Božo Vrećo

Božo Vrećo (; born 18 October 1983) is a Bosnian musician.

Childhood Božo Vrećo was born in Foča, SR Bosnia and Herzegovina, SFR Yugoslavia on 18 October 1983. Their father died when they were five years old, and they grew up with their mother and two sisters. Their mother was an artist and encouraged Vrećo to paint and draw, as well as to learn music. They taught themself how to read and write music, as well as sing, from the Internet. As an effeminate child, Vrećo experienced many struggles growing up in their provincial home town, and was frequently bullied.

Professional career Vrećo went to Belgrade, Serbia, to earn their master's degree in archaeology, but after graduation they realized that their true passion was sevdalinka, a traditional genre of Balkan music. At age 27, they began learning how to sing from traditional recordings. They then traveled to Sarajevo. A local musician discovered Vrećo singing in a café and invited them to perform in the band Halka, with whom they recorded their first CD. In 2014, in between recording two albums with Halka, By 2015, Vrećo became known and written about in the English-speaking world. In 2017, Vrećo recorded their second solo album, Pandora, which included performances with Marko Louis, Indigo, Velahavie, and Merima Ključo.

Two songs from the album Moj sevdah would be part of Koštana, a play directed by Kokan Mladenović. Vrećo had a leading role in the play. At the beginning of their career, Vrećo wore men's suits, then decided to perform as what they consider their true self. It is their belief that a person who sings songs of courage should present nothing but honesty to their audience, which is one reason why more traditional audiences love him. They take offense at those who consider them a drag performer.

As a reviver of a traditional women's genre, Vrećo defends the place of women in Bosnian society by singing their songs. They wear their hair long, with kohl around their eyes, and dress in kaftans, dresses, or floating coats as they spin and sing on stage. At the same time, they wear a beard. Their performances are continually sold out in the patriarchal Balkan society, and their fans cross gender and ethnic boundaries. Vrećo hopes that, through their musical performances, they can also be a voice for LGBT rights in the Balkans.

Personal life In some interviews, Vrećo has identified as gay, but they consistently state that they are both female and male and that they are a free person who will not hide their true self.

Discography Albums with Halka Halka (2013) O ljubavi (2014)

Solo albums Moj sevdah (2014) Pandora (2017) Melek (2018) Lachrimae (with Edin Karamazov; 2020) Sevdahology (2025)