Marija Šerifović (born in 1984 in Kragujevac, Serbia) is one of the most famous pop singers of Southeast Europe. She gained her fame by winning the Eurovision songs In 2007 in Helsinki with a ballad ‘Prayer’. She was the first representative of Serbia (as an independent country) to win Eurovision, thus securing the hosting of that competition for 2008. In addition to international success at the Eurovision Song Contest, Marija is also recognizable for her long-term involvement in television music shows – as a member of the jury of the popular competition Grand stars on TV Pink. Below is a detailed biography, chronological overview of career, discography and interesting things from the life of this music star.
Early life and musical beginnings
Mary was born as the only child in a musical family Verica Šerifović is a famous singer of folk music, and father Rajko is also a musician. From a young age, she tried her hand at singing: as she revealed, she was only seven years old when she performed Whitney Houston at the Children’s Festival in Kragujevac, and she had already performed at school performances in elementary school. She graduated from high school and music school in Kragujevac, after which she moved to Belgrade to develop a professional career. At the age of 18, she released her debut album the best (2003), which further presented it to a wider audience.
Already in the early years, significant musical successes at festivals followed. Mary won in 2004 Budva festival with the song ‘Bol do mad’ (1st place), and a year later also The first radio fest (Song ‘on Sunday’). She supplemented these successes with an award for interpretation at the festival in Vrnjačka spa in 2006 (song ‘Dugo’). At these performances, she stood out with a strong vocal and a special stage style.
Eurovision 2007 and career peak
The real international breakthrough took place in 2007. On Beovizija 2007 Marija won with the emotional song ‘Molitva’ – this success ensured her performance at Eurovision In the same year. At Eurowisia in Helsinki in 2007, Marija left the audience and the jury breathless, winning first place and thus brought victory to Serbia at that prestigious music competition. This triumph is considered one of the most significant moments of her career. Her vocals and stage performance with ‘Prayer’ are still remembered today as a classic example of an emotional Eurovision ballad.
After the Eurovision Song Contest, she continued to actively create music. In 2006, he releases his second studio album without love, and in the following years she regularly performed new songs and performed at concerts throughout the region. At the end of the 2000s, in addition to her own performances, she also performed in various musical collaborations. (During his studies in Zagreb in 2005, for example, he is a guest on certain popular shows.) Although not a single single has reached Eurosong’s success since then, Maria’s later hits ‘Pametna i luda’ (2015) and ‘Sama i černa’ are (2015) regularly filled the charts in Serbia.
Discography and prominent projects
During her career, Šerifović released several studio albums and compilations. The most important albums are:
- 2003: the best
- 2006: without love
- 2008: I’m not an angel
- 2009: Angel
- 2014: Bravely
- 2023: Love is coming
These releases include both ballad songs and energetic pop tunes adapted to Mary’s strong voice. Album Love is coming (2023) marks her return after a break of several years and contains cooperation with her colleague Jovana Pajić, with whom she also performed a single “Demons” (2025).
In addition to the album, Marija also has numerous successful singles. Her most famous are probably ‘Prayer’ (Pj. 2007), ‘Bitter Chocolate’ (Pj. 2004), ‘Smart and Crazy’ (p. 2015) and ‘Sama and Nervena’ (Pj. 2015). Many of her songs have also been translated into foreign languages due to their popularity in the region.
The awards and recognitions she has won illustrate success through her career:
- 2004: Victory at the Budva Festival (‘Pain to Madness’) ).
- 2005: Victory at the Radio Festival (‘on Sunday’) ).
- 2007: Victory at Beovision and Eurovision Song Contest (‘Prayer’) ).
These awards confirm that Marija was prominent among singers in Serbia and beyond.
Marija Šerifović as a member of the jury of the music competition Grand stars. After ten seasons in the jury of that popular show, in 2025 she announced her departure from the show.
The jury of the popular show Grand stars
In addition to concert stages, Marija Šerifović was also noticed on television. From 2014 to 2025, she was a member of the expert jury of the music competition ‘Grand Stars’, one of the most watched talent show in the region. In the 2024/2025 season. She publicly announced that this would be her last appearance in that role. In July 2025, she announced on social networks that ‘after ten years spent in the jury, she feels that the time has come to close that chapter’. In her emotional message, she thanked her colleagues (among whom were Saša Popović and folk diva Svetlana ‘Ceca’ Ražnatović) and the contestants, emphasizing how much they inspired her and reminded her that music is a power that changes lives. Although she allegedly recorded a farewell address in the studio, in the fall of 2025, announcements began to appear that she might be returning as a gypsum – she was even seen filming the new season, which surprised many. With this, she left an open question whether she will continue to participate in ‘Grand’ or continue her career dedicated only to songs and concerts.
Personal life and other facts
Marija Šerifović is among the few singers in the region who openly discussed her privacy and life. It is openly part of the LGBT community – the media mentioned it from the beginning of their career as one of the most recognizable Eurovision singers who do not hide. For a long time, she was in a relationship with manager Jovana Pajić, who is also her close friend. In April 2025, Marija even ‘proposed’ to Jovan live on a TV show (as a guest surprise), repeating with a ring the word ‘I do’ at a joke about her upcoming wedding. Jovana admitted that she has been hanging out with Marija for more than 15 years, that they support each other very much in their careers and privately, and that their relationship is a unique alliance of friendship and love.
In December 2023, Marija became a mother – her son Mario was born, whom she received through a surrogate mother. As she said in the interviews, she planned the whole process with her work schedule: she arrived in Los Angeles for an ultrasound, and then returned to the concert and shows that same weekend Grand stars. In her address, she described how each segment of pregnancy was done meticulously, with the support of the family (her mother even traveled with her to the USA). She also spoke openly about the social prejudices surrounding surrogacy, stressing that the procedure in the USA is professional and without abuse and that the procedure itself was the ‘most correct path’ for realizing her dream of motherhood. Maria and Mario Today, they live mainly between Belgrade and Zagreb (where she often performs).
Throughout her career, she has received numerous awards from critics, often pointing out that she is very proud of her voice and attitude. For example, in 2013, she became one of the ambassadors for collecting aid for children suffering from malignant diseases in Serbia. Although she distanced herself from active politics, in 2008 she appeared at a pre-election meeting of Serbian radicals, which caused criticism from some colleagues and audiences. Marija herself explains that she always focuses on music and the humanitarian aspect (the song ‘Prayer’ was dedicated to peace in the region), not wanting political stories to overshadow her artistic work.
Conclusion
Marija Šerifović remains one of the icons of regional music: from her young days until today, she has left an indelible mark with a powerful voice, hit songs and success on the biggest European stage. By winning the Eurovision Song Contest and a number of domestic awards, and then for ten seasons, delighting the audience in the ‘Zvezda Granda’ jury, she built a career that many envy her. Readers are advised to follow her official channels because Marija often announces new projects (the last album Love is coming It’s from 2023, and there’s still a lot to give to the audience.
What do you think – which Mary’s song marked your memories? Share with us in the comments! For more detailed biographies and the latest news from the world of music, stay with our blog.
Sources: The information entrusted in this article comes from Mary’s statements and interviews, published news of reputable media, and official statistics of appearances and discography. You can check all quoted statements in the sources listed.
Cover photo: Daniel Kruczynski, CC BY-SA 2.0, Via Wikimedia Commons
