Ceca (singer)

Svetlana Ražnatović (née Veličković; Serbian Cyrillic: Светлана Ражнатовић, née Величковић; pronounced [sʋětlana raʒnǎːtoʋit͡ɕ]; born 14 June 1973), better known by her stage name Ceca (Serbian Cyrillic: Цеца, pronounced [t͡sěːt͡sa]), is a Serbian singer and television personality. Often referred to as the "Serbian mother", she is recognized as one of the most popular pop-folk singers in Serbia.^[1][2] Ceca has released sixteen studio albums, which have collectively sold around seven million records, making her one of the best-selling Balkan artists of all time.^[3] During her Poziv Tour in 2013, she held a concert in Belgrade with over 150,000 attendants - making it one of the biggest concerts in history.

Ceca
Цеца
Ceca performing in Düsseldorf, 2018
Born	Svetlana Veličković (1973-06-14) 14 June 1973 (age 49) Prokuplje, SR Serbia, SFR Yugoslavia
Other names	Ceca Ražnatović
Occupations	Singer businesswoman
Years active	1987–present
Spouse	Željko Ražnatović ​ ​ (m. 1995; died 2000)​
Children	2, including Anastasija Ražnatović
Musical career
Genres	Turbo-folk
Instruments	Vocals
Labels	PGP-RTB PGP-RTS Grand City Records

Early life

Svetlana Veličković was born on 14 June 1973 in Prokuplje to parents Mira and Slobodan Veličković.^[4][5] She grew up in the nearby village of Žitorađa.^[4] Ceca has a younger sister named Lidija.^[4]

Veličković graduated from the high school of agriculture, studying pig farming.^[6]

Career

While vacationing with her family on the coast of Montenegro as a teenager, Ražnatović was discovered by the prominent accordion instrumentalist Mirko Kodić, who helped her to pursue a recording career.^[4][5] In 1988, she debuted with Cvetak zanovetak, which was released through PGP-RTB. The title song was also awarded at the Ilidža Folk Music Festival.^[5] Following several moderately successful albums, in 1993, she started collaborating with song-writing duo Marina Tucaković and Milan Radulović on her fifth album Kukavica, released under Juvekomerc.^[5] It was promoted with her first national tour and her first solo concert held at Belgrade's Tašmajdan Center.^[5] Ja još spavam u tvojoj majici was subsequently released in June 1994. The following year, she released Fatalna ljubav through PGP-RTS, featuring one of her greatest hits - "Beograd" (Belgrade), which was written by Bosnian musician Dino Merlin.^[5] The album was succeeded with a concert at Hala Pionir.^[5] Ceca also starred as Koštana in the 1996 film adaptation of Borisav Stanković's novel Impure Blood, but was eventually cut out from the picture due to poor critical reception.^[4][7] A year later, she released Maskarada. Her tenth album, titled Ceca 2000, was released in 1999.

After the release of Decenija (2001) through Grand Production, in June 2002, Ražnatović performed at the Marakana Stadium in Belgrade to 70.000 people.^[8] Album Gore od ljubavi was released in May 2004 and Idealno loša was released in June 2006. The latter was promoted by Ceca's first concert at Belgrade's Ušće Park in 2006.

Her album Ljubav živi was released in June 2011. In 2012, she played the main character on the Serbian period piece TV show “Tajna neciste krvi”, airing on the local channel Happy TV.^[9] Ljubav živi was followed by her fifteenth album, titled Poziv, was released in June 2013 under City Records.^[10] On Vidovdan 2013, Ražnatović held her second live show at Belgrade's Ušće in front of 150,000 fans according to her management, which makes it one of the highest-attended concerts by a solo artist in the world.^[11][12][13] Album Autogram was released in 2016.^[14] Additionally to singing, she has served as a judge on the televised singing contests Pinkove Zvezde (2014–2016) and Zvezde Granda (2021–present).^[15]

In October 2022, Ceca's reality show, titled Ceca Show, also began airing on Blic TV.^[16]

