Who Is Zdravko Čolić

Zdravko Čolić (born in Sarajevo on 30 May 1951) is one of the most popular singers in the history of music in the former Yugoslavia. He is widely known as Čola. Most sources give 30 May as his date of birth, while some media mention 31 May, so sources differ on this detail.

He began singing as a teenager and had his first major success in the early 1970s with the song “Sinoć nisi bila tu.” Thanks to his ballads, strong tenor and distinctive stage presence, he quickly became a favorite of the public, especially female fans.

More than five decades later, he still fills halls and stadiums. His album “Ako priđeš bliže” is considered one of the best-selling releases in the history of Yugoslav music, and in 2019 he became the first singer to hold six consecutive sold-out concerts at Belgrade Arena.

Early Life and Childhood

Zdravko Čolić was born in Sarajevo to Vladimir and Stana Čolić. His father Vladimir was a police administrator from the village of Vlahovići near Ljubinje, and his mother Stana was a homemaker from Trebinje. Both sides of the family therefore trace their roots to Herzegovina. He grew up with his younger brother Dragan in the Sarajevo neighborhood of Grbavica.

He attended the “Vladimir Perić Valter” elementary school. As a boy he turned to sports first. He played goalkeeper in the youth system of FK Željezničar and then moved to athletics, where he did well in the 100 meters and the long jump. He reportedly ran 100 meters in 11.3 seconds and once finished right behind future athletics star Nenad Stekić.

In the end, he judged that he lacked the discipline needed for professional sport. Alongside sports he attended music school and studied guitar. With his friend Braco Isović he played at neighborhood gatherings, and locals called them “Čola i Isa sa Grbavice.” Čolić has often said that he is a Sarajevan and a Bosnian wherever he is.

Education

Čolić graduated from the Faculty of Economics at the University of Sarajevo and is a qualified economist. He began his studies at a time when his music career was already starting.

When Kornelije Kovač invited him to Belgrade, Zdravko was a first-year student. After a short stay in the capital, he returned to Sarajevo to finish his degree and try a solo career at the same time. In this way he successfully combined two different paths from the very beginning: economics and music.

Early Career

His first notable public performance came in 1967. While vacationing with his family on the Montenegrin coast, in Baošići, his friend Nedim Idrizović persuaded him to enter an amateur singing contest in nearby Bijela. Seventeen-year-old Zdravko sang “Lady Madonna” by The Beatles and won second place.

Encouraged by this success, he joined the group “Mladi i lijepi” in Sarajevo and stayed until he finished high school in 1969. He then moved on to the better-known “Ambasadori,” led by Slobodan Vujović. Because all the members except Vujović were JNA officers, the band could not accept every offer to perform. So in 1970 Vujović and Čolić formed “Novi ambasadori,” together with drummer Perica Stojanović, organist Vlado Pravdić, saxophonist Lale Stefanović and bassist Zlatko Hold.

In the summer of 1970 they played for a month alongside “Indexi” in Dubrovnik. At the 1971 “Vaš šlager sezone” festival they placed seventh, and that performance was their first television appearance. Among the viewers was Kornelije Kovač, already an influential Yugoslav composer, who was struck by Čolić’s clear tenor and stage presence. Čolić also briefly served as a stand-in singer for “Indexi” in place of Davorin Popović.

Kovač then invited him to join “Korni grupa” to replace Dado Topić. Čolić arrived in Belgrade on 10 September 1971, but he did not fit well with their progressive rock sound. He recorded three songs with the group (“Kukavica,” “Gospa Mica gazdarica” and “Pogledaj u nebo”), and after six months he went back to Sarajevo. Together with Kovač, he decided to try a solo career.

His solo debut came on 15 April 1972 at the “Vaš šlager sezone” festival. With the song “Sinoć nisi bila tu,” written by Kemal Monteno, he won the third audience prize and the interpretation award. Soon afterward he appeared on the popular TV Belgrade show “Obraz uz obraz,” hosted by Milena Dravić and Dragan Nikolić. That same year he performed at festivals in Split, Priština and Skopje, and he toured the Soviet Union with Indexi and other performers.

