In the Serbian diaspora in Chicago, a growing number of young people are working to preserve our culture, music, and identity far from our homeland. One name that has stood out in recent months is Andrijana Ilić, founder and artistic director of the vocal ensemble "Zlatni vez," a unique ethnic group that brings together roots, emotion, and community of the Serbian people through traditional music in America.

The Rise of "Zlatni vez"

The ensemble "Zlatni vez" was formed within the Serbian community in Chicago and quickly became recognizable for nurturing traditional songs from Serbia, Kosovo and Metohija, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Macedonia. Their performances, as well as their humanitarian work, have garnered significant attention from the diaspora.

We spoke with Andrijana Ilić from our portal about her love for ethnic music, preserving traditions among young people in the diaspora, the formation of "Zlatni vez," and future plans.

Behind the Scenes with Andrijana Ilić

First and foremost, I am someone who sincerely loves my people, tradition, and culture. Since childhood, I have been involved in folklore and singing, so music has always been a significant part of me. Through folklore, I fell in love not only with the music but also with our traditional clothing, customs, and the way people used to express emotions and life through music.

How did the idea of founding the vocal group "Zlatni vez" in Chicago come about?

The idea came about from a genuine desire to preserve our traditional music and gather people who love to sing and create something beautiful together. I remember once at an event, I saw a few young women who wanted to sing our traditional songs, and that sparked the idea to try and create something of our own. That's how we started gathering and practicing. The first members of the ensemble were Anastasija and Marija Tešić. The small vocal group quickly grew into an ensemble. From the beginning, I had a clear vision of how I wanted it to look and sound and have been working to gather people with knowledge, talent, and a genuine love for what we do.

How difficult is it to preserve traditional music and culture far from Serbia?

Honestly, it is not easy, but perhaps that's why it is even more important. When you are far from your homeland, you feel the need to preserve what reminds you of who you are and where you come from even more strongly. That's how it was for me. What I missed, I wanted to start here because I realized it wasn't just missing for me but for many of our people. As far as I know, there wasn't much like this in these areas, so we wanted to create something that would bring people together through music, emotion, and tradition.

Andrijana emphasizes that "Zlatni vez" is not just a musical ensemble but a community of people who share the same love for tradition and want to convey emotion, story, and identity of our people through music. She emphasizes that the humanitarian aspect of our work is particularly important to her, believing that music should not only connect people but also help those who need it most. "Zlatni vez" is a registered non-profit organization, and their goal is to collect funds through humanitarian concerts and direct them to where they are most needed, Andrijana highlights.

Your repertoire includes songs from various parts of the Balkans. How do you choose the songs you perform?

We choose songs that we genuinely love to sing and that emotionally touch us. Some of the girls in the ensemble have already been part of...