“I couldn't believe how many honest and fantastic Croats there were in Australia!”

Josip LONCARIC

Born on the fifth of April in 1960, in Split, Nenad Vetma's rise from accomplished professional athlete to booming baritone singer is one of the most interesting stories in Croatian music history. With his family hailing from Klis, Vetma nevertheless lived his entire life in the coastal Split suburb of Bacvice, opposite a tennis court, where his first passion began.

A one time heart-throb with the ladies - thanks to his puppy dog pouting whilst singing - Vetma's important role in the years preceding and during the Homeland War (Domovinski rat) in the Diaspora and particularly in Australia, cannot go unnoticed.

This month, the 'Croatian Herald' speaks exclusively to the man whose unforgetable hit list includes ''Moja Croacija'', ''Necu zivot u tu�ini'' and of course the evergreen ''Bolis me duso'', as he promotes his comeback album ''Zalij to cvijece''.

CROATIAN HERALD (CH): How and when did the musical career of Nenad Vetma begin?

NENAD VETMA (NV): My whole youth was spent training and playing tennis with my father Boris, so from a hobby initially, tennis became a profession. I won numerous Croatian and Yugoslav titles from an early age, so I was already well known in media circles for my tennis exploits.

In 1979, (highly regarded tennis coach) Nikola Pilic called me to play as a professional in the German Tennis League competition. I remained there until 1987, when I was contacted by the late Zdenko Runjic, who had a desire for me to sing one of his songs at the Split Festival of that year. We met again on the tennis court in Split where I was coaching Oliver Dragojevic (then working with Runjic) and after training we would often go to dinner and sing some songs together accompanied by a guitar. I must have impressed Runjic because soon afterwards, he suggested that that we record some songs and that he would personally take care of the song's promotion. It didn't take much to convince me because I felt a calling for music that came with my desire to express myself, to be creative and explore my emotions. Previously I had completed two years of music education, but I had to stop because of my tennis commitments.

Something from deep inside me was always looking to return to music and when I sang with the accompanying orchestra at the Split Festival in 1987 with Runjic's song ''Zavicajna'', the words of that beautiful song expressed my emotions of returning to my home, which I had done after many years of life abroard in Germany. When you are finally back home, it is the best feeling.

CH: From the late 1980s to the early to mid 90s, you were extremely popular in Australia and toured here frequently. Did you enjoy the same popularity back home, and if not, why do you think that you enjoyed such success in Australia?

NV: My first visit to Australia came in 1989 with a touring contingent of singers from the Split Festival. During that visit, the good people down at the Melbourne Croatia Soccer Club (namely Stipe Svircic and Ivica Fonti) recognized my talent and suggested a solo tour the following year, which was staged in 1990.

I remember vividly, the date was the 12th of January when the first concert was held in front of well over 10,000 people at the club after the (NSL) derby between Melbourne Croatia and Sydney Croatia. I even remember kicking off the ball and singing the Croatian national anthem before the match.

Australia was something new for me both as a person and careerwise, because even though I was raised in a Catholic family, I couldn't believe how many honest and fantastic Croats there were in Australia. The Croatians in Australia weren't afraid to say what they truly felt and they were completely fearless at a time when, back home, you simply weren't allowed to say what you truly felt. It was an unforgettable concert, filled with emotion for our homeland, and was followed by another great concert in Sydney in front of 7,500 people.

CH: Which singers and musicians impacted on your development as a singer?

NV: Tom Jones was always my number one idol, and I even got to meet him and sing a song with him on stage in Las Vegas! Of our home based artists, Oliver and Miso Kovac are admired as both people and artists, whilst of the female performers, Tereza Kesovija and Zorica Kondza are also great.

CH: How would you describe your style of music and singing, and in which genre are you most comfortable?

NV: My style is in our traditional pop/zabavni crooner style and really any music from any region of Croatia is what I like.

“Much of my life experiences came in my dealings with Croats in the diaspora”

CH: During the peak of your career as a singer, you worked with legendary composer, the late Zdenko Runjic, who had just finished a three decade long collaboration with Oliver Dragojevic. You sang some of his hit songs, for instance ''Bolis me duso'', and they were very successful. Why did you end your working relationship with Runjic, who instead decided to launch the relatively unknown Goran Karan into his (successful) solo career?

NV: Even today, ''Bolis me duso'' is a massive hit, especially the new version which I recorded with Jole for my upcoming, new album. You could say that that song is my calling card, which Runjic told me when he offered it to me that I would sing this it throughout the remainder of my career.

I decided to go solo after four records with Runjic and I began to write my own material, for example ''Za jedan novi hrvatski dom''. To be honest, I'm very much a believer in putting your emotions into a song to get the best from it and much of my life experiences came in my dealings with Croats in the diaspora.

Songs like ''Necu zivot u tudini'' and ''Vracam se majko'' are expressions of my own longing for my home and the most memorable events of my life. This why I connect with my audience, I have had these experiences and I know how it hurts to be away from one's home.

CH: Can you define Nenad Vetma as a person, away from the stage persona?

NV: Nenad Vetma is a humble and simple man, who was gifted with a good voice from God to use. I love people, celebrations, music and I am proud to be Croatian!

CH: Your new album 'Zalij to cvijece' is out for sale in Croatia and is on its way to Australia. What can the public expect from this new album, with the knowledge that the promotions overseas suggest that this is your comeback album?

NV: My new CD, 'Zalij to cvijece', which has been released through the Dancing Bear label, features 15 hit songs that I love, personally selected and really I don't think that they can go wrong. I feel it is my obligation to my fans to give them some no-frills pop music filled with emotion.

CH: How important are the reactions of fellow musicians in the Croatian Musicians' Union about your songs and your music in general?

NV: The Croatian Musicians' Union is an excellent institution, which I have been a member of for many years and I welcome any comments and suggestions from all of my fellow musicians. However their behaviour towards me is exactly the same as I am towards them, and that is always encouraging each other because we are but a small family with a big heart.

CH: What are some of your career highlights so far?

NV: Behind me I have recorded 13 projects/albums, from which five went gold and one platinum, I have performed at well over 50 festivals, including 14 Split Festivals, eight Melodije Jadrana, three Zagrebfests, Opatija, Pozega, Melodije Istre i Kvarnera, and the many smaller festivals lsuch as Opuzen and Korcula.

I performed at more than 200 memorable concerts during the Homeland War, from which my greatest memory remains the honest people whom I encountered who understood the feelings that a good song creates. I have been to the USA and Canada several times, seen all the big cities and ports, I've travelled the world thanks to the Croatian Catholic Associations, the sporting clubs and radio stations etc.

CH:  Finally Nenad, how many times have you been to Australia and do you have an ambition to return anytime in the near future to tour?

NV I have been to Australia six times, and I am coming once more to promote my latest CD in April and for the first time, I will be visiting New Zealand, which I am excited about. I can't wait to be in the company of our great people Down Under, so until then I wish that everyone remains alive and well. See you then!