Eurovision 1973

His first big breakthrough came at the Opatija festival, where Čolić won with “Gori vatra” by Kemal Monteno. This earned him the right to represent Yugoslavia at the 1973 Eurovision Song Contest in Luxembourg on 7 April of that year.

The song received 65 points and finished 15th out of 17 contestants. Although the Eurovision result was not strong, “Gori vatra” became a big hit at home and is still frequently played on radio stations across the region.

Rise to Popularity

Thanks to the Eurovision appearance, Čolić kept collecting festival wins in the following years. At the Belgrade “Hit parada” on 23 November 1974 he won with “Ona spava,” written and composed by Kornelije Kovač. The next year brought wins at “Beogradsko proleće” with “April u Beogradu” and at “Vaš šlager sezone” with “Zvao sam je Emili.” Kovač remained his most important collaborator, and in those years Čolić also signed with the German branch of WEA. German producers found his name hard to pronounce and marketed him as “Dravco,” but he did not pursue a career there.

He released his first solo album, “Ti i ja,” in 1975 on Jugoton, with Kovač as producer. It included “Vagabund,” “Igraš se vatrom” and “Loše vino,” written by Arsen Dedić and Goran Bregović. The cover was designed by Dragan S. Stefanović, another collaborator who would stay with him for years. The same year, PGP RTB released a compilation of his festival singles titled “Zdravko Čolić.”

At the end of 1976, Čolić toured the whole country with Indexi. After the Belgrade concert, a rush of girls at an autograph session in the Jugoton store broke a shop window. In 1977 he performed at festivals for the last time, and the song “Druže Tito, mi ti se kunemo” was released as a single that sold about 300,000 copies.

His second album, “Ako priđeš bliže” (1977), caused real frenzy. In the first two weeks, 50,000 copies were sold. It included the songs “Glavo luda,” “Zagrli me,” “Juče još,” “Pjevam danju, pjevam noću,” “Jedna zima sa Kristinom” and “Produži dalje.” Estimates of total sales differ: some sources report more than 700,000 copies, others more than 900,000. The album is also noted on Wikipedia as his highest-ranked release on the “YU 100” list.

The Traveling Earthquake and the Marakana Concert

On 1 April 1978, Čolić set out on a major tour of the SFRY called “Putujući zemljotres” (“Traveling Earthquake”). The tour was organized by Maksa Ćatović and accompanied by the dance group “Lokice.” Čolić also began to play guitar on stage occasionally. Scenes of screaming fans in front of the stage repeated in every city.

The climax came on 5 September 1978 at the Red Star stadium, in front of about 70,000 people. Before that, he had already held two sold-out concerts at Belgrade’s Hala Pionir. At Marakana he was joined by Dado Topić and many old collaborators: Kornelije Kovač, Arsen Dedić, Kemal Monteno and Josip Boček.

Because of the size of the phenomenon, journalist Dušan Savković and director Jovan Ristić made the documentary “Pjevam danju, pjevam noću,” which follows Čolić from the Belgrade concert onward. Two days later he ended the tour at Koševo stadium in his native Sarajevo, although rain interrupted much of the performance.

Military Service and the Peak of Fame

After Marakana, the head of German WEA offered Čolić a contract renewal. Singles “Jedina” and “Zagrli me” were released for the German market, as well as the disco single “I’m Not a Robot Man.” However, Čolić refused to move to Germany for the second time. Instead, on 14 November 1978 he began his mandatory service in the JNA, which he spent in Valjevo, Belgrade and Požarevac, finishing on 14 September 1979.

