Viktorija

Snežana Mišković (; ; 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.

Mišković rose 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 Mišković-fronted rock group, but soon she adopted Viktorija as her stage name. Viktorija gained nationwide popularity with her 1988 debut album Spavaćeš 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.

Biography

Early life and career Mišković was born in Vučitrn on 19 November 1958. She came to Belgrade for her studies in 1976, soon starting to perform with Society of Culture and Arts Branko Krsmanović choir and with the band Pop Polifonija (Pop Polyphony). In 1983, as a part of cultural exchange between Yugoslavia and Kenya, Aska held twenty concerts in Kenya. In 1985, Mišković, alongside Snežana Stamenković and Izolda Barudžija, 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, Mišković eventually deciding to end the group's activity.

In 1988, Viktorija released the album Spavaćeš sam (You'll Be Sleeping Alone), recorded throughout two years in four different studios in Zagreb and Belgrade. and the recording featured Piloti member Safet Petrovac (guitar), Ekatarina Velika member Bojan Pečar (bass guitar), studio musician Nenad Stefanović "Japanac" (bass guitar), Animatori member Tomislav Brezičević "Toco" (drums), Bijelo Dugme member Laza Ristovski (keyboards) and Rex Ilusivii (emulator programming). During the same year, Mišković won the Female Singer of the Year Award at the MESAM music festival.

In 1997, she announced her retirement from the scene.

In 2015, Viktorija saw new attention, when her claims of Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars plagiarizing Aska song "Ulice mračne nisu za devojke" ("Dark Streets Are Not for Girls") for the 2014 song "Uptown Funk" appeared in Serbian and foreign media; the song "Ulice mračne nisu za devojke" was written by Snežana Mišković and Momčilo Bajagić "Bajaga" for Aska's 1984 album Katastrofa.

Reality TV

Mišković was a contestant of the reality TV shows Farma, Season 1 and Zadruga, Season 1

Legacy

Viktorija's song "Barakuda" was covered in 1999 by Serbian rock band Negative for their debut self-titled album.

In 1998, the album Spavaćeš sam was ranked at number 49 on the list of 100 Greatest Yugoslav Popular Music Albums in the book YU 100: najbolji albumi jugoslovenske rok i pop muzike (YU 100: The Best Albums of Yugoslav Pop and Rock Music).

Discography

Studio albums

Spavaćeš sam (1988) Ja verujem (1991) Ja znam da je tebi krivo (1995)

Compilations

Viktorija (1991) Kada gužva prođe (1998)

Live albums

Nostalgija (2000)

Singles

"Kaži, sestro" (2005) "Spas" (2010)