendirici)
- 2020: "Mi"
- 2020: "Dođi" (with Senidah)
- 2021: "Jedan dan, jedna noć"
- 2022: "Krive karte"
- 2022: "Kako da ti kažem"
- 2023: "Skoro će zima"
- 2023: "Ne radujemo se"
Dino Merlin's Concert Tours
- Kokuzna vremena - Yugoslavian Tour (1985–1986)
- Teško meni sa tobom - Yugoslavian Tour (1986–1987)
- Nešto lijepo treba da se desi - European Tour (1988–1989)
- Fotografija - Balkan Tour (1997–1998)
- Sredinom - World Tour (2000–2003)
- Burek - World Tour (2004–2007)
- Ispočetka - World Tour (2008–11)
- Hotel Nacional - World Tour (2014–2019)
- Mi - World Tour (2022–present)
See also
In Spanish: Dino Merlin para niños
