Dino Dvornik
Encyclopedia
Miljenko "Dino" Dvornik was a Croatia
n singer, songwriter, music producer, actor and reality television
star.
, Dino Dvornik was born in Split
, Croatia
. He and his elder brother, Dean Dvornik, would play alongside their father in mainstream 1970s movies and TV shows. These included Naše malo misto (Our Little Place), Mater (Mother) (1976), Hajdučka vremena (Daredevil's Time) (1977), Priko sinjeg mora (Over the Great Sea) (1979) as well as the TV show Ljubav je hleb s devet kora (Love Is a Bread with Nine Crusts) (1990) and what was to be his final appearance, Ta divna splitska noć (A Wonderful Night in Split
) (2004) by director Arsen A. Ostojić, a movie which achieved many honours at various film festivals.
In August 1989, Dino Dvornik married Danijela (née Kuljiš), with whom he had a daughter, Ella.
. It was the first domestic funk record released in Croatia. He had been a perfectionist by reputation, who would lock himself in the studio for months. However, differences between the interests of the band members and the public led the band to an early breakup.
Dvornik's influences included James Brown
, Stevie Wonder
and other funk artists. His unique style of music earned him the monikers "King of Funk" and "Funk Daddy". Dino was also known for his changing haircuts and his taste for stylish and trendy clothes. He was a born entertainer, who would keep his fans amused during and in between songs, making sure nobody would leave his shows unhappy.
His popularity was built on a combination of intelligent song lyrics and energetic, wild stage performances. In this early stage of his career, he chose his haircut and outfit to resemble Morrissey
from The Smiths
. At Zagreb Fest in 1988 Dino first made a name for himself when he received the award for best debutant for his song "Tebi pripadam" (I Belong To You). The very same year, he released his first solo album, self titled "Dino Dvornik" followed by "Kreativni nered" (Creative Disorder) in 1989. Both became huge hits and made him a superstar in short time. After two other good albums, a studio and a live album, which went unnoticed because of the war in his country, Dino finally switched from funk to house music in the mid 1990s. His best-known song from that period is an ode to his hometown Split, Ništa kontra Splita, which he performed at the prestigious Split Music Festival in 1995, and eventually he won the main award for it. Dino released "Enfant Terrible" in 1997, his best selling and most awarded album to date. He has won several Porin
s, the most famous Croatia
n music award. Although he loved his hometown Split, he was living mainly in the Croatian capital of Zagreb
for professional reasons. Dino was a supporter of Croatian football giants Hajduk Split
.
Dvornik frequently expressed that the breakup of Yugoslavia had consequences on his album sales, since the market decreased and people focused on other music styles and different artists in their new originated countries during and after the war. He stood his ground on a smaller market against people who thought he was too unpredictable. The quality of his music always managed to prevail obstacles like these during his career.
He would rearrange parts on his tracks until everything was the way he thought was well enough to be shared with his fans. Dvornik was always anxious for his albums to be produced in high standard quality, something he was famous for ever since his early days in music. His most notable collaborations with other music artists in his country include those with Croatian music diva Josipa Lisac
, and his Montenegrin counterpart and close friend, Rambo Amadeus
. In his last years, Dvornik would often get behind the turntables and deejay in various clubs.
In 2004 he starred in the movie A Wonderful Night in Split
portraying a Split drug lord. The same year he became one of the first Croatian celebrities to start writing his own blog
. He was later joined by his wife and his modelling daughter in doing so.
In 2006, he and his family became the stars of a Croatian reality show, Dvornikovi (The Dvorniks), an entertaining show in the manner of The Osbournes
.
In 2008, Dino was working on his forthcoming album
, Pandorina kutija (Pandora's Box). The album was nearing completion. He had already released the first single
for the summer, Hipnotiziran (Hypnotized). The album is due for release in October 2008.
which he was suffering from. He was also seriously depressed. The police conducted an on-site investigation and found many anti-depressants in the house. His wife Danijela found him dead in bed in their apartment at 11:00. Three days later, Dino was buried at the Mirogoj cemetery in Zagreb
. One of his final requests
was to be buried
with his favorite video game, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
.
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
n singer, songwriter, music producer, actor and reality television
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
star.
Early life
A son of renowned Croatian actor Boris DvornikBoris Dvornik
Boris Dvornik was a Croatian actor.Born in Split to the family of a carpenter, Boris Dvornik discovered acting talent at an early age, while performing in children's plays. After studying to become an electrician, he began to pursue a full-time acting career...
, Dino Dvornik was born in Split
Split (city)
Split is a Mediterranean city on the eastern shores of the Adriatic Sea, centered around the ancient Roman Palace of the Emperor Diocletian and its wide port bay. With a population of 178,192 citizens, and a metropolitan area numbering up to 467,899, Split is by far the largest Dalmatian city and...
, Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
. He and his elder brother, Dean Dvornik, would play alongside their father in mainstream 1970s movies and TV shows. These included Naše malo misto (Our Little Place), Mater (Mother) (1976), Hajdučka vremena (Daredevil's Time) (1977), Priko sinjeg mora (Over the Great Sea) (1979) as well as the TV show Ljubav je hleb s devet kora (Love Is a Bread with Nine Crusts) (1990) and what was to be his final appearance, Ta divna splitska noć (A Wonderful Night in Split
A Wonderful Night in Split
A Wonderful Night in Split is a 2004 Croatian drama film directed by Arsen Anton Ostojić featuring an ensemble cast starring Nives Ivanković, Marinko Prga, Marija Škaričić, Dino Dvornik and Coolio.- Synopsis :...
) (2004) by director Arsen A. Ostojić, a movie which achieved many honours at various film festivals.
In August 1989, Dino Dvornik married Danijela (née Kuljiš), with whom he had a daughter, Ella.
Career
Dino was best known to the public as a musician, more so than an actor, as he only took sporadic forays into acting over the years. His music had originally made him famous, earning him wide popularity across the regions of the former Yugoslavia. In the early 1980s, Dino and his brother Dean founded Kineski zid (Chinese wall or Great wall), a pop band named after the building in which the Dvornik family lived at that time in SplitSplit (city)
Split is a Mediterranean city on the eastern shores of the Adriatic Sea, centered around the ancient Roman Palace of the Emperor Diocletian and its wide port bay. With a population of 178,192 citizens, and a metropolitan area numbering up to 467,899, Split is by far the largest Dalmatian city and...
. It was the first domestic funk record released in Croatia. He had been a perfectionist by reputation, who would lock himself in the studio for months. However, differences between the interests of the band members and the public led the band to an early breakup.
Dvornik's influences included James Brown
James Brown
James Joseph Brown was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist. He is the originator of Funk and is recognized as a major figure in the 20th century popular music for both his vocals and dancing. He has been referred to as "The Godfather of Soul," "Mr...
, Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
and other funk artists. His unique style of music earned him the monikers "King of Funk" and "Funk Daddy". Dino was also known for his changing haircuts and his taste for stylish and trendy clothes. He was a born entertainer, who would keep his fans amused during and in between songs, making sure nobody would leave his shows unhappy.
Wider success and personal feedback
He is one of the rare artists of the former Yugoslavia who maintained his popularity in the region after the wars. Dvornik had been emerging on the Yugoslav music scene when the war broke out. Privately, he had been praised by many for his honesty, and friendship in the true sense of the word, and he also had fans all over the world, particularly amongst people originating from the former Yugoslavia. Dvornik would play shows all over Europe and in the U.S. His biggest hit amongst many, arguably, is "Afrika" (taken from the album "Enfant terrible" (1997). His down-to-earth, endearing attitude was much appreciated by his fans. Dino was described as being friendly to all, often walking and living his life in full public view; never turning away from the attention of fans, and even joining them socially in the bars and cafés.His popularity was built on a combination of intelligent song lyrics and energetic, wild stage performances. In this early stage of his career, he chose his haircut and outfit to resemble Morrissey
Morrissey
Steven Patrick Morrissey , known as Morrissey, is an English singer and lyricist. He rose to prominence in the 1980s as the lyricist and vocalist of the alternative rock band The Smiths. The band was highly successful in the United Kingdom but broke up in 1987, and Morrissey began a solo career,...
from The Smiths
The Smiths
The Smiths were an English alternative rock band, formed in Manchester in 1982. Based on the song writing partnership of Morrissey and Johnny Marr , the band also included Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce...
. At Zagreb Fest in 1988 Dino first made a name for himself when he received the award for best debutant for his song "Tebi pripadam" (I Belong To You). The very same year, he released his first solo album, self titled "Dino Dvornik" followed by "Kreativni nered" (Creative Disorder) in 1989. Both became huge hits and made him a superstar in short time. After two other good albums, a studio and a live album, which went unnoticed because of the war in his country, Dino finally switched from funk to house music in the mid 1990s. His best-known song from that period is an ode to his hometown Split, Ništa kontra Splita, which he performed at the prestigious Split Music Festival in 1995, and eventually he won the main award for it. Dino released "Enfant Terrible" in 1997, his best selling and most awarded album to date. He has won several Porin
Porin
Porin may refer to:* Porin , a transmembrane protein* Porin , a Croatian grand Opera, first performed in 1897* Porin , the Croatian national music industry award, first awarded in 1994 and named after the opera...
s, the most famous Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
n music award. Although he loved his hometown Split, he was living mainly in the Croatian capital of Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
for professional reasons. Dino was a supporter of Croatian football giants Hajduk Split
HNK Hajduk Split
HNK Hajduk Split, commonly referred to as Hajduk Split or simply Hajduk, is a Croatian football club founded in 1911 and based in the city of Split. The club's home ground since 1979 is the 35,000-seater Poljud Stadium and the team's traditional home colours are white shirts with blue shorts and...
