Hush (Serbian band)
Ana Popović | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 13, 1976 Belgrade, Serbia |
| Occupation(s) | Blues vocalist, guitarist |
| Years active | 1995–present |
| Known for | Blues music career, solo albums, band Hush |
Ana Popović (, born May 13, 1976) is a Serbian-born blues vocalist and guitarist who currently resides in the United States.
Early years
Popović entered the world in Belgrade in 1976 and was introduced to the blues genre by her father, Milton Popović. She began playing guitar at the age of fifteen.
Hush era (1995–1998)
In 1995, Popović established the band Hush alongside Rade Popović (guitar, vocals), Milan Sarić (bass), and Bojan Ivković (drums). The group’s musical approach fused elements of rhythm and blues, funk, and soul. Their first performance took place at the Vox club in Belgrade, followed by tours across Serbia and Greece in 1996. After performing at the Marsoni Blues Festival in Senta, they received an invitation to participate in the Fifth International Blues, Jazz, Rock and Gastronomic Festival held in Hungary, with part of their live set featured on an album release. During that same year, Popović contributed slide guitar work to Piloti’s album Dan koji prolazi zauvek.
By 1998, after completing over a hundred shows including gigs at various blues venues and festivals, Hush issued their debut record, Hometown, under PGP-RTS. The album was produced by Aleksandar Radosavljević and showcased guest performances from Vojno Dizdar (electric piano, Hammond organ), Petar "Pera Joe" Miladinović (harmonica), Aleksandar Tomić (tenor saxophone), and Predrag Krstić (trumpet). It combined original compositions with classic blues pieces.
Popović relocated to the Netherlands in 1998 to pursue jazz guitar studies, which led to the dissolution of Hush.
Solo career (1999–present)
In 1999, she formed the Ana Popović Band while based in the Netherlands. The following year, she appeared on the Jimi Hendrix tribute compilation Blue Haze: Songs of Jimi Hendrix, alongside notable artists such as Eric Burdon and Taj Mahal. Her solo debut album, Hush!, was released in 2001 through German label Ruf Records. Produced by Jim Gaines—renowned for collaborations with Carlos Santana and John Lee Hooker—the record included guest artist Bernard Allison and was recorded in Memphis. The album’s success prompted Popović to dedicate herself fully to her musical career.
Her sophomore release, Comfort to the Soul (2003), also produced by Gaines, blended blues with rock, soul, and jazz influences. That year she toured with Solomon Burke after joining him onstage at Belgium’s Rhythm & Blues Festival. In 2005, she issued a live album and DVD entitled Ana! Live in Amsterdam, recorded at Amsterdam’s Melkweg venue.
Popović signed with American label Eclecto Groove Records for her albums Still Making History (2007), followed by Blind for Love (2009) and Unconditional (2011). Both Still Making History and Unconditional attained number one positions on the US Billboard Blues chart. In 2012 she moved first to Memphis and later settled in Los Angeles.
Her ninth studio effort, Can You Stand the Heat (2013), was produced by Tony Coleman and featured a core lineup including John Williams and Frank Ray Jr. That same year marked her debut of a nine-piece ensemble named Ana Popović & Mo' Better Love at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. In September 2013, she secured representation with Monterey International booking agency.
In 2014, Popović received a nomination for a Blues Music Award as Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year.
On May 20, 2016, she unveiled the triple album Trilogy, which included collaborations with Joe Bonamassa, Robert Randolph, Cody Dickinson (North Mississippi Allstars), Bernard Purdie, and rapper Al Kapone.
Her subsequent studio release, Like It on Top, arrived on September 14, 2018. Recorded in Nashville with production by Keb' Mo', it further solidified her standing within the blues genre.
Despite facing a breast cancer diagnosis toward the end of 2020, Popović continued recording and performing. On May 5, 2023, she released Power, marking her first studio album in five years.
Awards and honors
- In 2002, received nominations for Best Singer, Best Guitarist, and Best Album at the French Blues Awards
- In 2003, became the first European to be nominated for Best New Artist Debut at the W.C. Handy Awards
- Also in 2003, nominated for Best Blues Album at the Jammie Awards
- Awarded the Jazz à Juan Revelation prize in Juan-les-Pins, France, in 2004
- In 2006, earned nominations at the Living Blues Awards for Best Blues DVD (2005), Best Live Performer, Best Female Blues Artist, and Most Outstanding Musician (guitar)
- Nominated as Blues Artist of the Year by BluesWax in the United States in 2007
- Recognized with a nomination for Best Overseas Artist at the British Blues Awards in 2010
- Winner of Best Blues DVD at the UK’s Blues Matters Awards in 2011
- In 2012, received nominations at the 33rd Blues Music Awards for Best Contemporary Blues Album (Unconditional), Best Contemporary Blues Female Artist, and Best DVD
- Nominated for Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year at the Blues Music Awards in 2014
Discography
- Hometown (1998) released under the name Hush
- Hush! (2001)
- Comfort to the Soul (2003)
- Still Making History (2007)
- Blind for Love (2009)
- Unconditional (2011)
- Can You Stand the Heat (2013)
- Blue Room (2015), a collaboration with Milton Popović
- Trilogy (2016)
- Like It on Top (2018)
- Power (2023)
- Dance to the Rhythm (2025)
DVD
- Ana! Live in Amsterdam (2005)
- An evening at Trasimeno Lake (2010)
- Live for Live (2020)