Personal life

In 1993, Ceca was introduced to career criminal and paramilitary commander in the Yugoslav Wars, Željko "Arkan" Ražnatović by singer Oliver Mandić, while performing for the soldiers at a military camp in Erdut. They got married on 19 February 1995.^[5] Their wedding, which was broadcast internationally, was portrayed as the "Serbian fairytale" by the local media.^[17] The couple has two children, including Anastasija.^[5] Arkan was assassinated on 15 January 2000.^[18]

Legal issues

Following the assassination of Prime Minister Zoran Đinđić in March 2003, Ražnatović was arrested for illegal firearm possession as a part of the police Operation Sabre and subsequently spent 121 days in commitment.^[19][20]

In 2011, Ražnatović, who had pleaded guilty, was also charged for embezzlement from the transfers of football players as the head of her husband's club, FK Obilić, and was sentenced with €1,5 million fine and to a year in house arrest.^[21][22][23]

Moreover, due to her legal issues, Ražnatović is officially banned from entering Croatia, being proclaimed persona non grata.^[24]

Politics

Ceca has also been involved in politics by serving as the honorary president of the Party of Serbian Unity before Arkan was assassinated.

She publicly endorsed Aleksandar Vučić at the 2017 Serbian presidential election, as well as in the following elections.^[25][26] In January 2019, Ražnatović, alongside President Vučić, representatives of the Serbian Government and Irinej, Serbian Patriarch, was at the official welcoming party for Vladimir Putin at the plateau of Church of Saint Sava.^[27]

Ražnatović has also maintained close ties with the Bosnian Serb politician Milorad Dodik and has publicaly endorsed him and his party SNSD.^[28][29] In June 2021, according to the reports of Insajder, Ceca was flown in by the Government-owned helicopter from Belgrade to Dodik's hometown of Laktaši in Republika Srpska to attend a private wedding party.^[30]

Discography

Main article: Ceca discography

• Cvetak zanovetak (1988)
• Ludo srce (1989)
• Pustite me da ga vidim (1990)
• Babaroga (1991)
• Šta je to u tvojim venama (1993)
• Ja još spavam u tvojoj majici (1994)
• Fatalna ljubav (1995)
• Emotivna luda (1996)
• Maskarada (1997)
• Ceca 2000 (1999)
• Decenija (2001)
• Gore od ljubavi (2004)
• Idealno loša (2006)
• Ljubav živi (2011)
• Poziv (2013)
• Autogram (2016)

Filmography

Filmography of Svetlana Ražnatović

Year	Title	Genre	Role	Notes
1995	Ceca i Arkan	Television	Herself
2004	Sav taj folk
2012	Tajna nečiste krvi		Koštana	Main character
2014-2016	Pinkove Zvezde		Herself	Judge
2017	Nikad nije kasno			Guest judge
2018	Godine slatkog greha
2021-present	Zvezde Granda			Judge and mentor
2022	Ceca Show: Ceca & Deca

Tours

• Šta je to u tvojim venama Tour (1993)
• Ceca Tour '94 (1994)
• Fatalna ljubav Tour (1995)
• Decenija Tour (2002)
• Ceca Tour '05 (2005)
• Grom Tour (2006-10)
• Ljubav živi World Tour (2012-13)
• Poziv Tour (2013-16)
• Autogram Tour (2016-20)
• The best of Ceca Tour (2021)

