Biography
Who is Dino Merlin?
Early life and real name
Dino Merlin was born as Edin Dervišhalidović on September 12, 1962, in the neighbourhood of Alifakovac in Sarajevo. His father Abid worked as a carpenter, while his mother Fatima served as a Muslim cleric. He grew up alongside his younger sister Amina in Sarajevo.
During his school years at Moris Moco Salom primary school, he served as the captain of the soccer, basketball, and table tennis teams. He later enrolled at Sarajevo Technical High School, where he began playing music with his friend Mensur Lutvica after school hours.
How Dino became famous
Despite his mother initially opposing a music career, she helped him buy his first guitar at age twelve. He penned his first song at age fourteen and performed on the streets of Sarajevo with Mensur Lutvica. He dropped out of university after one semester to pursue music full time, working at a metal factory while writing songs.
In 1984, he rented a recording studio in Sarajevo and later signed with the label Sarajevo Disk. The band Merlin released their debut album Kokuzna vremena in 1985. Dino eventually launched his solo career under the name Dino Merlin in 1991, releasing acclaimed albums such as Moja bogda sna and Fotografija.
Career highlights
In 2000, Dino released his most successful album titled Sredinom, which became the highest-selling record in the region in thirty years. The supporting tour included a big concert at Koševo City Stadium in Sarajevo in front of approximately 80,000 attendees. He later released the eleventh album Hotel Nacional in 2014, which charted in the top ten on the Billboard World Albums list.
Dino has represented Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Eurovision Song Contest multiple times. He co-wrote the first-ever entry Sva bol svijeta in 1993, performed Putnici in 1999, and achieved sixth place with Love in Rewind in 2011. He also wrote Jedna si jedina, which served as the national anthem of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina during the 1990s.
Personal life
Dino resides in his hometown of Sarajevo, living in the same neighbourhood and street where he grew up. He is married to Amela, and the couple has two children named Naida and Hamza. Outside of his music career, he enjoys reading, skiing, and playing chess.
He is also an active philanthropist who sponsors over a dozen students each year through the Hastor Foundation. Also, he owns a record label and store named Magaza, located in the Baščaršija district of central Sarajevo.
Birthday and age
Dino Merlin was born on September 12, 1962, which makes Dino 64 years old today. That birthday falls under the Virgo sign. Dino shares the date with 62 other famous people.
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