The famous Croatian singer Gabi Novak died at the age of 90.
Gabi Novak was born on July 8, 1936 in Berlin. Her father Đuro Novak was from Hvar, and her mother Elizabeth Reiman was German. She spent her childhood in Berlin and on Hvar, where the family moved during the Second World War. Tragically, she lost her father at an early age, and after the war she moved with her mother to Zagreb, where she completed a graphic course at the School of Applied Arts. She first worked in Vjesnik, and then in Zagreb Film as a cartoonist and set designer, lending voices to animated characters, reports Glazba.hr.
She was noticed musically after Bojan Adamič recognized her talent and invited her to perform with the Big Band in Ljubljana. She gained greater popularity in 1958 after performing the song “Happy Road” from the film H-8, and at Zagrebfest with the song “Ljubav ili šala”. Gabi Novak was also remembered as the only singer from this area who performed in a duet with the legendary Louis Armstrong at the Bled Jazz Festival in 1958.
Throughout her rich and long career, she carefully chose songs and collaborations, and her interpretations became synonymous with elegance and emotional depth.
She married Arsen Dedić in 1970, and their son Matija Dedić was also a successful musician. Gabi Novak has been awarded numerous awards, including Porini for the best female vocal performance (2003) and for special contribution to Croatian entertainment music (2006), and she is considered one of the most important ladies of Croatian pop and jazz, according to Glazba.hr.
