Hanka Paldum

Paldum recorded and released her first extended play (EP) in 1973, at the age of seventeen, when producer and composer Mijat Božović offered her his partnership in recording two singles "Ljubav žene" (The Love of a Woman) and "Burmu ću tvoju nositi" (I Will Wear Your Wedding Ring) alongside the big folk orchestra Radio-TV Sarajevo. She recorded five more EP's in two years before releasing her debut studio album, I Loved Unfaithful Eyes on 13 February 1974

Also in 1975, Hanka won top prize at the festival of amateur singers called "Pjevamo danu mladosti" (Sing for the Youth Day), with the song "Pokraj puta rodila jabuka" (On the Roadside, a Tree Bore an Apple), written by Mijat Božović. Her prize was a chance to produce a single for the record label Sarajevo Diskoton. This song was not a big hit at the time, but with time it gained moderate success. She continued her partnership with Mijat Božović, who believed in her talent and that she would become a big folk star. He wrote a song for her called "Voljela sam oči zelene" (I Loved Green Eyes) which in a few months became a big hit; for a long time the song was Hanka's signature song, and is still a hit among people of the former Yugoslavia. There is also a version in Slovenian.

In 1979, her husband finished his service with the army. Then, with Hanka and Braco Đirlo, founded a record company called "Sarajevo Disk". They signed a rock band called "Vatreni Poljubac" (Burning Kiss) with Milić Vukašinović in the forefront of the band. After hearing Milić's song "Volio sam volio" (I Loved, I Loved), Muradif recommended that Hanka record that song. At first Hanka was hesitant and even Milić wasn't too thrilled about the idea: "I was a bit skeptical at first, but when I heard how Hanka sang that song; when I felt the power and temperament of her voice, I knew we were going to take over Yugoslavia", Milić said. She recorded her version in a 'home studio' owned by innovative producer and ethno-pop composer Nikola Borota – Radovan. Their meeting was instrumental to her career and climb to the stardom. Hanka's interpretation of the song, "Voljela sam, voljela" (I Loved, I Loved), in 1978, won the public over and resulted in sales of over a million copies; the public loved her and music critics praised her. Hanka became recognized across the country of Yugoslavia and was offered to sing in guest spots and hold her own concerts. She also won many awards and much recognition, including the "Oscar of Popularity", three "Golden Stars", as well as being named the female artist of the year.

The following year, in 1979, after significant success with that single, she recorded another single "Odreću se I srebra I zlata" (I Will Give Up Silver and Gold). At the same time she was preparing a full-length studio album, called Srebro i zlato (Silver and Gold"), named after the song.

In 1982, she released the album Sanjam (I’m Dreaming) with Milić Vukašinović as the main songwriter. With this album Milić created his life's work, while Hanka went from a popular singer to a big Yugoslav star. Taking into consideration that her own label "Sarajevo Disk" did not have its own record plant, the album, because of overwhelming demand, was manufactured and distributed by four different companies. Hanka's success was unheard of for Yugoslav music scene, she became the favorite in the eyes of the public and respected by the music critics.

Hanka is one of rare singers who held solo concerts in very beautiful arenas "Lisinski," in Zagreb, Croatia, "Sava Center," in Belgrade, Serbia, and "Zetra," in Sarajevo, the capital of her home country Bosnia and Herzegovina. She held many humanitarian concerts. She represented Yugoslavia in International Festival in Berlin. At this time production companies were competing for the rights for Hanka's new material. Hanka with help from her husband Muradif decided to go with Belgrade's "Jugodisk." It was said that the bonus she received from Jugodisk is the highest in history of Yugoslavia. In 1983, she released the album Dobro došli prijatelji (Welcome Friends) again teaming up with songwriter Milić Vukašinović.

The next album, Tebi ljubavi (For You, My Love) was released in 1984, which was a tremendous success. The songs were written by Mišo Marković. The biggest hit off the album was the ballad "Ali pamtim još" (But I Still Remember).

In 1985, with composer Miodrag Ilić and ensemble Južni Vetar (Southern Wind) she recorded the album Nema kajanja (No Regrets). With this album she dominated the popular oriental folk genre, and made it one of the most successful albums of the year.

