Jan Plestenjak was born on March 27, 1973, in Ljubljana and raised in Škofja Loka. His mother, Dora, was a painter, and his father, Miroslav, was a pilot who tragically died early. He began playing guitar as a child and studied music at primary school in Škofja Loka and later at the Secondary Music and Ballet School in Ljubljana under the guidance of renowned professor Tomaž Šegula. In high school, he formed a jazz group—Interaction jazz group—and collaborated with the RTV Slovenija Big Band. At 18, he received a scholarship to study at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston for one year, then continued at the conservatory in Klagenfurt.
His professional music career officially started in the early 1990s with his debut albums Jan Plestenjak (1993), Gremo v kino (1994), and Pogrešal te bom (1995). The album Morje (1997) solidified his popularity, while Amore mio (1999) and Jan (2002) delivered hits like “Moja ljubica”, “Amore mio”, and “Smeh in solze”. Throughout the 2000s, he continued releasing successful albums including Solo, Do raja, Soba 102, Klasika, and Osebno, blending pop, melodic ballads, and orchestral arrangements.
He has written over 400 songs, 50 of which became hits, and released 16 studio albums. His popularity spans Slovenia and neighboring countries. After a creative one-year break in 2024, he returned with new music—a duet with Miran Rudan and the emotional ballad “Valentinova pesem”, recorded with the Budapest Art Orchestra. In 2025, he embarked on a major two-year tour across Slovenia, performing at large-scale venues.
Jan lives in Strunjan on the Slovenian coast and often emphasizes his pride in the Slovene language and culture. On a personal level, he has expressed a deep desire to become a father. He remains one of the most beloved and influential Slovenian pop and entertainment singers.
