[2] Being the youngest of five children in a Bosniak family, she was called beba (baby) by her older siblings and took that as her stage name when she became a professional singer.

[3][4] Aged 17, Selimović was one of six people chosen out of 300 candidates to sing for Radio Sarajevo, which kicked off her professional career in 1954 as a soloist for the station.

Her first single, "Po mojoj bašti zumbuli cvjetaju" ("In My Garden Hyacinths Bloom"), was released in 1958.

She recorded songs with multiple Bosnian sevdalinka singers such as Zaim Imamović, Zehra Deović, Nada Mamula, Safet Isović and Meho Puzić.

Selimović said that she had retired years ago and ignored requests to perform on television, saying she had given the opportunity to younger generations to "continue.