Selma Bajrami | |
|---|---|
 Bajrami performing atModrac Lake, 2025 | |
| Born | (1980-07-04)4 July 1980 (age 45) |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1997–present |
| Height | 165 cm (5 ft 5 in) |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 1 |
| Awards | Full list |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | |
| Instrument |
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| Labels |
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| Formerly of | IF |
Musical artist | |
| Website | selmabajrami |
Selma Bajrami (pronounced[sělmabajrǎːmi]; born 4 July 1980) is aBosnian singer. She began her professional music career by releasing her debut albumKad suza ne bude... (1998) at the age of 18. To date, Bajrami has released nine studio albums and is regarded as one of the most popular singers fromBosnia and Herzegovina.[1][2]
Selma Bajrami was born inTuzla,Bosnia and Herzegovina, then part ofSFR Yugoslavia, to aBosniak mother, Enesa Bajrami (née Suljić; born 2 March 1960), from the village ofKuge, and a father, Fadil Bajrami (born 30 March 1957), of mixed Bosniak andKosovo Albanian heritage. Her paternal grandfather, Redžep Bajrami (8 September 1933 – 12 April 2013), was born inGjilan, then part of theKingdom of Yugoslavia (now inKosovo), and later settled in Tuzla.
Selma has an older sister, Fahira Bajrami (born 13 July 1977), and a younger brother, Enis Bajrami (born 12 September 1984).
She grew up in the nearby village ofMramor, where she spent the entirety of theBosnian War (1992–1995). During this time, she began performing at local festivals and venues.[3]
In 1996, she returned to Tuzla and completed cosmetology school.
Bajrami debuted in 1998 with the albumKad suza ne bude..., released by the record label Nimfa Sound. Early in her career, she gained attention with hits such as "Njemu osmijeh, meni suze", "Šta će žena ta?", and "Nije moja majka kriva".
Shortly after her debut, Bajrami joined the all-female pop group IF fromTuzla. She was the lead vocalist of the group, while backing vocals were provided by Mirela Ibrahimović and Dragana Milić. Between 1999 and 2000, the group released three songs: "Ne vjeruj muškarcima", "Ne mogu bez tebe", and "Ako se desi".[4] With the song “Ne mogu bez tebe”, they participated at theVIIIMediterranean Music Festival Budva 2000, while with “Ako se desi” they performed at theIII International Pop Music Festival Forte 2000 inSarajevo.
In 1999, she released her second studio albumLjubav si ubio gade, which brought her nationwide popularity inBosnia and Herzegovina. It established her as one of the most promising young performers. The album produced several hits, including "Pijanico", "Život liječi rane", "Mrva hljeba", and the title track. The song "Nikad od tebe čovjeka" was written for her by acclaimed singer-songwriterDino Merlin. That same year, she also participated at theBihaćki festival with the song “Daleko od očiju, daleko od srca”.
Her third studio album,Revolucija, was released in June 2001. This marked her first appearance on the Serbian music scene, where she performed onRTV Pink andGrand Production shows. The album was released by Nimfa Sound in Bosnia and Herzegovina and by Grand Production inSerbia. Saša Popović, director of Grand Production, introduced her onGrand Show as the most popular singer from Bosnia and Herzegovina.[5] The album featured popular songs such as "Svi ste vi isti", "Otvori se, zemljo", and "Oči zelene".[6]
Her fourth studio album,Žena sa Balkana, was released in 2002 and was her final release with Nimfa Sound. The album included notable tracks such as "Nana", "Škorpija", and "Žena sirena", the latter of which became one of her signature nicknames.[7]
In 2003, Bajrami competed in theBosnian national selection for theEurovision Song Contest, finished in sixth place in the final with the song "Zaljubljena".[8]
After ending her contract with Nimfa Sound, Bajrami released her fifth studio albumKakvo tijelo Selma ima on 27 December 2004,[9] under the Saraton and Song Zelex labels. A reissue was released in April 2005 by Hayat Production.[10] Songs such as the title track, "Tijelo uz tijelo", and "Kad iza sebe pogledam" helped solidify Bajrami's status as one of the leading pop-folk artists in theBalkans. OnKakvo tijelo Selma ima, Bajrami was credited as the composer of "Divlji zov" and "Prva ljubav", and as the lyricist of "Ljubavi jedina". Notably, in 2010, ademo version of the song "Muška suza" surfaced onYouTube, performed byDragana Mirković.[11]
According to media reports, Bajrami was initially selected to representBosnia and Herzegovina at theEurovision Song Contest 2005 with the song "C'mon Boy". However, just days beforethe national selection, the song was withdrawn after its songwriter,Aleksandra Kovač, decided to keep it for herself. Kovač later won an MTV award with the same song.[12]
Bajrami's sixth studio album,Ostrvo tuge, was released on 25 April 2007, by Grand Production and sold over 280,000 copies, making it her best-selling album to date.[13] The standout tracks included "Ostrvo tuge", "Promijeni se", "Korak do nervnog sloma", and "Lijepe žene". The video for the title track was shot inSkopje in late 2006. The album also featured a duet withAca Lukas titled "Kad se ne da, ne da se". The song "Tako si hladan" was written by Bajrami herself.