References

1. "Beauty and the beast". Guardian. 1 May 2013. Retrieved 3 January 2004.
2. "Uklonjen video "Junaci doba zlog: Svetlana Ražnatović – srpska majka"". rs.n1info.com (in Serbian). 16 July 2021. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
3. "ONI SU BILI NAJTIRAŽNIJI IZVOĐAČI U JUGOSLAVIJI : Brena, Šaban, Zorica, Miroslav i Halid prodali najviše ploča!". Mondo.rs (in Serbian). 23 January 2021. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
4. Vasić, B. (19 May 2005). "Žitije sa pevanjem i pucanjem" (in Serbian). Vreme. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
5. Jovanović, V. (14 June 2022). "Sve Cecine drame: Pevačica sa najburnijom biografijom danas puni 49 godina". Nova.rs (in Serbian). Retrieved 8 October 2022.
6. Kolarević, A. (12 March 2021). "Svinjarstvo, daktilografija: Koje je škole završila estrada". Nova.rs (in Serbian). Retrieved 9 October 2022.
7. "Nečista krv obeležila je njenu mladost: Kada je zaigrala lik Koštane Ceca je bila maloletna, nikad viđene fotografije sa snimanja filma". Hellomagazine.rs (in Serbian). 25 December 2012. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
8. "Ceca Ražnatović pdržala koncert na Marakani pred 70.000 ljudi" (in Serbian). Nezavisne novine. 18 June 2002. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
9. Ceca Concerts
10. "OTKRIVAMO: Cecin novi album zove se Poziv!". Kurir.rs (in Serbian). 25 May 2013. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
11. "Na Ušću 150.000 ljudi skandiralo "Ceco, mi te volimo"". pulsonline.rs (in Serbian). Retrieved 30 September 2020.
12. "Ceca Ražnatović: Spektakl na Ušću pred 150.000 ljudi" (in Serbian). Hello. 29 June 2013. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
13. Savić, B. (27 July 2022). "Ceca nadmašila Lejdi Gagu: Koncert na Ušću treći najposećeniji na svetu". Nova.rs (in Serbian). Retrieved 27 July 2022.
14. Rakočević, D. (23 June 2016). "NOVI ALBUM FOLK DIVE Ceca kakvu dosad niste čuli". Blic.rs (in Serbian). Retrieved 8 October 2022.
15. Dejanović, M. (7 September 2020). "Ceca stigla na prvo snimanje nove sezone Zvezda Granda". Nova.rs (in Serbian). Retrieved 7 September 2021.
16. Madžarević, N. "EKSKLUZIVNO Zavirite u prvu epizodu serijala CECA SHOW". Blic.rs (in Serbian). Retrieved 8 October 2022.
17. Dejanović, M. (23 November 2019). "Detalji svadbe Cece i Arkana 1995. godine koje ste možda zaboravili: Šta su joj ubacili u cipelu?". Telegraf.rs (in Serbian). Retrieved 7 September 2021.
18. R. S. V. (15 December 2011). "Čovek koji je ubio Arkana – uhapšen zbog heroina u Južnoj Africi" (in Serbian). Vreme. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
19. "Serbian Pop Diva Investigated Over Soccer Transfers". rferl. 1 May 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2010.
20. "Kriminalni estradni dosijei: pljačke, pronevere, pucnjave..." nova.rs (in Serbian). 19 August 2020. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
21. Vulliamy, Ed (29 March 2011). "Serbian singer Ceca charged with embezzlement". The Guardian. London.
22. "Serbian pop singer Ceca, widow of warlord Arkan, avoids jail term". Guardian. 1 May 2013. Retrieved 9 May 2011.
23. "Ceca u kućnom pritvoru". RTS. 1 May 2013. Retrieved 22 June 2011.
24. "Ceca, Persona Non Grata u Hrvatskoj 'Mogu se samo nasmijati na njihove zabrane, nisam se nimalo potresla. Moja brojna publika iz RH uvijek nađe put do mene'". jutarnji.hr (in Croatian). 5 April 2016. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
25. "I Ceca podržala Aleksandra Vučića". Rtvbn.com (in Bosnian). 26 March 2017. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
26. "I CECA JE UZ ALEKSANDRA VUČIĆA: Podrška lideru SNS-a od poznate pevačice". Novost.rs (in Bosnian). 30 March 2022. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
27. P. D. (19 January 2019). "Otkud Ceca sa Putinom i državnim vrhom ispred Hrama?". Danas.rs (in Serbian). Retrieved 8 October 2022.
28. "Arkan, Ceca i Dodik". Slobodnaevropa.org (in Bosnian). 30 September 2010. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
29. Bursać, D. (30 September 2022). "Bursać: Ceca Ražnatović i Aca Lukas, zadnji Dodikovi izborni aduti". Balkans.aljazeera.net (in Bosnian). Retrieved 31 October 2022.
30. Jovović, P. (20 June 2021). "Kad Dodik lumpuje, Ceca leti helikopterom o trošku građana". Nova.rs (in Serbian). Retrieved 31 October 2022.

External links

 

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ceca Ražnatović.

• (partial archive)
• Ceca discography at Discogs
• Svetlana Ceca Ražnatović at IMDb
• "Arkan & Me", The Observer interview dated 4 January 2004