Who Is Slavica Ćukteraš

Slavica Ćukteraš is a Serbian pop-folk singer, born on 28 January 1985 in Šabac. The wider public first got to know her in 2004 as one of the finalists of the first season of the music competition “Zvezde Granda,” where she placed sixth. After the competition, she signed with Grand Production and, within a relatively short time, recorded several albums that brought her great popularity.

She is known for songs such as “Život mi oduzmi,” “Prevari me,” “Mrgud,” “Manastir” and “Računaj na mene.” After the 2011 album “Nevreme,” she withdrew from public life, and she returned to the music scene in 2018 with new singles. Her career therefore consists of two clearly separate periods: her rise in the first half of the 2000s and her comeback after a long break.

Early Life and Childhood

Slavica Ćukteraš was born and raised in Šabac. According to her, she was named after her grandfather Slava, who died about fifteen days before she was born. In her hometown, many people knew her by the nickname Beba, or Bebana.

She showed an inclination toward music very early. According to biographical portals, she was already singing at the age of six. Among her musical role models, she named performers she grew up with, including Lepa Brena, Svetlana Ceca Ražnatović, Zdravko Čolić and the band Bijelo dugme.

Besides singing, she also played the violin as a child. That early contact with instruments later proved to be a solid foundation for more serious musical education.

Education

Slavica first completed lower music school, in the clarinet department. She then enrolled in secondary music school, where she studied in the music theory department. Her schooling in her hometown of Šabac gave her a solid musical foundation, which she later used in the competition and in studio work.

Slavica Ćukteraš on “Zvezde Granda”

The turning point in Slavica Ćukteraš’s life was her application to the music competition “Zvezde Granda.” According to the music database Discogs, she applied for the first-season audition in 2003, while most sources give 2004 as the year of her competition appearance. She was around nineteen at the time.

In the final of the first season, held at the hall in Tašmajdan, she competed alongside Tanja Savić, Stevan Anđelković, Darko Filipović, Bane Mojićević and Nemanja Nikolić. Bane Mojićević won. Tanja Savić placed third, Darko Filipović fourth, Nemanja Nikolić fifth, and Slavica Ćukteraš sixth.

Although she did not win, the audience remembered her for her energy and temperament. Like the other finalists, she got the chance to record a song, and her first recording was “Život mi oduzmi.” She later said it was her favorite song, because it represented her first encounter with professional music work.

Beginning of Her Career

After the competition, Slavica Ćukteraš signed with Grand Production, which at the time brought together the most popular performers on the pop-folk scene. Like other finalists, she initially received songs that the record company selected and prepared, something she herself emphasized several times in interviews.

Soon after leaving the competition, she started working on her first album. That launched her professional career, which within a few years brought several releases and a large number of performances across the region.

Rise to Popularity

She released her first studio album, “Nema pravila,” in 2005. According to descriptions on music portals, almost all the songs from that release became hits, and that period is considered the most successful part of her career.

Three more albums followed. The second, “Ćiribu ćiriba,” came out in 2006, the third, “Ekskluziva,” in 2008, and the fourth, “Nevreme,” in 2011. Between the last two releases, she took a two-year break from the studio, which she filled with numerous performances, tours and concerts.

During this period, she also sang duets. One of the better known is “Zmija i žaba,” which she recorded with the singer Oskar.

Greatest Successes

The best known songs by Slavica Ćukteraš include “Život mi oduzmi,” “Prevari me,” “Mrgud,” “Ekskluziva,” “Manastir,” “Lomljiva” and “Računaj na mene.” Most of them were created in the first years of her career, and to this day they are often played at celebrations, in taverns and on social media.

In 2026, the song “Računaj na mene” appeared on a list of Serbian hits celebrating twenty years since their release, alongside songs by Ceca, Zdravko Čolić, Dragana Mirković and other performers. This shows how well her biggest hits have stood the test of time.

• Sixth place in the first season of “Zvezde Granda” (2004).
• Four studio albums: “Nema pravila” (2005), “Ćiribu ćiriba” (2006), “Ekskluziva” (2008) and “Nevreme” (2011).
• A large number of hits that are still enjoyed today.

Withdrawal from the Public Scene

After the album “Nevreme,” Slavica Ćukteraš married and withdrew from public life at the height of her popularity. In later statements, she explained that at that time she wanted to devote herself to her family, her husband and a child who needed a mother.

