Neda Ukraden | |
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Неда Украден | |
![]() Ukraden in 2011 | |
Born | |
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Occupation | Singer |
Years active | 1967–present |
Spouse | Milan Bilbija (died) |
Children | 1 |
Musical career | |
Genres |
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Neda Ukraden (born 16 August 1950) is a Croatian singer. Her professional career stretches back to 1967 and has collectively released thirty studio albums. With collective sales of over five million records, Ukraden is recognised as one of the most successful artists from former Yugoslavia.
Ukraden was born in Glavina Donja, a village near the small Croatian town of Imotski, to ethnic Serbian parents Anđelija (1924–2018) and Dušan Ukraden (1927–1997). [1] [2] [3]
She lived in Imotski with her grandparents until the age of two when she relocated to Višegrad, in eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina. When she was in elementary school, her family moved to Sarajevo where she lived until 1992 when the Bosnian War broke out.
When the war started, Neda moved to Belgrade, Serbia. [4] Between 1992 and 1996, she rented an apartment in Vienna, Austria. [5]
Respecting the wishes of her father, she attended the University of Sarajevo where she successfully completed degrees in Law, Philology, and the English language. It was only at age 17 that she started singing.
Ukraden was married to director Milan Bilbija and together they had a daughter named Jelena. [6] Bilbija died on 30 January 2013 in Montenegro. [7] Ukraden did not attend his funeral. [8]