Mimi Mercedez

Janković was born on 23 November 1992 in Belgrade, FR Yugoslavia and grew up in the neighborhood of Konjarnik. She stated that her interest in rap music comes from her late teenage years.{{cite web |url=https://nova.rs/emisije/vece-sa-ivanom-ivanovicem-gosti-mimi-mercedez-i-vojaz/ |title=Veče sa Ivanom Ivanovićem: Gosti Mimi Mercedez i Vojaž |work=Nova.rs |author=Jovović, P. |date=23 January 2023 |access-date=23 January 2023 |language=Sr}} Janković graduated from the Third Belgrade Gymnasium.{{Citation needed|date=May 2025}}

In 2011, she released her first song, "Napucane svinjice", which was later included to her independently-released debut mixtape, Jedino što znam in 2013. Mercedez was also featured on the track "Mala ima kasko" from the 2012 album Apetiti mi rastu by Serbian rapper Juice.{{cite web |url=https://www.beforeafter.rs/muzika/kako-je-trep-usao-u-srbiju/ |title=Kako je trep ušao u Srbiju |work=Beforeafter.rs |author=Maksimović, V. |date=27 January 2015 |access-date=23 January 2023 |language=Sr}}

In February 2015, Mimi Mercedez released her EP Napaljene uličarke under Bombe Devedesetih. In August, it was followed by her first album, Našminkam se i pravim haos. The album included "Kleoptara", which became her first mainstream popular song.{{cite web |url=https://www.nedeljnik.rs/mimi-mercedez-kada-imas-svoje-pare-mozes-da-imas-i-svoj-moral/ |title=Mimi Mercedez: "Kada imaš svoje pare, možeš da imaš i svoj moral" |work=Nedeljnik |author=Jovičić, U. |date=30 June 2019 |access-date=23 January 2023 |language=Sr}} Same year, she also collaborated with singers Milan Stanković and Mile Kitić on the single "Gadure".{{cite web |url=https://kodex.me/clanak/89092 |title=Milan Stanković snimio pjesmu s Miletom Kitićem i Mimi Mercedes! |work=Kodex.me |author=S. P. |date=2 July 2015 |access-date=23 January 2023 |language=Montenegrin}} The following August, Mercedez had another mainstream hit with singer Kaya, titled "Ne možeš da sediš sa nama".{{cite web |url=https://www.telegraf.rs/jetset/2294253-zestoka-mimi-mercedez-i-kaja-objavile-hitcinu-koja-ce-gruvati-do-daske-video |title=Žestoka Mimi Mercedez i Kaja objavile HITČINU koja će gruvati DO DASKE! |work=Telegraf.rs |date=8 August 2016 |access-date=23 January 2023 |language=Montenegrin}} In 2018, she released two album: Stara Mimi and Kuma. The following year in February, Mercedez had two duets with singer Stoja: "Svet se vrti oko nas" and "Žena sa Balkana". In October 2019, she released Mržnja, which was preceded by the title track and single "Kučke".{{cite web |url=https://www.nedeljnik.rs/mimi-mercedez-novi-album-mrznja/ |title=Mimi Mercedez: Novi album "Mržnja" |work=Nedeljnik |date=4 October 2019 |access-date=23 January 2023 |language=Sr}}

In July 2022, she performed for the first time at the EXIT music festival in Novi Sad.{{cite web |url=https://www.telegraf.rs/pop-i-kultura/exit/3524118-ovo-je-bas-tesko-pitanje-mimi-mercedez-nam-je-otkrila-koja-pesma-najbolje-predstavlja-njen-rad |title="Ovo je baš teško pitanje": Mimi Mercedez nam je otkrila koja pesma najbolje predstavlja njen rad |work=Telegraf.rs |author=Petrović, B., Đorđević, V. |date=8 July 2022 |access-date=23 January 2023 |language=Sr}} In October, during her concert at Tvornica Kulture in Zagreb, Mercedez announced her forthcoming fifth studio album.{{cite web |url=https://www.jutarnji.hr/scena/strane-zvijezde/mimi-mercedez-raspametila-fanove-u-tvornici-od-najozloglasenije-publike-da-je-zagreb-ovo-postao-to-balkanci-moji-15265513 |title=Mimi Mercedez raspametila fanove u Tvornici: 'Od najozloglašenije publike da je Zagreb ovo postao... To Balkanci moji!' |work=Jutarnji.hr |author=Furst, P. |date=22 October 2022 |access-date=23 January 2023 |language=Croatian}} On December 31, she was among the performing artists at the closing ceremony of the Novi Sad's year as the European Capital of Culture.{{cite web |url=https://www.danas.rs/vesti/drustvo/novi-sad-docek-nove-godine-nova-godina-izvodjaci-satnica-2023-tri-bine-kosheen-repetitor-mimi-mercedes/ |title=Poznata satnica izvođača za proslavu dočeka u Novom Sadu: Raspoređeni na tri bine u Novu godinu nas uvode Kosheen, Repetitor i Mimi Mercedez |work=Danas |author=A. L. |date=28 December 2022 |access-date=23 January 2023 |language=Sr}} On 26 January 2023, Mercedez alongside Voyage presented the Music Awards Ceremony, held at the Štark Arena, during which she also performed "Kleopatra".{{cite web |url=https://nova.rs/zabava/showbiz/zvezde-novog-muzickog-talasa-izdominirale-drugog-dana-mac-a/ |title=Zvezde novog muzičkog talasa izdominirale drugog dana MAC-a! |work=Nova.rs |author=Marinović, M. |date=27 January 2023 |access-date=27 January 2023 |language=sr}} Her fifth album, Frka u svemiru, was released on 17 February 2023. It was preceded by the singles "Dajivé komì" featuring Seksi, "Ratatata" featuring Marlon Brutal, "Tik Tok" featuring Mili in 2022, and "Simp" in 2023.{{cite web |url=https://www.nedeljnik.rs/mimi-mercedez-mili-tik-tak/ |title=Mimi Mercedez, Mili – „Tik Tak“ |work=Nedeljnik |date=28 November 2022 |access-date=24 June 2023 |language=Sr}}{{cite web |url=https://citymagazine.danas.rs/popkultura/muzika/posto-je-napravila-takvu-frku-u-svemiru-mimi-mercedez-slece-u-zappa-bazu/ |title=Pošto je napravila takvu „Frku u svemiru“ Mimi Mercedez sleće u Zappa Bazu |work=City Magazine |date=21 February 2023 |access-date=24 June 2023 |language=Sr}} In February the following year, Mercedez collaborated with Croatian rapper Grše on the single "Tokyo Drift", which peaked at number two on the Billboard{{'}}s Croatia Songs chart.{{cite web |url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/croatia-songs-hotw/2024-03-02/ |title=Croatia Songs (Week of March 2, 2024) |work=Billboard |access-date=17 March 2024}}

