Ceca | |
|---|---|
Цеца | |
.jpg) Ceca in 2018 | |
| Born | Svetlana Veličković (1973-06-14)14 June 1973 (age 52) |
| Other names | Svetlana Ražnatović |
| Occupations |
|
| Works | Discography |
| Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) |
| Criminal charges | Embezzlement and illegal possession offirearm |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2, includingAnastasija |
| Parents |
|
| Musical career | |
| Genres | Pop-folk,Turbo-folk |
| Instrument | Vocals |
| Years active | 1988–present |
| Labels |
|
Musical artist | |
Svetlana Ražnatović (née Veličković;Serbian Cyrillic:Светлана Ражнатовић,née Величковић;pronounced[sʋětlanaraʒnǎːtoʋit͡ɕ]; born 14 June 1973), better known asCeca (Serbian Cyrillic:Цеца,pronounced[t͡sěːt͡sa]), is a Serbian singer. Dubbed the "Serbian Mother" ("srpska majka"), she made her recording debut in 1988 and has collectively released sixteen studio albums. She is recognized the most commercially successful Serbian artists of all time with collective sales of seven million records.[1][2][3]
Furthermore, with 150,000 attendees, her 2013 concert inUšće, Belgrade was one of thehighest-attended concerts in the world.[4][5] In 2023, Ražnatović also became the youngest recipient of the Life Achievement Award at the Serbian Folk Music Assembly.[6] She has been described as a regional music star, and of the most popular names inBalkan music.[7]
From 1995 until his assassination in 2000, Ceca was married to Serbian mobster and paramilitary leaderŽeljko "Arkan" Ražnatović, with whom she had two children, including fellow singerAnastasija. In 2011, Ceca was convicted ofembezzlement andillegal firearm possession.
Veličković was born on 14 June 1973 inProkuplje and raised in the nearby village ofŽitorađa.[8] She has a younger sister Lidija. Veličković graduated from the high school of agriculture, studyingpig farming.[9] While vacationing inSutomore,Montenegro, she was discovered by a Serbianaccordion instrumentalist and songwriter Mirko Kodić, who took her toBelgrade where she made her recording debut, and from then she eventually pursued a professional career in music.[10]
Ceca rose to prominence by competing at the 1988Ilidža Folk Music Festival inSarajevo with the song "Cvetak zanovetak", receiving the first award for a debut performance.[11] At 15, she released herfirst studio album of the same title in 1988 underPGP-RTB. The album has sold in 350,000 copies.[12] In the following years, Ceca released three more records in succession:Ludo srce (1989),Pustite me da ga vidim (To Miki) in 1990. In 1991, she released her fourth albumBabaroga and made her acting debut asKoštana infilm adaptation of theBorisav Stanković's novelImpure Blood withRade Šerbedžija, and recorded an anti-war song "Neću protiv druga svog" (I won't go against my friend) with Šerbedžija. However, her scenes were eventually excluded from the movie due to poor critical reception.[8][13] The scenes were later included to the television seriesTajne nečiste krvi, which broadcast in the beginning of 2012.[14]
Despite her rising popularity, she briefly left Serbia toSwitzerland before coming back to work on her fifth studio album.[11]
In 1993, Ceca released her fifth album,Šta je to u tvojim venama (Kukavica), through JV Komerc, on which she began collaborating with the songwriting duoMarina Tucaković and Milan Radulović.[11] The album saw great commercial success, selling over 300,000 copies, whilst the title track, "Kukavica" (cowardice) has become one of hersignature hits.[11] Following the album's release, Ražnatović held her first solo concert at theTašmajdan Center in Belgrade, at front of 10,000 people.[11]Kukavica was followed by the albumsJa još spavam u tvojoj majici (1994) andFatalna ljubav (1995), which included stand-out hits like: "Volela sam te", "Nije monotonija", "Idi dok si mlad", "Tražio si sve" and "Beograd". To promoteFatalna ljubav Ceca had a live show atHala Pionir.[11]
After 2 years of dating, Veličković andArkan got married on 19 February 1995 inSt. Mark's Church inBelgrade. The whole ceremony was broadcast and released asCeca i Arkan throughPGP-RTS and is often called "The wedding of the century".[15] In 1996, Ražnatović releasedEmotivna luda underKomuna, and in December gave birth to her first child - Veljko. Ceca renewed her collaboration with PGP-RTS to releaseMaskarada in 1997. In 1998, she gave birth to her second child, a daughterAnastasija. Her tenth studio album,Ceca 2000, was subsequently released in December 1999. These two records produced popular songs like "Maskarada", "Nevaljala" and "Crveno".
