DESCRIPTION:
Svetlana Ceca Slavković - Tajna (Makfest 1997)
Music & Arrangement: Željko Joksimović.
Lyrics: Dejan Ivanović.
Video (c) MRT / Makfest 1997

Ceca Slavković's performance at the International Competition of the 12th Makfest Song Festival held in Štip, Macedonia, on 11.10.1997. There were 14 songs in competition. Ceca Slavković won the Third Audience Award.

The performance is announced by Milanka Rašić.

Although born in Novi Sad, Ceca Slavković owes the beginnings of her career to Belgrade jazz scene and the cooperation with the most eminent jazz bands such as "Lazar Tosic Quintet" "RTS Big Band","Jovan Maljokovic Balkan Salsa Band","YU Public Convention Band" when she also has her first television appearances and concerts. The most beautiful and inspiring moments in the "Misija" band, led by her great friend Sasa Vasic, are yet to follow. Parallel to her engagements in bands, Ceca begins her cooperation with the best composers of pop music among which are Rade Radivojevic, Srdjan Cukovic, Sasa Tamindzic, Vladimir Grajic, Zeljko Joksimovic. As a solo artist she wins the first place on couple of local music festivals: double laureate of "Slager-Menadzer" festival and she was a triple winner of "Beogradsko Prolece".

Soon after she begins her crusade on international festivals, also characterized in media as "the golden harvest of a little Slavic diva". Epilogue: Grand Prix "Slavianki Bazaar", first prize in "Voice of Asia" festival, triple Grand Prix "Euro Fest", Grand Prix of "Sunflower" festival and the first prize given by audience, laureate for "Makfest" festival, "OGAE Germany", "World Oriental Music Fest" i "850 years Moscow". She herself emphasizes that "Slavianski Bazaar" and "VoA" wins are particularly dear to her because of the fact that they enabled the recording of her first album called "Tajna" (The Secret). Zeljko Joksimovic, the producer gave his best to enrich this first project with delicate and well balanced ethno music elements, and the lyrics and the interpretation itself have the characteristics of archaic and sometimes fairylike atmosphere. The second album "Pola/pola" (Half/Half) continues with ethno elements from the previous one while the sound itself is being enriched with fresh and innovative arrangement and production of the popular tandem Aleksandar Kobac/Marko Kon. "Pola/pola" portrays the dual nature of existence and it is divided into 8 ballads and 8 songs with faster rhythm.

Both albums, exclusive editions of "City Records" production, brought an array of awards to this artist which resulted in her being elected the best singer of the year in prestigious local manifestations two years in a row. Some of the awards were: "Oscar of Popularity", "Golden Melos" and "Melco" and there were also awards such as: a female artist of the year - "YU Internet Awards", hit of the year - "Radio S", hit of the year - "Popularity pearl", ethno album of the year "Pink Awards" and many other. A special place in her collection is reserved for two of her favorite prizes: "Humane person of the year", given for the numerous participations in humanitarian concerts and "Best friend of Kazakhstan" award given by journalists and reporters of that country.

Today Svetlana Ceca Slavkovic is an artist, composer, lyricist, a producer and a backing vocalist. She lives and works in Belgrade, Serbia. More about her on her official site:

http://www.cecaslavkovic.com/english.html