Won Two Porins with Mangroove, Now a New Role Awaits
After a successful music year, Željka Veverec announces her return to theater with a dramatic role in the play 'Women Who Scream Inside'.
After a successful music year, Željka Veverec announces her return to theater with a dramatic role in the play 'Women Who Scream Inside'.
Singer Željka Veverec is having an exceptionally successful year. With the group Mangroove, she won two Porin awards for the album "Komad neba" (A Piece of Sky), and at the recent Rock&Off, she also took home the title of best "pop off" performer. However, this versatile artist has no plans to rest on her musical laurels and is preparing for a completely new challenge, a dramatic role in the theater.
Although she studied comparative literature and Croatian studies, Željka has no formal musical education. "I've always had a need to tell stories, and it turned out that I end up doing that through music," she told Jutarnji list. She admits she regrets not having mastered the basics of an instrument, but believes it was precisely her "tribal sense of music" that guided her through her career. By listening to her intuition, she found opportunities to do what she loves, theater, literature, and music.
She has seven original solo albums to her name and a rich history of collaborations with giants of the domestic scene, such as Elvis Stanić, Dado Topić, Josipa Lisac, and Igor Geržina. She has also performed with garage rock group Erotic Biljan and His Heretics, pianist Fabio Puglisi, and the band Chui. She highlights Chui's leader, Toni Starešinić, as a key figure in her sound. "My music wouldn't sound the way it does without Toni; he plays keyboards on every song. I start with a story, look for a theme, a lyric, and then I sing it. That's when Toni sits down at the piano," Veverec describes their creative process, emphasizing the importance of working with dedicated people from whom she can learn.
Mangroove has already completed part of their summer performances, with several more concerts across Croatia ahead. The audience can hear them on August 20, 2026, in Makarska, the following day in Mlini, August 22 in Sinj, August 24 in Malinska, and August 25 in Slavonski Brod. The Zagreb concert is scheduled for January.
Before that, Željka has a special performance in Zagreb. On September 6, 2026, she will join the Hommage Collectiv ensemble to perform songs by the legendary singer Sade.
In addition to her busy music schedule, Veverec is returning to her theatrical roots this autumn. As a student, she auditioned for the musical "Hair" at the Komedija theater, and later performed in productions of "Jalta, Jalta," "Cabaret," and "Aida." She later worked with Toni Starešinić on music for several theater plays.
Now, she has a dramatic engagement with the Tragači company of Jelena Hadžimanov. "They offered me a dramatic role, and I'm happy and excited to work with Doris Šarić Kukuljica, Ivana Boban, Tara Dorotić, and Ivana Gudelj," the singer revealed. The premiere of the play "Women Who Scream Inside" is scheduled for October 31, 2026, at the Trešnjevka Cultural Center.
