Montenegrin music band "Hannibal", which has the songs "Nema vjetra do sjevera" and "Čuvam te" behind it, released a new song "Ulicom slobode" on National Day, for which a video was shot at the exact location in the song's title.
This time the members of "Hannibal" Kristina Pavićević, Igor Perovic, Bećir Koljenović, Slaven Ivanovic i Nikola Zdravković they joined forces with the conductor Saša Barjaktarović and his choir "Vokalisti".
"The song immediately won me over with its nostalgic note. It has a certain warmth and quiet strength that takes you back to times gone by, to childhood, to the images we carry deep within ourselves. I felt it sincerely and sang from the heart," said Pavićević on the occasion of the premiere.
According to her, recording the song with Saša Barijaktarović and "Vokalisti" was a beautiful experience.
"Everything flowed naturally, in a great atmosphere, and I felt like we had been working together for years. Saša is a great musician and a wonderful person, and 'Vokalisti' gave the song additional depth and helped make everything sound just right - sincere and strong," she added.
In an interview with "Vijesti", Igor Perović reveals how the collaboration with Barjaktarović and "Vokalisti" came about.
"I met Saša Barjaktarović at Montevideo in 2006, when he promoted the song 'Budi svoj' and immediately noticed the unique positive energy with which he captivates the audience. Many years later, Saša deservedly managed to become the most famous conductor, and his 'Vokalisti' are a sensation on the Montenegrin music scene, and I am extremely honored that they agreed to share their positivity with us on the song 'Ulicom slobode'," said the musician who wrote the lyrics for the song 'Ulicom slobode', co-authored the music with Barjaktarović, and arranged it with guitarist Bećir Koljenović.
Collaboration with the Hanibal group was something new, challenging and exciting for conductor Barjaktarović, who, after presenting the song, described them as "one of those rare occurrences on the music scene that simultaneously radiate authenticity, courage and artistic maturity."
"It was a true honor and pleasure for me, together with my choir 'Vokalisti', to be invited to participate in this project. I am grateful to them for the trust, openness and friendly atmosphere they brought to every phase of the work," said Barjaktarović, adding that the song "Ulicom slobode" is much more than a musical achievement.
"It is a shared message, the voice of the city and true artistic collaboration," he emphasized.
"It is a song with a strong message, and I felt that it deserved full musical expression in both the arrangement and the performance. 'Ulicom slobode' is not a random name, it is a symbol of our city, Podgorica, the most famous street that carries so many stories, emotions and history. That is exactly why we experienced this song personally, the band Hanibal, my choir 'Vokalisti' and I. I believe that the audience will feel the truth of this song, its strength and simple beauty. And in every tone and frame, they will recognize our city, our emotion and our freedom," said the conductor.
And the choir "Vokalisti" states that they brought heart and authenticity to this song.
"'Ulicom slobode' is a song in which every word and tone is tied to our Podgorica. It is more than a song, it is an ode to our city, its voices, faces and everyday life. Through it, we spoke strongly, in multiple voices, in a way that only a choir knows how. We believe that everyone who knows Podgorica will feel it as their own," the singers state.
In an interview with "Vijesti", Koljenović also reveals how "Ulica Slobode" was created.
"The song was created very soon after the release of the first single 'Nema vjetra do sjevera'. While I was playing the guitar looking for new ideas, I came up with the opening riff that had an 80s feel in the style of bands like 'Van Halen' and the like. I immediately recorded it and sent it to my bandmate Igor Perović. Igor had the lyrics ready from before and was considering several variants to 'set it to music', and when he heard my riff, he said 'that's it' and very quickly came up with a singing melody, based on which Saša created notes for his voice and rich choir parts," he recalled, while Ivanović shared the atmosphere from the video shoot.
"We greeted the beautiful Podgorica morning after Saturday's gig, tired but full of enthusiasm. We all had one wish: to record a video about our Freedom Street, a place that carries a lot of emotions, socializing, and will always radiate freedom. The recording went according to plan, with a great mood and a good 'groove'. We designed the script in advance and carefully planned each shot in order to follow the dynamics of the song," he recounts.
"The morning part was reserved for the choir and vocals with Kristina and Saša, while the afternoon was dedicated to the band. The most demanding part was taking the equipment to the fourth floor of the building, where some of the shots were filmed. However, there was no shortage of energy, jokes and laughter. We are satisfied with the project, which was challenging, both organizationally and in the studio. Now all that remains for us is to enjoy and reap the fruits of our labor," added the musician.
In the meantime, "Hannibal" is already working on new material, which Zdravković confirms.
"Of course, new songs from 'Hannibal' are coming! We already have one new song that has been written and recorded, and we plan to release it at the end of September or beginning of October. For now, we want 'Ulica slobode' to last a little longer and find its way to as many people as possible," he says, and Pavićević uses the opportunity to announce her band's performances.
"We have a few upcoming shows that we would like to announce. We are performing on July 19, 24 and 31 at Munich Marienplatz, where the audience always creates a great atmosphere. We are also performing on August 4 at the square in Plužine as the opening act." Jeleni Rozgi, which is a special pleasure and a great honor for us. We look forward to every meeting with the audience!”, she emphasized.
The song "Ulicom slobode" was recorded at "Adrenalin" studios. Bob Stanisic and “Barocco” by Saša Barjaktarović, and the production was carried out by Sarajevo's “Maximum Music”, i.e. Dino Mangafić who collaborated with the band on previous tracks. The video is signed by Milos Sofranac, who filmed it with the support of a drone operator Lazar Kovačević.
Bonus video:
