Ida Prester is a famous Croatian singer, singer-songwriter and television presenter, best known as the energetic frontwoman of the Elektropop group Lollobrigida. In addition to her successful music career, she also realized as a TV personality, human rights activist and spokeswoman for cultural projects. Her life path – from growing up in Zagreb, through musical affirmation on the regional scene, to family life in Belgrade – is full of interesting things and successes that made her a recognizable figure in the territory of the former Yugoslavia. Below, find out more about Ida’s early life, education, musical creativity, family, and engagement in media and activism.
Early life and education
Ida Prester She was born March 22, 1979 in Zagreb, where she spent her childhood. Even as a child, she showed curiosity and creativity – she is often in the family She broke taboos and stood out with a lively spirit. She has a younger brother, Janko, with whom she built a special relationship, especially after, as she told herself, she saved him from drowning when she was only five years old. That early anecdote senses its protective and courageous character.
After finishing primary and secondary school in Zagreb, Ida enrolled Faculty of economics from which she graduated, earning the title of graduate economist. The desire for additional knowledge then took her to the Faculty of Political Sciences, where she completed two years of study. Despite her successful education, Ida did not see herself in the classic business world – at the first job interview, she was told that they did not need “someone creative” like her. That event encouraged her to seek her happiness outside of Croatia. She moved in the early 2000s to two years in Cologne in Germany, where she worked and got to know a different culture and mentality. Staying abroad broadened her horizons, but her love for music was still smoldering in her heart.
The beginning of a music career and Lollobrigida
Upon returning to Croatia In 2003, Ida decides to devote herself bravely to music – that year she founded in Zagreb Lollobrigida band. At the start, she did everything herself: she wrote songs, sang vocals and programmed the background music on a demo CD that she shared among the alternatives of the Zagreb scene. Lollobrigida brought a fresh, unconventional sound – a combination disco pop with electro-trash aesthetics – which immediately attracted the attention of the audience. She is soon joined by a musician Natalija Dimicevski, so the duo performs briefly under the name “Lollobrigida Girls”.
Already In 2004 Lollobrigida achieves the first major successes: they managed to fill the Zagreb Student Center at the concert, which brought them a contract with the publishing house dop records/menart. In the same year, they performed at the third Zagreb Pride Parade, confirming their image of a brazen and progressive band. In September 2004, their first single was released “Party”, which soon became a hit on radio and TV, profiling go as the new face of the urban pop scene. In May 2005, Lollobrigida releases her debut album “Cartoon Explosion”, which features songs like “Toy”, “Party”, “Plastic Kiss”, “Electronic Blue” and “ugly girl”. The album was imbued with teenage themes – from first falling in love to puberty conflicts – which reflected Ida’s life period and playful artistic style.
In the following years, the band continued to grow and change. To 2006. Lollobrigida performs with the matrix, and then, after Natalia’s departure, the lineup expands and is introduced live instruments instead of an exclusively electronic substrate. Interestingly, over the years, the band members took turns, so that Ida remained the only permanent member which held the strings of the entire project. In the same 2006, one of their most famous songs, provocatively named, was created in 2006. “My boyfriend is gay”. Ida wrote it based on her own experience – namely, her boyfriend at the time revealed to her that he was homosexual, so through humor and music she worked on the shock and emotions she experienced receiving the news. Due to the theme and the infectious chorus, the song aroused great interest from the public.
Lollobrigid’s second album, called “Lollobrigida Incorporated”, comes out In 2008 and brings an international note to the band. Then they are joined by three musicians from Slovenia – Jernej, David and Kleemar – so Lollobrigida becomes Croatian-Slovenian composition. They promoted the album with a concert at Tvornica kulture in Zagreb, strengthening the band’s reputation in regional alternative circles. In June 2010, they released a single “ex girlfriend”, accompanied by a humorous video, and in the same year they premiered the music video for the song on MTV “Sex on TV, sex on the radio”. The band’s innovation can be seen in the detail that the video clip is for the song “I reset” At that time, it was taken entirely with a cell phone camera, which showed a tendency to experiment with DIY aesthetics.
at the beginning In 2012 Lollobrigida betrays and Third album “Pill”. Unlike the first two albums, “Pill” brings more mature, more serious topics – as Ida explained, it is already the focus of “Problem” motifs of adulthood, vs. earlier carefree teenage topics. The album received a great reception: the respected music portal Popboks declared it the best regional album of 2012 according to the audience’s votes.
