Sneà ¾ana Mià ¡kovià(; ; born 19 December 1958), better known by her stage name Viktorija (; ), is a Serbian and Yugoslav semi-retired rock singer. Known for her raspy voice, Viktorija was one of the most popular and prominent female vocalists of the Yugoslav rock scene.
Mià ¡koviàrose to prominence in the early 1980s, as the vocalist and the leader of the girl group Aska, releasing two albums with the group and representing Yugoslavia at the 1982 Eurovision Song Contest. In 1986, she disbanded Aska and formed the band Viktorija. Initially, Viktorija was the name of the Mià ¡koviÃÂ-fronted rock group, but soon she adopted Viktorija as her stage name. Viktorija gained nationwide popularity with her 1988 debut album SpavaÃÂeà ¡ sam, followed by the equally successful 1991 album Ja verujem, cooperating with a number of prominent Yugoslav songwriters and musicians on both. However, following the release of her third studio album Ja znam da je tebi krivo in 1995, she retired from the scene, making a brief comeback with the 2000 cover album Nostalgija. Since mid-2000s, Viktorija has released new songs and performed live sporadically only.
Mià ¡koviàwas born in VuÃÂitrn on 19 November 1958. She came to Belgrade for her studies in 1976, soon starting to perform with Society of Culture and Arts Branko Krsmanoviàchoir and with the band Pop Polifonija (Pop Polyphony).
In 1981, Mià ¡koviàformed the girl group Aska with Sneà ¾ana Stamenkoviàand Izolda Barudà ¾ija. Aska represented Yugoslavia at the 1982 Eurovision Song Contest with the song "Halo, halo", written by Sanja IliÃÂ, ending up in the 14th place. In 1982, the trio also released their debut album Disco Rock, featuring covers of popular songs by Yugoslav rock artists. In 1983, as a part of cultural exchange between Yugoslavia and Kenya, Aska held twenty concerts in Kenya. The second Aska album, entitled Katastrofa (Catastrophe) and released in 1984, was recorded in the new lineup, featuring Mià ¡koviÃÂ, Suzana Peroviàand Nariman "Nera" Mahmud. In 1985, Mià ¡koviÃÂ, alongside Sneà ¾ana Stamenkoviàand Izolda Barudà ¾ija, took part in YU Rock Misija, a Yugoslav contribution to the Live Aid campaign, contributing vocals to the charity single "Za milion godina"; in addition, Aska took part in the corresponding charity concert held at Red Star Stadium. From 1984 to 1986, about 25 different singers passed through Aska, Mià ¡koviàeventually deciding to end the group's activity.
In 1986, Mià ¡koviàstarted her solo career by recording the song "à  arene ulice" ("Colorful Streets"), soon after forming the band Viktorija. Initially, Viktorija was the name of Sneà ¾ana Mià ¡koviÃÂ-fronted band, but soon she adopted Viktorija as her own stage name. During the following years, Viktorija's backing band would feature a number of musicians, most prominently guitarist Bane JeliÃÂ, bass guitarist Slobodan "Cajger" Stojisavljevià(formerly of Generacija 5 and Zana), drummer Predrag Jakovljevià(formerly of Tilt and Bulevar) and keyboardist Aleksandar VuksanoviÃÂ, the latter starting a successful solo career in folk music under the stage name Aca Lukas in the 1990s.
In 1988, Viktorija released the album SpavaÃÂeà ¡ sam (You'll Be Sleeping Alone), recorded throughout two years in four different studios in Zagreb and Belgrade. The album was produced by Theodore Yanni, who also played guitar on several tracks, and the recording featured Piloti member Safet Petrovac (guitar), Ekatarina Velika member Bojan PeÃÂar (bass guitar), studio musician Nenad Stefanovià"Japanac" (bass guitar), Animatori member Tomislav BreziÃÂevià"Toco" (drums), Bijelo Dugme member Laza Ristovski (keyboards) and Rex Ilusivii (emulator programming). The album also featured numerous guest appearances â by Riblja ÃÂorba frontman Bora ÃÂorÃÂevià(vocals), former Aska member Izolda Barudà ¾ija (backing vocals), Ekatarina Velika frontman Milan Mladenovià(backing vocals) and the members of the pop band SunÃÂeve Pege (Sun Spots). The album cover was designed by renowned comic book artist Zoran Janjetov. SpavaÃÂeà ¡ sam saw large commercial success, bringing the hits "Barakuda" ("Barracuda"), written by Piloti frontman Kiki LesendriÃÂ, "SpavaÃÂeà ¡ sam", written by Osmi Putnik frontman Zlatan Stipià ¡iÃÂ, "Sami" ("Alone"), a cover of Ohio Express' song "Yummy Yummy Yummy" with lyrics written by Bora ÃÂorÃÂeviÃÂ, and the ballad "Daj, ne pitaj" ("Please, Don't Ask"), co-written by Stipià ¡iàand ÃÂorÃÂeviÃÂ. In 1989, Mià ¡koviàwas voted the Best Female Singer by the readers of Pop Rock magazine. At the beginning of 1990, Viktorija, alongside Yugoslav bands Riblja ÃÂorba, Valentino, Galija and Bajaga i Instruktori, performed in TimiÃÂoara, Romania, at the three-day concerts organized two months after the Romanian Revolution. All five acts performed on three concerts in TimiÃÂoara Olympia Hall in front of some 20,000 people each night. During the same year, Mià ¡koviàwon the Female Singer of the Year Award at the MESAM music festival.
