The Song, a Classic. The Team, Historic.
[Zagreb, Croatia ~ 16.05. 2011] - After almost two decades of not performing in her homeland, Tajči, one of the largest pop stars from ex-Yugoslavia, is ready to celebrate the 20th anniversary of her debut on the big stage, where she originally reached super stardom by rereleasing one of her people's favorite songs of all time.
Yamaha Entertainment Group is releasing an epic version of the song "Dvije Zvezdice" today, May 19, available for sale at www.ludujemo.com. The production team, led by co producers Chris Gero and Bryan Lenox, is a powerhouse of talent and experience; collectively, representing more than 40 years in the U.S. music industry. "Dvije Zvjezdice" is widely regarded as one of the best pop ballads in the history of ex-Yugo music. This song resides deep in Tajči's heart and is a song that she is eager to rerelease this week.
Tajči was more than a popular music star in her homeland. She was a symbol of the euphoria that swept the region after the fall of the Berlin Wall- representing the hopes and aspirations of the people of the area. Her meteoric rise to stardom began at the age of 18 with her electrifying performance of "Hajde Da Ludujemo" ("Let's Go Crazy") at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1990- followed by an unprecedented whirlwind of press attention and public adulation not unlike the Beatlemania phenomenon that the West experienced in the '60s. As thousands of people jammed Tajči's concerts, her records achieved platinum and diamond sales.
Then, after two dizzying years and the start of the war, Tajči ended it all- abruptly pulling the plug on her life of stardom, giving her money to charity and moving to New York. There, she studied and pursued her love of musical theater and singing.
As the years have passed, the public's curiosity about her has only grown. In the past two years- with the region still recovering from war, the global economic crisis and social upheaval-there has been a growing nostalgia for the optimism of the Tajči era and a wave of interest in her music.
"In the very beginning, Tajči sent Chris and I a version of a song that she had released 20 years ago to ask if we would get in on the project," says GRAMMY Award winner Lenox. "I listened and could definitely see why it was a hit in the '90s. I learned more about Tajči's story, heard her in the recording studio and saw very quickly that she had been singing her entire life," "After working up the new arrangements and perfecting the vocals, we brought in some of the best U.S. musicians in the business to do the instrumentals. The end product is a first-class song that could be a hit anywhere in the world."
As mentioned, Lenox is just one of two major players in the U.S. music industry who is leading Tajči's production team. Working hand in hand with Lenox is Chris Gero, the Founder of Yamaha Entertainment Group. Gero is responsible for the management of Yamaha's top talent, having signed more than 2,000 artists to contract during his tenure. He has overseen Yamaha's most successful and enduring artist collaborations, including that of Elton John, Alicia Keys and Paul McCartney. As a concert producer, Gero has worked with a who's who in the recording industry, including Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Elton John, Norah Jones, Brad Paisley, Natalie Cole and John Legend to name a few. He currently manages the newly formed Yamaha Entertainment Group and its two record labels.
"I have worked with many top artists around the world but never in the ex-Yugo states," says Gero. "After hearing Tajči in the recording studio and learning more about her upcoming tour and the nostalgia and connection that her people have for her singing, I found a good reason to change that." My entire team has worked hard to bring an amazing song back to a region after such a long time. We feel confident that old Tajči fans will love this song and new Tajči fans will be made after hearing it."
With an amazing team led by Yamaha Entertainment Group, the true beauty of this nostalgic song has been preserved for many small countries that were once joined by name, communism and Tajči; all while a passionate and once powerful singer connected to the advancement of her country and region looks to go back for an arena sized concert tour that will be the musical event of the decade in homeland.
This is the first of several singles that will be released in conjunction with her upcoming Ludujemo s Dusom (Let's Go Crazy with A Soul) Tour, scheduled for October 2011. To download the new single and for more information about the Ludujemo s Dusom Tour, please visit http://www.ludujemo.com.
Release Details:
MAY 19 - RELEASE DATE- BROAD RADIO DISTRIBUTION THROUGHOUT THE REGION
MAY 21 - PRESS CONFERENCE, LJUBJANA, SLOVENIA
MAY 24 - PRESS CONFERENCES, BELGRADE SERBIA
MAY 25 - PRESS CONFERENCE SPLIT, CROATIA
About Yamaha Entertainment Group:
Yamaha Entertainment Group is a voice for artists.
Specializing in creating music, promoting music and partnering with artists to help sell music, YEG is branding, concert production, content development, product placement, tour support, piano logistics, artist relations, and a boutique record label, all rolled into one.
Home to more than 3,600 talented artists, YEG is responsible for the development and advancement of the Yamaha brand name through numerous artist related activities worldwide. Backed by the power of the largest music manufacturer in the world, they bring digital downloads, albums, videos, websites, experiences, and one-of-a-kind merchandise to millions of music lovers globally.
For more information, please visit Yamaha Entertainment Group on Facebook or on Twitter.
About the Ludujemo s Dusom Tour:
Five cities, amazing music, great productions, a celebration of the past, and a look to the future; Tajči is going back to sing, dance, celebrate and rejoice with the country that will forever be home.
Tajči's concerts promise to be the most anticipated musical events of the year. Tickets go on sale soon.
TOUR CITIES AND DATES:
OCTOBER 14 - ZAGREB ARENA, Zagreb, Croatia
OCTOBER 15 - BELGRADE ARENA, Blegrade, Serbia
OCTOBER 19 - SPALADIUM ARENA, Split, Croatia
OCTOBER 21 - ZETRA ARENA, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
OCTOBER 28 - STOĊ½ICE ARENA (new), Ljubljana, Slovenia
Press Contact North America:
Yamaha Entertainment Group
Tiffany Napper
PR Manager
615-268-2495
tnapper@yamaha.com
Tajči's Publicist:
Andie Bernard
The PR Group
Office: 513.281.9400
Cell: 513.403.5597
andie@prgrouponline.com