You may remember her as the Yugoslav “Marilyn,” a teen star of a dying country and the last Eurovision winner representing SFRY. With the breakup of the former state, Tatjana Matejaš, better known as Tajči, embarked on a path rarely taken by artists from our scene—heading to the Big Apple, New York, to study musical theatre!
This, however, was a surprise only to those unaware of her family background: her father, Stanko Matejaš, was a versatile, renaissance man—musician, singer, announcer, host, and sound engineer—so a love for music ran through her veins from birth.
That talent clearly passed down to Tatiana Matejaš Cameron (her legal name today) as she spent over 30 years in the U.S., becoming a motivational speaker and life coach, journalist and TV host, while exploring new musical genres such as jazz, gospel, and spiritual music, building a successful career that led her to relocate to the heart of American folk music—Nashville!
Yet she hasn’t forgotten the audience that loved her early on, splitting her time between Zagreb and Nashville for the past two years. While performing her late 1980s and early 1990s hits in Croatia and the region, her U.S. repertoire is “something completely different.”
NEVERENDING TALENT: Tajči today as Tatiana Cameron performing with a symphony orchestra
“The audience at home loves 1990s music, and I enjoy performing my hits as well as B-sides from my albums. I also perform evergreens of our pop music. In Nashville and across the U.S., I focus on jazz. I have an amazing mentor and fantastic musicians from Nashville, New York, and our region.”
LOOKING BACK 34 YEARS… Eurovision winner at the peak of fame decides to leave it all behind for anonymity in the U.S. Why?
“I started singing as a little girl. At four, I performed with a symphony orchestra at a children’s song festival. I went to music school, studied piano and theory, and was drawn to theater, joining the Zagreb Youth Theater where I first performed in a musical. Winning Jugovizija was a surprise, I believe my sincerity, youthful joy, and desire to share my heart contributed to the victory—along with a hit song and an orange dress.”
CHILDHOOD AND FIRST STEPS WITH HER FATHER: Tajči we remember from the 1990s
“Fame came intensely, and I quickly became physically and emotionally exhausted. Mentally, I wasn’t strong enough to process it all and wanted to step away to avoid breaking down. I went to study musical theatre in New York, which I had always wanted.”
ADAPTING TO NEW LIFE IN NEW YORK
“I was 21 and excited to be at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. The program was intense, so there wasn’t time to feel nostalgic. I missed my family, my sister, and friends. Back then, no social media or internet—just letters that took weeks to arrive.”
DISCOVERING AMERICA AND HERSELF
“I didn’t plan to stay forever. I thought I’d return to Zagreb after graduation. But New York had a magical energy, ambition, and a mindset that nothing was impossible. I loved the optimism, creativity, and the supportive community of people cheering each other on.”
WORKING HARD FOR DANCE CLASSES: THE NEW YORK EXPERIENCE
“Yes, I washed mirrors and floors in a Broadway dance school—but not to survive, rather to earn extra dance classes since I didn’t have a work visa. That experience freed me from ego, showed me that hard work is valuable, and that my future held endless possibilities.”
FROM POP STAR TO MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER AND SPIRITUAL MUSICIAN
“My mom says I’ve always been a motivational speaker. Spiritual music, for me, is any music that draws us closer to divine and sacred love.”
FINDING HER SPIRITUAL PATH
“I lost myself in the image of Tajči, the Barbie everyone loved. I wanted to be authentic, recognized not only as a singer but as a person with qualities and abilities. A friend invited me to an evening of poetry, music, and art in a Dominican church, and there I found a circle of people who accepted me differently. That’s where my spiritual journey began.”
HELPING WOMEN HEAL
“Before fame, at 18, I experienced sexual assault in Croatia, one reason I left. My story is about the effects of unprocessed trauma, not just one event but many smaller experiences we were taught to accept as part of growing up. Shame and self-blame followed me for years. Therapy helped me forgive myself and later my abuser, not to diminish the act, but to free myself. Today, working with women who survived sexual violence, I see the importance of speaking about it gently, without sensationalism.”
MENTORING WOMEN IN THE U.S.
“After earning my coaching certification in 2015, I volunteered as a mentor in a women’s prison. Through structured programs, women learn to take responsibility for choices and free themselves from shame, prejudice, and deep fears. It’s deeply fulfilling work.”
BALANCING LIFE AS A WIDOW AND SINGLE MOTHER
“My mother, friends, and neighbors helped me through the challenging period after my husband passed. My sons supported me with their maturity and responsibility, allowing our family to stay stable despite my touring schedule.”
LIFE IN NASHVILLE
“Nashville has changed a lot, with more young people and dynamic energy. I love the supportive culture among musicians, performing with country artists and discovering a strong jazz scene. I feel at home here.”
RETURNING TO THE BALKANS
“The audience can expect 1990s hits with the same emotion. The Tajči they remember—optimistic, cheerful, and full of energy—that’s still me. I come with more life experience and deeper self-understanding, but the heart is the same. I look forward to hugs, singing together, and sharing beautiful, authentic music.”
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Source: Antonije Kovačević Foto: Blaž Črnič, Igor Cecelja, John Pavlish i Damira Kalajdžić