From 26 October to 28 December 2008,[14] Bajrami took part in the second season of the talent showZvijezde sa zvijezdama, where she and her partner, Enver Lugavić Kice, emerged as winners.[15]
In July 2009, Bajrami released the single "Đavolica" featuring rapper Deda, followed by the duet "Šta je od Boga, dobro je" with Macedonian singerElvir Mekić in November. The single "Farmerice", along with its accompanying music video, premiered on 24 December 2009. In February 2010, she competed inGrand Axal III festival with the song "Rukujmo se kao prijatelji".
Her seventh studio album,Zakon sudbine, was released on 2 June 2010, marking her final release under Grand Production. The album sold over 100,000 copies and included hits like "Voli me do bola", "Bakšiš", “Sarajevo”, and the title track.[16] The song "Nemoj da se šališ" was written by Bajrami herself.
On 19 January 2011, she released a reissue ofZakon sudbine via Hayat Production.[17] That same year,Hayat TV aired her reality showVoli me do bola, in which Selma searched for dancers and models for the music video of the title song, which was filmed in August.[18]
Between 2011 and 2013, Bajrami appeared as a special guest performer at three consecutive grand finales of the Bosnian music competition “Zvijezda možeš biti ti”, all held atSarajevo’s Zetra Olympic Hall, where Mirza Šoljanin, Anida Idrizović andDenial Ahmetović respectively claimed victory.[19][20]
The first single from her eighth studio albumSelma was originally titled "Djevojke", but was later renamed "James Dean". A 20-second preview was released onSoundCloud on 30 November 2012,[21] while the full version premiered onYouTube on 14 December 2012.[22]
On 27 April 2013, Selma served as a special guest atSaša Matić’s first headlined concert inSarajevo, held at theMirza Delibašić Hall.[23]
On 19 December 2013, Bajrami released the ballad "Nisam ti oprostila" as the album's second single.[24] The music video for the song was filmed in August 2013. Less than two weeks later, she performed the emotional ballad "Moje milo" during aNew Year's Eve television special. Serving as the album's third single, the song is dedicated to her son, who was 17 months old at the time.
On 4 June 2014, the album's fourth single "Tijelo bez duše" — an upbeatpop track co-produced by Atelje Trag — premiered with a music video that had been filmed in March 2014.[25]
The full album was released on 23 July 2014 throughCity Records, with a physical edition issued in a print run of 50,000 copies.[26] A Bosnian edition followed in late October 2014, released by Hayat Production.[27]
On 9 October 2015, Selma released a duet with Enela Palavra titled "Mlađe slađe" under the IDJTunes label. The music video, filmed in August 2015, became a hit and currently has over 15 million views.[28]
On 9 May 2016, she released the single "Zvjerka" on digital platforms. The music video, shot inMostar, was published on YouTube on 15 June 2016. Her televised performance of the song on theZvezde Granda specijal has amassed over 33 million views.[29]
This was followed by several singles in quick succession, including "Uzbuna" (23 September 2016), and "U zemlji krvi i meda" (16 December 2016), a song inspired by the tragic love story ofBoško and Admira, often referred to as the 'Romeo andJuliet ofSarajevo'.[30]
On 7 July 2017, she released "Sve mi nudi",[31] and later that year, "Incidentno" — first on digital platforms on 1 December,[32] followed by its music video release on 22 December.
In February 2018, Selma announced a high-profile collaboration withJala Brat andBuba Corelli.[33] The track, titled "Rizik", was initially intended as a duet with Buba Corelli and was scheduled for release on theImperia YouTube channel on 24 August 2018. However, due to creative disagreements, the original version was never officially released. A teaser uploaded on Imperia's channel gained over 250,000 views within 24 hours, and shortly after, the unreleased duet version featuring Buba leaked online. On 13 September 2018, the official version of "Rizik", now featuring Marko Dragić Pablo in Corelli's place, was released along with a music video.[34]
On her 39th birthday, 4 July 2019, Selma released the single "Lažni gospodin".[35]
Between 2021 and 2023, she continued releasing singles such as "Neka gori ova noć" (a collaboration with young artist Belmin Malkić) (4 December 2021), as well as "Prva žena" (27 March 2022), "Maska" (30 December 2022), and "Harem" (17 October 2023).