Ceca returned to the scene in 2001 with the albumDecenija, released underGrand Production. It saw commercial success, becoming her highest-selling album to date, with over 800,000 copies sold.[8] To promoteDecenija she embarked on a European tour, which ended with the concert at theMarakana Stadium in Belgrade on 15 June 2002, where she performed to 70.000 people.[16]
In March 2003, due to her involvement with theZemun Clan, Ceca was arrested by theSerbian police on suspicion of harboring the clan’s leaders in her home, allegedly providing them shelter as an alibi following theassassination of then-Serbian Prime MinisterZoran Đinđić. She spent 121 days in prison.[17] She was eventually released, and she started working on her new albumGore od ljubavi andIdealno loša in May 2004 and June 2006, respectively. On 17 June 2006, Ceca held a solo live show inUšće, Belgrade in front of 120,000 people, making it one ofhighest-attended concerts in the world. After the success of her 2006 concert on Ušće, Ceca embarked onGrom Tour, but due to her controversial background and history,USA andCanada denided her entrance, but was able to perform inAustralia in 2010.[18]
In June 2011, she releasedLjubav živi under Miligram Music, which was sold in 150,000 copies.[19] After she had served her detention for financial fraud and illegal firearm possession between 2011 and 2012, Ceca released her fifteenth studio album,Poziv, throughCity Records in June 2013.[20] It spawned hit-songs like "Da raskinem sa njom", "Ime i prezime" and "Turbulentno". The album was sold in over 200,000 units.[21]Poziv was promoted with another tourPoziv Tour and concert in Ušće Park on theVidovdan in 2013. According to Ceca's management, the concert attracted 150,000 people, breaking her previous record forhighest-attended concerts by a solo artist in the world.[22][23] Same year, Ražnatović also performed at theNew Year's Eve concert in front of theHouse of the National Assembly in Belgrade.[24]
In June 2016, she independently releasedAutogram under her record label Ceca Music. It featured popular songs like the title track, "Trepni" and "Metar odavde".[25]Autogram circulated in 150,000 copies.[26] The album became Ceca's most successful mainstream album to date, with over 460 million views on herYouTube channel.[27]
She has served as a judge on the televisedsinging competitionsPinkove Zvezde (2014–2016) andZvezde Granda (2021–present).[28] In October 2022, Ceca'sreality television show, titledCeca Show: Ceca i deca, also began airing on Blic TV,[29] as well her ownLate-night talk show "Ceca Show".
While performing for Serbian soldiers at a military camp inErdut during theYugoslav wars in 1993, Ceca was introduced by singerOliver Mandić toparamilitary commander and mobster,Željko "Arkan" Ražnatović. They married on 19 February 1995.[11] Their wedding, which was broadcast internationally, was portrayed as the "Serbian fairytale" by the local media.[30] The wedding video was later also released on aVHS tape. The couple have two children, Veljko Ražnatović (born 1996) andAnastasija (born 1998).[11] In January 2000,her husband was assassinated inInterContinental Belgrade hotel. According to her, Arkan died in her arms as they were driving to the hospital. Arkan, including his companions Milenko Mandić, a business manager, and Dragan Garić, were shot dead by 23-year-old Dobroslav Gavrić, who was a junior police member.[31][32]
Following theassassination ofPrime MinisterZoran Đinđić in March 2003, Ražnatović was arrested under suspicion ofharboring the leaders of theZemun Clan in her house, and subsequently spent 121 days in commitment.[33][34] Due to lack of evidence she was ultimately released of the charge, however, the investigation raised suspicion of Ceca'sillegal firearm possession as well as ofembezzlement fromtransfers of her husband's football club,FK Obilić, between 2000 and 2003.[33]
After eight years of investigation, in March 2011, a criminal charge was filled against Ražnatović by Serbian state prosecutors under suspicion of illegal appropriation of 4 millionDeutsche Marks and over 3 millionUS dollars from FK Obilić player transfers, as well as for illegal possession of 11machine guns.[35] Ceca, who took over the club after Arkan's murder, had argued that the deals were maintained by her late husband, and that the guns also belonged to him.[36] In June 2011, Ražnatović, who had pleaded guilty, was charged for embezzlement and illegal firearm possession, and sentenced with a 1.5 millioneuros fine and a year under house arrest.[36][37][38] In February the following year, she finished serving her detention, which was eventually reduced to eight months.[39]
Moreover, due to her past legal issues, Ražnatović is allegedly banned from enteringCroatia, being proclaimedpersona non grata,[40] howeverMinistry of Interior of Croatia has refused to comment on the veracity of that statement for data protection purposes.[41]
Ceca was involved in politics by serving as the honorary president of theParty of Serbian Unity before Arkan was assassinated. Since her husband's passing, Ražnatović has maintained ties with Serbian politiciansIvica Dačić, who was also born in Žitorađa, andDragan Marković, who was Arkan's former business associate.[42][43] Ražnatović has publicly endorsedAleksandar Vučić since the2017 Serbian presidential election.[44][45] In January 2019, Ceca, alongsidePresident Vučić, representatives of theSerbian Government andPatriarch Irinej, was at the official welcoming party forVladimir Putin at the plateau ofChurch of Saint Sava.[46] Ražnatović has also maintained close ties withBosnian Serb politicianMilorad Dodik and has publicly endorsed him and his partySNSD.[47][48] In June 2021, according to the reports ofInsajder, Ceca was flown in from Belgrade by theGovernment-owned helicopter to Dodik's hometown ofLaktaši inRepublika Srpska to attend a private wedding party.[49]
In July 2021,CNN's affiliate in theSoutheastern Europe,N1, aired an episode about Ceca as a part of the documentary seriesJunaci doba zlog (Heroes of the Evil Age), which discussed her involvement in politics throughout the years. Before its premiere, Ražnatović threatened the creators with legal consequences in order to "protect her own reputation and work", unless they fulfil her request to not air the episode.[50][51] The documentary episode was briefly taken offYouTube on the behalf of Ceca Music for copyright infringement.[2]
Capital:Žitorađa | ||
| Villages |
|  |
| Notable people | ||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
