Debuted in 1979 with the single "Hvala ti za sve", she has been dubbed the "Queen of Sadness" (Kraljica tuge) being known for her emotional vocal delivery and melancholic ballads.

[1][2][3] Additionally, Zmijanac starred in the 1981 movie Sok od šljiva and competed on the reality television shows Survivor Srbija VIP: Philippines (2010) and Farma (2016).

[5] According to Zmijanac, she showed interest in music from an early age, citing folk singers Šaban Šaulić, Esma Redžepova and Safet Isović as the biggest influences on her vocal performance.

[4] Same year, she won the grand prix at the International Music Fair (MESAM) in Belgrade with the song "Kraj nogu ti mrem".

Zmijanac embarked on her second tour, performing at the Hala Pionir, Belgrade and Zetra Olympic Hall, Sarajevo to over 10,000 people.

In 1990, Zmijanac released her eighth studio album, Svatovi, under new label Komuna, which was promoted with a tour and ten consecutive concerts at the Belgrade's Sava Centar.

[14] During the 1980s, Zmijanac was for three years married to songwriter and instrumentalist Miroljub Aranđelović Kemiš, who later remarried to singer Zorica Brunclik.

[15][16] From her second marriage with the former chief of marketing at PGP-RTS, Vlada Jovanović, she has a daughter Nikolija (born 19 October 1989), who is also a well-known singer.