{"id":3666,"date":"2026-02-25T14:16:45","date_gmt":"2026-02-25T13:16:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.katjarestovic.com\/?p=3666"},"modified":"2026-02-26T12:55:17","modified_gmt":"2026-02-26T11:55:17","slug":"sandra-sagena-the-artist-who-turns-music-into-emotion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.katjarestovic.com\/en\/multimedia\/sandra-sagena-the-artist-who-turns-music-into-emotion\/","title":{"rendered":"Sandra Sagena \u2013 The Artist Who Turns Music into Emotion"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"681\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.katjarestovic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/received_269488541164075-1-681x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3811\" style=\"aspect-ratio:0.6650339513237201;width:186px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.katjarestovic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/received_269488541164075-1-681x1024.jpeg 681w, https:\/\/www.katjarestovic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/received_269488541164075-1-199x300.jpeg 199w, https:\/\/www.katjarestovic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/received_269488541164075-1-768x1155.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.katjarestovic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/received_269488541164075-1-1021x1536.jpeg 1021w, https:\/\/www.katjarestovic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/received_269488541164075-1-1362x2048.jpeg 1362w, https:\/\/www.katjarestovic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/received_269488541164075-1-279x420.jpeg 279w, https:\/\/www.katjarestovic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/received_269488541164075-1-150x226.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/www.katjarestovic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/received_269488541164075-1-300x451.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.katjarestovic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/received_269488541164075-1-696x1047.jpeg 696w, https:\/\/www.katjarestovic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/received_269488541164075-1-1068x1607.jpeg 1068w, https:\/\/www.katjarestovic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/received_269488541164075-1-1920x2888.jpeg 1920w, https:\/\/www.katjarestovic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/received_269488541164075-1-scaled.jpeg 1702w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 681px) 100vw, 681px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Sandra Sagena is one of those names on the Croatian music scene that carries both artistic weight and a distinctive creative identity. A lyricist, composer, singer-songwriter and versatile artist, she has spent years shaping sounds and words that endure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cSandra and I have known each other for a very long time. We\u2019ve been through so much together \u2013 professionally and personally,\u201d says Katja Restovi\u0107. \u201cWe worked on many music videos together, and one of the very first videos I ever directed was hers, for the song \u2018Ne \u017eelim biti dama\u2019 (\u2018I Don\u2019t Want to Be a Lady\u2019), which she performed at Dora. From that moment on, our deep friendship and mutual understanding began.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Over the years, they collaborated on numerous projects and music videos, but Restovi\u0107 especially highlights two that she filmed and edited herself for Sandra \u2013 \u2018Gej\u0161a\u2019 and \u2018Meridionale\u2019. Some of those collaborations have remained permanently etched in her memory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOne of my most cherished memories is the song and video for \u2018Gej\u0161a\u2019 and \u2018Meridionale\u2019. That was something truly special between us,\u201dRestovi\u0107 recalls. \u201cAnd then there was the song for Massimo Savi\u0107, Ljubav kao miris puta (\u2018Love Like the Scent of the Road\u2019), for which I wrote the lyrics. When I sent her the verses, she was thrilled, and a beautiful melody was born almost instantly. Her then-partner Marko, who left us far too soon, created the arrangement, and Massimo performed the song in his unmistakable style. The song was presented at the Dalmatian Chanson Festival, where it received the \u0160ansonijer Award, and that same year it also won a Porin Award for Best Male Vocal Performance.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Geisha\" width=\"696\" height=\"522\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/WO6d_aForyQ?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe> \n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Two versions of the music video were recorded for the song, and the entire process remains remembered as one of those collaborations where creative energy simply aligned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sandra Sagena (born in \u0160ibenik) established herself as the author of numerous songs for well-known Croatian performers. A songwriter of strong sensibility, she is known for lyrics and music that blend emotion, depth, and a recognizable artistic signature. Her body of work includes hundreds of compositions, and she has collaborated with many prominent names on the national scene. A Porin Award winner, her oeuvre reflects continuous and dedicated creative work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Yet beyond professional credentials lies something far more personal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-id=\"3659\" src=\"https:\/\/www.katjarestovic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Sandra-Sagena-hr_en-6.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3659\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-id=\"3660\" src=\"https:\/\/www.katjarestovic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Sandra-Sagena-hr_en-5.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3660\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-id=\"3661\" src=\"https:\/\/www.katjarestovic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Sandra-Sagena-hr_en-2-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3661\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhat has always fascinated me about her is her aesthetic \u2013 that particular feminine sensibility she brings into everything she does. And her voice\u2026 I adore her voice. When she sings accompanied by piano, it becomes this refined, layered tone. I like to say it\u2019s a voice that holds multiple voices within it \u2013 like strings that aren\u2019t perfectly polished, but slightly \u2018dusty,\u2019 just as they should be. That\u2019s what gives it warmth and character,\u201d Restovi\u0107 says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Official music video La Famiglia  &quot;Meridionale&quot;\" width=\"696\" height=\"522\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/o5Kn5MiOMUA?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Beyond professional achievements, their friendship has outlived both spotlights and projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ve been through so much together. We have countless anecdotes. But what matters most to me is this \u2013 in every life moment, both beautiful and difficult, she was always there for me. And I believe I was there for her as well,\u201d concludes Katja Restovi\u0107.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In a world where collaborations often remain purely professional, the relationship between Katja Restovi\u0107 and Sandra Sagena has grown into something deeper \u2013 a lasting creative partnership and friendship that carries both art and life within it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-2 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-id=\"3663\" src=\"https:\/\/www.katjarestovic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Sandra-Sagena-hr_en-1-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3663\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-id=\"3662\" src=\"https:\/\/www.katjarestovic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Sandra-Sagena-hr_en-7.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3662\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-id=\"3664\" src=\"https:\/\/www.katjarestovic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Sandra-Sagena-hr_en-4-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3664\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Sandra Sagena - Ne \u017eelim biti dama\" width=\"696\" height=\"522\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Xpu4hYXoPi4?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe> \n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"youtube-embed\" data-video_id=\"y7ywhW5Enh4\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"AUTORICA!: Sandra Sagena: &quot;Zada\u0107a autora je odgajati publiku&quot;\" width=\"696\" height=\"392\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/y7ywhW5Enh4?feature=oembed&#038;enablejsapi=1\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sandra Sagena is one of those names on the Croatian music scene that carries both artistic weight and a distinctive creative identity. A lyricist, composer, singer-songwriter and versatile artist, she has spent years shaping sounds and words that endure. \u201cSandra and I have known each other for a very long time. We\u2019ve been through so [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":4593,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[62,63],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-3666","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-multimedia","8":"category-music-videos"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.katjarestovic.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3666","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.katjarestovic.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.katjarestovic.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.katjarestovic.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.katjarestovic.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3666"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.katjarestovic.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3666\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3816,"href":"https:\/\/www.katjarestovic.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3666\/revisions\/3816"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.katjarestovic.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4593"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.katjarestovic.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3666"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.katjarestovic.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3666"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.katjarestovic.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3666"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}