Parallel to the record success, Lollobrigida was also strong concert band. They performed at numerous festivals, among which the Novosadski stands out EXIT FESTIVAL, where they performed seven years in a row and became a trademark Power plant stages. The crown of their early career was MTV Award for Best Artist in the Region (Best Adria Act), which they won In 2009, having received recognition in the competition of regional stars. The award was presented to them in Berlin by rock veteran Momčilo Bajagić Bajaga, which testifies to their popularity and influence in those years.
Other music projects: Frau Casio and Maika
tireless in researching musical expressions, Ida did not dwell only on Lollobrigida. In 2013 She started a solo project Frau Casio, with which she expressed her penchant for a slightly darker and more mature electronic sound. If Lollobrigida embodied youthful rebellion and colorfulness, then Frau Casio was Ida’s chance to deal with deeper emotions and experiment with retro synth-pop. The project gave birth to several singles; For example, a song “Two” It became a radio hit even though Ida initially appeared incognito, keeping her identity a secret so that the audience would experience the song without prejudice. This artistic experiment showed that Recognizable voice So unique that the fans soon exposed it as a “mysterious” Frau Casio.
Ida’s desire for band performance and fusion of different genres led to the founding of a new group Maika 2017. This international composition (gathering members from Serbia, Croatia and Russia) brought together the seemingly incompatible: Punk energy, Balkan folk melos and indie-pop sensibility. Already in the first years of work, they presented themselves to the audience with a single “River Sava”, a dynamic song that seems to metaphorically connect the banks (it is about the Sava River that connects Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Serbia). At MAIKA, IDA got the opportunity to sing outside the framework of Elektropop in both native and English, and show its versatility. The performances of this band, enriched with folklore elements and fierce rhythms, are another testimony of Ida’s charismatic appearance on the scene.
Solo career and newer songs
After about fifteen years of acting through bands, Ida Prester has established herself as an independent performer. Of 2019 Furthermore, she played solo singles with which she refreshed the domestic pop scene, collaborating with the younger forces of Electropo. The first in the series was an optimistic single “Chance”, and then it 2020. A real creative explosion followed: Ida announced that year even Three successful singles – “Minuta”, “Dodir” and “Kvar”. She stood out in particular Cooperation with the popular Zagreb synthwave duo Pocket Palma. Together, they first made a remix of the song “Minuta”, then during a lockdown they recorded an emotional duet “Touch”, in order to present a joint single in the fall of 2020 “Crazy”. The song “Crazy” got under the audience’s skin with its hypnotic synth atmosphere and sensual lyrics, and Ida herself described it as an anthem of passion and The “madness” we all need to survive the uncertain year of 2020. It is interesting that Ida released all these singles in her own arrangement, under her independent label, bravely stepping into the world DIY discography.
After that fruitful period, she continued to arrange songs with a personal stamp and social note. 2022. released a single “Fool” In collaboration with Belgrade’s electro-pop artist Fantom, and in 2023 she devoted herself to activism through music with song “shield”. “Shield” was created as part of the campaign against violence against women, so Ida combined the message and art here as well. In the same year, she released an infectious retro-pop single “70”, inspired by the sound of the seventies. In autumn 2024. We received another original work of hers – a single with an intriguing name “the end of which begins everything”, by which Ida continues her creative thread. Judging by the course of her career so far, each new song brings her to an ever-widening audience, because she succeeds combine nostalgic synth-pop tunes with current topics and sincere emotions. Her solo discography now includes a whole series of singles and EP releases, and a compilation album “Now” (2024) rounded out that period and presented the best of what she created as a solo performer.
