Tereza Kesovija


Tereza Ana Kesovija is an internationally acclaimed Croatian recording artist. She is one of the most recognizable figures on the Balkan music scene, and is renowned for her wide vocal range and operatic style. She also had a successful career in France. She has held many concerts around the world, being one of the few Yugoslav musicians to have sold out shows in The Royal Albert Hall, L'Olympia and Carnegie Hall.

Early years

Tereza was born in Dubrovnik and grew up in Konavle and Dubrovnik where she got her early music education. She won a federal young Musicians Competition in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Afterwards, she graduated from the flute program at the Zagreb Music Academy and as a student began appearing in amateur music events. In 1962, shortly after the start of her professional career, she won her first international contest at Saint-Vincent, Italy. After this success Tereza had a tour in USSR and she recorded there one EP with Italian songs for the biggest Russian music company – Melodiya. She spent 1963 and 1964 touring USSR, Poland, Finland, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, Norway and Sweden. She also had a lot of TV appearances in these countries.

Music career

France

In 1965, she moved to France, although she did not speak French. There she became a famous star. At the beginning she was singing in cabarets. Mostly in cabaret Carević. She said: “Six tough months. I used to remain in smoke until early in the morning. Waiting for my performances I didn’t know what to do. I was sitting all alone smoking cigarette after cigarette.” In 1967, she made the first recording of "La chanson de Lara" from the film Doctor Zhivago.
It was her first big French success sold out in more than 50 000 copies. After album La chanson de Lara she recorded her second French album C’est ma chanson with song "Je l'aime, je l'aime". It was sold out in more than 160 000 copies. With the song "Bien plus fort", Tereza was chosen by Grace Kelly to represent Monaco on Eurovision. She was frequently called as La bête de scène or Super-Dalida by French press. In 1968 Tereza performed with Enrico Macias at the L'Olympia in Paris. It was her second Olympia after 1966. She had toured France.

1970s

During the 1970s Tereza became world-known start representing Yugoslav and French song worldwide. In Yugoslavia, her song "Nono moj dobri Nono" was popular. Claudio Villa recorded Il tuo mondo, an Italian version of Tereza's "Nono" and Mireille Mathieu recorded the French version, "Pour deux coeurs qui s'aiment". She performed on many famous festivals In Yugoslavia, she was honored with Best Female Singer of the Year Award six years in a row.
Her performs on Yugoslav festivals were always finished with Tereza's triumph. She won many golden records and for it, she won for several times the Yugoslav award for Best Record Seller – Golden Bird. In 1972 she represented Yugoslavia in the Eurovision Song Contest with "Muzika i ti". She won ninth place and recorded a French cover, La Musique et toi. At the beginning of the 1970s she moved from Paris to Zagreb, the capital of Croatia, and she neglected a bit her French career. In 1978 she returned to with her interpretation of "Je suis née ce jour-là".
She recorded for EMI several French records. At that time she had many tours in Russia, Egypt, Mexico, Japan, United States, Germany, Eastern Europe... At the end of 70s she was at the height of her fame. All her records were awarded, she sang to Yugoslav president Josip Broz Tito and she was Tito's favourite singer. Her biggest hits are from late 1970s are "Što je ostalo od ljubavi, Zaboravi ako možeš, Sviraj mi sviraj, Sve se vraća sve se plaća, Na Stradunu…", and others.

1980s

During the 1980s, she continued to touring all around the world. She recorded also several records in France. She continued to win on many important Yugoslav festivals in Split, Zagreb, Belgrade... She was honoured with The best Yugoslav female singer of year award for several times and she realised golden, platinum and diamond records. But the most important event was in 1988. She gave a concert at Olympia Hall in Paris. It was announced as the event of season. She recorded some records in France. Tereza finished 80s touring in Scandinavia and representing Yugoslav football team on Italian TV during Football World Cup.

1990s to present

In the decade following the breakup of Yugoslavia in 1991, there were wars all over the former Yugoslavia, including the Croatian War of Independence between 1991 and 1995. She defended it with a song. She had a lot of concerts in Italy, France and Germany for collecting money to the defence of Croatia. She had some concerts in Zagreb with Serge Lama. Jacques Chirac honored Tereza in 1999 with Knighthood of High Decoration of Arts and Culture. And she and was also bestowed with the Golden Chart of Humanism. She started to reconstruct a house from 18th century near Dubrovnik. It was a house of an old aristocratic family.
In the new millennium, she entered with her big hit – I ni me stra'. In 2002 her concert from Olympia was realised on CD edition. This 2002 is important year in her career, because she had some concerts together with Michel Legrand, Oscar and Grammy winner. They performed together superbly Les parapluies de Cherbourgh. It was announced as a concert of the year. In 2005 Tereza celebrated 45 years of her career with a concert Mojih 45 skalina in Lisinski Concert Hall. Her fourth concert at Olympia Concert Hall was realised in 2007. It was her big retour in France.
She recorded her Croatian album Zaustavi vrijeme. It was third best-selling album in Croatia. After 2008 she was toured Slovenia, Macedonia, Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. In 2010, she celebrated 50 years onstage with a concert "Još se srce umorilo nije" at Zagreb's Lisinski Concert Hall. Her press conference for her first post-war concerts in Serbia was heavily covered, with more than 200 journalists. In 2011 she decided to come back in Serbia and Montenegro. She participated in charity work, which included UNESCO's gala concerts. She recorded songs in seven languages. Her discography includes 12 records released for Columbia Records and about 30 LPs, 70 singles, and 12 CDs for other labels.

Discography