Oliver Mandià(Serbian Cyrillic: ÃÂûøòõàÃÂðýôøÃÂ; born 13 July 1953) is a Serbian and former Yugoslav rock musician, composer, and producer.
Musically involved from a young age, MandiÃÂ first started playing the accordion before taking up the piano. In his early youth, MandiÃÂ's family moved to the capital Belgrade where he pursued a career as a pianist after getting accepted at highly reputable Kornelije StankoviÃÂ musical high school. However, despite a lot of promise, he left school in 1969 to try to branch out into pop music.
During the early 1970s, MandiÃÂ performed in various Belgrade bands as the keyboardist, and was described as "the wunderkind of Belgrade [rock] scene".
Towards the end of 1971, he formed the jazz-rock band Oliver, which consisted of MandiÃÂ, members of the progressive rock band Pop Maà ¡ina and singer Duà ¡an PreleviÃÂ. Functioning as a supergroup of sorts, the band had only one live appearance, on 2 January 1972, at a concert in Belgrade's Hala sportova.
After Oliver disbanded, Mandiàjoined Pop Maà ¡ina, performing with them on only several occasions, before entering talks to join YU grupa and Time, neither of which materialized.
In 1974, with PreleviÃÂ, he recorded the 7-inch single "Tajna" / "Proà ¡lo je sve" ("Secret" / "Everything's Over"), which was released under the Oliver moniker.
In 1976, Mandiàperformed at the BOOM Festival as member of Beogradska Rock Selekcija, an ad-hoc band assembled specifically for the occasion, featuring Robert NemeÃÂek (bass guitar), Zoran Boà ¾inovià(guitar), Lazar Toà ¡ià(drums), Stjepko Gut (trumpet), Jovan Maljokovià(saxophone), Ivan à  vager (saxophone), and others. That gig brought Mandiàhis first eccentric episode in public, something he would become known for later on, as he smashed his synthesizer on stage and walked out in the middle of the performance unhappy with the level of commitment his fellow musicians were putting forth.
Mandiàstarted his solo career in 1978 with the single "Ljuljaj me neà ¾no" ("Rock Me Gently"). He composed the song, with Marina TucakoviÃÂ's lyrics, for the singer SlaÃÂana Miloà ¡eviÃÂ, since the song was composed after her major hit song "Sexy dama", 1978. as a continuation of her musical style. SlaÃÂana Miloà ¡eviàwas the one who persuaded her school mate Oliver to start his singing career and sing "Ljuljaj me neà ¾no" by himself. Oliver publicly thanked her for that in several interviews and occasions. Miloà ¡eviàherself did not want to continue down that avenue and after her refusal the song was offered to a singer Maja Odà ¾aklievska, however, since she failed to show up in Split studio Tetrapak for a booked recording session, Mandiàagreed to accept another suggestion made by producer Enco Lesiàto record it himself. The material was released the same year as a two-side single "Ljuljaj me neà ¾no" / "à  uma" by PGP-RTB, garnering positive reactions both commercially and critically. A year later, Mandiàrecorded another successful single, featuring the songs "Sutra imam prazan stan" ("Tomorrow I'll Have an Empty Flat") and the ballad "Osloni se na mene" ("Lean on Me").
Zdravko ÃÂoliàcame calling next, inviting Mandiàas guest on his country-wide tour that included stadiums and sports arenas. MandiÃÂ's part in the show consisted of coming out in the middle of ÃÂoliÃÂ's performance and doing only "Ljuljaj me neà ¾no", which had by that time become a sizable hit.
In 1979 he wrote and recorded a track "CveÃÂke i zloÃÂe", which was included in Goran MarkoviÃÂ's movie Nacionalna klasa.