At the beginning of 1991, Viktorija released her second studio album, Ja verujem (I Believe). The album was recorded in Radio Pula studio, the recording featuring Bane JeliÃÂ, Vjekoslav Zajec, Vladimir Negovanoviàand former Parni Valjak member Rastko Miloà ¡ev on guitar, Nenad Stefanovià"Japanac" on bass guitar, and Laza Ristovski and Bajaga i Instruktori member Saà ¡a Lokner on keyboards. The songs were composed by JeliÃÂ, Zlatan Stipià ¡iÃÂ, Bajaga i Instruktori members Nenad StamatoviÃÂ, à ½ika Milenkoviàand Saà ¡a Lokner, Kiki Lesendriàand Dragan ÃÂaÃÂinoviÃÂ, while the lyrics were written by Bora ÃÂorÃÂeviÃÂ, Marina TucakoviÃÂ, Radoman Kanjevac, Milja Vujanoviàand Nikola GrbiÃÂ. The song "A ja bez tebe" ("And Me Without You") featured the lyrics written in early 1970s by actor Ljubià ¡a BaÃÂiàand dedicated to actress Milena DraviÃÂ. Ja verujem eventually became diamond record, owing to hit songs "Rat i mir (Ljubav je...)" ("War and Peace (Love Is...)", a duet with Kiki Lesendrià(which revolved around a musical theme from Marty Friedman's "Thunder March"), "Arija" ("Aria"), "Od Splita do Beograda (Ove NoÃÂi)" ("From Split to Belgrade (This Night)"), a duet with Dino Dvornik, "Samo teraj ti po svome" ("You Just Carry On"), "Kanada" ("Canada"), "Ni nebo mi nije visoko" ("Even Sky Doesn't Seem that High") and "Isus" ("Jesus"). During the same year, Viktorija recorded a cover of Zdravko ÃÂoliÃÂ's hit "Ljubav je samo reÃÂ" ("Love Is Only a Word") for the Evergereen Evening of Belgrade Spring Festival. The song was released on the festival's official compilation album Beograde ((Oh,) Belgrade), but also on Viktorija's 1992 compilation album Viktorija. In 1992, she held her first solo concert in Belgrade, in Sava Centar.
In 1995, she released her third album, Ja znam da je tebi krivo (I Know You're Jealous), produced by Vojislav Aralica. The album songs were co-authored by Aralica, Stevan Todoroviàand Rambo Amadeus. The album featured a number of cover songs â a cober of Bijelo Dugme's "A koliko si ih imala do sad" ("How Much of Them Did You Have 'till Now"), Viktorija's version entitled "Avantura â ljubomora" ("Adventure â Jealousy"), a cover of Zdravko ÃÂoliÃÂ's "Zagrli me" ("Hug Me"), Viktorija's version entitled "Ako priÃÂeà ¡ blià ¾e" ("If You Come Closer"), a cover of Jovanotti's "Io penso positivo", Viktorija's version featuring Serbian language lyrics and entitled "Ja znam da je tebi krivo", and a cover of Foreigner song "Blinded by Science", Viktorija's version entitled "Lokomotiva" ("Locomotive"). During 1996, she promoted the album with a large number of concerts, on which she performed with a band consisting of young musicians from Kosovska Mitrovica.
In 1997, she announced her retirement from the scene. The compilation album Kada guà ¾va proÃÂe (When the Rush Is Over) was released in 1998.
In 2000, Viktorija made a brief comeback, only to record the cover album Nostalgija (Nostalgia), which featured covers of songs by Parni Valjak, Regata, Xenia, Indexi, Kerber, Atomsko Sklonià ¡te, Smak, Bijelo Dugme, Oliver MandiÃÂ, D' Boys, Toni Montano, and other acts. In 2000, she also recorded the song "Senke uspomena" ("Shadows of Memories"), written by Kiki LesendriÃÂ, for Predrag VelinoviÃÂ's 2000 film Shadows of Memories.
In 2005, after a number years she spent away from the public, Viktorija appeared at Beovizija music festival performing the song "Kaà ¾i, sestro" ("Say, Sister"), winning sixth place. Five years later, at the very end of 2010, she released the single "Spas" ("Salvation").
In 2015, Viktorija saw new attention, when her claims of Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars plagiarizing Aska song "Ulice mraÃÂne nisu za devojke" ("Dark Streets Are Not for Girls") for the 2014 song "Uptown Funk" appeared in Serbian and foreign media; the song "Ulice mraÃÂne nisu za devojke" was written by Sneà ¾ana Mià ¡koviàand MomÃÂilo Bajagià"Bajaga" for Aska's 1984 album Katastrofa.
Mià ¡koviàwas a contestant of the reality TV shows Farma, Season 1 and Zadruga, Season 1
Viktorija's song "Barakuda" was covered in 1999 by Serbian rock band Negative for their debut self-titled album. In 2011, "Barakuda" was voted by the listeners of Radio 202 as one of 60 greatest songs released by PGP-RTB/PGP-RTS during the sixty years of the label's existence.
In 1998, the album SpavaÃÂeà ¡ sam was ranked at number 49 on the list of 100 Greatest Yugoslav Popular Music Albums in the book ' (YU 100: The Best Albums of Yugoslav Pop and Rock Music).