Goran Bregović facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Goran Bregović
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Bregović in 2022
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| Born | 22 March 1950 |
| Other names | Brega |
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| Years active | 1969–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Dženana Sudžuka
(m. 1993) |
| Children | 4 |
| Musical career | |
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Goran Bregović (Serbian Cyrillic: Горан Бреговић; born 22 March 1950) is a famous musician and composer from Bosnia and Herzegovina. He is one of the most well-known modern musicians from the Balkans and former Yugoslavia. He has performed in famous places around the world like Carnegie Hall and Royal Albert Hall.
Goran started his music journey with bands like Kodeksi and Jutro. He became very famous as the main songwriter and lead guitarist for Bijelo Dugme. This band is thought to be one of the most popular and important bands ever in former Yugoslavia.
After Bijelo Dugme broke up, Goran started his own successful music projects. He also began writing music for movies. Some of his most famous movie soundtracks are for Emir Kusturica's films, including Time of the Gypsies, Arizona Dream, and Underground. He won an award for his music in Time of the Gypsies. He also wrote music for the movie La Reine Margot and The Serpent's Kiss.
Over his long career, Goran has worked with many popular singers like Sezen Aksu, Kayah, Iggy Pop, and Cesária Évora.
Contents
Early Life and Music Journey
Goran Bregović was born in Sarajevo, which was then part of Yugoslavia. His father was Croat and his mother was Serb. His parents divorced when he was 10 years old. Goran stayed with his mother in Sarajevo.
He started playing the violin in music school but was told he wasn't very good. Later, his mother bought him his first guitar. He wanted to go to an art high school, but his mother sent him to a technical school instead. As a compromise, she let him grow his hair long!
When he was a teenager, Goran joined a school band called Izohipse, playing bass guitar. He was later kicked out of that school. He then joined another band called Beštije. When he was 16, his mother moved away, so Goran had to take care of himself. He earned money by playing folk music in a restaurant, working on building sites, and selling newspapers.
In 1969, when Goran was 18, Željko Bebek invited him to play bass guitar in his band, Kodeksi.
Kodeksi and Jutro
In Kodeksi, Goran switched from bass to lead guitar. The band was inspired by groups like Led Zeppelin. Later, Goran formed a new band called Jutro (meaning "Morning"). This band changed its name to Bijelo Dugme ("White Button") on January 1, 1974.
Bijelo Dugme: A Rock Legend
From 1974 to 1989, Goran Bregović was the lead guitarist and main creative force behind Bijelo Dugme. They became one of the most popular bands in Yugoslavia. Goran was the band's leader and public face.
Bijelo Dugme tried to become famous outside of Yugoslavia. They toured in countries like Poland and Bulgaria. In 1982, they even played in Innsbruck, Austria, representing Sarajevo for the Winter Olympics.
In 1985, Bijelo Dugme was supposed to play a big concert in Moscow at Gorky Park. However, because there were too many people, the concert was stopped before they could perform. They played another show two days later at a different venue.
Other Music Projects
While leading Bijelo Dugme, Goran also worked on other projects. He released a solo album in 1976 and wrote music for two movies. He also helped produce music for other Yugoslav artists.
Solo Career and Film Music
In the late 1980s, Goran started focusing on film music. His first big success was the music for Emir Kusturica's film Time of the Gypsies (1989). He continued to work with Kusturica on other films like Arizona Dream and Underground.
After the Bosnian War, Goran moved to Paris. He also lived in Belgrade. His music for the French film Queen Margot was also very successful.
In 1997, he worked with Turkish singer Sezen Aksu on her album Düğün ve Cenaze (Wedding and Funeral). He also made albums with Greek singer George Dalaras and Polish singer Kayah. His album with Kayah, Kayah i Bregović, sold over 700,000 copies in Poland.
In 2005, Goran took part in three big farewell concerts for Bijelo Dugme. Some of his music, especially the song "Đurđevdan," was used in the soundtrack for the 2006 film Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan.
