Goca Božinovska
Encyclopedia
Gordana "Goca" Božinovska (Гордана "Гоца" Божиновска) (born 16 January 1965 in Western Serbia
, Yugoslavia
) is a Serbian
pop-folk
singer.
and Čačak
. She grew up in a family of four: father, mother, sister and herself, that lived in the village of Samaila in the heart of Šumadija
. Her father was originally from Gevgelija
, hence her Macedonian surname. She completed her secondary education in Kraljevo where she also made her first musical appearance with the Abrašević culture group.
After completing high school, Božinovska moved to Belgrade
where she's been residing ever since. Together with Vesna Zmijanac
, she started singing in Lipovački cvet kafana
. Her good voice and attractive looks got her plenty of attention and she soon became acquainted with Šaban Šaulić
who invited her to start performing at his gigs.
In 1984, after giving birth to her first daughter Jelena, she took a break from a musical career.
Božinovska's return to performing was marked with an album recorded with Halid Muslimović
. Two years later, she began touring with other famous folk singers. She met her future husband in 1987, with whom she had her second daughter Zorana, and son Mirko. Maternity forced her into another break, which this time lasted eight years. After divorcing her husband, she made another comeback in 1995.
She married Zoran Šijan, who was the leader of the Surčin clan, he was murdered in 1999.
Today, she lives in Surčin
, Belgrade
.
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
, Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
) is a Serbian
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
pop-folk
Pop-folk
Pop-folk is the umbrella term for the popular musical genres originating in the Balkans and Eastern Europe that are characteristic by the fusion of commercial folk music and "nightclub" music. The term is used alternatively for Turbo-folk and Chalga and is mostly used in Bulgaria...
singer.
Biography
Gordana Božinovska was born on a train between the towns of KraljevoKraljevo
Kraljevo is a city and municipality in central Serbia, built beside the river Ibar, 7 km west of its confluence with the Western Morava. It is located in the midst of an upland valley, between the mountains of Kotlenik in the north, and Stolovi in the south.In 2011 the city has population of...
and Čačak
Cacak
Čačak is a city in central Serbia. It is the administrative center of the Moravica District of Serbia. Čačak is also the main industrial, cultural and sport center of the district...
. She grew up in a family of four: father, mother, sister and herself, that lived in the village of Samaila in the heart of Šumadija
Šumadija
Šumadija is a geographical region in Serbia. The area is heavily covered with forests, hence the name...
. Her father was originally from Gevgelija
Gevgelija
Gevgelija is a town with a population of 15,685 located in the very southeast of the Republic of Macedonia along the banks of the Vardar River, situated at the country's main border with Greece , the point which links the motorway from Skopje and three other former Yugoslav capitals with...
, hence her Macedonian surname. She completed her secondary education in Kraljevo where she also made her first musical appearance with the Abrašević culture group.
After completing high school, Božinovska moved to Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
where she's been residing ever since. Together with Vesna Zmijanac
Vesna Zmijanac
Vesna Zmijanac is a Serbian folk singer.She released 13 albums, 6 singles and several compilations. Her singing career started back in 1979 with the single "Thank You for All", and after that came a few popular singles and first album in 1981...
, she started singing in Lipovački cvet kafana
Kafana
Kafana , kafeana , kavana are terms used in the former Yugoslav countries for a distinct type of local bistro which primarily serves alcoholic beverages and coffee , and which sometimes also has a live band.The concept of a social gathering place for men to drink...
. Her good voice and attractive looks got her plenty of attention and she soon became acquainted with Šaban Šaulić
Šaban Šaulic
Šaban Šaulić is a Serbian singer He released his debut EP Dajte mi utjehu in 1969 when he was 18 years old. In 1970, he served the mandatory Yugoslav army service in Bitola, now in the Republic of Macedonia...
who invited her to start performing at his gigs.
In 1984, after giving birth to her first daughter Jelena, she took a break from a musical career.
Božinovska's return to performing was marked with an album recorded with Halid Muslimović
Halid Muslimović
Halid Muslimović Halid Muslimović Halid Muslimović (born in January 22, 1963 is a Bosnian folk singer. Born in Prijedor, he began his musical career in 1982. He is one of the best-known singers in the popular genre Over six million units (silver, gold, diamond and platinum) of sound and image,...
. Two years later, she began touring with other famous folk singers. She met her future husband in 1987, with whom she had her second daughter Zorana, and son Mirko. Maternity forced her into another break, which this time lasted eight years. After divorcing her husband, she made another comeback in 1995.
She married Zoran Šijan, who was the leader of the Surčin clan, he was murdered in 1999.
Today, she lives in Surčin
Surcin
Surčin is a neighborhood of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is the youngest of Belgrade's 17 municipalities, as it split from the municipality of Zemun in 2003. Surčin municipality has 38,695 residents while Surčin town itself has 14,292...
, Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
.