Anja Štark duo consists of Milica Mitić (16 July 1986) and Aleksandra Tomović (2 January 1988). They were previously together in the Sofie from Seattle band, and have been active as Anja Štark since 2019. Their songs are available on all platforms.
Hibrid (Dino Aganović, 23 September 1991) is an electronic music producer from Sarajevo. Already known on the regional scene as an artist who experiments and mixes different genres and influences, he continued his productive year with this song, after having released a number of singles and his Na pola puta (Halfway) album under the Hibrid, etc. project.
Air; 4’25”
Air was created during the quarantine in 2020. Air is conceived as an audio-lyrical conversation between two cities - Belgrade and Sarajevo. The authors – the musician and producer from Sarajevo - Dino Aganović, a.k.a. Hibrid, and the Belgrade duo Anja Štark – consisting of Aleksandra Tomović and Milica Mitić, recognized the inability to breathe, and the need for clean air not only as a hot topic in their surroundings but also in their microworlds. Air “Vazduh'' was created without physical contact between the authors.
Milica Mitić wrote the lyrics, and all the authors worked on the music. Hibrid also arranged and produced the song, and created the visuals. Dušan Filimonović recorded the vocals, and Robert Trifunović did the mastering.
Interview
What is the language in common for the young people today?
The way of communication that marks the generation - from the means and the words themselves that are used, and which color and reflect the age in which they are used, to the topics that move us the most. An artifact of generation.
What does the process of making one of your pieces look like?
One of us always gives the initial impulse for a new song - sometimes it's a melody invented on the phone, sometimes text or field recording, and sometimes almost completely shaped thing, and then the other continues to upgrade that idea and when we agree on which direction to go. we liked the song to go, let's include other people and we all play together until we reach the final result.
Which challenges have you faced while making art as you know it?
In terms of the times in which we live, there is a need to express something new, in the ever-increasing abundance and availability of everything; in terms of broader circumstances, it is the finishing and presentation of the work, which largely dictates the financial aspect of the work; in our personal creativity, harmonizing everyday life and distance with common creativity.
Do you consider yourself an artist, and what does that word mean to you?
In our environment, being an artist still has a slightly negative connotation and is often completely mistaken for non-work, laziness, and, first of all, frivolity. That is why we often hesitate in our decision to present ourselves as artists, but we are more and more aware that we are and we are more and more okay with that. An artist is a person who uses his or her talents to question reality, test boundaries, and keep society and individuals awake.
What is your escape from reality? Do you even have a need to escape from something?
If we are reality, there is no escape. If not, no problem. There is a need for silence - breathing and nature.
What does the word innovative mean to you?
Constantly finding new ways to use the resources at your disposal.
Do you have a plan for the future? Where can your artistic practice take you?
With everything that is happening, we are more focused on short-term plans, but we dream of performances, an album, multidisciplinary leaps, and new collaborations that are always an introduction to something new.
What made the biggest influence on you to become what you are today and do what you do now?
Awareness that creation is an integral part of our personalities, from the very beginning.
How would you describe Serbian (Balkan or European-depends on where you live and work) contemporary cultural scene?
A torrent of talent gushing from a cramped space where only movement can move - without media support, and ways to reach a wider audience, without state support, and without space to create, and we are witnessing (thanks to Instagram) the amount of ideas that reside there .
In which way does your creative process shape you or changes you as a person, if it does at all?
Creating music and poetry for Anja is a wonderful process that makes us think together, lock vanities in the basement, have a very fun creative dialogue, and even (for practical reasons) breathe together, which easily transforms us all into better people.