After returning, he recorded his third album, “Zbog tebe” (1980), which cemented his position as the most popular pop performer in Yugoslavia. It was followed by “Malo pojačaj radio” (1981), recorded at Britannia Row Studios in London, with a rock-oriented sound and authors such as Đorđe Balašević, Goran Bregović, Đorđe Novković and Marina Tucaković.

His fifth album, “Šta mi radiš” (1983), was also recorded in London and was the last one he released for Jugoton. He parted ways with the label after five hugely successful albums.

Kamarad, Relocations and a Comeback

In 1984, Čolić moved from Sarajevo to Ljubljana, where he and Goran Bregović founded the private record label Kamarad. For it he released the album “Ti si mi u krvi” (1984), whose title track is considered one of the most popular ballads in ex-Yugoslav music. He then lived in Zagreb for five years. During this time came the album “Rodi me majko, sretnog” (1988) and the hit “Jastreb.”

He moved to Belgrade at the end of the 1980s. Sources differ on the exact year: some give 1989, others 1990, and still others link the move to the start of the war in Bosnia. He released the album “Da ti kažem šta mi je” in 1990, produced by Goran Bregović, on the Komuna label.

A long gap in album releases followed. His comeback was marked by “Kad bi moja bila” (1997), after which he held nine sold-out concerts at Belgrade’s Sava Centar in 1998. The albums “Okano” (2000), “Čarolija” (2003) and “Zavičaj” (2006) followed, along with concerts at Belgrade Arena in October 2005.

Greatest Achievements

Albums

After “Zavičaj” he released “Kad pogledaš me preko ramena” (2010), with producers Vojislav Aralica and Nikša Bratoš and the duet “Manijači” with Goran Bregović. According to Wikipedia, that album sold more than 700,000 copies. “Vatra i barut” (2013), “Ono malo sreće” (2017) and “Maštam i praštam” (2026) followed.

His best-known songs include “Sinoć nisi bila tu,” “Gori vatra,” “Ona spava,” “April u Beogradu,” “Zvao sam je Emili,” “Glavo luda,” “Ti si mi u krvi” and “Pusti, pusti modu.”

Concerts and Records

His concert at Sarajevo’s Zetra on 20 October 2007 sold out within 48 hours, with 17,500 tickets available. At Koševo stadium in 2010 he sang to more than 60,000 people, and at Belgrade’s Ušće on 25 June 2011 he gathered about 100,000 visitors, the biggest concert of his career up to then, marking 40 years of work. Live DVDs were also recorded at Marakana (2001 and 2007).

His greatest indoor achievement came at Belgrade Arena. With concerts on 29 and 30 November, 13 and 14 December and 27 and 28 December 2019, he became the first singer to hold six consecutive sold-out concerts there, breaking the record of Dino Merlin. In spring 2026 he gave a series of concerts at Sarajevo’s Zetra with a symphony orchestra conducted by Fedor Vrtačnik, and the first three dates sold out in six days.

Attack on the Family Home in 2026

Early in the morning on 3 February 2026, an explosive device was thrown at Zdravko Čolić’s family home in Belgrade’s Dedinje neighborhood. According to media reports, nobody was injured, but there was material damage to the facade and fence. The singer’s wife called the police, and an on-site investigation was carried out by the duty prosecutor of the Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office in Belgrade.

Čolić was in Zagreb at the time, and through his PR agency he said that everyone in Belgrade was fine and that he was waiting for the police report. The motives for the attack and the perpetrators have not been officially established, and the investigation is, according to available information, ongoing.

Private Life

Zdravko Čolić is married to Aleksandra, a geography teacher, whom he met in Makarska while she was studying in Belgrade. They married on 1 May 2001, after a long relationship. Aleksandra avoids the media, and one of the rare exceptions is her appearance in the final shot of the video for the song “Tebe čuvam za kraj.”

The couple has two daughters, Una and Lara. In interviews, Čolić has said that his daughters are spoiled and that his wife is stricter in raising them. The singer lives in Belgrade, in Dedinje. The nickname “Čola” is used by the whole regional public, while in Germany his label presented him as “Dravco.”

