Josipa Lisac (pronounced [jɔ̌sipa lǐːsat͡s]; born 14 February 1950) is a Croatian and Yugoslav singer whose work has spawned many different genres, from rock and pop to jazz and ethnic music.

Starting her professional career as the vocalist for the rock band O'Hara in 1967, Lisac immediately gained the attention of the Yugoslav audience and the media.

Convention Big Band International, and her third studio album, Made in U.S.A., featuring songs written by a number of prominent American songwriters, Lisac turned to contemporary rock sound.

In the mid-1980s, she turned to performing on Yugoslav pop festivals, appearing in extravagant and flamboyant costumes, the new phase of her career reaching its highlight with the 1987 album Boginja.

[4] With Zlatni Akordi, Lisac appeared on the 1968 edition of the prominent Youth Festival, held in Subotica, with the song "Sunce sja za nas" ("The Sun Shines for Us").

[7] During the same year, Lisac made her discographic debut, on Zlatni Akordi's second EP Halo taxi, the title track originally performed on the 1968 edition of the festival Vaš šlager sezone (Your Schlager of the Season).

[9] For her second single, released during the same year, she recorded the songs "Živim samo za tebe" ("I Live Only for You") and "Prijatelji" ("Friends"),[9] both written by her former O'Hara and Zlatni Akordi bandmate Frano Parać.

[8] Dnevnik jedne ljubavi was an immediate commercial and critical success, the Yugoslav music press describing it as emotional and sophisticated.

[8] The album's biggest hits were the songs "O jednoj mladosti" ("About One Youth"), "Srela sam se s njim" ("I Met Him"), "Sreća" ("Happiness"), "Plačem" ("I'm Crying") and "Ležaj od suza" ("Bed Made of Tears").

[8] Following the album release, Lisac, alongside the bands Time and Porodična Manufaktura Crnog Hleba, represented Yugoslavia at the 10th World Festival of Youth and Students in East Berlin.

[8] The aria "Ave Maria" would become the opera's most famous tune and would continue to be a part of Lisac's concert repertoire until present day.

[8] In 1977, Lisac and Metikoš travelled to the United States, where they recorded the album Made in U.S.A..[8] The album featured songs written by American songwriters, including Richard Supa, Stuart Scharf, Allee Willis, Bruce Roberts, Gary Wright, Ken Hirsch, Robin Batteau, Buddy Kaye and David Pomeranz,[14] and was more mainstream-oriented than her previous releases.

[8] The album was followed by performances in glamorous costumes and scenery and it brought the hits "Danas sam luda" ("Today I'm Crazy") and "Gdje Dunav ljubi nebo" ("Where Danube Kisses the Sky").

With "Gdje Dunav ljubi nebo" Lisac competed in the 1987 Jugovizija, with hopes to represent Yugoslavia in the Eurovision Song Contest 1987, finishing in ninth place out of 24.

[8] During the same year, she released the compilation album Balade (Ballads), featuring, alongside her old songs, a cover of Procol Harum's "A Whiter Shade of Pale", entitled "Blijede sjene".

[8] During this period of her career, Lisac also took part in the recording of the soundtracks for American TV films Wallenberg: A Hero's Story (1985) and The Dirty Dozen: The Fatal Mission (1988), both shot in Yugoslavia.

Held on the first anniversary of his death in Istra hall in Zagreb, the concert featured, beside Lisac, Arsen Dedić, Zdenka Kovačiček, Neno Belan, Dino Dvornik, Crveni Koralji, Boa, Plava Trava Zaborava, Psihomodo Pop, 4M and other artists.

[8] During 1992, Lisac also released the album Čestit Božić (Merry Christmas), recorded with Ivan Goran Kovačić Academical Choir and featuring covers of traditional Christmas songs,[8] and appeared on the various artists album Rock za Hrvatsku (Rock for Croatia) with the song "Sloboda i mir" ("Freedom and Peace").

[9] In 1997, she appeared in another Koreodrama play, Šizofrenija (Schizophrenia ), also directed by Frej,[8] and sang in the new production of Gubec-beg, performed in the Vatroslav Lisinski Concert Hall.

[8] In 2013, in order to mark the 40th anniversary of Dnevnik jedne ljubavi, Croatia Records reissued the album on white vinyl and awarded Lisac with the Special Accolade for Exceptional Contribution to Croatian Music Scene.

[9] In 2014, Lisac and Serbian multi-instrumentalist Slobodan Trkulja, accompanied by the Metropole Orchestra, performed the Međimurje traditional song "Zvira voda" on the celebration of the International Day of Peace in Amsterdam.

[8] The 2020 four-piece box set Diskobiografija (Discobiography), the concept of which was created by Siniša Škarica, was released to mark Lisac's 70th birthday.

[8] In February 2020, Lisac performed the Croatian national anthem at the inauguration of President Zoran Milanović, sparking different reactions of the public with her unconventional interpretation.

[9][16] A criminal complaint was submitted against her by attorney Boško Županović for "performing and intoning the Croatian national anthem in a derogatory way" during the inauguration.

[18] She recorded vocals for the song "Posve slobodna" ("Completely Free"), released on Elvis Stanić's 2005 album Bolja strana svijeta (Better Side of the World).

[18] On the 2010 album Makedonsko srce kuca u 7/8 (Macedonian Heart Beats in the 7/8 Rhythm) by Garo & Tavitjan Brothers she made a guest appearance in the cover of the traditional song "Kalin mome".

[9] Lisac's song "Ti si genije" ("You're a Genius"), originally released on Made in U.S.A., was covered by Yugoslav girl group Aska on their 1982 album Disco Rock.