Amira Medunjanin is a Bosnian Sevdah singer from Sarajevo. She is often referred as an ambassador of Sevdah music. Sevdah is a folk music genre from Bonia . Carry forward because of their extremely expressive type Sevdah , she has already been referred as the “Billie Holliday of the Balkans” by music journalist Garth Cartwright.
Amira Medunjanin entered the first time in 2003 on the album ” A Secret Gate” from Mostar Sevdah Reunion to a wider audience in appearance. On the song “Mujo djogu po mejdanu voda” she featered the vocal part. Followed in 2005 by her acclaimed debut album “Rosa” on the Dutch label Snail Records , with her international breakthrough . The album was produced by Dragi Sestic from Mostar Sevdah Reunion. At the musical realization of the album almost all Mostar Sevdah Reunion members were be involved. But after there was no further cooperation with the Mostar Sevdah Reunion.
Published in 2009 the album “Zumra” which she recorded together with the Bosnian accordionist Merima Kljuco. The majority of the released songs are original compositions by Merima Kljuco itself.
In the same year, a live album entitled “Amira Live @ the Jazz Fest Sarajevo” with a recording of their concert on 09 November, 2008 on 12th Interational Jazz Fest Sarajevo.
Sevdah, also called Sevdalinke, was incurred about 500 years ago in the area of present-day Bosnia and Herzegovina and is characteristic of the Bosnian tradition and its folklore. The word Sevdah means on Turkish “love”and on Arabic “black bile”. The lyrics in Sevdah pieces often deal of passion and unrequited love. Amira himself describes the music as “feverish longing”. And exactly like that Amiras music sounds!
(Source: gypsymusic)
