Departure Milan Minja Perić has hit the Montenegrin music scene. Namely, on Sunday, one of the most important songwriters from this region left us, an author without whose lyrics some of the most important chapters of our popular music would not have been written.
From local festivals to European stages
Perić entered the world of music as a young man. He began writing his first lyrics in the late 1970s, and by the 1980s his name was becoming well-known at festivals throughout the former Yugoslavia.
Some hits simply never lose their value, and the best proof of this is the song “Ballerina”, which has been winning the hearts of audiences across the region for more than four decades. This song brought Makadam regional popularity, and the band from Titograd almost made it to Eurovision. At the national competition Jugovizija, the song “Ballerina” won third place, and it was also the first major song in which Milan Minjo Perić is the author of the lyrics. “Ballerina” also marked the beginning of a long-term collaboration between Mirsad Serhatlić and Perić, who together created numerous unforgettable hits over more than 40 years.
The turning point in Minjo's career was the lyrics for the song "Çao amore", with which they Izolda Barudžija i Vlado Kalember performed at Eurovision in 1984. The music for this song was written by a Montenegrin composer Slobodan Bučevac.
During his decades-long career, Milan Perić's lyrics have represented Montenegro at Eurovision several times, and 2005 is especially memorable when, exactly two decades after the famous song "Çao amore", he found himself on the Eurovision stage again. This time as the author of the lyrics for one of the most beloved Montenegrin songs "Zauvijek moja", for which he wrote the composition Slaven KnezovićThe song, performed by the band No Name, whose artistic path was largely shaped by Perić, has gone down in history as one of the most memorable Montenegrin Eurovision performances.
A year after the success of "Zauvijek moja", the group No Name was given a new opportunity to represent Montenegro at the Eurovision Song Contest. The song "Moja ljubavi", signed by Perić and Dalibor Nedović, was supposed to represent the then state of Serbia and Montenegro at this prestigious competition. However, this time, the performance remained overshadowed by the controversies that erupted around the voting, which is why the song, despite winning the national selection Evropesma-Europjesma, ultimately remained unavailable to the European audience.
Since then, Montenegro has not been a regular participant in the Eurovision Song Contest, but Minjo Perić did not give up on his mission and managed to reappear on the biggest music scene in Europe. In 2007, when Montenegro performed as an independent country at the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time, Perić was the author of the lyrics for the song "Hajde kroči", which was performed by Steven Faddy (The music was written by Slaven Knezović.) This performance, which took place in Helsinki, represented an important turning point for the Montenegrin music scene.
Worked for Dado Topić, Oliver Dragojević
During his rich career, Minjo Perić collaborated with numerous Montenegrin performers. His lyrics were also performed by Đorđe Marjanović, Tifa, Daniel Alibabic, Anita Popovic, Marija Božović, D-Moll and many others.
In addition, Minjo has achieved significant collaboration with regional music names. His lyrics have been featured on albums Dada Topića i Oliver Dragojevic, further expanding his influence on the music scene of the former Yugoslavia.
We must not forget his opus for children, because Perić left an indelible mark in that segment of his creativity as well. Certainly the most beloved song by the youngest Podgorica residents is the song "Cikotići".
Colleagues and associates say goodbye to Perić
Numerous colleagues are saying goodbye to Minjo Perić on social media.
"Thank you for your friendship and the time we spent together. Thank you for the stories from life that I enjoyed listening to and from which I learned a lot. Thank you for every letter and verse that you put from your heart into my music. Rest in peace, dear friend, because your noble soul deserves it," the composer wrote. Dejan Božović with whom he created one of the most beautiful ballads from Oliver Dragojević's opus, "You're Not There Anywhere".
Minjo also marked the beginning of Stevan Faddy's career. He not only performed the Eurovision song for the Montenegrin musician, but he was also with him since his victory at Intro Karaoke. It was Perić who wrote the song "Posljednja obala" with which he participated at Sunčane skale.
"Ever since they told me he had left us, in this chaos of everyday life I have been trying to find words to describe him that haven't already been said - and I realize that it is impossible. Thank you, good man, for introducing me to the true side of art back in 2003. "The Last Shore" was not just a song, it was a direction. And from it to "Ajde kroči" in 2007, everything was right. Minjo will remain inscribed in golden letters in the history of what is truly valuable: timeless art, a handful of great songs that he left for all of us. And those for whom he breathed quietly and created great things - his wife, children and granddaughters. May you be eternally glorified and thanked for everything," wrote Stevan Faddy.
For Danijel Alibabić, Perić was much more than a friend.
"He was a visionary, a dreamer, someone who always looked further and deeper than others. I will forever be grateful to him for recognizing my talent when I was not yet aware of its true potential. He is responsible for my first steps with the band No Name, for the beginning of my musical journey and for the many dreams we dreamed together. Thank you for the lyrics that will last forever 'Where love is where the bells ring, you will always be mine'... I would also like to highlight that he is the only songwriter from Montenegro whose lyrics were sung by Oliver Dragojević. He also wrote the famous 'Ballerina' for the band Makadam, as well as the Eurovision song of the old Yugoslavia "Ciao amore" and many more hits for Montenegrin and regional stars. Minjo, thank you for everything. Your works will make all generations remember your name. Rest in peace," is Alibabić's status.
Singer-songwriter Marija Božović pointed out that the man whose words shaped some of the most beautiful love songs we know has passed away.
"His lyrics are the heart of my song 'Give Me Love' - a song that became an important part of my journey, and lives on to this day. I am forever grateful to him," Božović emphasized.
In addition to pop and children's music, Perić also worked for Montenegrin performers who cherish the original sound. So it's no surprise that those colleagues are also saying goodbye to him.
Za Esad Merulić It was an honor and privilege to know a man whose artistic work was known in the ex-Yugoslavia region.
"When mentioning the word songwriter, my first association would always be - Minjo Perić, whose lyrics were also performed at Eurovision. And in Montenegro evergreen songs - works! His works have spoken about his creativity and will continue to speak about it. He has especially indebted to Montenegrin art and the music scene. What I especially want to emphasize is that he was a very good and noble man, a comrade and a special friend, full of knowledge about music. By nature, gentle, patient and wise. He did a lot for me. He wrote eight lyrics for my first album and did not charge for any of them. He believed in me a lot and was angry why I stopped singing in the 90s. I will never forget when he came to Belgrade by train to support me at the 'Mesam' festival, where I performed his song. I came to his home and received advice and support from him and his wife Dragana Kalezić Perić". Thank you very much for everything you have done for me, my dear Minjo. With the departure of such people, not only the family loses, but also the city, society, art. Thank you for your sincere friendship and rest in peace, my friend," Merulić recalled his friendship with Perić.
Minjo Perić was buried yesterday at the city cemetery in Zagorič.
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