The Biography

Goran Bregović (Serbo-Croatian Cyrillic: Горан Бреговић; born 22 March 1950) is a recording artist from Bosnia and Herzegovina. He is one of the most internationally known modern musicians and composers of the Slavic-speaking countries in the Balkans, and one of the few former Yugoslav musicians who have performed at major international venues such as Carnegie Hall, Royal Albert Hall and l'Olympia. A Sarajevo native, Bregović started out with the bands Kodeksi and Jutro, but rose to prominence as the main creative mind and lead guitarist of Bijelo Dugme, widely considered one of the most popular and influential recording acts ever to exist in the SFR Yugoslavia. After Bijelo Dugme split up, he embarked on several critically and commercially successful solo projects, and started composing film scores. Among his better known film scores are three of Emir Kusturica's films (Time of the Gypsies, Arizona Dream and Underground). For Silent Gunpowder, Bregović won the Golden Arena for Best Film Music at the 1990 Pula Film Festival, among other awards. He has also composed for the Academy Award-nominated film La Reine Margot and the Cannes-entered film The Serpent's Kiss. During his five-decade career, Bregović has composed for critically acclaimed singers, including Sezen Aksu, Kayah, Iggy Pop, Šaban Bajramović, George Dalaras, Cesária Évora and Severina.