Interesting Facts

• Before music he played football and did athletics, and he ran 100 meters in 11.3 seconds.
• He made his first public appearance at age 17 in Bijela, singing the Beatles song “Lady Madonna.”
• The single “Druže Tito, mi ti se kunemo” sold about 300,000 copies.
• At Sarajevo’s Zetra in 2007, tickets sold out in 48 hours.
• Wikipedia notes that the chorus of “Glavo luda” shares its melody with Madonna’s “La Isla Bonita.”
• According to Wikipedia, in the Bosnian dub of Pixar’s “WALL-E” (2008) he voiced the character Shelby Forthright.

Awards and Recognition

The most significant confirmed recognition is the “Naxi Star for All Time” (Naxi zvezda za sva vremena), the most important radio award in the region, which he received in 2020. It was presented at a moment when he had become the first performer from the region to hold six consecutive concerts at Belgrade Arena.

At the start of his career he won audience and interpretation awards at festivals, such as “Vaš šlager sezone” in 1972, and he also won festivals in Opatija, Belgrade and Sarajevo. Other awards have not been reliably confirmed in the sources checked.

Legacy and Influence

Zdravko Čolić has been constantly present on the regional music scene for more than half a century. He has been compared to Paul McCartney and Tom Jones, and the media often call him the greatest pop singer of the former Yugoslavia. His ballads are sung by generations, and songs such as “Ti si mi u krvi” have become part of the shared cultural memory of a space that was once one country.

Colleagues have covered his songs decades later, and concerts in Sarajevo, Belgrade, Zagreb and the diaspora still gather different generations. Čolić himself once said that people recognize themselves in his songs through the lyrics, the story and the emotion.

Biography – Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Zdravko Čolić?

Zdravko Čolić is a singer born in Sarajevo and one of the most popular pop performers in the history of the former Yugoslavia. He is known as Čola, and he became famous for his ballads and big concerts.

When and where was Zdravko Čolić born?

He was born on 30 May 1951 in Sarajevo, then part of the SR Bosnia and Herzegovina and the SFRY. Some media also give 31 May.

How old is Zdravko Čolić?

Based on his birth year of 1951, Zdravko Čolić is 75 years old.

What are Zdravko Čolić’s best-known songs?

The best known are “Sinoć nisi bila tu,” “Gori vatra,” “Ona spava,” “April u Beogradu,” “Zvao sam je Emili,” “Glavo luda,” “Ti si mi u krvi” and “Pusti, pusti modu.”

Did Zdravko Čolić perform at Eurovision?

Yes. He represented Yugoslavia in 1973 in Luxembourg with the song “Gori vatra” and placed 15th with 65 points.

How many concerts did he hold at Belgrade Arena in 2019?

He held six sold-out concerts, on 29 and 30 November, 13 and 14 December and 27 and 28 December, becoming the first singer with such a run in that hall.

Who is Zdravko Čolić married to, and does he have children?

He has been married to Aleksandra since 1 May 2001. They have two daughters, Una and Lara.

Where does Zdravko Čolić live?

He lives in Belgrade, where he moved in the late 1980s or early 1990s. Sources differ on the exact year.

Why is Zdravko Čolić called Čola?

“Čola” is a shortened, affectionate form of his surname used by fans and the media. In Germany, his label briefly presented him as “Dravco.”

Conclusion

From an amateur contest in Bijela in 1967, Zdravko Čolić made his way to the biggest halls and stadiums in the region. The 1973 Eurovision, the album “Ako priđeš bliže,” the Marakana concert and six sold-out shows at the Arena in 2019 are only some of the stops on that career.

Thanks to collaborations with Kornelije Kovač, Goran Bregović and other authors, he built a body of work that is still listened to today. The biography of Zdravko Čolić is thus one of the rare ones showing that popularity can last for more than half a century.