Žanil Tataj - Žak
Žanil Tataj – Žak (born 2 May 1967), is a Croatian musician, singer, composer and producer.
Žanil Tataj - Žak
Vidmarnejc · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Name
- Žanil Tataj – Žak
- Birth Name
- Žanil Tataj
- Born
- 2 May 1967
- Birthplace
- Rijeka, Croatia
- Occupation
- Musician, Singer, Songwriter, Producer, Mentor at YMS Rijeka
- Nationality
- Croatia · Yugoslavia
- Fields
- heavy metal · hard rock
- Languages
- Croatian
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Documentary summary
Žanil Tataj – Žak (born 2 May 1967), is a Croatian musician, singer, composer and producer.
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Note VALÉORINE
Žanil Tataj - Žak (born 1967) is a composer, guitarist and lyricist, among other activities, of Croatian and Yugoslav nationality. The composer was born in Rijeka.
The work spans hard rock and heavy metal. Languages used include Croatian.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 28 September 2026
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Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Žanil Tataj – Žak • Birth Name — Žanil Tataj • Alias — Žak • Born — 2 May 1967 • Birthplace — Rijeka, Croatia • Genre — Heavy metal, hard rock, rock, pop, classical music • Occupation — Musician, Singer, Songwriter, Producer, Mentor at YMS Rijeka • Instrument — Vocals, Guitar, Bass Guitar, Violin, Viola, Keyboards • Current Member Of — Mary Rose, Ravenstine, Alen Šenkovski Band • Past Member Of — Divlje Jagode(Wild Strawberries), Jersey, Black Diamond
Early life
Early life
Žak was born in Rijeka, Croatia. He graduated from Music high school in Rijeka, finishing the course of violin and viola. In addition to that he is also a multi-instrumentalist. Žak has learned vocal technics from his mother Petja Todorova – Tataj, famous piano player and vocal educationalist.
Career
Career
Žak has started his rich music career in mid 80's in famous Rijeka's band Jersey. They've recorded their first album, Pustite Da Živim, for Yugoslav discography label Jugoton. They had numerous concerts all around Yugoslavia, and have received many different awards from various rock festivals. Between 1988 and 1991 he played a viola in opera orchestre of HNK Ivan Zajc. In the beginning of the 1990s Jersey had stopped performing, because Žak was, known for his great vocal abilities, invited to perform with legendary rock band Divlje Jagode (Wild Strawberries). They've recorded album Magic Love, which was, because of intention of being published on the European market, sung in English. Because of the war in Yugoslavia, Divlje Jagode stopped performing and therefore Žak has started working with the Slovenian band Mary Rose. They've recorded album called Pleasure & Pain, but because of the fire blast in studio Tivoli, the album never saw the light of the day. Mary Rose then stopped performing for some years. In the beginning of 1994, Žak has contributed on the joint project of the famous European rock bands Helloween and Gamma Ray. He also worked with Zoran Šerbedžija, ex-guitarist of Crvena Jabuka on the project "Madcap Laf" in Germany. In 1995 and 1996 he worked as an instrumentalist and vocalist on two albums of Slovenian band Turbo, called The Power Of Metal and A Glimpse Of Home. In the second half of 1995 he founded a band in Croatia called Aqua, with whom he recorded a self-titled album. He returned to Divlje Jagode with the concert Final top 1000 in Stuttgart. This concert was broadcast by SDR 3, MTV and other European TV and radio stations. With Divlje Jagode he recorded an album Sto Vjekova and successfully performed all over Europe until 1999. In 1999 he recorded his first solo album and with few songs performed on festivals like Neumski and Splitski. At the end of 1999 he published his symphonic album, titled Božićne Pjesme(Christmas Songs). In the beginning of 2000 he started performing with two Slovenian cover bands, Črna Gradnja and Ambasada. Due to the urge for making original authors music, he and guitarist Eki Alilovski refounded Mary Rose in 2004. As the result of this work, they have released a new album titled Feniks, in 2006. In 2006, he also founded a jazzy band Norne with famous Rijeka's vocalist, where Žak is playing a bass guitar. This band performs various songs in various languages and is getting ready for concerts and possible album. In 2013 he joined Slovenian heavy metal band Black Diamond, after the release of their first album Last Man Standing, on which he sang most of the songs. At the moment he is also working as a vocal coach in music school Studio Maraton. In 2019 Žak founded a new band which performs under his name Žanil Tataj – Žak. In 2019 they've released singles Prosule se divlje jagode and [Tišina] 2019 is also a year when Mary Rose, after years of health difficulties of some of their members, finally released new album Resničen Svet. Album was released on May 17, followed by a promotional concert in Postojna, Slovenia. This concert is hoped and expected to be an announcement of come back of one of Slovenia's legendary bands.