On 18 March 2024, she released the single "Dama", written for her by renowned Bosnian singer-songwriterAl' Dino.[36] Selma stated that the music video for the song was her response to the media lynching she experienced following her ban from entering Serbia. The video was directed byHaris Dubica and features a scene in which Selma appears on the pillar of shame, reminiscent of the famous “Walk of Shame” sequence fromGame of Thrones—a reference also noted on the official YouTube channel beneath the video as the inspiration for the scene[37][38]
On 30 August 2024, Selma released the single "Embargo", completing a body of work spanning nearly a decade. With this release, she finalized her ninth studio album, which she described as a personal and emotional reflection of the past ten years of her life. The album includes songs recorded and released between 2015 and 2024, encapsulating the different artistic and emotional phases she experienced during that period.[39]
In 2025, Bajrami revealed that she was working on her tenth studio album with a new team of collaborators and announced a concert tour in Bosnia and Herzegovina.[40]
On 17 August 2025, Bajrami attended the third night of theSarajevo Film Festival and appeared on the red carpet. According to Azra.ba, her presence, alongsideHanka Paldum andDino Merlin, “stole the spotlight” from the attending actors and film stars.[41][42]
Bajrami met her first husband, Zoran Vučković fromSarajevo, in March 2003 in theCroatian city ofMakarska. They married six months later,[43] but the marriage ended in divorce in February 2004.[44]
She met her second husband, Mujo Musić, in July 2011 during a performance atModrac Lake nearLukavac.[45] They married on 22 December 2011 at Hotel Tuzla after a month-long engagement, and subsequently moved toVienna, Austria, where Selma has officially lived since 2012, while frequently visitingBosnia and Herzegovina.[46] In October 2014, according to media reports, Selma filed for divorce, while her husband allegedly demanded €100,000 for a mutual settlement. After a lengthy legal process, they were officially divorced by court decision on 18 May 2016.[47][48][49]
Bajrami was about two months pregnant on her wedding day, and although the expected due date was 4 July 2012,[50][51] her 32nd birthday, she gave birth viacaesarean section[52] to a son, Daris, on 11 July 2012 in Vienna.[53] She later stated that she does not celebrate her son's birthday as it falls near the anniversary of theSrebrenica genocide, out of respect for the victims.[54]
On 23 December 2020, custody of Daris was granted to Bajrami's former husband. She explained that during theCOVID-19 pandemic she lacked legal representation, while her ex-husband filed multiple false claims against her. As she did not respond, the court interpreted this as consent resulting in his custody being awarded.[55] Bajrami has publicly discussed the limited contact with her son, stating that her ex-husband often prevents Daris from calling her. In June 2025, she shared a comment from Daris onTikTok, in which he expressed missing her despite the restrictions.[56]
Selma lived in Tuzla, in the Stupine neighborhood, before relocating to Sarajevo in 2005. From 2009 to 2012, she resided in theBosmal City Center residential tower,[57] which drew considerable media attention at the time. Since 2017, she has been residing in a house inPurkersdorf, a town near Vienna.[58]
Beyond her music, Bajrami has frequently participated in humanitarian concerts and plihantropic actions, supporting those in need, especially in theBalkan region.
On 26 May 2011, Bajrami performed at the humanitarian concert “Za život” held at theYouth Centre Skenderija, inSarajevo, organized to raise funds for three seriously ill children. She appeared alongside several fellow artists, includingHanka Paldum.[59]
Following the birth of her son in July 2012, she donated hisumbilical cordstem cells to thechildren's leukemia department at the hospital inMödling,Austria, contributing to ongoing efforts in treating young patients battling this disease.
