Navihanke

Navihanke were a Slovenian folk-pop (narodnozabavna) ensemble based in Laško, active from 2001 until 2017. An all-female group, they were among the most successful and most popular ensembles of their kind, and they stood out by bringing the flute and the saxophone into a style usually built on accordion, guitar and bass.

The ensemble was founded in Laško in 2001 on the idea of Marjan Hercog, the father of saxophonist Sonja Hercog. When they started, all the members were still teenagers. The founding line-up was Neža Petek on accordion, Jasmina Šmarčan on bass guitar, Majda Naveršnik on guitar, Maša Uranjek on flute and Sonja Hercog on saxophone.

Success came quickly on the festival circuit. In 2002 they won the Silver Dragon and the first prize for performance at the Vurberk festival, and at Graška Gora poje in igra they took the prize for best performance and for best lyrics. In 2003 the audience at the Ptuj festival voted them the best ensemble, and the festival also gave them the award for the best melody. At Slovenska polka in valček they won the best polka twice, with "Miši se bojim" in 2004 and "Pokaži mi, da me imaš še rad" in 2012, and in 2004 they were named the best ensemble at the Števerjan festival.

The line-up changed over the years. In 2007 Tanja Čretnik replaced Neža Petek on accordion and stayed to the end, apart from 2009 to 2012, when Bernarda Podlesnik played instead. In 2010 Tamara Gobec took over the guitar from Majda Naveršnik.

Their albums were Mora biti moj, Miši se bojim, Banjo, flavta, saksofon, Zasuči me, gasilec!, Navihanih 10 and Just for you, and their best-known songs include "Gasilec moj", "Miši se bojim", "Na mojem licu", "Pravljica za dva", "Študentska je težka" and "Zasuči me". In 2014 they toured the United States, playing in Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, Sacramento and San Francisco among other places, and a live DVD from a concert in Branson, Missouri followed.

In 2016 Marjan Hercog handed the management to an agency, and the last founding members left. A new line-up released the song "Mr. Perfect" and announced a 15th-anniversary concert and an album, but neither came about, and in 2017 the ensemble's story came to an end.