She made the decision consciously and, as she stated, on her own. She also repeatedly denied media claims that her husband had forbidden her from singing. During the break, she also lived outside Serbia, since her husband’s career and the family’s life took place in different countries.

Return to the Music Scene

After the break, Slavica left Grand Production and entered the “Pink Music Festival” with the song “Prosjak.” Most sources say she performed at the second edition of the festival in 2015, while one source mentions 2014, so the sources differ on this detail. According to biographical portals, the song’s authors were Marina Tucaković and Bane Opačić.

A more serious comeback followed in 2018, when she released new singles after years away from the market. Among them are “Budi samo moj,” for which a video was shot, and “Da bih s tobom ostala.” Sources differ on which song came first.

In the early 2020s, she delighted audiences who grew up with her songs with the series “Back to 2000’s,” in which she wore costumes from that era and performed hits from the period of her rise. According to her more recent statements to the media, she has released two new songs, does not plan to release an album in the near future, and continues to perform.

Private Life

Slavica Ćukteraš was married to the football goalkeeper Vladimir Avramov. According to media reports, the marriage lasted about five years. The couple has a daughter, Viktorija, born in October 2016. Slavica temporarily paused her career at that time, and she described the divorce as amicable.

After the divorce, she devoted herself to motherhood and to rebuilding her career. She has said that she did not experience the marriage as a failure but as a stage in life after which both of them continued with their work. According to her statements from 2025, she is currently in a new relationship. She largely keeps her private life away from the public.

Interesting Facts

• She got the name Slavica from her grandfather Slava, who died about fifteen days before she was born.
• In her hometown of Šabac, she is also known by the nickname Bebana.
• Before her singing career, she played the violin and completed lower music school in the clarinet department.
• In the first season of “Zvezde Granda,” she competed with five other finalists, including Tanja Savić and Bane Mojićević.
• She still names her first song, “Život mi oduzmi,” as her favorite.

Legacy and Influence

Slavica Ćukteraš belongs to the first generation of singers made famous through “Zvezde Granda,” a competition that changed the Serbian entertainment scene. Together with Tanja Savić, Bane Mojićević, Nemanja Nikolić, Darko Filipović and Stevan Anđelković, she became a symbol of a musical era.

Her songs are still passed down from generation to generation. The audience that grew up with her hits still enjoys them, and her return after a long break showed that interest in her work had not faded.

Biography – Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Slavica Ćukteraš?

Slavica Ćukteraš is a Serbian pop-folk singer from Šabac, known as a finalist of the first season of “Zvezde Granda” and the performer of a series of hits from the first half of the 2000s.

When and where was Slavica Ćukteraš born?

She was born on 28 January 1985 in Šabac, where she also grew up and completed music school.

How old is Slavica Ćukteraš?

Based on her date of birth, 28 January 1985, she is 41 years old as of October 2026.

What place did Slavica Ćukteraš win on “Zvezde Granda”?

She placed sixth in the first season of the competition. Bane Mojićević won.

Which albums has Slavica Ćukteraš released?

She has released four studio albums: “Nema pravila” (2005), “Ćiribu ćiriba” (2006), “Ekskluziva” (2008) and “Nevreme” (2011).

What are Slavica Ćukteraš’s best known songs?

Her best known songs are “Život mi oduzmi,” “Prevari me,” “Mrgud,” “Manastir,” “Lomljiva” and “Računaj na mene,” as well as the duet “Zmija i žaba” with Oskar.

Why did Slavica Ćukteraš withdraw from the scene?

After the album “Nevreme,” she withdrew because of her marriage and family. As she explained herself, she wanted to devote herself to her husband and child.

When did Slavica Ćukteraš return to the scene?

She made a more serious return in 2018 with new singles, and before that she performed at the “Pink Music Festival” with the song “Prosjak.”

Does Slavica Ćukteraš have children?

Yes, she has a daughter, Viktorija, born in October 2016, from her marriage to the goalkeeper Vladimir Avramov.

Conclusion

Slavica Ćukteraš is a singer who rose from Šabac, through the first season of “Zvezde Granda,” to the top of the pop-folk scene. In a few years she recorded four albums and a string of hits, and then withdrew at the height of her popularity for the sake of her family. Her comeback in 2018 and her new songs confirmed that her voice still has its audience, while her older hits remain part of a shared musical memory.