In January 2016, Bajrami donated her performance fee and, together with the owner of the Matrix club, Fuad Jukić, arranged assistance for people in need in the town ofTrnovac,Bosnia—a community facing economic difficulties and largely neglected by many institutions.[60]
In February 2016, Selma received an invitation from Vienna's Mayor,Michael Häupl, to attend a humanitarian reception organized by theAustrian government. Alongside several ambassadors, she represented Bosnia and the surrounding region as an artist recognized for her humanitarian work. The event raised funds for a children’s hospital inVienna, where young patients fromSerbia and Bosnia are also treated. On this occasion, Selma stated: "It was an honor to attend such an important event, which is of great significance both for our countries and for the children receiving treatment in Vienna."[61]
In September 2024, Selma participated in the humanitarian campaign “Naše mjesto”, organized by the largest retail chain in Bosnia and Herzegovina,Bingo, together with actorEnis Bešlagić. As part of the campaign, gifts and donations were distributed to residents ofTuzla, and Bingo donated 10,000BAM to the association Club Zmajevo Srce, which runs a café where people withDown syndrome can work and gain employment opportunities.[62]
Bajrami supported the humanitarian campaign “Za naše ljude”, organized byN1 andNova BH in cooperation with the “Pomozi.ba” Association. The aim of the campaign was to raise funds to help communities affected by floods in Bosnia and Herzegovina. During the live broadcast on 8 October 2024 at 8:00 PM, Selma appealed to viewers to call the dedicated humanitarian number and contribute to the effort.[63]
In an interview forDnevni avaz, Serbian singerDragana Mirković stated that she planned to donate the proceeds from her concert held on 27 September 2025 at theZetra Olympic Hall, Sarajevo, to humanitarian causes, but was unsure whom to contact. She said that she called Selma Bajrami, who directed her to the humanitarian organization “Pomozi.ba”, to which Mirković eventually donated 20,000 BAM.[64]
On 23 January 2009, TV Vogošća aired Selma's music video for the song "Nana" at 7:10 PM, in which she plays a teacher handing out candies to children. Following the broadcast, theCommunications Regulatory Agency of Bosnia and Herzegovina (CRA) issued a written warning to the local TV station, stating that the message of the music video calls into question the welfare and dignity of minors.[65]
In May 2023, Selma visited Davor Dragičević, who had been protesting for over a month in front of theProsecutor's Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina, demanding justice for themurder of his son David and the uncovering of a cover-up. With this gesture, Bajrami publicly expressed her support for the Pravda za Davida movement. The visit attracted public and media attention, sparking discussions about her social and political engagement.[66][67]
In July 2023, after a concert atKalemegdan in front of 10,000 people at the Dragi Bravo festival,[68] Selma performed at theBelgrade gay club Musk, which sparked debates in the public. While many praised her support of theLGBTQ community through this performance, others considered it controversial due to the conservative context of her usual audience. This was one of the rare occasions when a mainstream artist openly performed in an LGBT-specific venue in the region.[69]
On 25 November 2023, a video surfaced of Bajrami performing the wedding song "Valle Kosovare" while making thecrossed hands gesture, a symbol ofAlbanian identity.[70] The video went viral in Serbian media, leading to a media backlash and criticism from figures such asJovana Jeremić [sr],Maja Nikolić, andDragan J. Vučićević, among others.[71] On 22 January 2024, Bajrami was denied entry into Serbia upon landing in Belgrade from Vienna.[72][73] Serbian authorities cited "security concerns." Shortly afterward, Serbian politicianAleksandar Vulin publicly stated that he had personally issued the ban.[74] In response, Bajrami appeared onN1, denying any animosity toward theSerbian people and emphasizing that many of her collaborators and friends are Serbian.[75] She stated that the gesture she made represented belonging to the Albanian people, not support for "Greater Albania," as portrayed by someSerbian media outlets.[76] Bosnian politicianElmedin Konaković commented on the incident, calling Serbia's actions "ablack hole,"[77] and criticized Vulin for issuing bans based on personal or political disagreement.[78] After Konaković's statement defending Bajrami, the situation escalated into a political dispute, and the media outlet N1 published the headline: "Selma caused a rift in the Bosnian state leadership."[79] Later,Serbian presidentAleksandar Vučić stated during a RTV Pink news segment that Selma Bajrami andSeverina were "haters of the Serbian people."[80] However, in a subsequent appearance, he announced that both would be allowed to enter Serbia again.[81] Both artists later stated they would not return while Vučić remained in power.[82]
