Maja Sarihodžić (; ; born 12 July 1981), known by her stage name Maya Sar, is a Bosnian singer-songwriter. She represented Bosnia and Herzegovina in the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest with the song " Korake ti znam". Her debut album '' Krive riječi'' was released 1 June 2013.

Early life and education

In 2005, Maya Sar graduated with a

Bachelor of Music A Bachelor of Music (BMus; sometimes conferred as Bachelor of Musical Arts) is an academic degree awarded by a college, university, or conservatory upon completion of a program of study in music. The degree may be awarded for performance, music ed ...

with concentration on piano from

University of Sarajevo The University of Sarajevo (Bosnian language, Bosnian, Croatian language, Croatian and Serbian language, Serbian: ''Univerzitet u Sarajevu'' / Sveučilište u Sarajevu / Универзитет у Сарајеву) is a List of universities in Bo ...

Sarajevo Music Academy The Sarajevo Music Academy or Music Academy , University of Sarajevo ( or MAS) is a Faculty of Music of University of Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina. History Sarajevo Music Academy was founded by the Decision of the National Assembly of ...

. Before she started her solo career, Sar was a backing vocalist for many famous singers, including

Dino Merlin Edin Dervišhalidović (born 12 September 1962), known professionally as Dino Merlin, is a Bosnian singer-songwriter and record producer. Born in Sarajevo, he founded and led the band Merlin (Yugoslav band), Merlin, one of the best-selling Rock b ...

Career

Her first single "Nespretno" (''Awkwardly'') was released in March 2010 and it became big hit in Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as in neighboring countries. She is the founder of the regional humanitarian project in the fight against cervical cancer ''Moj je život moja pjesma'' (''My Life Is My Song'') and the composer and songwriter of the eponymous song which is performed by leading some of the leading stars in the region – Nina Badrić, Karolina Gočeva, Aleksandra Radović, and Sar herself. For this, she received the Gold plaque of the great human heart by the International League of Humanists in 2011 and the European award by European Cervical Cancer Association (ECCA) in February 2014. Sar's debut studio album '' Krive riječi'' was released 1 June 2013 through the record label Hayat Production.

Eurovision

Maya Sar participated on Eurovision as a back vocalist in 2004 and 2011 (both times for the Bosnia and Herzegovina entry). She also played the keyboard on Dino Merlin's "

Love in Rewind Bosnia and Herzegovina was represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 2011 with the song "Love in Rewind" written and performed by Dino Merlin, who had represented Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Eurovision Song Contest 1999. On 1 December 2010, th ...

" during the semi-finals and finals at the Eurovision Song Contest 2011. On 15 December 2011 it was confirmed that Maya Sar would represent

Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina, sometimes known as Bosnia-Herzegovina and informally as Bosnia, is a country in Southeast Europe. Situated on the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula, it borders Serbia to the east, Montenegro to the southeast, and Croatia to th ...

with the song " Korake ti znam" in the

Eurovision Song Contest 2012 The Eurovision Song Contest 2012 was the 57th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. It took place in Baku, Azerbaijan, following the country's victory at the with the song "Running Scared (Ell & Nikki song), Running Scared" by Ell & Nikki, El ...

Baku Baku (, ; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Azerbaijan, largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and in the Caucasus region. Baku is below sea level, which makes it the List of capital ci ...

, Azerbaijan. The song premiered on 15 March 2012. She progressed from the second semi-final into the grand final where she finished in 18th place.

Personal life

Sar met her future husband Mahir Sarihodžić (born June 1974) when she was 16 and he was 23 in 1997. They wed in 2008 and divorced in 2025. Together they have a daughter. Sarihodžić is a music producer and together they own the recording studio "Long Play Studio". She lives in Slovenia. In addition to her native Bosnian, Sar is fluent in English and Italian.

Discography

*'' Krive riječi'' (2013)

References

External links

Official Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sar, Maya 1981 births Living people Musicians from Tuzla Bosniaks of Bosnia and Herzegovina 21st-century Bosnia and Herzegovina women singers Bosnia and Herzegovina pop singers University of Sarajevo alumni Eurovision Song Contest entrants