Baja Mali Knindža: Difference between revisions

'''Mirko Pajčin''' ([[Learn Cyrillic|Serbian Cyrillic]]: Мирко Пајчин; born 13 October 1966), best known by his stage name '''Baja Mali Knindža''' ([[Learn Cyrillic|Serbian Cyrillic]]: Баја Мали Книнџа), is a Serb folk singer, songwriter and poet. He is most known for his wartime music and remains to be one of the most popular artists in Serbia.

In 1989, he contributed to writing the [[Tromeđa]] album [[Izvorne pjesme Dalmacije, Like i Krajine|''Izvorne pjesme Dalmacije, Like i Krajine'']], which included one of their biggest hits, "[[Nema raja bez rodnoga kraja]]". Later in the year, Baja tried to participate in the music competition "Prvi glas Livna", but was denied when the judges found out that Baja was a professional musician and the song, "[[Nema raja bez rodnoga kraja]]" was already on an album. He was permitted to perform the song along with another song "[[Nemoj me lagati mila]]", but could not compete.<ref>[https://archive.vn/Q2pRm "Baja Mali Knindža Biography"]. ''Biografija.org.'' 2 October 2021. Archived from [https://www.biografija.org/muzika/baja-mali-knindza/ the original] on 1 May 2023. Retrieved 1 May 2023.</ref><ref>[https://archive.vn/J0KnL "Ispovijest Mirka Pajčina"]. ''Medium.com.'' 13 January 2019.  Archived from [https://medium.com/@manjacainsajder/ispovijest-mirka-pajčina-bio-sam-jako-nemiran-đed-me-nazvao-baja-7d8db475ed07 the original] on 1 May 2023. Retrieved 1 May 2023.</ref>

When the breakup of Yugoslavia began, Baja's would make patriotic songs about the war. Baja set out to record these songs for an album, and after he gathered just enough money to begin production, he somehow lost it all on the way to the studio. Now in debt and in search of a record label, he eventually found [[Jugodisk]] after being rejected by [[PGP RTS]].  

In 1992, he released his debut album ''[[Ne dam Krajine]]'', and upon release, it would catapult Baja into the mainstream. In mid-1992, he would record with [[Nina Trade]] and release a second album called [[Stan'te paše i ustaše|''Stan'te paše i ustaše'']], which would ended up selling 300,000 copies and even received a Platinum award at Hala Borik Banja Luka in 1997. Despite his mainstream success, Baja had a strained relationship with the media. His 1992 [[Poselo]] [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z95oRMym94A performance of "Pevaj Srbijo"] was cut from TV broadcasting and only ever had a few select appearances on radio and TV.<ref>[https://archive.is/fSQqQ 13.01.2021 Interview]. ''Informer.rs.'' 13 January 2021. Archived from [https://informer.rs/dzet-set/estrada/578438/baja-mali-knindza-ispovest-hit-dodatak the original] on 4 January 2023. Retrieved 1 May 2023.</ref>

In September 1993, Baja would appear in interviews and [[Baja Mali Knindža concerts|start touring]] for his upcoming album, [[Još se ništa ne zna|''Još se ništa ne zna'']]. Upon release, it became one of Baja's most popular albums and would be the start of his work with [[SuperTon]]. Baja would also release a VHS tape called [[Najveći hitovi (Baja Mali Knindža VHS)|''Najveći hitovi'']], which featured music videos for his more popular song. At the end of 1993, he would release two more albums, [[Rat i mir|''Rat i mir'']] and [[Kockar bez sreće|''Kockar bez sreće'']] with the former containing patriotic songs and the latter containing love songs that were inspired by older, non-war material similar to his work in the mid 80's. [[File:1993 Superton Catalog Sabor.jpeg|thumb|A [[SuperTon]] ad in the December 1993 release of [[Sabor]] advertising [[Rat i mir]] and [[Kockar bez sreće]] and wishing readers a happy new year.]]Baja released one album in 1994, [[Pobediće istina|''Pobediće istina'']], and it would later receive a CD release on behalf of [[Estrada shop]] along with other songs from Baja's previous albums. This technically made the CD part compilation and part album release, and was therefore given the name ''[[Najveći hitovi - Pobediće istina]]''. A second Baja VHS, [[Rat i Mir (VHS)|''Rat i mir'']], released, and it would feature music videos for select tracks on the ''[[Rat i mir|Rat i Mir]]'' cassette release, as well as tracks from ''[[Kockar bez sreće]]''. The poems featured in the VHS were to be compiled in his one and only book, ''Nedefinisan čovek'', however, it never came to fruition.  

In early 1995, Baja would release three more albums: [[Igraju se delije|''Igraju se delije'']], [[Idemo dalje|''Idemo dalje'']], and ''[[Zbogom oružje]]''. ''Igraju se delije'' would be the last time Goran would accompany Baja on his own albums and would also be the first collaboration with Željko Jovanović. ''Idemo dalje'' was released in August of that year, shortly before Krajina fell. Shortly after the war officially ended, [[Zbogom oružje]] released in late 1995, critical of the war and the political climate at the time.

After working on side projects, Baja would depart SuperTon some time in 1997, moving to Lazarević Produktion where he released [[Ne dirajte njega|''Ne dirajte njega'']] in 1997. During the Serbian general elections in the same year, controversial politician Vojislav Šešelj to approached Baja, asking him to produce a cassette with songs dedicated to Šešelj's party, the Serbian Radical Party (abbreviated to SRS). With three songs dedicated to the party and the rest being reused material from other albums, [[Srpskim radikalima|''Srpskim radikalima'']] was released.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_Sd8TdWTMw "Baja Mali Knindza o Šešelju"] ''Youtube.com''</ref> In 1998, SuperTon would release the exceedingly rare Baja compilation "''[[The Best Off]]"'', but it's not known if Baja was directly involved with the album's production or not.