Wedding and Funeral Orchestra
For many years, Goran Bregović has performed with his amazing Wedding and Funeral Orchestra. This group includes many musicians, like a brass band, string players, a male choir, and singers. The orchestra can be small (around 10 people) or very large (up to 37 people or more).
The small orchestra often includes:
- Muharem "Muki" Rexhepi (vocals, drums)
- Bokan Stanković (first trumpet)
- Dragić Velićović (second trumpet)
- Stojan Dimov (saxophone, clarinet)
- Aleksandar Rajković (first trombone, glockenspiel)
- Miloš Mihajlović (second trombone)
- Bulgarian singers Daniela Radkova-Aleksandrova and Ljudmila Radkova-Trajkova
- Goran Bregović himself
The larger orchestra also adds a string quartet and a group of male singers.
Eurovision
Goran Bregović performed during the Eurovision 2008 final in Belgrade, Serbia. He also wrote the song "Ovo Je Balkan" for Serbia's entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 2010, sung by Milan Stanković.
Musical Style
Goran Bregović's music is a mix of different styles. He combines traditional Balkan music with classical European sounds and modern pop music. His music often includes elements from Yugoslav, Bulgarian, Romani, Greek, Romanian, Albanian, Italian, Turkish, and Polish traditions. He often uses brass bands in his songs.
Personal Life
Goran Bregović has four children. His first daughter, Željka, lives in Austria and has a daughter of her own, Bianca.
In 1993, Goran married his long-time girlfriend, Dženana Sudžuka, who was a model. They got married in Paris. They have three daughters: Ema (born 1995), Una (born 2002), and Lulu (born 2004).
When he's not touring, Goran mainly lives in Paris, where his wife and three daughters live. He also spends a lot of time in Belgrade for his music work.
In 2008, Goran had an accident where he fell from a cherry tree in his garden. He broke some bones in his back but recovered quickly. He was able to perform concerts again within a month.
His brother, Predrag, lives in New York City, and his sister, Dajana, lives in Split.
Political Views
Goran Bregović has always been interested in his country's history. In the 1970s, he was part of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia. After Yugoslavia began to change, he supported a political party that wanted to reform the country and bring people together.
After the wars in Yugoslavia, Goran has said he feels "Yugonostalgic." This means he misses the idea of Yugoslavia as a place where many different cultures (Orthodox, Catholic, Muslim) came together. He believes that music is a language everyone understands, no matter where they are from.
Real Estate
Goran Bregović owns properties in different places around the world, including Paris, Istanbul, Belgrade, Zagreb, and Perast. Some of these properties are used for business, like renting them out to tourists or for filming movies and TV shows.
List of Film Scores
- 1988 – Time of the Gypsies – Directed by: Emir Kusturica
- 1989 – Kuduz – Directed by: Ademir Kenović
- 1993 – Arizona Dream – Directed by Emir Kusturica
- 1994 – La Reine Margot – Directed by: Patrice Chéreau
- 1995 – Underground – Directed by: Emir Kusturica
- 1997 – A Chef in Love – Directed by: Nana Djordjadze
- 1997 – The Serpent's Kiss – Directed by: Philippe Rousselot
- 1998 – Train de Vie – Directed by: Radu Mihaileanu
- 1999 – Tuvalu – Directed by: Veit Helmer
- 2006 – Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (used his music)
Discography
With Bijelo dugme
Original Movie Soundtracks
- 1988: Time of the Gypsies
- 1993: Arizona Dream
- 1994: La Reine Margot
- 1995: Underground
Other Albums
- 1997: Düğün ve Cenaze with Sezen Aksu
- 1999: Kayah & Bregović with Kayah
- 2002: Tales and Songs from Weddings and Funerals
- 2012: Champagne for Gypsies
Awards and Honors
- In 2006, he received a special key to the city of Tirana, Albania.
- In 2021, he was given the Order of Karađorđe's Star by the President of Serbia.
See also
In Spanish: Goran Bregović para niños
