Pretty Loud is a Roma rap group based in Zemun, Serbia, advocating for women's empowerment in the Romani community.[1] The group formed in 2014, when the all-female members started singing together as part of the NGO educational and social program GRUBB (Gypsy Roma Urban Balkan Beats). GRUBB's goal is to help young Roma take their futures into their own hands, to stay in school and get an education.[2][3] According to one of Pretty Loud's members, "We want to stop the early marriages [...] we want the girls themselves, and not their parents, to decide whether they want to marry or not. We want every woman to have the right to be heard, to have her dreams and to be able to fulfil them, to be equal".[1] The group's music blends traditional Romani music with contemporary rap and they sing in Romani, Serbian and English.[4][5]
The group has previously collaborated with the London College of Fashion,[6] and in 2020 they participated in the Women of the World Festival in London.[7] During this festival they performed in the Royal Festival Hall.[4] Members of the group teach music and dance workshops held by GRUBB.[1]
- ^ a b c Gec, Jovana (June 22, 2021). "Serbian Roma girl band sings for women's empowerment". Associated Press. Retrieved July 3, 2021.
- ^ Kožul, Dejan (March 19, 2021). "Pretty Loud: We Don't Have A State, We Have The Whole World". Kosovo 2.0. Retrieved July 3, 2021.
- ^ "Mlade,Hrabre Žene Romkinje" [Young, Brave Roma Women]. Romaworld (in Serbian). February 26, 2021. Retrieved July 3, 2021.
- ^ a b Jovanovic, Dragana (April 9, 2021). "From Belgrade to London, Roma Girl Band Sings for Female Empowerment". Balkan Insight. Retrieved July 3, 2021.
- ^ Nesic, Milica (May 12, 2020). "Hrabre i samostalne: ženski romski bend Pretty Loud" [Brave and independent: female Roma band Pretty Loud]. Deutsche Welle (in Serbian). Retrieved July 3, 2021.
- ^ "Collaborative Unit Project with Pretty Loud". arts.ac.uk. London College of Fashion. 2021. Retrieved July 3, 2021.
- ^ Kostic, Milica Milojevic (April 8, 2021). "Ženski romski bend "Pretty loud" se muzikom bori za obrazovanje Roma i protiv dečijih brakova" [The Roma women's band "Pretty loud" fights with music for Roma education and against child marriages]. Južne Vesti (in Serbian). Retrieved July 3, 2021.