NEW FACES 2024: 10 YOUNG TALENTS FROM THE REGION OF THE FORMER YUGOSLAVIA IN THE CENTER OF ATTENTION OF THE MUSIC BUSINESS

For the second year in a row, the New Faces initiative continues to shine the spotlight on 10 emerging talents on the regional music scene. Led by regional showcase festivals and conferences – MENT Ljubljana (Slovenia), Kontakt (Serbia), SHIP (Croatia) and PIN Music Conference (North Macedonia) – this initiative highlights ten dynamic and motivated professionals from the world of music business. All from the territory of the former Yugoslavia and all under the age of 30, these individuals have had a significant impact on both the local and wider musical landscape of the region.

Initiatives like New Faces 2024 play a key role in providing young professionals with the opportunity to network and advance within the regional music scene. As articulated by the initiative’s partners, “the music scene includes not only the performers on stage, but also numerous collaborators behind the scenes, including event promoters, journalists, publishers, managers and various hidden participants in the music business.” New Faces 2024 are exactly part of that professional team.

The response to this year’s competition, which closed in December 2023., was higher than expected. There were more than 80 applications. Partner conferences have carefully selected ten outstanding individuals, who will be awarded with tickets to regional conferences and festivals, exclusive access to online delegate databases and full travel and accommodation expenses to partner conferences abroad.

New Faces 2024 are:

• Nemanja Ćirić (concert organizer, promoter; Karmakoma Club; Belgrade)

• Mirna Čupić (booking agent, concert organizer; KSET; Zagreb)

• Jovana Đokić (producer, journalist; Tanjug; Belgrade)

• Staš Kramar (organizer; Nimaš Izbire Collective; Ljubljana)

• Katja Jukić (music journalist, PR; Tvornica Kulture, glazba.hr, JeboTon, Sea Star Festival; Zagreb)

• Ramona Monja Kochishka (concert organizer, coordinator, PR; Password Production; Skopje)

• Milica Lazović (music journalist, PR; Kragujevac)

• Ismail Myrseli (concert promoter, booker, producer; Yugofuturism; Pristina)

• Manca Ogrin (producer; SIGIC – Slovenian Music Information Center; Vrhnika)

• Ognen Stojanoski (producer; Password Production, Mladi za Skopje; Skopje)

• NEMANJA ĆIRIĆ

Nemanja Ćirić is a dynamic multitasker, who as an organizer perfectly responds to various challenges. He is a program editor, musician and producer of live events. He was originally a program promoter at KC Grad, but he continued to show his abilities in the music business throughout Belgrade and the region, organizing daring concerts in unconventional venues such as AKAB Okretnica, Drugstore and Kvaka 22. Since 2020, he is part of the team that organizes the Non-Aligned Summit. He is currently working for the newly opened club in Belgrade, Karmakoma.

• MIRNA ČUPIĆ

Mirna Čupić is a versatile professional deeply rooted in the Croatian music and festival scene. Leading KSET’s booking team since 2021, he excels in management, writing projects and organizing concerts. Mirna’s festival experience includes SHIP, Motovun Film Festival and Tam Tam Festival, where she proved to be an excellent hospitality and stage manager. In 2022, Mirna ventured into the international music industry through the MOST Management Training Pillar and also showcases her musical talent as a guitarist and vocalist in the bands Kaleido and Panakota. .

• JOVANA ĐOKIĆ

Jovana is an ambitious young woman who shows great passion for music and all its segments. Believing that her place is between the spotlight and the audience, she graduated from the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade, majoring in “Cultural Management and Theater and Radio Production”. Jovana directs her creative energy into creating events with a recognizable generational signature, showing her commitment to innovation and cultural expression. She currently lends her storytelling skills as a Tanjug journalist, where she continues to explore the fascinating intersection of music, culture and the art of communication.

• STAŠ KRAMAR

Staš was active in Ljubljana as an event organizer and manager, leading the Štrom event series as part of the Nimaš Izbira collective. It has hosted more than 20 events, featuring a variety of performers from around the world. While earning a degree in multimedia production focused on event management, he interned at various radio stations in Rotterdam, Berlin and Bristol, bringing successful practices and methods to the regional alternative scene. He was engaged in music journalism, radio program and event production on Radio Student, and also engaged in all kinds of production and realization of events in venues such as Cankarjev dom Cultural and Congress Center, clubs K4, Channel Zero, Gala Hall, Gromka.

• KATJA JUKIĆ

Katja graduated in Portuguese and Croatian language and literature. She became a music journalist after graduating from the Little School of Rock&Off Journalism in 2019. Starting with Sound Report, she progressed quickly, joining the Glazba.hr collective in November 2021. Driven by her passion for music, Katja volunteered at KSET, dealing with concert production and stage management. In 2022, she took on a PR role at Tvornica kulture in Zagreb, and later expanded her influence by joining JeboTon, an independent publishing house. Interested in discovering new musical talents, she remained dedicated to following the Croatian and regional music scene, visiting concerts and festivals, the greatest joy in her professional and private world.

• RAMONA MONJA KOCHISHKA

Ramona works as a PR and marketing manager at Password Production, embracing her private connection to the music empire she once considered breaking free from. In addition to her managerial role, Ramona plays a key role in festival coordination, location management, but also as an assistant on renowned projects such as Makedok, MTF “Wojdan Chernodrinski” and SHIP festival. Her various roles reflect a deep-rooted commitment to the dynamic world she now calls home.

• MILICA LAZOVIĆ

Milica Lazović has been involved in the music industry since she was young. With a diverse background in volunteering, podcasting and event management, she has found her niche in concerts and festivals, especially from a promoter’s perspective. As an aspiring professional in music journalism, Milica is committed to continuous development within the industry. Her passion for music fuelled her interest in understanding various areas of the industry, which is constantly evolving. Wishing to contribute to the development of the scene, she works hard to be part of a team that shares her enthusiasm for music journalism and that gives personal pretensions and passions an important purpose.

• ISMAIL MYRSELI

Ismail Myrseli, a culture professional, promoter and artist based in Pristina, is another young force in the mission of developing the cultural scene of the region. Currently employed as a project manager at the National Art Gallery of Kosovo, Ismail actively collaborates with various venues in Pristina, bringing artists from Western and Eastern Europe through the international booking platform “Yugofuturism”, based in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Specializing in curating various music and film programs, Ismail fosters cultural ties between the region and the rest of Europe.

• MANCA OGRIN

Manca is passionate about promoting Slovenian music and currently works as a professional associate at the Slovenian Music Information Center (SIMIC). Her musical story began when she worked as a collaborator on the programs of the Cankarjada music and theater festival at the Zakon club in Vrhnika, as well as the Poletje at the pool festival. She briefly moved to Prague, where she learned all the secrets of selling music in the dynamic film and advertising industry. Currently, as an associate at SIMIC, Manca leads the “Digital Train for Slovenian Music” project, with a special commitment to improving the domestic music scene. Her collaboration on the European project Europe in Sync works especially to nurture international connections. Manca left an indelible mark with her participation in key projects like Music Slovenia, with a focus on social media engagement.

• OGNEN STOJANOSKI

Ognen’s progression from festival enthusiast to organizer shows his great passion for the event industry. As a producer at Password Production, takes care of D Festival, Taxirat Festival and PIN Conference. From organizing logistics to conducting interviews, Ognen’s involvement spans other festivals, including MakeDox and FacesWithoutMasks, and extends to events such as the Skopje Open. In addition to the festival, he actively works to create opportunities for young artists through Youth For Skopje. His commitment is particularly highlighted through his dedication to the vibrant world of event management.