Turbofolk is tacky, high-octane techno with melodies based loosely on traditional Balkan folk music. Which would make it the same as popular music in pretty much any country in Europe if it wasn’t also paid for by the Serbian and Croatian mafias and served as the soundtrack to some of the most heinous war crimes since the Holocaust. It’s a bit of a trippy scene. The Madonna of Turbofolk, Ceca Ražnatović, is currently under house arrest for embezzlement and hiding a cache of assault rifles in her basement. So we caught up with her protege, Goga Sekulic, a heavily-bronzed tower of woman best known for her hits “Gaćice [Panties]” and “Seksi Businessman [Sexy Businessman]” and went out for some Tuesday-night turboclubbing in Belgrade.

CNN broadcasted a TV program about Serbian turbo-folk music this week. Although not presented in a positive way, we all know there is no such thing as bad publicity in this genre.

I am more than satisfied and delighted that I was shown beside the two biggest stars here – Lepa Brena and Ceca. To my knowledge, they wanted an interview with Ceca, Brena was too busy preparing her concerts in the Belgrade’s Arena, and then they decided to ask Karleusa, but she wanted a lot of money. Then they called me because I have a voice similar to that of Ceca. I am realistic, not everyone can be broadcasted on CNN. Many of our actors spend years and years in America and doesn’t succeed in anything, and in my case the CNN’s reporter came here and called me a successor of Ceca. This is more than a compliment. Everyone has an opinion and is entitled to express it. I’ll tell you one thing – while people argue, I earn and appear to a worldwide audience, admitted Goga Sekulic.

Watch the reportage here