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Milena Slavova – 25 years on stage

For her jubilee concert on Nov 28th, Milena invited some of Bulgaria’s most prominent rock musicians.
Photo: BGNES
On November 28, 2009, Bulgarian rock singer Milena Slavova celebrated her 25th anniversary on stage. In her youth, in the 1980s, she was the most provocative female musician on the Bulgarian rock scene. She broke all norms in terms of music, lyrics, and visual style. Disapproved by the social and political system of that time, she was a favourite among rebels, both in music and in everyday life.

Milena made her first steps in professional rock music in 1985. A year later, together with musicians Vasil Gyurov, Valko Andreev, and Kiril Manchev, she formed a rock group called “Milena”, which later turned into the cult rock band “Review”. The young musicians took an open stand against the totalitarian system, and they were given the label “outsiders”. In 1989, the band released its debut album entitled “Milena + Review”. In the period between 1986 and 1990, Milena made 7 concert tours to the former USSR. In 1990, she participated in the Sanremo Music Festival for Best Italian Song. More albums followed, such as “Ha-ha” released in 1991, and “The Scandal” released in 1993. Within several years only, Milena turned into a music icon for young rock musicians in Bulgaria. Her “star” status became even more pronounced when she started singing as lead vocalist of “Era” rock band. This was a period in which her music had the “hardest” rock sound. In 1993, the singer left for London in search of a different life and new professional horizons. There, she performed in various night clubs and released the album “Sold”, which became a huge success. Milena was the first Bulgarian lady musician to perform in the exclusive “Marquee Club” in London.

Milena returned to Bulgaria in 1998, and released a collection album entitled “The true Milena The best +”. It contains 14 of her greatest hits recorded in new arrangements. She is author of both the music and the lyrics of her songs, which sincere, with a powerful emotional impact. Her performance carries a universal message touching upon life’s philosophy and the human fate. She is the author of some of the most progressive hits in Bulgaria’s contemporary rock music – “Director of a Waterfall”, “Ala-bala”, “No Nerves”, “Ha-ha”, among them.

For her jubilee concert on Nov 28th, Milena invited some of Bulgaria’s most prominent rock musicians to make guest appearances. She performed all of her greatest hits, some of them in new, acoustic, versions. Let us recall her hit “Director of a Waterfall”.

Now, listen to another of Milena’s hits – the single “Ha-ha”. You will hear this song in a new arrangement, for which Milena invited the Big Band of the Bulgarian National Radio and the “Pim pam”Children’s Choir.

English Version: Rossitsa Petcova
По публикацията работи: Sibila Lilova


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