Young Musician Josip Čolić on the Question That Has Followed Him Throughout His Career: ‘I Answer It Every Day’

Josip Čolić has spent much of his young career answering the same question: is he related to Zdravko Čolić? He now jokes that one day he hopes people will ask the older singer whether he might be related to him.

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Leaving your comfort zone always causes reactions. Some people immediately liked this new energy, while others are still getting used to it because they met me through ballads. The most important thing to me is that I left no one indifferent and stayed true to myself.

The Zagreb musician, who grew up in Trešnjevka, has also given audiences a new question to consider: what does he sound like outside the emotional songs that first introduced him? His debut EP, “Otmica,” brings together three summer tracks, “Otmica,” “Loši momci,” and “Zove nas Pariz.” Together, they present a more energetic style built around youthful energy and dance.

The change has drawn numerous positive reactions on social media and YouTube. Čolić said the response exceeded his expectations, while acknowledging that some listeners needed time to adjust after first hearing him perform ballads. “Leaving your comfort zone always causes reactions. Some people immediately liked this new energy, while others are still getting used to it because they met me through ballads. The most important thing to me is that I left no one indifferent and stayed true to myself,” he said.

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Let’s just say that the surname clearly sounds good with a microphone, and my goal is for someone to ask Zdravko one day whether he might be related to me.

His partnership with popular producer and songwriter Feđa Imamović has proved especially successful. Čolić said his parents have supported him from the beginning, while also keeping him grounded. He is the first person in his family to choose music as a profession, although he continues to work in auditing and is finishing a degree in economics. He has trained regularly for more than a decade, saying sport helps him maintain mental strength and discipline.

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I want to come to Dora only when I have a song that I feel can win.

Čolić is considering appearing at Dora, Croatia’s national selection, but only when he has a song he believes can win. He wants a major hit, like any performer, but places greater value on building a lasting career. Away from the stage, he enjoys family life, exercise, cycling, cooking and films. He keeps his romantic life private, saying not everything must be public to be real.

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I don’t think everything has to be public to be real. As for whether I have a girlfriend, let’s just say my private life is in good hands.