Art must remain autonomous and free from all political influences, said guitarist Miloš Karadaglić, adding that persistence, perseverance and the heritage he brings from Montenegro have played an important role in his professional journey.
In an interview with the MINA Agency, Karadaglić said that he first experienced a strong feeling of connection with the audience during one of his first performances, at the Zeta Dom in Cetinje, which, he added, was the moment when he realized that he wanted to dedicate his life to music.
"That's when I first felt the audience and that exchange of energy. I felt how incredible it was to take the energy of the audience and bring it into my music, my art. That's when I felt that magic and I don't think it's ever left me. That feeling and love for the audience is something that still guides me today, wherever I perform in the world," said Karadaglić.
As he said, it was this feeling that carried him throughout the "gray nineties", when music represented a space for creating a more beautiful world, regardless of what was happening in reality.
"You bring into that world people who listen to you and love you, your family, your first audience. And wherever I find myself on the world's stages, I always remember that the reason for all of this is precisely that beginning and that new and more beautiful world that I had the privilege of creating with the guitar," said Karadaglić.
Speaking about professional challenges, Karadaglić emphasized that success does not bring relief, but additional responsibility and a constant need for research.
"Challenges are everyday, and with them we are better, because every day we discover something new, in art there is no stopping, there is no superficial feeling of success and cessation of research because something was successful. The more successful something is, the harder it is to maintain yourself and give yourself a chance to discover something new," said Karadaglić.
According to him, music is the universal language of the world that everyone understands, and in times of division and very complicated geopolitical situations, the role of artists has never been more important.
Karadaglić believes that his roots in Montenegro represent an important part of his artistic identity and states that the contrasts of this space – light and darkness, heights and depths – shape the sensibility he brings to the world stage.
"I think that persistence and perseverance is something that has marked my entire life and is always there, regardless of my education and the amount of time spent abroad," said Karadaglić, adding that he always likes to learn something new.
As he said, in Montenegro, the very foundation of everything is in the persistence and contrast of light and dark, height and depth. "All these extremes that make us here extreme, are part of it all."
Karadaglić said that his music might not be what it is and so recognized and accepted if it did not carry that energy, along with all the other elements and layers of development that, as he says, have come over time.
"We have a lot here and we should believe that what we have is of high quality and special. This is a special environment and a specific geography. And that is in all of us and we should embrace it, not fight against it. Because it is unique and something that sets us apart from others," said Karadaglić.
He said that he strongly feels the support of Montenegro and that through his artistic work, but also the Miloš Karadaglić Foundation, he strives to inspire young people and provide them with support at key moments of development.
"I always try to leave a slightly different message in Montenegro and, through my work, inspire a new generation of young people who will be future positive examples for this society and future ambassadors of Montenegro through something beautiful," said Karadaglić.
As he added, only through beauty can an environment be created where everyone feels good. "Living life through beauty is the most beautiful thing, something special."
He emphasized that it was the guitar that opened up a completely different world to him and that he is now living a life that existed only as a dream.
This is something that, as he emphasizes, he never takes "for granted."
"It's something I'm always grateful for. I got here because I had the support of people who love me," said Karadaglić.
As he added, he achieved success through a lot of work, but also because, when the opportunity opened up and the chance presented itself, he was ready.
He added that the journey from Montenegro meant a "sub-zero" start, but that it was hard work and stubbornness, as he says, that made the difference.
"Hard work and stubbornness are part of the reason why I succeeded, because I never had a plan B. For me, music was everything – all or nothing," Karadaglić pointed out.
Answering a question about future plans, Karadaglić said that he continues to work on new transcriptions and compositions for guitar, along with performances in Europe, Asia, the United Kingdom and the United States.
"There is no compromise in music. My responsibility to the audience is to give them only my best," emphasized Karadaglić, speaking about the project with new compositions he is preparing.
He said that working with young people through the Miloš Karadaglić Foundation brings him special fulfillment, emphasizing that all scholarship recipients are unique and that this diversity is the essence of art.
The foundation, he added, was created out of a desire to provide young artists with a "warm hand" - not only financial assistance, but also mentorship, contacts, and space for creative growth.
"Everyone needs support at that critical moment when you are trying to bridge the path from idea to success," said Karadaglić.
The foundation, as he pointed out, is a great realization of his dream.
"In it, we are creating a safe space for all the creative talent of this country, where we can provide support, not only financially in cooperation with our partners, but also in terms of contacts that can change lives forever," said Karadaglić.
Speaking about the way in which culture can influence changes in the world in the long term, Karadaglić points out that culture is a still water and that consciousness changes through it.
"I think we are at the right moment to understand that through culture we can change consciousness and in some quiet and subtle way, through our example, influence everything else, especially in a society that is in transition, like Montenegro's," said Karadaglić.
When asked whether the modern world forces artists to compromise and whether quality, depth, and continuity are sometimes lost through speed and the pursuit of prominence, Karadaglić said that this is the case in most cases.
"Modern technology has created a picture of the world that is completely unrealistic. A big problem for young people is that they are not focused on something that really fulfills them, but rather are chasing some ideal of something that does not exist," said Karadaglić.
As he added, it is difficult today to survive and maintain the focus needed for something like art to develop step by step, without skipping any steps.
Skipped steps are always recognized and in some way returned to the artist, but Karadaglić emphasizes that there are always, even today, people who inspire him.
"Modern technology can be positive because it opens us up to a wider audience. Our role is to bring the audience into greater focus, but not in an obtrusive way, but very subtly. That's where we still find ourselves as a society. Not just here, but everywhere in the world," said Karadaglić.
When asked how changes in the world reflect on the situation in Montenegro and the artists who create there, Karadaglić pointed out that different historical and other circumstances have marked Montenegro and the region in relation to Western Europe, adding that this is also manifested in the fields of art and culture.
"It manifests itself in the immaturity of Montenegrin society, there is no clear and precise awareness of what true values are," said Karadaglić, adding that Montenegro is a society in its infancy in several segments and that it needs to walk before it can take off.
As he stated, positive examples of success can be what will inspire and help create continuity that ensures a better understanding of everything around us.
Asked how it is possible to preserve the autonomy of artistic expression without withdrawing from the public space in a time when art is being instrumentalized, Karadaglić emphasized that art must remain autonomous.
"Artistic autonomy is the very essence of democracy and freedom. The moment politics enters art, that art ceases to be real," explained Karadaglić.
As he said, an artist can create from his reaction to what is happening around him, but that reaction can only be expressed through artistic expression.
"I think that artists have no place in politics, because everything that brings us so close to everyday life and some political reality hinders us from creating some dreams. And art exists and is there for us to dream and to experience the world through a more beautiful prism," said Karadaglić.
He told young people to believe in what they carry within themselves, to be ready when the opportunity arises, and to persevere.
"If we do something that truly fulfills us, then there is no success or failure - success is being yourself and staying yourself," concluded Karadaglić.
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