In 1981, Mandiàreleased his debut album, entitled Probaj me (Try Me), produced by Peter MacTaggart. All the songs were composed by MandiÃÂ, and the lyrics were written by Marina TucakoviÃÂ. The album brought hits "Nije za nju" ("Not for Her"), "Samo nebo zna (PoludeÃÂu)" ("Sky Only Knows (I'll Go Crazy)") and rerecorded "Osloni se na mene". The album was promoted with a TV show Beograd noÃÂu (Belgrade at Night), directed by Stanko Crnobrnja. The ambitiously avantgarde programme even won Rose d'Or award at the 1981 Montreux TV festival. MandiÃÂ's controversial androgynous image in the show, was conceived by his school mate and good friend SlaÃÂana Miloà ¡eviàwho, after many days and nights spent in endless persuasions and discussions, finally put Oliver in touch with conceptual artist Kosta Bunuà ¡evac who, she thought, would create the outwardly image for Oliver. This had raised quite a public furor due to the singer's cross-dressing and aggressive makeup. His androgynous image, which the Yugoslav audience found especially shocking in the early 1980s, attracted considerable media attention.
In 1982, Mandiàreleased his second studio album, Zbog tebe bih tucao kamen (I Would Break Rocks for You). The album was recorded in Switzerland and produced by Mandiàand MacTaggart. It featured Nenad "Japanac" Stefanoviàon bass guitar, ÃÂiÃÂi Jankeliàon drums, Aleksandar Milovanoviàon guitar, Laza Ristovski on keyboards, MiÃÂa Markoviàon saxophone, Stjepko Gut on trumpet, and Bebi Dol on backing vocals, and the cover art was designed by Mirko IliÃÂ. The album brought hits "Smejem se, a plakao bih" ("I'm Laughing, but I Feel Like Crying"), "Neverne Bebe" ("Unfaithful Babies") and "Sve su seke jebene" ("All the fucking girls", with lyrics written after the motifs from Serbian erotic folk poetry collected by Vuk StefanoviàKaradà ¾iÃÂ).
In 1984, Mandiàappeared at the MESAM festival for the first time, performing the folk-inspired song "Pitaju me, pitaju" ("They're Asking Me, They're Asking"), for which the lyrics were written by Marina TucakoviÃÂ. The same year Mandiàproduced Dü Boys album Muvanje (Hitting On).
In 1985, he released the album DoÃÂe mi da vrisnem tvoje ime (I Feel like Screaming Your Name), which brought folk-inspired hits "Pomagajte drugovi" ("Help Me, My Friends"), with which he won the first place at the 1985 MESAM festival, and "Bobane" ("Oh, Boban..."). During the same year, MandiÃÂ took part in YU Rock Misija, Yugoslav contribution to Live Aid.
After playing a show with Laza Ristovski at Sava Centar in 1985, Mandiàbegan keeping a noticeably lower profile on the pop scene. He got an executive job at the PGP-RTB record label, where he stayed for most of 1986 and 1987, before releasing a greatest hits compilation Sve najbolje (All the Best) that marked the 10th anniversary of his solo career. The same year, 1987, saw Mandiàteam up with Nikà ¡a Bratoà ¡ to produce Boris NovkoviÃÂ's second album JaÃÂi od sudbine, which sold very well. Mandiàalso received an offer to produce Plavi Orkestar's second album Smrt faà ¡izmu, but turned it down.
For the remainder of the decade Mandiàrecorded an album of children's music Deca bez adrese (Children without an Address) with popular children's entertainer and TV personality Branko Kockica, and in 1989 he again collaborated with his old friend Duà ¡an Preleviàwho wrote a screenplay for the movie Poslednji krug u Monci. Mandiàrecorded the movie's title track "Odlazim, a volim te", which became a sizable commercial hit. The song, along with some other material that Mandiàused in the movie, all came from the recordings he made with different musicians such as Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, and Pat Metheny while staying in the United States during the late 1980s.
In the early 1990s, he became involved with Serbian paramilitary leader à ½eljko Raà ¾natovià"Arkan", whom he knew since childhood. Mandiàwas often seen wearing the Serbian Volunteer Guard uniform, and even made a couple of trips to the front-lines in Slavonia, where according to most accounts, his role was distributing food and cigarettes in the Guard's Erdut headquarters.
Towards the end of 1991, Mandic became an extended member of Riblja ÃÂorba. The idea was to include Mandiàin the creative process of the band's planned farewell album Labudova pesma by having him write and compose half of the songs, and later, upon its release, tour as their keyboards player. The material was recorded in Vienna, but as it was being prepared for wide release a huge row erupted between Mandiàand band leader Bora ÃÂorÃÂeviÃÂ. As a result, Mandiàdemanded that all his tracks be removed, and even obtained a court-ordered junction prohibiting their release. In the end, the album's released version contained only eight tracks â half of the originally planned number, and it also ended up not being Riblja ÃÂorba's last as they soon changed their minds, deciding to continue playing and recording. On the other hand, raw studio versions of MandiÃÂ's unreleased tracks have since then become rare and valuable collector's items.
Over the next period MandiÃÂ placed music on the back-burner completely, choosing to live off releasing greatest hits compilations. In 1993, the compilation album Smejem se, a plakao bih was released, which sold surprisingly well in the hyperinflation-ridden FR Yugoslavia. In 1994, the compilation was reissued on CD as The Best Of, featuring the previously never officially released, although already widely played hit "Odlazim, a volim te".
In 1997, MandiÃÂ finished the recording of his fourth studio album, with the working title Kad ljubav ubije (When Love Kills). The album featured the material recorded in the United States during the late 1980s, as well as new material, and featured guest appearances by Freddie Hubbard, Vlatko Stefanovski, Bebi Dol and Radomir MihailoviÃÂ ToÃÂak. The album, however, remains unreleased until the present day.
In 2004, the 1993 best-of was reissued again as Best Of, featuring one new track, "Ako laà ¾em, tu me seci " ("If I'm Lying"). The video for the song featured pop singer Ksenija PajÃÂin.
At the end of 2007, Mandiàmade another partial comeback with a song "Vreme za ljubav istiÃÂe" ("Time for Love Is Running Out"), which featured folk singer Svetlana "Ceca" Raà ¾natoviàon vocals. The song was released, alongside MandiÃÂ's old hits, on the compilation album Vreme za ljubav istiÃÂe. Promoting the release of Vreme za ljubav istiÃÂe, Mandiàstated that this does not mean he is returning to a full singing career that ended in 1985, also stating that he might release Kad vreme ljubav ubije.
In 2010, Mandiàwrote the song "Probudi se na ÃÂas" ("Wake Up for a Moment"), dedicated to deceased Macedonian pop singer Toà ¡e Proeski. He performed the song, with guest appearances by Bebi Dol on vocals and à ½eljko Mitroviàon guitar, on a concert held in Skopje and dedicated to Proeski.
Serbian glam metal band Karizma covered MandiÃÂ's song "Ljuljaj me neà ¾no" on their 1992 album U snovima (In the Dreams). Serbian pop rock band covered MandiÃÂ's song "Nije za nju" on their 1993 album à  ta bih dao da sam na tvom mjestu (What Would I Give to Be in Your Shoes). Croatian funk band Fali V covered MandiÃÂ's song "Sve je propalo" on their 1999 album VisoÃÂije od kolena (Up the Knees). Serbian rock singer Viktorija covered MandiÃÂ's song "PoludeÃÂu" on her 2000 live album Nostalgija (Nostalgia). The song "Odlazim, a volim te" was sampled by the Serbian hip hop band Sha-Ila in their track of the same title, released on their 2000 album Totalito Pervertito. Serbian gothic metal band Darkshines recorded a cover of the song "Pitaju me, pitaju", releasing it as a single in 2011.
The book ' (YU 100: The Best albums of Yugoslav pop and rock music) features two Oliver MandiÃÂ albums: Probaj me (polled No. 15) and Sve najbolje (polled No. 51).
The B92 Top 100 Domestic Songs list features three songs by MandiÃÂ: "Nije za nju" (polled No. 53), "Osloni se na mene" (polled No. 59) and "Smejem se, a plakao bih" (polled No. 67). In 2011, the song "Osloni se na mene" was voted, by the listeners of Radio 202, one of 60 greatest songs released by PGP-RTB/PGP-RTS during the sixty years of the label's existence.
The lyrics of the song "Govor tvog tela" ("Your Body Language"), written by Marina TucakoviÃÂ, were featured in Petar JanjatoviÃÂ's book ' (Songs of Brotherhood, Childhood & Offspring: Anthology of Ex YU Rock Poetry 1967 â 2007).
Since the late 1990s, MandiÃÂ has been active as a club owner and restaurateur.
On 27 December 2010, MandiÃÂ's partner Maja Kozlica gave birth to their daughter.