Đavoli
Neno Belan | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 2, 1962 Croatia |
| Occupation(s) | Rock musician, singer-songwriter |
| Years active | 1980–present |
| Known for | Lead vocalist of Đavoli, solo musical career |
Nenad "Neno" Belan (born 2 February 1962) is a Croatian rock artist, primarily recognized as the lead vocalist of Đavoli and for his individual musical endeavors.
Initial stages
As a teenager, Belan started his musical journey with the band Losos, Kavijar i Marsovi Bizoni. In 1980, he became a member of Narodno Blago, where he performed rhythm and blues and supported Split's punk artist Fon Biškić by covering songs from The Rolling Stones, Ramones, and The Clash. Following the breakup of Narodno Blago in 1983, Belan joined Aquilla, concentrating on Dalmatian folk traditions and playing the mandolin.
Đavoli and solo pursuits
Belan established Đavoli in 1984, a group influenced by 1950s rock and roll, which remained active until 1991. That year, he launched his debut solo EP Rock galama, featuring members of Đavoli. The outbreak of the Yugoslav Wars led to the band's dissolution and the cancellation of their scheduled performance at the 1991 Split Festival. However, Belan returned to the festival in 1992 with the song "Zaboravi".
His inaugural solo album, Vino noći (1993), created alongside musicians from Daleka Obala, contained popular tracks such as "Zaboravi", "Sunčan dan" (composed by former Narodno Blago member Zdravko Bajan), "A gdje si ti?", and an unreleased duet titled "Ljubav postoji zbog nas" with Anja Šovagović-Despot. The album also offered English-language versions of several prominent songs. In 1994, he introduced the EP Mama, whose title track competed to represent Croatia at the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest. This EP included "Beat na moru", a rendition of Delfini's song, as well as a duet with Tony Cetinski.
Throughout the 1990s, Belan balanced international appearances with maintaining a strong presence at Croatian music festivals. His 1995 album Dolazi ljubav, characterized by a pop style, was followed by a concert tour featuring bassist Olja Dešić and drummer Leo Rumora. The 1997 release Južnjačka utjeha featured covers such as The Vibrators' "Baby Baby" retitled "Lezi, baby" and Bob Dylan's "Blowin' in the Wind" under the name "Odgovor u vjetru".
In 1998, Belan revived Đavoli alongside keyboardist Vedran Križan and released the album Space Twist. After this second disbandment of Đavoli, Belan formed Neno Belan & Fiumens with Olja, Leo, and Vedran. This ensemble produced Luna & Stelle (2002), Rijeka snova (2007), and the live double album Dream factory (2009), garnering several awards in Croatian music discography (Porin).
Studio albums
- Ljubav i moda (1986)
- Hallo Lulu 22 (1987)
- Ostani uz mene (1988)
- Space Twist (1998)
Compilations
- Balade – Kad se nađem u predjelu noći... (1989)
- The Ultimate Collection – Neno Belan & Đavoli (Croatia Records, 2008)
Studio albums
- Vino noći (1993)
- Dolazi ljubav (1995)
- Južnjačka utjeha (1997)
EPs
- Rock galama (credited as Neno Belan & Đavoli, 1991)
- Mama (1994)
Studio albums
- Luna & Stelle (2002)
- Rijeka snova (2007)
- Oceani ljubavi (2011)
- Sanjaj! (2016)