When it comes to music, Bosnia-Herzegovina doesn’t get nearly enough love these days. Luckily, here is Balkan Express to rectify this wrong. Which is why this week your favourite show about music from the Balkans will take a look at Laka.
Laka
Elvir Laković – Laka is a Bosnian singer/songwriter from the town of Goražde whose distinct music style has earned him a bit of a rebellious reputation. Nominally a rock artist, he bills himself as hard pop or soft alternative.
Born in late 60s, Laka was a latecomer to the Bosnian musical scene. At least in terms of recording his first track which he did in only in 1998, almost at the age of 30. But then again, he was drafted into the Bosnian army during the war before that and worked for a number of international agencies in the immediate aftermaths of the war. In a way, this explains his late arrival to musical stage.
Laka’s first single was titled “Malo sam se razoča’ro” / I Got Me Disappointed and won second place at a music festival. This launched his national career and led to release of several more singles in the next couple of years.
After winning over Bosnian crowds, Laka did the unthinkable and tried to launch his career in New York in 2004. But it turned out that a career in the US really was unthinkable and Laka returned to Bosnia two years later. However, the experience was apparently a catalyst for recording this first album. Zec / The Rabbit was released in 2007
A year after releasing Zec, Laka achieved one of the pinnacles of his career, representing Bosnia-Herzegovina at the 2008 Eurosong contest. He placed a very respectable 10th, making his performance an all-time best performance for a Bosnian Eurosong artist
Laka is known for witty lyrics where he employs humour to address serious issues. He also utilises metaphors heavily, as is custom with musicians from the region.
And that’s all the time we have for today. Check out Laka on YouTube, Spotify and wherever you get your music from and Balkan Express will be back next week.
—
Balkan Express brings you the latest and/or the greatest in music from the Balkans. On air every Tuesday at 11am on Ara City Radio, it is hosted by Aljaž aka @pengovsky who once did the world a solid and vowed never to sing again in public. Which is how he ended up doing radio.