Interview – Klapa Berulia: the brand of the Makarska Riviera

"All our singers are locals from Brela. Brela is the place of my youth, my ancestors, my children, and hopefully, their future. Brela is unique—a paradise on earth. Anyone who visits Brela once, always comes back."

A few days ago, on October 18, 2023, the klapa group "Berulia" from Brela released a music video for the song "More" (The Sea), performed alongside the legendary Tedi Spalato. The song is featured on the Porin-award-winning album Ime mi je nevažno. This unique ensemble from Central Dalmatia sings with special pride about love and the sea. In a brief conversation, Mr. Antonio Šošić, the artistic director and author of nearly all their compositions, shared insights into the group and their work.

Klapa Berulia was founded in Brela back in 2007. Can you recall whose initiative it was and how it all started?
Klapa Berulia was founded on my initiative in 2007 as a gathering of friends and people with extensive klapa experience. It started with our first director, the late Jovo Jejina, who left us too soon, our first tenor Nino Filipović, second tenor Joško Klarić, and basses Zvonko Gilić and Mili Žamić.

Who are the members today? Has the lineup changed over the years?
Over the past 16 years, the group has had only two directors: the late Jovo Jejina and our current director, Josip (Joe) Tomasović. Naturally, the lineup changed over such a long period, but every iteration was successful and contributed to the growth and preservation of the group. Our current members have been here since the very beginning. Our first tenor is Nino Filipović, a professor of English and German. The second tenor is Joško Klarić, an academic sculptor/painter and freelance artist. I sing baritone and work in the private sector, and our bass is Mili Žamić, a professional fisherman. Our director, Josip (Joe) Tomasović, is a music professor with a deep passion for klapa singing and the preservation of cultural heritage and tradition.

You describe yourselves as the "brand of the Makarska Riviera"—what does that mean?
It means we are recognizable across the entire Makarska Riviera, specifically because of our original songs. Unfortunately, we are one of the few male klapa groups (if not the only one) from this area capable of performing a full-length evening concert independently or competing and winning awards at major klapa festivals.

Are most of the members from Brela? What does Brela mean to you personally, and how would you describe it to a foreigner at first mention?
All the singers are Breljani (locals from Brela). Brela is the place of my youth, my ancestors, my children, and hopefully, their future. Brela is unique—a paradise on earth. Anyone who visits Brela once, always comes back.

Which awards and achievements are you most proud of?
We are proud of all our recognitions, starting from the Festival of Klapa with Mandolins and Guitars in Makarska, where we were twice the absolute winners (by both jury and audience), to the Šibenik Chanson Festival 2023, where our original song won the top prize. Of course, there is also the prestigious Omiš Klapa Festival, where we won first prize for new compositions at the 50th jubilee edition.

What was Klapa Berulia’s first released song? How many original songs do you have now?
Our first original release was "Ti si moja tajna" (You Are My Secret), which has defined us to this day. Along with it, we have five other singles: "Bez Anđela", "Kad bi moga vratit vrime", "Niti tila niti duše", "Nikad više", and our latest, "More". We are especially proud of this last one as it is a duet with Tedi Spalato, a legend of Dalmatian music.

Besides the Makarska Riviera, where else can people see and hear Klapa Berulia?
We perform almost exclusively during the summer season. We are closely tied to Brela due to our private businesses, but we traditionally perform on the island of Brač (Selca), in Imotski, and across the Makarska Riviera.

What are the group's plans for the future? Will you continue as you have, or are there new collaborations on the horizon?
We plan to finish our first independent album and continue performing and enjoying the camaraderie of the klapa circle. Our biggest goal is to find young, talented people who share our vision, so that this group has a future. We hope one day new singers will take over with their own goals and desires, but with the same commitment to ensuring the tradition of Klapa Berulia never fades. Will we succeed? Time will tell.