ABOUT STRIGOI STUDIO
Culture you can hear.Stories that stay.
STRIGOI Studio brings together cultural heritage research, original writing and contemporary production. We begin with a text and its story, then create a song, narration or digital edition that can find a new listener.
01 / STRIGOI
Why STRIGOI exists
Many songs and literary works remain in old books, different written versions and people’s memories. We may know a melody without knowing who wrote the words, what an earlier version looked like or what lies behind a name or place in the song. STRIGOI grew from the wish to follow those traces again.
Our mission is to preserve cultural and literary heritage and bring it closer through music, research and digital access. We want songs and stories to remain part of everyday life: heard, read, shared and passed on, especially among younger audiences and people in the diaspora.
A contemporary interpretation can open a door to the original work. Alongside the music, we publish the stories of texts, authors and their contexts so listeners can continue exploring.
What we do
Sevdah and musical interpretations
We research old songs, poetry and oral traditions and shape them into new musical works. Subjects include different versions of Šantić’s Emina, Hasanaginica and The Building of Skadar on the Bojana. Each text needs its own approach, from an intimate song to an extended epic narrative.
Listen on YouTubeLiterature and DIVAN
DIVAN is our connected home for e-books and audiobooks. It carries the same idea of access into reading and listening to Balkan and world literature in several languages. Music and the digital library share an interest in words, voices and audiences.
DIVANStories behind the songs
Our website brings together research notes, sources and writing about the people, places and legends behind our interpretations. This material adds context to the music and records the work that precedes a release.
Explore storiesHow a work takes shape
Researching the sources
We seek out historical texts, compare versions and examine authorship and context. Differences between texts often begin the most interesting part of the story.
Text and artistic direction
We decide what to convey: an emotion, a character, an event or an entire narrative. Where adaptation is needed, we shape the text for music or narration and explain its relationship to the original.
Production with contemporary tools
We use digital production and AI tools. Research, text selection, artistic direction, listening, refinement and responsibility for the finished version remain with the project’s creator.
Publication and access
Finished work is shared on YouTube, social media and music platforms. The website and DIVAN connect music with further reading, books and narration.
Founder · researcher · producer
Damir Mrkaljević
Damir Mrkaljević is the founder of STRIGOI Studio, connecting an interest in old songs and literature with original writing, music production and contemporary technology. His work includes source research, text selection and adaptation, artistic direction and preparing finished releases.
He brings experience in project management and digital integration to the cultural project, from organising production and publication to developing DIVAN. The project is developed from Bosnia and Herzegovina for audiences across the region and the diaspora.
STRIGOI is where these interests meet. The starting point is always a particular work and the question of how to bring it to someone who may be hearing it for the first time.
Results with a documented source
The publicly available performance overview shows how the project found listeners through social media, YouTube and radio. The figures below come from the report as of 22 August 2026, with the period specified for each metric.
- Meta views · 90 days
- 6.9M
- YouTube views · 2026 to 22 Aug
- 2.1M
- radio plays · 2026 to 22 Aug
- 153
Results as of 22 August 2026. Each metric shows its reporting period. The PDF includes performance figures and the general partnership proposal for 2027.
View reports and the development planSupport and public response
BH Telecom is a project partner and sponsor. Mostar Info BiH and 5 Million Friends of Bosnia & Herzegovina are featured among the project’s friends. Their support and sharing of content help the work reach a wider audience.
Partners and friends
Media features and conversations
Let’s create the next stories together.
We welcome collaborations with writers, artists, cultural organisations, media and partners. We are interested in work that connects a worthwhile text, a thoughtful interpretation and an audience with a reason to listen.