In December 2024, Bajrami expressed public support for Serbian students who were protesting university conditions and demanding accountability after theNovi Sad railway station canopy collapse, where the collapse of a roof structure killed 16 people.[83] Following her support for theSerbian anti-corruption protests, the Serbian tabloidInformer portrayed Bajrami as a supporter of the "Greater Albania" idea, claiming that her backing of the protests was actually a show of support for the Serbian opposition rather than for the students.[84] Bajrami responded on herX (formerlyTwitter) profile, accusingInformer of poisoning the public and inciting ethnic hatred.[85]
| Title | Year | Director(s) |
|---|---|---|
| "Pijanico" | 1999 | Arthur |
| "Život liječi rane" | ||
| "Ljubav si ubio gade" | ||
| "Moj golube" | ||
| "Ne vjeruj muškarcima” (as a member of IF) | ||
| "Ne mogu bez tebe" (as a member of IF) | 2000 | |
| "Tako sam mlada" | 2001 | |
| "Svi ste vi isti" | ||
| "Nana" | 2002 | |
| "Žena sirena" | ||
| "Kakvo tijelo Selma ima" | 2005 | Ivan Čolić |
| "To vodu ne pije" (with Amir Kazić Leo) | Hayat Production | |
| "Tijelo uz tijelo" | Muris Beglerović | |
| "Ostrvo tuge" | 2007 | Dejan Milićević |
| "Promijeni se" | ||
| "Šta je od Boga, dobro je" (withElvir Mekić) | 2009 | |
| "Farmerice" | Muris Beglerović | |
| "Voli me do bola" | 2011 | Hayat Production |
| "Bakšiš" | Dejan Milićević | |
| "Nisam ti oprostila" | 2013 | |
| "Tijelo bez duše" | 2014 | |
| "Mlađe slađe" (with Enela Palavra) | 2015 | Andrej Ilić |
| "Zvjerka" | 2016 | Avik Shanic |
| "U zemlji krvi i meda" | 2016 | Dejan Milićević |
| "Incidentno" | 2017 | Ljuba Radivojević |
| "Rizik" | 2018 | Dino Šehić |
| "Lažni gospodin" | 2019 | Dejan Milićević |
| "Neka gori ova noć" (with Belmin Malkić) | 2021 | Ljuba Radivojević |
| "Maska" | 2022 | David Mićić |
| "Harem" | 2023 | Dejan Milićević |
| "Dama" | 2024 | Haris Dubica |
| Year | Title | Role | Genre | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | BH Eurosong | Herself | Television | Placed 6th in the final.[86] |
| 2005 | Posao snova | Documentary | Interviewed.[87] | |
| 2008 | Zvijezde sa zvijezdama | Television | Season 2 contestant. Won first place with Kice.[88] | |
| 2011 | Voli me do bola | Show focused on finding dancers for her “Voli me do bola” music video.[89] |
| Award | Year | Category | Nominee/Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Večernje novine | 1999 | For the advancement of musical creativity and success in 1998 | Herself | Won | [citation needed] |
| Bečki Oskar popularnosti | 2001 | Female Singer of the Year | Herself | Won | [citation needed] |
| BH muzički Oskar | 2003 | Music Personality of the Year | Herself | Won | [90] |
| Zlatni mikrofon | 2003 | Folk Singer of the Year | Herself | Won | [citation needed] |
| Viktor & Viktorija | 2003 | Most Listened Singer from Bosnia and Herzegovina | Herself | Won | [citation needed] |
| MPX | 2004 | Female Folk Singer of the Year | Herself | Won | [citation needed] |
| Oskar popularnosti | 2005 | Bosnia and Herzegovina's Female Folk Singer of the Year | Herself | Won | [citation needed] |
| NTV 101 | 2005 | Singer of the Year | Herself | Won | [citation needed] |
| BH muzički Oskar | 2005 | Female Singer of the Year | Herself | Won | [91] |
| Oskar popularnosti | 2006 | Bosnia and Herzegovina's Female Folk Singer of the Year | Herself | Won | [citation needed] |
| BH muzički Oskar | 2007 | Female Folk Singer of the Year | Herself | Won | [citation needed] |
| BH muzički Oskar | 2008 | Female Folk Singer of the Year | Herself | Won | [92] |
| BH muzički Oskar | 2009 | Female Singer of the Year and Female Singer of the Decade | Herself | Won | [citation needed] |
| NTV 101 | 2009 | Female Folk Singer of the Year | Herself | Won | [citation needed] |
| Montefolk | 2010 | Oscar of Popularity | Herself | Won | [citation needed] |
| Oskar popularnosti | 2010 | Duet of the Year | "Šta je od Boga, dobro je" | Won | [citation needed] |
| NTV 101 | 2010 | Female Folk Singer of the Year | Herself | Won | [citation needed] |
| BH muzički Oskar | 2011 | Female Singer of the Year and Female Singer of the Decade | Herself | Won | [citation needed] |
| BH muzički Oskar | 2011 | Summer Hit | "Voli me do bola" | Won | [citation needed] |
| Oskar popularnosti | 2020 | Female Folk Singer of the Year | Herself | Won | [citation needed] |
Tiraž: 150.000
Tiraž: 30.000
Tiraž: 100.000
Tiraž: 100.000
Tiraž: 50.000
| International | |
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| Artists | |
