Bulgaria | Mihaela Fileva - "Opora"

BRAND NEW

Sounds European! remeets Bulgarian singer Mihaela Fileva. She has just released a new single. It's "Opora", a piano-led ballad which explores all the quality and emotions her voice can offer. It's simply lovely.

Bulgaria | Grafa - "Utre otnovo"

RECENT

Bulgarian star Grafa has just released a new single. And it's a great one! "Utre otnovo" is a grandiose pop-rock song with a grower melody and a very involving ambience. It's irresistible!

Bulgaria | ALMA - "Close the door"

RECENT

Look who we are remeeting! It's Bulgarian artist ALMA, who has recently released a new single. It's "Close the door", a song with a strong melody, full of personality. It's impossible to listen to it only once.

Bulgaria | DARA feat. Matteo - "Call me"

BRAND NEW

Bulgarian star DARA has gathered with Matteo, from Romania, to record and release a new single. And let us be very clear: "Call me" is simply awesome! It's impossible not to get caught by its groove.

Bulgaria | Philipp Kirkorov - "Po kamnyam po ostrym"

BRAND NEW

Look who we are finally remeeting! It's Bulgarian-Russian star Philipp Kirkorov, who has just released "Po kamnyam po ostrym". It's an emotional ballad with a captivating melody and a very marking chorus.

Bulgaria | Divna - "Sega"

RECENT

It's finally time to remeet Bulgarian star Divna and see what she's up to. She has recently released "Sega", and we are fully addicted to it! The song is a very addictive electropop with a very energetic melody.

Bulgaria | Mihaela Marinova - "Serial"

BRAND NEW

We are now landing in Bulgaria, to listen to an outstanding new single by Mihaela Marinova. It's entitled "Serial". The song offers verses with a very strong groove, which is only surpassed in intensity by the chorus, when Mihaela's voice shines and impresses!

Bulgaria | DARA - "Thunder"

SONG OF THE WEEK

Bulgarian star DARA has a brand-new single on offer. It's entitled "Thunder". The song offers pop at its best form! The melody is involving, the beats are catchy and the chorus is impeccable. It's simply excellent: it's our song of the week!

Bulgaria | Grafa feat. Mihaela Fileva - "Adzhenda"

BRAND NEW

Summer has arrived to Bulgaria, as Grafa and Mihaela Fileva gathered to release a new single. We are talking about "Adzhenda". It's pure entertainment: it's impossible to listen to it and not move your body along!

10 Questions For: Victoria Georgieva

INTERVIEW

We have been watching her talent blossom and grow since 2016, making her one of the best artists from Bulgaria. It's a pleasure to listen to her music – always touching and profound. And now, we are enjoying even greater pleasure, as we have the opportunity to talk to her about her work. These are our 10 questions for Victoria Georgieva:

Sounds European!: We like to start our interviews talking a bit about the artists' music backgrounds. What are your first memories with music? What artists did you enjoy listening to when you were growing up? And do you feel they have influenced, in any aspect, the artist you are today?

Victoria Georgieva: My first music experience was when I was 12 years old. I started singing lessons in my home town of Varna and the reason for that was Hannah Montana. I really loved that TV show and I wanted to be like the character of Miley Cyrus and live her double life.

SE!: You took part in the 2015 edition of The X Factor in Bulgaria. What made you decide to participate in the show? How was your experience in it? What did you learn from your participation, that you carry with you for the rest of your career?

VG: My participation in The X Factor was a really important moment for me – it allowed me to gain fans in Bulgaria that still support me to this day. I learned a lot and, through the journey, I met important people that forever changed my life. One of them is my manager Genoveva Christova from Ligna Studios, who supports me a lot and made my Eurovision participation possible.

SE!: You were chosen to represent your country in Eurovision in 2020. How did you find out about the invitation? What was your reaction to it? And how did you face the cancellation of the contest, especially knowing that your entry, "Tears getting sober", was considered one of the favorites for the trophy?

VG: Only few artists have had the opportunity to be part of Eurovision for more than two years. It's crazy to think I was announced as the Bulgarian artist for Eurovision back in November 2019 and I was able to perform on the stage in May 2021. I was really happy when I learned I would represent Bulgaria and also a little bit scared of what lied in front. I knew there was a lot of work but I didn't know that there would be so many sleepless nights. I wouldn't be able to have done all this without the support of my team. For me, it was really hard to find the song to follow up "Tears getting sober", which was the first track I could fully express myself as an artist with.

SE!: What can you tell us about the period between the cancellation of the 2020 edition of Eurovision and the confirmation that you were returning in 2021? How did you feel, and what did you have in mind during that time?

VG: The cancellation of Eurovision allowed me to finalize my first EP, "A little dramatic", and release it just before Eurovision. The release included five songs that I wrote with my team between the summer of 2018 and the summer of 2020 – "Imaginary friend", "Growing up is getting old", "Dive into unknown", "Phantom pain" and "The funeral song". Finalizing all the tracks wasn't easy because we needed to work online because of the travel restrictions. For me, this was a challenge at first, but I guess this will be the new normal for songwriters and producers around the world.

SE!: After you were confirmed for Eurovision 2021, there was a new challenge, a new step for you: selecting your new entry. How was this selection process?

