Lepa Brena facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Lepa Brena
Лепа Брена
Brena performing in the Belgrade Arena, 20 October 2011
Born	Fahreta Jahić (1960-10-20) 20 October 1960 (age 64) Tuzla, PR Bosnia and Herzegovina, Yugoslavia
Other names	Fahreta Živojinović
Occupation	Singer actress talent manager businesswoman director
Years active	1980–present
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Spouse(s)	Slobodan Živojinović (m. 1991)
Children	2
Relatives	Aleksandra Prijović (stepdaughter-in-law)
Musical career
Genres	Pop folk turbo-folk
Instruments	vocals
Labels	PGP-RTB Diskoton Grand Production

Fahreta Živojinović (born 20 October 1960), known as Lepa Brena, is a famous singer, actress, and businesswoman from the former Yugoslavia. She has sold around 40 million records, making her one of the most successful music artists from that region. Many people believe she helped create the "turbo-folk" music style with her first two albums, Čačak, Čačak (1982) and Mile voli disko (1982).

Lepa Brena grew up in Brčko, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Since 1980, she has lived in Belgrade, Serbia, where her career began. She is seen as a symbol of the former Yugoslavia because she became popular just before the country separated. Brena has said she feels "Yugo-nostalgic," meaning she misses the old Yugoslavia. With her husband, Slobodan Živojinović, and friend, Saša Popović, Brena helped start Grand Production. This company became the biggest record label and production company in the Balkans. In 2019, they sold Grand Production.

Early Life and Name Origin

Fahreta Jahić was born near Tuzla, in what was then Bosnia and Herzegovina. She grew up in Brčko with her older sister Faketa and brother Faruk. Her parents were Abid Jahić and Ifeta Smajlović.

Her first time singing for an audience was in fifth grade at a local festival. She sang a song called "Sviraj mi o njoj." She later said it was the only time she felt nervous on stage. After that, she often performed at dance parties in Brčko.

When asked about her background, Brena said she was proud of her parents and where she came from. Her stage name, Brena, was given to her by her basketball coach. The word Lepa, which means "beautiful" or "pretty," was added by a TV show host named Minimaks.

Career Beginnings with Slatki Greh (1980–1983)

In early 1980, when she was 19, Fahreta started singing with a band called Lira Show. The band's leader, Saša Popović, first thought she wouldn't be a good fit, but he changed his mind. She then moved to Novi Sad and later to Belgrade.

Lira Show changed its name to Slatki Greh (Sweet Sin) in 1981. Lepa Brena and Slatki Greh released their first album, Čačak, Čačak, on 3 February 1982. This album helped them become very famous.

Lepa Brena and Slatki Greh also appeared in the Yugoslav comedy film A Tight Spot in 1982. This made them even more popular. They released their second album, Mile voli disko, later that year. It included hit songs like "Duge noge" ("Long Legs").

In 1983, Lepa Brena and Slatki Greh took part in Jugovizija, which was the competition to choose Yugoslavia's song for the Eurovision Song Contest. Their song was "Sitnije, Cile, sitnije." Even though they didn't win, their appearance made them even more well-known.

Rising to Stardom (1984–1990)

In 1984, Brena and her band started working with a new manager, Raka Đokić. They released their third album, Bato, Bato, that year. They also held a huge concert in Timișoara, Romania, for 65,000 people. This was one of the biggest concerts by a Yugoslav musician outside their home country at the time.

Lepa Brena also worked with Serbian folk singer Miroslav Ilić on an album called Jedan dan života (One Day of Life, 1985). This album included a duet and a song called "Živela Jugoslavija" (Long Live Yugoslavia). Brena strongly supported a united Yugoslavia, and she became a symbol of this idea.

Her next three albums—Pile moje (My Little One, 1984), Voli me, voli (Love Me, Love, 1986), and Uske pantalone (Tight Trousers, 1986)—made her the biggest music star in Yugoslavia. By the end of 1986, she was one of the most famous people in the country.

Brena's manager had the idea for her to star in a movie based on her seventh album. This led to the film Hajde da se volimo (Let's Love Each Other) in 1987. Many popular Yugoslav actors were in the movie with her.

Because the first movie was so successful, two more films were made: Hajde da se volimo: Još jednom (1989) and Hajde da se volimo: Udaje se Lepa Brena (1990). These films were followed by albums like Četiri godine (Four Years) and Boli me uvo za sve (I Don't Care About Anything). The song "Jugoslovenka" (Yugoslav Woman) from Četiri godine featured singers from different parts of Yugoslavia.

Lepa Brena and Slatki Greh performed over 350 concerts each year. They even set a record by holding 31 concerts in a row at Dom Sindikata in Belgrade. On 24 July 1990, Brena arrived by helicopter at a stadium in Sofia, Bulgaria, and performed for 122,000 people.

Solo Career and Grand Production (1991–1999)

Brena in 2007

In 1991, Brena and Slatki Greh released their second-to-last album together, Zaljubiška.

After a break, Brena released her first solo album, Ja nemam drugi dom (I Have No Other Home), in December 1993. She held a famous concert in the rain in Belgrade in 1994, with 35,000 people attending. She then released two more solo albums: Kazna Božija (God's Punishment, 1994) and Luda za tobom (Crazy Over You, 1996). During the mid-1990s, she had many popular songs, including "Luda za tobom" and "Ti si moj greh" (You Are My Sin). The music video for "Ti si moj greh" had an ancient Egyptian theme.

In December 1998, Brena became a co-founder of the Serbian record label Grand Production.

Later Career and Hiatuses (2000–2016)

After her marriage in 1991, Brena stopped working with Slatki Greh for a while. However, in 2000, they recorded one more album together called Pomračenje sunca (Solar Eclipse).