It is important to point out that Ida matures as a singer-songwriter, but does not lose her recognizable cheerfulness. Her newer songs like “minutes” or “Touch” They are more intimate and more emotional, often inspired by real stories (for example, “touch” speaks of a secret love in the age of quarantine), while singles are like “Crazy” or “Fool” full of humor and life passion. With this rich oeuvre, Ida Prester established herself not only as a singer with a unique voice, but also as Author who successfully combines pop-art entertainment with thoughtfulness.
Television career and media engagements
In parallel with music, Ida Prester achieved a notable career both on television and in the media. It became known to a wider audience as TV presenter youthful and entertaining shows. On HRT (Croatian Radio Television) hosted a magazine show “day after day” and the popular teenage show “Brilliant”, bringing into them his distinctively casual and immediate style. She also collaborated on RTL’s show “Direct”, where she appeared in the role of commentator and reporter, and she also filmed interesting contributions for the morning program “Good morning, Croatia”.
In addition to the cameras, she also worked behind them – for a time she was casting manager In a Slovenian production house Komakino, which meant finding talents and faces for various projects. In the 2010s, she also tried her hand as a leader of music festivals and events: for example, she was spokeswoman for the project “Mini Wave”, an initiative that promoted young rock bands in Croatia. The highlight of that career segment was participation as one of Housewife of the first MAC Music Awards (Music Awards Ceremony), held in January 2019 in Belgrade’s Štark Arena. At that spectacle, she performed as a conference in front of an audience from the entire region, showing that she does just as well in the role of host of major events.
The media presence of Ida Prester is characterized by spontaneity and wit. He often performs in various talk shows and podcasts, where he openly talks about his life experiences – from motherhood and marriage to anecdotes from tours. It was this authenticity that brought her the status of one of the favorite public figures in this area.
Private life (family and relocation)
Ida’s private life is also intriguing at times Unusual for domestic conditions. After living in Zagreb for years, the fateful meeting on the music field took her across the border. Ivan Peševski, a Belgrade entrepreneur, met in 2012 at the festival Exit in Novi Sad, where she performed with Lollobrigid. From that festival romance, a serious relationship was born – Ida and Ivan started a love story that summer in 2012, and the very next year they decided to crown it with marriage. They got married in September 2013 in Belgrade, with an intimate celebration marked by a special circumstance: Ida was already in her fourth month of pregnancy by then with their first child.
After her marriage, Ida took a brave step by moving from her native Zagreb to her husband’s Belgrade, starting life in another state. in February 2014. a son was born Roko, and their family expanded with the arrival of their second son, ria, November 15 2016. By moving to the role of a mother, Ida admits that her rather messy and nomadic lifestyle has changed drastically – she used to travel spontaneously and was constantly “on her suitcases”, while she had to build a more stable routine with her children. She herself says that motherhood “adultly grown up”, but at the same time enriched her with a new kind of love.
Ida’s marriage and life on the Zagreb-Belgrade route were often the topic of the media, mostly because she is one of the few public figures who united two regions with love. In the beginning, she encountered some prejudices – there were those who doubted such a long-distance relationship and different nationalities – but Ida and Ivan showed by their example that tolerance and understanding are possible. She often points out that she is glad to have her He warmly accepted Belgrade as his, and she herself feels a bit from Zagreb and a bit from Belgrade. This combination of cultures and environments is natural to her: as she says jokingly, her sons Roko and Rio grow up in an international spirit, so they don’t care if they feel like **Croats or Serbs – the most important thing for her is that they grow up in good people.
Privately, Ida exudes the same warmth and unconventionality that we see on stage as well. On social networks, he often shares witty lines from family life, not shying away from showing the reality of marriage and parenthood without embellishment. Such an honest approach made her close to the audience, who accompanies her not only because of the music, but also as a person with whom I can identify.
Activism and public engagement
Ida Prester is not only a musician who entertains – she is also socially aware A public figure who uses his voice to promote tolerance and love. It stood out in particular as a loud LGBT+ Community Law Advocate in Croatia and Serbia. She publicly advocates that no one is denied the rights to love and family, so in one of her columns she clearly announced that Same-sex couples must not be denied the right to parenthood. Such attitudes, although controversial in more conservative circles, made her the heroic of the LGBTQ population who see her as an ally.