In 1999, Baja went to Renome and released his last war-related album, [[Biti 'il ne biti|''Biti 'il ne biti'']]. Its contents focused on the [[Music during the Kosovo War|Kosovo War]] and subsequent NATO bombing campaign of Yugoslavia, which were ongoing at the time. Accompanied by [[Dragan Stojković Bosanac]], he also would release [[Gara iz Lončara / Život je tamo]] with the songs "[[Evo džepa, đe su pare bile]]" and "[[Duni vjetre malo preko jetre]]" being one of his most popular songs. Like ''[[Kockar bez sreće]]'', the album would feature no patriotic songs.  

In 2000, Baja released [[Povratak u budućnost|''Povratak u budućnost'']], which featured another popular track, "[[Samo je moj stari znao]]". Baja would also return to Nina Trejd one last time and release [[Zaljubljen i mlad]] which featured reimagined versions of songs from ''Kockar bez sreć''e as well as some new material. Around this time, Renome's sublabel, [[Patriot]] would release the compilation ''[[Moje najljepše, one naše ?! Vaš Baja Mali]],'' but it's unknown if Baja had any involvement in its release.

In 2001, he released [[Đe si legendo]] which showed a change in musical direction for Baja. Rather than be solely folk, its songs would mix elements of rock and roll and pop, and no samples from the [[wikipedia:Roland_Sound_Canvas|Roland Sound Canvas]], which he used heavily in some of his most well known works. It would also feature a rock version of the song "[[Kuća časti]]" from a previous album Baja, ''Igraju se delije''. Renome would later release the compilation, ''Hitovi'', although it only contained Baja songs that were released by Renome themselves.

In 2002, he released [[Zbogom pameti|''Zbogom pameti'']], an album that reimagined some songs from ''Kockar bez sreće'', along with the songs "[[Ko je ljubio, taj ne ljubi više]]" and "[[Prošli su mi vozovi]]". It also contains a reimagined version of the Braća sa Dinare song, "[[Loš učenik]]" albeit renamed to "Šta je tebi, dođi sebi". ''Zbogom Pameti'' also includes the duet, "[[Šta ti bi]]", which was released a year prior on Nada Obrić's ''Tako je život hteo''. Following the release of ''Zbogom Pameti'', Baja would move primarily to live performances and he'd be more involved with the industry for the next four years. Around this time, Baja would start singing vulgar songs in his live performances, typically about women and drinking.[[File:Modern Baja Mali Knindza concert.png|thumb|400x400px|2022 Baja Mali Knindža concert]]

In 2007, he released [[Gluvi barut|''Gluvi barut'']] which leaned more on the pop genre (common for the industry time of its release) and would be the last album published by Renome. Another compilation, ''[[Best of Baja Mali Knindža]]'' was also released. While Baja would occasionally return to Renome to help with songwriting, and would move to BN Music after 2008.

In 2010, he would release his first BN Music album [[Idemo malena|''Idemo malena'']], featuring notably autotuned vocals. After the death of his cousin, Kseniji Pajčin, Baja wrote a song titled "Spavaj, kraljice" in her memory.<ref>"[https://web.archive.org/web/20150122222402/http://www.kurir.rs/baja-mali-knindza-placem-za-sestrom-ksenijom-clanak-65212 Plačem za sestrom Ksenijom]". Kurir. 27 December 2010. Archived from [http://www.svet.rs/najnovije-vesti/baja-mali-knindza-posvetio-pesmu-kseniji-pajcin...&#x20;&#x20;Originalno&#x20;objavljeno&#x20;na&#x20;stranici&#x20;www.svet.rs/najnovije-vesti/baja-mali-knindza-posvetio-pesmu-kseniji-pajcin the original] on 22 January 2015. Retrieved 26 July 2023.</ref> The song would never receive an official release as Baja never intended to ever record it citing turmoil and grief. Despite this, the song was recorded and subsequently uploaded to the internet where it would go viral.<ref>"[https://archive.ph/4fwzd NAJTUŽNIJA PESMA BAJE MALOG KNINDŽE POSVEĆENA JE KSENIJI PAJČIN Nikad je nisam snimio, ne pevam je! To je nešto moje što me boli... (VIDEO)]." Alo!. 16 March 2021. Archived from [https://www.alo.rs/vip/vip/baja-mali-knindza-ksenija-pajcin-pesma/395834/vest the original]. Retrieved 26 July 2023.</ref> Around this time, Baja would stop singing overly nationalistic songs at live performances. He would also be routinely accompanied by rock band [[Minđušari]] in live performances, contrary to a typical set-list that featured a local band. He still tours with them occasionally with the most recent appearance being in 2022.<ref>"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3-ZZeXZ9Ps Baja Mali Knindza - VELIKA SALA SPENS - 18.11.2022. (PROMO)]".  9 November 2022. Retrieved 26 July 2023.

On June 14, 2018, the official YouTube channel for Baja Mali Knindža would be created<ref>"[https://www.youtube.com/@BMKOfficialChannel/about BMK Official Channel About]". 17 June 2018. Retrieved 26 July 2023.</ref> and it would become the main place where Baja<nowiki>'s current work would be released. Currently he only publishes singles and some live performances, and has not published any of his old work or music videos from the 90's. His most recent single would be Najčistija beretka ''CIGO''</nowiki>, released April 20, 2021. While Baja continues to perform patriotic music and love songs live, their contents are not nearly as chauvinistic.