Osvajači

Osvajači ("The Conquerors") is a Serbian hard rock band from Kragujevac, formed in 1990. Its roots go back to the Kragujevac band Pontonski Most, later renamed Bledi Ruž, which in 1988 self-released a split cassette with Debela Nensi. The first line-up of Osvajači was singer Zvonko Pantović "Čipi", guitarist Dragan Urošević, bassist Saša Popović and drummer Miša Raca, soon joined by keyboardist Laza Ristovski, known from Smak and Bijelo Dugme.

Ristovski produced their debut, Krv i led (PGP-RTB, 1991), which showed a glam metal sound; its biggest hit was the ballad "Možda nebo zna". The second album, Sam (PGP-RTS, 1995), made with keyboardist Nebojša Jakovljević and bassist Dejan Dačović, brought "Maska (Sam)", with Ristovski as a guest, and the ballad "S kim čekaš dan". After the compilation 1991 – 1995 in 1997 the band split up.

For a few years two bands used the name. Pantović and Jakovljević formed Osvajači All Stars with guitarist Bane Jelić, who had played with Viktorija and Neverne Bebe, and moved towards pop and pop-folk on Vino crveno (1999), Nevera (2001) and Crno oko (2002); Vino crveno includes a cover of Atomsko Sklonište's "Pakleni vozači". Urošević meanwhile led a line-up with singer Nenad Jovanović that released Vrelina (2000), with Ristovski on keyboards.

In 2005 Pantović, Urošević and Jakovljević reunited. Urošević later withdrew, and in 2015 Osvajači released Sad je na mene red, with Jelić on guitar and Urošević as a guest, including an English version of "S kim čekaš dan", "I Would Just Give Up My Life". In 2019 the band competed at Beovizija with "Voda i plamen" and on 21 April played a tribute to Smak at Belgrade's Dom sindikata with the Kragujevac Symphony Orchestra. The live Beer Fest, recorded on 20 August 2022, followed, and on 19 October 2022 they celebrated thirty years with guests including Kiki Lesendrić of Piloti, Zele Lipovača of Divlje Jagode and Goran Šepa of Kerber.

Founding drummer Miša Raca died on 3 July 2024. In May 2025 Osvajači released "Više neće biti nas" with YU Grupa frontman Dragi Jelić and Zele Lipovača. In 2011 listeners of Radio 202 voted "Maska (Sam)" among the 60 greatest songs released by PGP-RTB and PGP-RTS.