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TifaBosnian rock musician, vocalist
Date of Birth: 17.10.1960
Country:  Bosnia and Herzegovina |
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Tifa: The Bosnian Rock Musician and Vocalist
Tifa, also known as Mladen Vojičić, is a Bosnian rock musician and vocalist who gained fame during his short tenure as the lead vocalist of the rock band "Bijelo dugme" in the mid-80s. After leaving "Bijelo dugme," he sang in many bands with varying degrees of success, with notable ones being "Teška industrija," "Vatreni poljubac," and "Divlje jagode." Tifa is undisputedly a singer with excellent vocal abilities, but his impulsiveness and contradictory nature often stood in the way of his greater achievements. He is one of the few musicians in former Yugoslavia who openly discusses personal issues with alcohol and drugs. Currently, Tifa is involved in solo projects and enjoys moderate popularity.
Biography of Tifa
Mladen Vojičić was born on October 17, 1960, in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Yugoslavia. His father is Serbian, and his mother is Croatian. He acquired the nickname Tifa when he was not even four years old because he adored trains and often couldn't pronounce the sound 'v.' Instead of saying "Ide lokomotiva" ("Here comes the train"), he would say "Ide lokomotifa." His talent for singing was discovered at a very young age, and by the age of five, he had memorized and performed the entire repertoire of the Bosnian rock band "Indexi."
Tifa excelled academically during his early school years and became a fan of the British band "Sweet" by that time. He graduated from high school but struggled with university. To please his intellectual father, he attempted to study on various faculties that offered "real professions," such as mechanical engineering, architecture, civil engineering, and geodesy. However, in the end, he dropped out of university and fully dedicated himself to music.
He began his music career as a bass guitarist in his first band, "Prvi čin." Within a month, he switched to "Kako kad," and one day, when the band's vocalist didn't show up for rehearsal, he tried himself as a singer. When all the other band members, except Tifa, lost interest in music, the band disbanded, and Tifa found a new one.
In October 1980, he joined the army, and his last band before military service was called "Paradox." Tifa continued to correspond and work with the bassist of "Paradox," Zlatan Sečić. Tifa wrote the lyrics, while Zlatan composed the music. After being demobilized, Vojičić learned that "Paradox" had disbanded, and Zlatan was playing in a band called "Top." He also became a member of "Top" and remained with them until January 1983.
Tifa's reputation for his excellent voice spread beyond Sarajevo, and he received many job offers. He went from band to band until he joined "Bijelo dugme" in 1984, arguably the most famous and successful band in former Yugoslavia, replacing the departing vocalist Željko Bebek. During this period, Vojičić developed a fondness for alcohol and drugs, two vices that would cause him many troubles in the future. At only 24 years old, he was unprepared for the instant fame that came with his first performances with "Bijelo dugme," and his addiction to alcohol and drugs only worsened. Surprisingly, despite being often drunk or high in the studio, his vocal recordings remained of exceptional quality.
Troubles began during the band's tour after releasing a new album. The other band members were significantly older, more experienced, and calmer. They had worked together for many years and demanded discipline and professionalism from Vojičić. However, he lacked both, and he narrowly avoided criminal prosecution for drug possession and use. By October 1985, he was simply kicked out of the band.
The last major performance of "Bijelo dugme" with Vojičić as the vocalist took place on August 2, 1985, in Moscow. After the end of his time with "Bijelo dugme," Tifa sang duets with Željko Bebek (the "Armija B" project) and even went on tour with him but left halfway through. In the fall of 1986, he joined the band "Vatreni poljubac," then recorded one album with "Divlje jagode" and embarked on a solo career.
In 1989, his debut album "№ 1" was released, which was quite successful. Since then, Vojičić has released eight albums, including five studio albums, two compilations, and one live album, "Skenderija," in 2001. In 2005, Tifa reunited with "Bijelo dugme" for three major concerts, but it was not without arguments and scandals. In 2006, he formed the band "Kad Bi Bio Bijelo Dugme" with Bebek and Alen Islamović. The band's last world tour concluded at the end of 2010.
