Odjila
| Company type | Music ensemble |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1983 |
| Headquarters | Serbia |
Area served | Former Yugoslavia, Europe |
| Products | Music albums |
Odjila (in Serbian Cyrillic: Ођила, and Serbian Latin: Ođila) is a music ensemble originating from Serbia and the former Yugoslavia, established in 1983. Their repertoire focuses on traditional Romani melodies from Eastern Europe. The band's name is derived from two Romani terms: Odji meaning "soul" and djila meaning "song." Their performances predominantly feature the Romani language.
History
The formation of Odjila dates back to October 1983 when Igor Dunjić-Zveržhanovski and Slobodan Simonović started the group as a duo. Shortly thereafter, additional members joined, including Davorka Bosnić, Sanja Uzelac, Boris Nikolić (who joined in 1986), Andrej Stefanović (1988), and Nikola Diklić (1989).
Throughout their career, Odjila produced five albums. Among these, their third album, Odjila − muzika iz filmova (Film Music), compiled songs featured in movies where the band members contributed either as musicians or actors. Significant films associated with them include The Dark Side of the Sun starring Brad Pitt, Drugi čovek (Second Man), and Osmi dan u nedelji (Eight Day of the Week), which showcased Davorka Bosnić in a leading role. Additionally, they took part in the theatrical production Letimo, srešćemo se, directed by Stevo Žigon.
Odjila holds the distinction of being the first popular music group to perform at Belgrade’s Kolarac Hall and also the first to appear at Maribor theatre since its establishment in the 19th century. They enjoyed considerable acclaim throughout former Yugoslavia and represented their country at the 1988 World Festival of Gypsy Music held in London.
The onset of the Yugoslav Wars in 1990 led to changes within the band: Dunjić-Zveržhanovski relocated to the Netherlands, while Uzelac, Simonović, Nikolić, and Stefanović formed a new group named Romano 4, continuing their dedication to Romani music.
In 1991, Davorka Bosnić and Nikola Diklić revived Odjila with fresh members. They introduced the “Ciganska Fantazija” (Gypsy Fantasy) project—a combination of choir singers, string musicians, actors, and visual artists—which premiered at both Kolarac Concert Hall in Belgrade and SNP in Novi Sad. This initiative resulted in a studio album released in 1994 under Diklić’s production.
By 1995, Bosnić and Diklić moved to Rome. With an internationally diverse lineup, Odjila performed at prominent festivals and venues across Europe until 1999. Following this period, Diklić pursued his artistic endeavors in Italy and Denmark.
In May 2003, Odjila launched Odjila in Nederland in the Netherlands featuring all original members except for Bosnić, who was succeeded by Gordana Svilarević. The complete original lineup reunited again in 2007 with Bosnić, Uzelac, Nikolić, Stefanović, and Simonović resuming live performances.
Musical style
Odjila characterizes their music as Gypsy music deeply influenced by the heritage of Moscow’s Romen Theatre and inspired by renowned Yugoslav and international films depicting Romani culture such as Gypsies Are Found Near Heaven. At various international festivals, they were often mistakenly identified as a Romani ensemble originating from Moscow. Regarding their artistic approach, Davorka Bosnić described the band as:
Discography
- Odjila (1984)
- Odjila (1988)
- Odjila - muzika iz filmova (1989)
- Odjila - Ciganska Fantazija (1994)
- Odjila in Nederland (2003)
External links
- Odjila official website (archived; comprehensive band details)
- Daša Bosnić's Myspace Page
- Article on Odjila from Blic magazine (Serbian)
- Nikola Diklic - Eutopia2017