VG: Selecting the song for Eurovision 2021 was also a hard task. We decided that one of the songs from my album would represent Bulgaria in Rotterdam, and we asked music experts and the Eurovision fans for feedback for all five songs. In the end we decided to go with "Growing up is getting old" – a song that holds a special place in my heart and represents me as an artist in the best way possible.

"I am happy that I have the freedom to express myself artistically and to share the stories I care about with the world" (Picture: Lora Musheva)

SE!: When we listen to your songs, they sound very deep and relatable. We feel that you take special care of the melodies and instrumentation, and that your lyrics carry strong and sincere emotions. What can you tell us about your songwriting process? What topics do you like to talk about in your lyrics? And where do you draw inspiration to write from?

VG: My goal with my music is always to write songs with meaningful stories. Tracks that people can relate to – and songs like "Tears getting sober" and "Growing up is getting old" really impacted a lot of people, who wrote to me that they could relate with them so much. The topics in my debut EP are quite dark and obviously dramatic, but in the end I always want to bring a little light and positivity to the songs. I am writing new material with my amazing team of songwriters and I am excited to share the music with the world.

SE!: You have been receiving a lot of attention and praise in recent years, not only in your country, but also internationally. And your career is just beginning! When you think about the long-term future, what are your professional aspirations? What do you still dream to achieve with your music?

VG: I have always dreamed to be the artist I am right now. I know there are still things that are in development. I started writing music just two years ago. I am happy that I have the freedom to express myself artistically and to share the stories I care about with the world. Releasing music is a dream come true for me and the release of "A little dramatic" was something I dreamed of for a long time.

SE!: Returning from the long term to the short term. Now that the Eurovision frenzy is over, what are your professional projects for the near future? What can your fans expect from you?

VG: I am working on my next single. I can't tell you much, but I am quite excited to share new music with the world.

SE!: If you could choose anyone, who would be some Bulgarian and international artists you would like to collaborate with?

VG: The artist I would choose is definitely Moses Sumney – I love his style, voice and the emotion he puts in his music and performances.

SE!: We would like to finish this interview with a song of yours. What is your favorite song by Victoria Georgieva, and why?

VG: I really can't choose one! So let's finish with "A little dramatic" and let's dive into the dramatic world of the EP. :)

Bulgaria | Grafa - "Khimera"

RECENT

It's time to listen to Grafa's latest single, which is becoming a huge hit in Bulgaria. It's "Khimera" (or "Somebody else", in its version in English), a groovy pop song with a very catchy melody, led by well-marked and well-paced beats. The chorus is the cherry on top of it all!

Bulgaria | Nikol - "Bez cherni ochila"

BRAND NEW

Nikol is an 18-year-old Bulgarian singer and songwriter. Music runs in her veins: she's the daughter of Bulgarian stars Loko and Stanley. Meet her with her brand-new single, "Bez cherni ochila". It's a groovy pop song with an irresistible R&B mood.

Bulgaria | Mihaela Marinova - "Whispers"

BRAND NEW

Bulgarian star Mihaela Marinova is back with a new single. It's "Whispers", a sweet, well-paced pop song with a very delightful ambience. Mihaela leads it all with undeniable perfection!

Bulgaria | Victoria Georgieva - "Growing up is getting old"

BRAND NEW

Bulgarian singer Victoria Georgieva has just unveiled her 2021 Eurovision song! It will be "Growing up is getting old", an introspective, delicate ballad with a delicious, '50s-inspired instrumentation.

Bulgaria | DARA - "Cold as ice"

RECENT

Sounds European! finally remeets Bulgarian star DARA. She has recently released an awesome new single, entitled "Cold as ice". It's pop at its best! The chorus sticks to the head after the very first listen.

Bulgaria | 4Magic - "Dai mi"

RECENT

It's time to check up on Bulgarian girlband 4Magic! They return with the groovy "Dai mi", a pop song with marking beats and a very inviting melody. You can also listen to the version in English by clicking here.

Bulgaria | Poli Genova - "Last night"

RECENT

Bulgarian star Poli Genova returns with a new single. With "Last night", it was her time to join the retro wave we've been living in the pop scene. And the result is as amazing as one could imagine. Highly entertaining!

Bulgaria | Victoria Georgieva - "Ugly cry"

RECENT

We are really looking forward to Victoria Georgieva's song for this year's Eurovision. But, while that doesn't happen, she hasn't stopped giving us great music. You can now listen to her latest single, "Ugly cry". It's an amazing piece of pop!

Bulgaria | Mihaela Fileva - "100 na 100"

RECENT

We are now landing in Bulgaria, to listen to a great new single by Mihaela Fileva. We're talking about "100 na 100" (you can listen to the version in English, "All the way", here). It's a groovy pop song with an interesting mix of retro disco and folk influences. The result is very inviting!

Bulgaria | Dian Solo feat. Chris Zayane - "Silent"

BRAND NEW

Dian Solo is a Bulgarian DJ and producer who has been part of the band Deep Zone Project since 2002. His latest release features vocals by fellow Bulgarian singer Chris Zayane (from Varna), and is entitled "Silent". It is a groovy kind of electronic song, which will hook you with its use of classic instruments.