Gabi Novak

Gabi Novak, born July 8, 1936, in Berlin, spent her childhood on the island of Hvar before moving to Zagreb. She graduated from the School of Applied Arts in Zagreb, majoring in graphic design, and began her career as an illustrator and scenographer in Zagreb Film. Her musical path began in the late 1950s after providing vocals for animated films, which led to her first major performance in Ljubljana in 1957. In 1958, she sang a featured song in a film, and by 1959 gained broader recognition with a performance at the Zagreb Festival. She quickly rose to become one of the most beloved singers in Yugoslavia's popular music scene. Throughout her career, she collaborated with both local and international jazz musicians and even shared the stage in a jam session with the legendary Louis Armstrong. Her best-known songs include "Pamtim samo sretne dane" ("I Only Remember Happy Days"), "On me voli na svoj način" ("He Loves Me in His Own Way"), and "Vino i gitare" ("Wine and Guitars"), many of which became evergreens. In the 1970s, she increasingly focused on interpreting works written by her husband, singer-songwriter Arsen Dedić, with whom she also frequently performed. She has received numerous awards for her musical contributions, including top Croatian music honors and a lifetime achievement award. In 2024, she was specially recognized by the Zagreb Festival for her lasting contribution to Croatian music. Gabi Novak remains one of the most iconic and respected female artists in Croatian music history.