Rajka Vali

Who is Rajka Vali?

Valerija Raukar most commonly known by her stage name Rajka Vali was an Croatian pop music singer who enjoyed success through the 1940s and 1950s.

Valerija Raukar was born in the Croat family in East Syrmian village of Ruma.

She began singing in the school choir in high school in Zagreb. Her professional singer career began accidentally in 1943. One of members of Trio Delinski was ill and since there was an urgent need for replacement. Valerija Raukar was literally dragged by her friends into the studio of Krugovalna postaja Zagreb.

She sang with Trio Delinski until the end of WWII. Afterwards she continued as vocal soloist, sometimes making records with dance orchestras.

She often sang in duet with Croatian legend Ivo Robić, Zvonimir Krkljuš and Bruno Petrali.

She studied architecture in Zagreb and graduated in 1955.

She was married twice. Her first marriage was with known pre-WWII Croatian jazz-musician Bojan Hohnjec, who influenced her early singing style. Her second husband was known Croatian jazz-musician, drummer Marijan Moša Marjanović.