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Emina Zečaj

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Emina Zečaj
Born
Emina Ahmedhodžić

(1929-03-17)17 March 1929
Died19 April 2020(2020-04-19) (aged 91)
Resting placeBare Cemetery, Sarajevo
Occupation
  • singer
Years active1962–2020
Children2
Musical career
Genres
Instrument
  • vocals
Labels

Emina Zečaj (née Ahmedhodžić; 17 March 1929 – 19 April 2020)[1] was a Bosnian interpreter of the traditional folk music, sevdalinka.[2]

Zečaj was called an "icon of traditional Bosnian music" by American Billboard magazine in 2004.[3]

Early life

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Emina was born in Sarajevo's Old Town, in what is today Bosnia and Herzegovina on 17 March 1929. She was the daughter of Avdija Ahmedhodžić and his wife Melća.[4]

Career

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Professor Cvjetko Rihtman, an ethnomusicologist, discovered her in the early 1960s. Following persuasion from her friends, Emina auditioned before two well-known professors, Zvonimir Nevžela and Beluš Jungić, with the folk songs Kad se jangin iz sokaka pomoli and Poranila na vodicu Zlata. Ten days later she received a phone call from Ismet Alajbegović Šerbo informing her that she had been accepted into Radio Sarajevo, beating out 30 other contestants.[5][6]

Zečaj recorded music for the 2003 drama-comedy film Fuse. She also collaborated with Adi Lukovac on the soundtrack for the 2003 war film Remake (Remake - soundtrack).[7] It was Lukovac's final project before dying in a car accident three years later.

Death

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Zečaj was in good health until shortly before her death at age 91. She died on the night of 19 April 2020 in her home.[1] She had attended the funeral of Beba Selimović the previous month at Sarajevo's Bare Cemetery where she was also buried in a Muslim cemetery on 22 April 2020.[8][9]

Discography

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  • Pijana sam i bez pića (1974)[10]
  • Narodne pjesme iz Bosne (1975)[11]
  • Traditional Bosnian Songs (2003)
  • Zečaj Emina (2005)
  • Emina Zečaj (2008)

References

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  1. ^ a b "Preminula Emina Zečaj, jedna od najvećih interpretatorki sevdalinke". Radio Sarajevo.
  2. ^ Who is who among Bosniacs; page 529. 2001. ISBN 9789958470806. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
  3. ^ "Billboard magazine; page 53". 14 February 2004. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
  4. ^ "Emina Zečaj, interpretatorka sevdalinke - Ikona bh. sevdaha". Ekapija. 5 September 2012. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
  5. ^ "Emina Zečaj: Ne može sevdalinka biti ničija nego naša, bosanska". Radio Sarajevo. 13 March 2016. Archived from the original on 18 April 2016. Retrieved 7 April 2016.
  6. ^ "Čitav život se borim za sevdah". Nezavisne. 8 September 2008. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
  7. ^ "Priča i pjeva u emisiji Četvrtkom o kulturi". Radio Sarajevo. 10 March 2016. Archived from the original on 18 April 2016. Retrieved 7 April 2016.
  8. ^ "U 89. godini preminula Emina Zečaj". www.faktor.ba.
  9. ^ "Obavljena dženaza Emini Zečaj". Avaz.ba.
  10. ^ "Pijana sam i bez pića". Discogs. 1974. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
  11. ^ "Narodne pjesme iz Bosne". Discogs. January 1975. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
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