Starskard

Starskard (born Dejan Perkovic; 1974) is a Kresimirian musician, record producer, and media mogul. Beginning his career as the frontman of the grunge band Carpenter Workhorse in the 1990s, he successfully reinvented himself in the 2000s as a solo artist, blending hip-hop with light pop-rock.

He is one of the most commercially successful artists in the history of the Divine Republic. Unlike his contemporary Lana B, who represents traditional state patriotism, Starskard represents the modern, cosmopolitan “New Money” elite of Sinj. He is the founder and CEO of Skyline Audio, the largest independent record label in the country, and is a major player in the KresiX digital streaming market.

Early Life and Carpenter Workhorse

Dejan Perkovic was born in 1974 in the industrial sprawl of Novi Otonik. His father was a foreman at a Maj Steel foundry.

In 1993, he enrolled at the Otonik Institute of Applied Sciences (OIAS) to study Sound Engineering. While at university, he formed the band Carpenter Workhorse with three fellow engineering students. The band played a heavy, sludgy style of rock influenced by the industrial noise of the district.

They achieved moderate success with their 1997 album Shift Change, which resonated with the disaffected youth of the Sanjakorin era. However, the band struggled to get airtime on TRK due to their “abrasive” sound, and they disbanded in 2001 after Perkovic grew frustrated with the limitations of the rock genre.

Solo Career: The Birth of Starskard

In 2002, Perkovic moved to Sinj and adopted the stage name Starskard. He spent two years working behind the scenes as a producer for TRK Records, learning the pop industry.

He launched his solo career in 2004 with the album The Concrete Garden. The lead single, City of Gold, was a radical departure from his previous work—a polished, radio-friendly track that blended rapping with a catchy sung chorus. It became a massive hit, particularly among the students of Sinj University.

Musical Style

Starskard is known for his versatility. His music often features high-production beats, rock guitar samples, and lyrics that celebrate ambition, wealth, and the urban lifestyle of the capital. While not explicitly political, his embrace of consumerism and technology aligns him culturally with the technocratic wing of Blue Dawn led by Ari Stov.

Business Ventures

In 2008, Starskard founded Skyline Audio, a record label and production house. Using his connections in the tech sector, he was one of the first to embrace digital distribution.

• Streaming Dominance: When the Digital Vigilance Act created the closed Kresinet, Skyline Audio secured a lucrative contract with YakaSys to provide content for the state-approved music app. This effectively gave Starskard an ‘in’ to youth culture distribution.
• Talent Scouting: He is credited with discovering several modern pop acts, acting as a “kingmaker” in the Kresimirian entertainment industry.

Starskard’s most profitable discovery was the boyband Josie Dropout. Signed to his Skyline Audio label in 2010, the group became a national phenomenon. Starskard leveraged his connections with the state media to ensure their dominance on the charts, using the band to cross-promote YakaSys products to the teenage demographic.

Personal Life

Starskard lives in a gated villa in the exclusive “River Heights” neighborhood of Sinj, overlooking the Kambel River. He is known for his lavish lifestyle, frequently appearing in the society pages of the Kresimirian Herald.

He is married to Elena Perkovic (née Zima), a prominent corporate lawyer and the granddaughter of former Chief State Councillor Petar Zima. They have three children.

Despite his wealth, he maintains ties to his alma mater, frequently donating equipment to the OIAS School of Engineering. However, he has a strained relationship with the arts community in the north, particularly with bands like The Black Lungs, who have accused him of “selling out the working class for Sinj gold.”

Discography (Carpenter Workhorse)

• Shift Change (1997)

Discography (Solo)

• The Concrete Garden (2004)
• Sinj State of Mind (2007)
• Velvet & Iron (2012)
• Seventy Nine (2014)
• The Sovereign (2018)
• Digital Kingdom (2023)