36 | Muzika » Music Beograd uvek pruži posebnu ljubav „đavolski dobroj gitaristkinji“, kako ju je jednom nazvao čuveni Brus Springstin Belgrade always offers a special kind of love to this “devilishly good guitarist”, as she was once dubbed by Bruce Springsteen KULTURA / CULTURE While smashing it with her guitar on stages around the world, Ana Popović can hardly wait to celebrate the 20th anniversaryof theestablishingof her own band at Belgrade's Barutana on 22nd May. Her native Belgrade always offers a special kindof love for this “devilishly goodguitarist”, as shewas once dubbed by the famous Bruce Springsteen. She always keeps her suitcases at the ready for performances that are sold out months in advance, and when flying to Amsterdam, where she also lives – alongside Los Angeles and Belgrade – she always chooses Air Serbia. What are you preparing to perform for us at your Barutana concert? Who will be performing with you and what will you play? “We will promote the live CD and DVD “Live For Live”, which can be loosely translated to Serbian as “We Live for Live". This is a cross-section of my career, because 2020 marked 20 years since I founded my band under my own name. And that DVD and CD represents a compilation of songs from various albums, from different periods of my musical development. On the drums we have young star Kwesi Robinson, the bass guitarist is Buthel, the keyboard and organ are played byMichele Papadia, the saxophone is the responsibility of Claudio Giovagnoli, while the trumpet belongs to Davide Ghidoni.” What does it feel like to perform in your hometown? “It’s incomparable to any other performance. Belgrade knowsmy starting point and what my beginnings sounded like. That’s why it’s reallymygreatest pleasure tosharewith that audience my new sound and everything that’s inspiredme over previous years, as a guitarist and lyricist, but also as the band’s frontman.” Almost all of your albums have topped prestigious charts... How does a girl from Serbia become a popular blues artist? You conquered America, and that’s no mean feat... “I suppose it’s because I always give them ANA POPOV I Ć, B LUES ROCK ART I ST Belgrade knows my starting point A performance in my hometown is incomparable to any other. I can't wait to share my new sound, and everything that’s inspired me over previous years, with my own audience at Barutana on 22nd May high-quality music. I try not to copy anyone, to remain true to myself, to always exceed expectations creatively and outdo what I did on previous records. I thereby preserve my old audience and win over a new one. And that’s how it’s been for a full 20 years.” What is blues to you? That music genre ultimately has American roots; how do you find your blues? “Everything around me is inspiration for the blues. Every groove canbe linked to the blues. Anymusical idea – whether expressed through chords or lyrics – can be sufficiently associatedwithmodern blues. We nonetheless play themost variedgenres: soul, funk, rock, jazz etc. You said on one occasion that music always
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