Once again, she went back to the studio with Milić Vukašinović in 1986 and recorded the album Bolno srce (Aching Heart), which brought many hits including a win at the festival of folk music "Vogošća" with the title song "Bolno srce." On this album she also recorded a sevdalinka called "Sjećaš li se djevo bajna" (Do You Remember the Stellar Maiden) with accordion player, Milorad Todorović.

Paldum collaborated with Hari Varešanović, lead singer of the band Hari Mata Hari, on her 1999 album Nek' je od srca (Let It Be From the Heart.) They recorded the hit song "Crni snijeg" (Black Snow) together. The ballad "Svaka rijeka moru stići će" (Every River Will Reach the Sea) was called the 'best song of the year' by radio stations.

In November 2004, she held a major concert in the Zetra Arena, marking three decades of her career. Guests included Halid Bešlić, Alka Vuica, Josipa Lisac, Esma Redžepova, Saša Matić and Milić Vukašinović.

She had hit songs later in career too, such as "Žena kao žena" (A Woman Like a Woman), "Što da ne" (Why Not), "Sarajevo" and "Dođi" (Come Here) in 2006, released on the studio album Žena kao žena under the label Hayat Production. The ballad "Mojoj majci" (To My Mother) was the biggest hit off the album.

Paldum's son Mirzad has had several brushes with the law. In 2006 he ran into a pedestrian while on his motorcycle, on 26 February 2011 he was injured during a shooting in Sarajevo and on 14 January 2014 three women were heavily injured when he ran them over while under the influence of amphetamines. Paldum sent him to a drug rehabilitation center in Germany. In November 2014 he was arrested after police found a pistol and heroin in his possession. Paldum kicked him out of her house after this incident saying that her "soul hurt" but she had no other options.

After three years of struggle, Hanka proved to her parents her passion for music and said she wanted to enroll in a music school. Her father told her she must enroll in a school that would lead to a secure career with which she could find a job that would earn her money. Around that time, Hanka's father, Mujo became gravely ill and soon died of his illness. Her younger brother Mustafa died in 2007 of lung cancer, aged 49.

On 7 November 2012, during a humanitarian concert in Zenica, Paldum and Serbian singer Dragana Mirković first publicly sang their duet "Kad nas vide zagrljene" (When They See Us Embrace.) The song officially premiered one year later on 26 November 2013, when the music video was released. The video shows Paldum in Sarajevo singing about Bosnia and Mirković in Belgrade singing about Serbia. Near the end of the video they meet on Stari Most in Mostar, embrace, and dance. Their video was featured prominently in Bosnian and Serbian media.

In January 2013, Goran Golub, a Serb former captive in the Silos concentration camp accused Paldum of torturing him on 10 February 1993 during the Bosnian War. Golub said that while he was a prisoner in the camp, Paldum and fellow Bosnian singer Dino Merlin were to perform for the soldiers of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina on Igman mountain, where Silos was located. On that day, Golub alleges to have seen Paldum walking around the camp wearing an army outfit, when she saw him looking at her, he claims she approached him and yelled "What are you looking at?" When he didn't reply, he then claims Paldum asked him, "Do you wanna fuck me? Is that it?" When he didn't reply again, he alleges that Paldum ordered him to sit down and spread his legs, then he claims that she stepped on his genitals with all her strength. Golub further claims that that sexual torture is why he never married and that he thinks of the torture every time he urinates. Paldum denied the allegations and further stated that she had never even been in Silos during the war. She did state that the first time she left the city of Sarajevo during the siege and war was on 6 September 1993, not long after the Sarajevo Tunnel opened. She went to the Igman mountain with several singers, one of which was Dino Merlin, to perform for the Bosnian soldiers. When asked if she had seen or had any contact with Serb prisoners during the war, she said "No! Never, never!" After the concert, she and the other singers were brought back to the city of Sarajevo with a helicopter.

Paldum filed a lawsuit against Golub's lawyer Duško Tomić in March 2013 for false accusations of war crimes and torture. That same month she was quoted as saying: "As for me, I cannot wait for an investigation to be launched into the allegations that the media highlighted and I wish to clear this stain off my name and prove that I am innocent. I cannot wait for all this to be over."