Merlin was a Yugoslav pop rock band formed in Sarajevo in 1985.
Formed by vocalist and songwriter Edin "Dino" Dervià ¡halidoviÃÂ, Merlin achieved popularity with their 1985 debut album Kokuzna vremena and their Bijelo Dugme-influenced sound. With their second studio album Teà ¡ko meni sa tobom (a joà ¡ teà ¾e bez tebe), released in 1986, the band established themselves as representatives of the Sarajevo-based New Partisans movement. The group released three more studio album featuring folk-influenced pop rock sound, scoring several hit songs. Merlin disbanded with the outbreak of Bosnian War, and Dervià ¡halidoviàstarted his career as a highly successful solo artist under the stage name Dino Merlin.
At the beginning of 1980s, Edin Dervià ¡halidoviàwas an aspiring young musician working in Uljanik factory. In 1985, he formed the band Merlin. The original lineup of the band featured Amir "Tula" Bjelanovià(guitar), Mili Milià ¡ià(bass guitar), Dà ¾afer SaraÃÂevià(drums) and Mensur Lutkica (keyboards). During the following years, Merlin would see numerous lineup changes, with Dervià ¡halidoviàand Bjelanoviàremaining the mainstay members of the band.
In 1985, Merlin released their debut album Kokuzna vremena (Broke Times). The album was produced by Brano LikiÃÂ, who would also work with the band on their future releases. Yugoslav music critics generally disliked the album, describing Merlin as a pale copy of Bijelo Dugme. However, owing to Bijelo Dugme-influenced songs like "U kandà ¾ama jastreba" ("In the Claws of a Goshawk"), "Jutro u Split" ("Morning in Split") and "Ljubav nije paradajz" ("Love Is Not a Tomato"), the album sold 60,000 copies, much to the surprise of the Yugoslav music press.
In 1986, the band released the album Teà ¡ko meni sa tobom (a joà ¡ teà ¾e bez tebe) (It's Hard With You (Even Harder Without You)). With the album, the band joined on the New Partisans movement, characterized by lyrics and imagery heavily inspired by Yugoslav Partisans and the ideals of Yugoslavism. The album featured guest appearance by Bijelo Dugme leader Goran Bregoviàand vocalist Mladen VojiÃÂià"Tifa". The album's front cover featured a stylized photograph of Marilyn Monroe and the inscription Teà ¡ko meni sa tobom..., and the back cover featured a stylized photograph of World War II fighter Milja Marin, made during the winter 1943-44 by photographer à ½orà ¾ Skrigin, and the inscription ...a joà ¡ teà ¾e bez tebe. The record brought the brotherhood and unity-themed song "Cijela Juga jedna avlija" ("Whole Yugoslavia Is One Yard") and ballad "Uspavanka za Gorana B." ("Lullaby for Goran B."), in reference to Bijelo Dugme leader Goran Bregoviàand Bijelo Dugme's album Uspavanka za Radmilu M. (Lullaby for Radmila M.). The song "Nek padaju ÃÂuskije" ("May Handspikes Fall") became a large hit for the band, with growing popularity bringing them increased attention of the media.
In 1987, the band released their third album, entitled simply Merlin. Abandoning the New Partisans concept, the band recorded commercially less successful album, with the songs "Lelo" ("(Oh) Lela"), "Boà ¾iàje" ("It's Christmas") and "Niko kao ja" ("No One Like Me") becoming only minor hits. The song "Kad ti doÃÂem nesreÃÂo" ("When I Come to You, Misfortune") featured a quotation from the old hit "à  ta ÃÂe mi à ¾ivot" ("What Do I Need Life For") by folk singer Silvana ArmenuliÃÂ. At the time, Dervià ¡halidoviàwrote a number of successful songs for folk singer Vesna Zmijanac, including the duet "Kad zamirià ¡u jorgovani" ("When the Smell of Lilacs Is in the Air") recorded by the two.
With their following studio album, the 1989 Neà ¡to lijepo treba da se desi (Something Nice Is About to Happen), the band continued to follow trends on the Yugoslav pop scene, turning more to folk-oriented sound. The song "MjeseÃÂina", which became a major hit, was a cover of UB40 1988 song "Where Did I Go Wrong", although UB40 were not credited on Neà ¡to lijepo treba da se desi. The album also included a new version of "Kad zamirià ¡u jorgovani". Folk-oriented tracks "Bosnom behar probeharao" ("The Smell of Flowers Spread Over Bosnia") and "Je l' Sarajevo gdje je nekad bilo" ("Is Sarajevo Where It Used to Be") became large hits and provided Dervià ¡halidoviàwith offers to write songs for popular Yugoslav acts like Lepa Brena, Zdravko ÃÂoliÃÂ, Hari Vareà ¡anoviÃÂ, and others.
In 1990, the group released their last studio album, entitled Peta strana svijeta (Fifth Side of the World). The album brought the successful songs "Harmonika" ("Accordion"), "Sa mojih usana" ("From My Lips") and "à  ta ti znaÃÂim ja" ("What I Mean to You"). Just before the outbreak of Yugoslav Wars in 1991, the band released the compilation album Hitovi (Hits), and made a cameo appearance in Ratko OzroviÃÂ's comedy film BraÃÂna putovanja (Marital Trips), with songs from their studio albums used as the film's soundtrack. In the summer of 1991, Dervià ¡halidoviàappeared on the Yutel for Peace concert, performing a cover of Queen song "We Will Rock You" entitled "Ljubav nema granica" ("Love Knows No Borders"). With the outbreak of Bosnian War, Merlin ended their activity.
During the Bosnian War, Dervià ¡halidoviàrecorded several patriotic songs, including "Jedna si jedina" ("You're the One and Only"), which was until 1998 used as the anthem of Bosnia and Herzegovina. He represented Bosnia and Herzegovina at the 1993 Eurovision Song Contest with the song "Sva bol svijeta" ("All the Pain of the World"). In 1994, he released the compilation of Merlin's ballads entitled Balade 1984 - 1994, dedicating it to the band's bass guitarist Aleksandar AÃÂimoviÃÂ, keyboardist Mustafa Nurak and manager Kemal BisiÃÂ, all of whom lost their lives in the war. In 1993, he released his first solo album Moja bogda sna, starting a career of one of the most popular and commercially successful pop singers in the former Yugoslav region.
After the disbandment of Merlin, Bjelanoviàcontinued his career a studio musician, cooperating with a number of acts, most prominently singers Mladen VojiÃÂià"Tifa" and Zlatan FazliÃÂ. In 1999, he released his solo album Pancirna duà ¡a (Bulletproof Soul), featuring instrumentals composed by himself and Damir Arslanagiàand recorded during Bosnian War. The album included an instrumental cover of the old sevdalinka "Mehmeda majka budila" ("Mehmed Was Awaken by His Mother"). Bjelanoviàdied on 11 September 2019.