She did not limit her support to words – IDA often participates in events and campaigns dedicated to equality. For example, she performed at the opening of Belgrade Merlinka LGBT Film Festival 2017, where she magnified the celebration of queer culture with her appearance. A year later, in 2018, she sang and marched to Belgrade Pride Parade, wearing rainbow colors proudly and sending a message of support to all participants. She also participated in the campaign “#will be better”, which aimed to increase tolerance towards people of different sexual orientation and gender identity. With her involvement, Ida showed how public figures can contribute to breaking prejudices – simply by be visible and loud in the right places.
In addition to LGBT rights, he advocates other social topics. She is active in promotion gender equality and suppression of violence against women. song “shield” In 2023, she devoted herself to this very topic, becoming the face of the campaign against domestic violence. In the media, he often points out that it is important to educate young people about equality, but he also tries to instill in his own sons the values of appreciation of diversity. It is characteristic of Ida that it does optimistic and with a touch of humor – He believes that with positive energy and openness it is easier to reach people’s hearts.
One of the quotes that depicts her beautifully comes from her performance at Arsenal Fest in 2025, in the middle of a wave of student protests in Serbia. Asked what it’s like to hold a concert while young people protest for changes, she said: “Our role is to somehow talk about important topics, and on the other hand, to sprinkle the world a little with sequins and give people a little escapism in this situation”. It was this sentence that summed up Ida’s philosophy – combativeness combined with cheerfulness. As an artist and activist, she believes that social messages can be packed into the creativity and brilliance of the stage, so that they can reach the audience more easily.
With his example, Ida Prester shows that one can be successful on stage, and at the same time remain faithful to her beliefs and use popularity for the common good. Many appreciate it as authentic and brave person which is not afraid to “pull” serious topics, either through lyrics of songs, or in interviews and public appearances.
Greatest successes and recognitions
During her long career, Ida Prester and her projects received a number of recognitions and achievements. We highlight some key moments and awards:
- MTV Best Adria Act 2009: Lollobrigida won MTV’s Regional Best Regional Act As the most popular performer in Adria region, which is a huge success for an alternative band. The award was presented as part of the MTV European Music Awards that year, confirming their cult status.
- Best album of 2012: The third album by Lollobrigida “Pill” He was declared album of the year according to the choice of the audience of the Popbox portal, which testifies to the loyal fan base and the quality of Ida’s author’s work.
- Seven appearances at the EXIT festival: As mentioned, Lollobrigida became an indispensable part of the famous Novi Sad Festival, performing Every year from 2003 to 2009. on the electronic stage. It is a rare continuity that strengthened their reputation as the club’s regional favorites.
- Television recognition: by running the show Briljanteen On national television, IDA acquired Recognizability among younger audiences and entered many homes with her cheerfulness. Later, as the host of the first MAC ceremony in 2019, she stood side by side with the biggest pop names, thus showing the breadth of her talent.
- Activist influence: Although it is not measured by classic awards, it is worth mentioning that IDA has been repeatedly public action initiated social dialogue. Her columns and statements about same-sex families, as well as presence at Pride and similar events, resonated in the media and inspired many to talk more openly about these topics.
Conclusion
Ida Prester It is an example of a person who successfully combines seemingly different worlds – music and economy, Zagreb and Belgrade, entertainment and activism. Through her rich biography, she profiled herself in a true regional star which entertains, inspires and pushes boundaries. Her story motivates young artists to follow their dreams regardless of obstacles: Ida proved that with persistence and creativity, a career can be built outside the established framework, and even connect the audience on both sides of the former borders.
With a recognizable smile and infectious energy, Ida Prester continues to create new music and projects. If you haven’t already, definitely Listen to some of her hits – From early electro-pop hymns Lollobrigid to solo singles such as “Minuta” or “Crazy” – and see for yourself why she is so popular. Considering the course of her work so far, we are sure that Ida is preparing to surprise us with something original and daring in the future. Meanwhile, her biography remains an inspiring read about success, love and the art of living without compromise.