Albums
Albums
• Jersey – Pustite Da Živim, (1988) • Zele/Divlje Jagode – Magic Love (1993) • Aqua – Aqua (1995) • Turbo – The Power Of Metal (1995) • Turbo – A Glimpse Of Home (1997) • Divlje Jagode – Sto Vjekova (1997) • Žanil Tataj Žak – Božićne Pjesme (1999) • Žanil Tataj Žak – Divojčica Naranćica (2001) • Mary Rose – Feniks (2006) • Žika – Filozofija (2008) • Black Diamond – Last Man Standing (2013) • Jersey – Pustite Da Živim (re-release) (2018) • Mary Rose – Resničen svet (2019) • Žanil Tataj Žak – Da Capo (EP) (2019) • Žanil Tataj Žak – Al Fine (2022) • Ravenstine – Ravenstine (2023) • Ravenstine – 2024 (2024) • Žanil Tataj Žak – Coda (2024) • Ravenstine – Live (2025)
Compilations
Compilations
• Dobro Jutro Opatija (1996) • Ajmo Rijeka (1997) • Najljepše Božićne Pjesme – Čežnja Vijekova (1998) • Split '99 (1999) • Divlje Jagode – Antologija 1 (2000) • Divlje Jagode – Antologija 2 (2000) • Etnofest Neum 2000 (2000) • Korčula 2000 – Festival Pjesme I Vina (2000) • Divlje Jagode – The Very Best Of – Let Na Drugi Svijet (2014) • Najljepše Božićne Pjesme (2006) • Divlje Jagode – Collection Boxset (2006) • Divlje Jagode – Greatest Hits (2015) • Divlje Jagode – Original Album Collection vol.1 (2018) • Divlje Jagode – Original Album Collection vol.2 (2018)
Singles
Singles
• Boje Jutra (1995) • Gabrijel (1996) • Kao More (2000) • Divojčica Narančica (2001) • Ništa Nije Zauvijek (2001) • Ništa Nije Zauvijek (2001) • Mary Rose - Sam (2006) • Black Diamond - The Edge Of Sanity (2015) • Black Diamond - Struggle With Shadows (2015) • Mary Rose - Stampedo (2016) • Black Diamond - Above The Sky (2016) • Black Diamond - Bad Colour (2017) • Mary Rose - Resničen Svet (2019) • Mary Rose - Vizija (2019) • Tišina (2019) • Na Putu Za Raj (2019) • Ispočetka (2019) • Da li ti je dosta? (2021) • Have you Had Enough? (2021) *As Jake Tate • Blindspot – Life Inflicts (2021) • Alen Šenkovski – Muzej Izgubljenih Duša (2021) • Mary Rose - Kje Si Zdaj (2022) • Alen Šenkovski feat.Enio Vučeta – Za Sve Je Kriv Rock 'n' Roll (2022) • Na Jastuku (2022) • Buđenje (2022) • Novi Svijet (2022) • Hologram (2022) • Grom U Koprive (2023) • Pustite Da Živim (2023) • Ravenstine – Ravenstine (2023) • Ravenstine – Freedom Day (2023) • Možda Danas (2023) • Duga Zima (2023) • Ravenstine – Black Is The Brightest Color (2023) • Kišni Dan (2023) • Blindspot – Shallow Grave (2023) • Alen Šenkovski ft. Dragianni – Zagrli Me U Beznađu (2023) • Mary Rose - Nagon (2024) • Ravenstine – A Long Way Home (2024) • Ravenstine – Fly Eagle Fly (2024) • Alen Šenkovski – Obzorja Gore (2024) • Kako Ljubav Boli (2024) • Ništa Labavo (2025) • Vrijedilo Je (2025) • Zaustaviti Vrijeme (2025) • At The End Of Time (2026)
Collaborations
Collaborations
• Let 3 – Bombardiranje Srbije I Čačka (2005) • Ženska Klapa Luka – Dani (2007) • Divine Illusion – Genetic (2010) • Divlje Jagode – Biodinamička ljubav (2013) • Zoran Šerbedžija & Žanil Tataj – Žak – Ti Si R'N'R (2020) • Divlje Jagode – Sama Si (album Jukebox) (2020) • Srčani Udar (album Sve Ili Ništa) – Kad Te Pukne Pjesma (2020) • Srčani Udar (album Sve Ili Ništa) – Priča Života Mog (2020) • Ivan Pop feat. Žanil Tataj – Žak – Open your Eyes (2021) • God’s Army (album Warriors Of The Wasteland) – Kindred Spirits (2021) • Analiza Uma feat. Žanil Tataj – Žak & Zoran Mišić – Kraj (version 1) (2021) • Analiza Uma feat. Žanil Tataj – Žak – Kraj (version 2) (2021) • Srčani Udar feat. Žanil Tataj – Žak – Halo Svemir (2022) • Maciej Podsiadło feat. Žanil Tataj-Žak – Metal Warrior (2022) • Evolucija – The Earth Is Full Of Rats (ft. Žanil Tataj – Žak) (2023) • Vrane Vrane – Sedam Slavnih (2023) • Evolucija – Shame On You (feat. Žanil Tataj – Žak) (2024) • Evolucija – Ne Zaslužuješ Stih (feat. Žanil Tataj – Žak) (2025) • Ivi Duzel – Siroče (feat. Žanil Tataj – Žak & Roko Duzel) (2025) • Ivo Kvesta ft. Žanil Tataj - Žak – Vjerujem u sebe (2025) • Ivo Kvesta ft. Žanil Tataj - Žak – Here I Go (2026)
Music and Executive producer
Music and Executive producer
• DNA – Naša Priča (2012) • Sara – Ljetna (2013) • Sara – Zauvijek (2015) • Sara – Laku noć (2016) • Silvija Starčević – Plan (2016) • Silvija Starčević – Dobro Jutro (2016) • Silvija Starčević – Hologram (2017) • Carlo Božić – Tajna (2019) • Lucija Gajzler – Reflection (2020) • Tea Vučak – Sve Je Lako (2020)

Let 3 performing the song "Mama ŠČ!" on stage at the dress rehearsal of the first semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2023, held on 8th May 2023 at the Liverpool Arena in Liverpool, United Kingdom, representing Croatia.
Michael Doherty

Let 3 performing the song "Mama ŠČ!" on stage at the dress rehearsal of the first semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2023, held on 8th May 2023 at the Liverpool Arena in Liverpool, United Kingdom, representing Croatia.
Michael Doherty
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 1 entries
1967
Žanil Tataj - Žak born at Rijeka.
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The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 19 August 2026.
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