In December 2024, Mercedez with the song "Turbo žurka" was announced as a contestant in {{Esccnty|Serbia|y=2025|t=Serbia}}'s national selection festival for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025, called Pesma za Evroviziju '25.{{cite web |url=https://www.rts.rs/rts/pesma-evrovizije/pesma-evrovizije-2025/pesma-za-evroviziju-2025/5599463/pze-2025-ucesnici-pesma-za-evroviziju.html |title=Почиње борба за Базел – одабрано 30 учесника „Песме за Евровизију 2025“ |work=RTS |date=10 December 2023 |access-date=27 January 2025|language=Sr}}

Janković previously had stated that her stage name comes from an incident in which she was hit by a Mercedes-Benz car as a child, but afterwards confessed that it was a joke.{{cite web |url=https://nova.rs/zabava/showbiz/mimi-mercedez-o-tei-tairovic-gledala-sam-njene-intervjue-mnogo-je-promisljena-u-karijeri-video/ |title=Mimi Mercedez o Tei Tairović: „Gledala sam njene intervjue, mnogo je promišljena u karijeri“ |work=Nova.rs |date=7 December 2022 |access-date=24 June 2023 |language=Sr}}

Besides Mimi Mercedez, she has assumed several other alter egos throughout her career, including Guda iz Huda, Sestra Drugarica and Kabasti Koblenc, which she initially incorporated to "increase" the presence of women in Serbian hip hop. She has been known for referencing the 1990s in Serbia in her songs. Through the use of metaphors, punch lines, and word play, her lyrics often explore sociopolitical themes, such as social stratification and sex-positivity. According to art theorist Milica Ivić of Politika, Mercedez "decisively" challenges gender roles and inequality in her music, but does not embrace a "feminist identity".{{cite web |url=https://www.b92.net/kultura/art_durbin.php?nav_category=1206&nav_id=1145851 |title=Mimi Mercedez – bez sažaljenja |work=B92.net |publisher=Politika |author=Ilić, M. |date=20 June 2016 |access-date=24 June 2023 |language=Sr}}

On the International Women's Day 2023, Muzika.hr listed Mercedez among the regional female artists who "have left their trace on music".{{cite web |url=https://www.muzika.hr/zene-koje-ostavljaju-trag-na-glazbenoj-sceni/ |title=Žene koje ostavljaju trag na glazbenoj sceni |work=Muzika.hr |author=Šumanović, A. |date=8 March 2023 |access-date=24 June 2023 |language=Hr}} Her single "Dajivé Komì" was among the finalists nominated for the 2023 Milan Mladenović Award.{{cite web |url=https://www.danas.rs/kultura/scena/poznati-finalisti-nagrade-milan-mladenovic-2023/ |title=Poznati finalisti nagrade Milan Mladenović 2023. |work=Danas |access-date=27 July 2023 |language=Sr}}

;Studio albums

• Našminkam se i pravim haos (2015)
• Kuma (2018)
• Stara Mimi (2018)
• Mržnja (2019)
• Frka u svemiru (2023)

{{Reflist}}

• {{Discogs artist|Mimi Mercedez}}

{{Music of Southeastern Europe (the Balkans)}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mercedez, Mimi}}

Category:Living people

Category:1992 births

Category:21st-century Serbian women singers

Category:Serbian women rappers

Category:Musicians from Belgrade