.
Dvornik frequently expressed that the breakup of Yugoslavia had consequences on his album sales, since the market decreased and people focused on other music styles and different artists in their new originated countries during and after the war. He stood his ground on a smaller market against people who thought he was too unpredictable. The quality of his music always managed to prevail obstacles like these during his career.
He would rearrange parts on his tracks until everything was the way he thought was well enough to be shared with his fans. Dvornik was always anxious for his albums to be produced in high standard quality, something he was famous for ever since his early days in music. His most notable collaborations with other music artists in his country include those with Croatian music diva Josipa Lisac
Josipa Lisac
Josipa Lisac is an eminent female singer.-Biography:During the 1960s she was a vocalist of the group named Zlatni Akordi...
, and his Montenegrin counterpart and close friend, Rambo Amadeus
Rambo Amadeus
Rambo Amadeus is the stage name of the Belgrade-based Montenegrin singer-songwriter Antonije Pušić, popular all over the former Yugoslavia...
. In his last years, Dvornik would often get behind the turntables and deejay in various clubs.
Later years
Over the years he became the subject of the media spotlight for allegedly struggling with substance abuse. He made several attempts at drug withdrawal and even though he succeeded each time, he admitted that the drugs had ruined his health and made his life a mess. Although he was a caring husband and loving father, he would still attend parties. Dino tended to create a warm atmosphere wherever he went, putting people instantly in a good mood. There have been many rumours about Dino Dvornik, mostly about his substance abuse and other shocking incidents such as apparently urinating on jury members from a gallery at an award show in the late 1990s as he did not approve with their selection of artists to be honoured. At a similar public event he was spotted running around in underwear in order to state his disgust towards the hypocrisy and petty bourgeoisie of some people attending the show.In 2004 he starred in the movie A Wonderful Night in Split
A Wonderful Night in Split
A Wonderful Night in Split is a 2004 Croatian drama film directed by Arsen Anton Ostojić featuring an ensemble cast starring Nives Ivanković, Marinko Prga, Marija Škaričić, Dino Dvornik and Coolio.- Synopsis :...
portraying a Split drug lord. The same year he became one of the first Croatian celebrities to start writing his own blog
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
. He was later joined by his wife and his modelling daughter in doing so.
In 2006, he and his family became the stars of a Croatian reality show, Dvornikovi (The Dvorniks), an entertaining show in the manner of The Osbournes
The Osbournes
The Osbournes is an American reality television program featuring the domestic life of heavy metal singer Ozzy Osbourne and his family. The series premiered on MTV on March 5, 2002, and in its first season, was cited as the most-viewed series ever on MTV...
.
In 2008, Dino was working on his forthcoming album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, Pandorina kutija (Pandora's Box). The album was nearing completion. He had already released the first single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
for the summer, Hipnotiziran (Hypnotized). The album is due for release in October 2008.
Death
On September 7, 2008, just 18 days following the celebration of his 44th birthday, Dino died in his bed. He had overdosed on tablets for Hepatitis CHepatitis C
Hepatitis C is an infectious disease primarily affecting the liver, caused by the hepatitis C virus . The infection is often asymptomatic, but chronic infection can lead to scarring of the liver and ultimately to cirrhosis, which is generally apparent after many years...
which he was suffering from. He was also seriously depressed. The police conducted an on-site investigation and found many anti-depressants in the house. His wife Danijela found him dead in bed in their apartment at 11:00. Three days later, Dino was buried at the Mirogoj cemetery in Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
. One of his final requests
Will (law)
A will or testament is a legal declaration by which a person, the testator, names one or more persons to manage his/her estate and provides for the transfer of his/her property at death...
was to be buried
Burial
Burial is the act of placing a person or object into the ground. This is accomplished by excavating a pit or trench, placing an object in it, and covering it over.-History:...
with his favorite video game, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is a 2007 first-person shooter video game, developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision for Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Wii. A handheld game was made for the Nintendo DS. The game was released in North America, Australia, and...
.
Discography
- 1989 Dino DvornikDino Dvornik (album)Dino Dvornik is the epymous debut album by the late Croatian singer Dino Dvornik. Released in 1989, the album is a good mix of RnB, synthpop, and pop rock.-Track listing:-Personnel:*Dino Dvornik - percussion, drum machine, vocals, occasional keyboards...
- 1990 Kreativni nered
- 1993 Priroda i društvo
- 1994 Live In Munich
- 1997 Enfant terrible
- 1998 The Best of: Vidi ove pisme
- 1999 Big Mamma
- 2001 2002 godine u Splitu!
- 2002 Svicky
- 2008 Pandorina kutija
- 2009 Dino Dvornik The Ultimate Collection
- 2010 Pandorina kutija (Special Edition) + 3 new tracks + DVD