After an eight-year break from music, Lepa Brena returned with new albums: Uđi slobodno... (Feel Free to Enter..., 2008) and Začarani krug (Vicious Circle, 2011). Both albums were very successful.

In 2012, Brena started working on two new albums. The first, Izvorne i novokomponovane narodne pesme (Original and Newly Composed Folk Songs), was released in December 2013. She dedicated this album to her mother, who used to sing folk songs to her when she was a child. Her mother passed away the next year.

In December 2013, Brena was a special guest at a charity concert in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The concert raised money for the Roma people. Brena said she was happy to see positive people and happiness in Sarajevo.

Lepa Brena and actor Steven Seagal were the main stars of Belgrade's New Year's Eve party in 2016. About 60,000 people attended the event.

Comeback and World Tours (2017–2024)

In December 2017, Brena released two new songs, "Zar je važno da l' se peva ili pjeva" and "Boliš i ne prolaziš". These songs were teasers for her new album.

To support her new album, she started a world tour called Zar je važno da l' se peva ili pjeva... World Tour. It began on 11 November 2017 in Vienna, Austria. Her album Zar je važno dal se peva ili pjeva was released on 1 March 2018 and became a big hit in the Balkans.

After several parts of her World Tour, she took a break to be in Serbia for her stepson Filip Živojinović and his wife Aleksandra Prijović when they had a baby. She later continued the tour, which ended on 28 October 2022 in Cleveland.

After the tour, Brena launched her new socks brand, Lady B. She said it was a "brand for a woman from the 21st century."

In June 2023, Brena performed with singer Senidah at the first Red Bull SoundClash in Belgrade. On 30 September, Brena was a guest at Aleksandra Prijović's concert in Štark Arena. Their emotional performance together became very popular online.

Brena performed with Aleksandra Prijović again, along with Jelena Rozga, on 3 December 2023 in Arena Zagreb. Before this concert, Brena announced her own concert there for December the next year. Tickets for her concert sold out in less than 24 hours, and four concerts have now been announced there.

In 2024, she announced her Bosnia and Herzegovina tour, Imam pesmu da vam pevam Tour (I Have a Song to Sing to You). She is excited to travel her home country during this tour. Also in 2024, Lepa Brena was featured on the cover of Vogue Adria magazine, becoming the first musician to appear on its cover.

Personal Life

Lepa Brena married Serbian tennis star Slobodan Živojinović on 7 December 1991. Their wedding was a huge media event in Yugoslavia. Brena's manager even released a video of the wedding.

When she married, Brena became the stepmother to Slobodan's son, Filip. Brena and Slobodan had their first child together, a son named Stefan, on 21 May 1992. Their second son, Viktor, was born on 30 March 1998. In March 2019, Brena became a step-grandmother when Filip's wife Aleksandra Prijović had their son, Aleksandar.

Brena has lived in Belgrade since 1980. She and her husband also have homes in Florida, USA, and Monte Carlo. In 2010, they bought a large villa in Miami.

In October 2010, Brena's father, Abid Jahić, was badly injured in an accident and passed away. He was 82. Brena said the months after his death were the hardest time in her life. Her mother, Ifeta, passed away in November 2014 at age 80.

Brena has had some health issues. In July 2012, she was diagnosed with a blood clot. She had to cancel concerts to recover. In July 2014, she fell and broke both arms while on holiday. She recovered for a month. In January 2015, she fell again and hurt her wrist, which also caused her to reschedule performances.

Discography

Studio albums

Čačak, Čačak (1982)
Mile voli disko (1982)
Bato, Bato (1984)
Pile moje (1984)
Voli me, voli (1986)
Uske pantalone (1986)
Hajde da se volimo (1987)
Četiri godine (1989)
Boli me uvo za sve (1990)
Zaljubiška (1991)
Ja nemam drugi dom (1993)
Kazna Božija (1994)
Luda za tobom (1996)
Pomračenje sunca (2000)
Uđi slobodno... (2008)
Začarani krug (2011)
Izvorne i novokomponovane narodne pesme (2013)
Zar je važno dal se peva ili pjeva (2018)

Extended plays

Sitnije, Cile, sitnije (1983)
Jedan dan života (with Miroslav Ilić, 1985)

Compilations

Lepa Brena & Slatki Greh (1990)
Lepa Brena (The Best of – Dupli CD) (2003)
Lepa Brena (HITOVI – 6 CD-a) (2016)

Filmography

Film

Tesna koža (1982)
Nema problema (1984)
Kamiondžije ponovo voze (1984)
Hajde da se volimo (1987)
Hajde da se volimo 2: Još jednom (1989)
Hajde da se volimo 3: Udaje se Lepa Brena (1990)

Documentary

Lepa Brena: Godine Slatkog greha (2017)

Television

Në orët e vona (1982)
Jugovizija (1983)
Kamiondžije 2 (1983)
Jugovizija (1986)
Obraz uz obraz: Novogodišnji special (1991)
Novogodišnji show program sa Lepom Brenom (2002)
Kursadžije (2007)
Mahalaši (2009)
Damin Gambit (2014)
Veče sa Lepom Brenom (2014)
Exkluziv (2014)
Paparazzi (2017)

Tours and Concerts

Tours

Great Yugoslav Tour (1983)
Great Yugoslav Tour '84 (1984)
Uđi slobodno Tour (2008–11)
Začarani krug Tour (2011–17)
Zar je važno da l' se peva ili pjeva... World Tour (2017–22)
Imam pesmu da vam pevam Tour (2024-26)

Residency concerts

Lepa Brena Live at Dom sindikata (1987)

Images for kids

Brena performing in the Belgrade Arena, 20 October 2011
Brena in 2007