Hush, Hush, When the Moon Comes Out, All Good Things in this World are Blue are some of the most emblematic songs of the celebrated Bulgarian pop singer Mimi Nikolova. In 1958 she recorded her first song Hush, Hush which soon became a music hit. The song was written for the popular Bulgarian movie Lyubimetz 13 (starring Apostol Karamitev). Mimi Nikolova is a discovery of the renowned Bulgarian composer Petar Stupel who was looking at that time for someone who would sing that song elegantly. An experienced young female singer who was part of a vocal trio, Bodra Smyana Children’s Choir and the Sofia Girls’ Choir was recommended to him. Thus, Mimi Nikolova gained huge popularity in several days only.

Mimi Nikolova performed the song Kaliakra by Angel Zaberski which in 1965 won the first prize at the Songs about the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast music contest which was renamed two years later to the Golden Orpheus. She also sang the First Meeting song by Ivan Staykov which placed second after Kaliakra. Here is what Mimi Nikolova told Radio Bulgaria about the music contest and its founder Genko Genov:

Genko Genov wanted to popularize the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. He visited similar music festivals abroad and decided to establish the Songs about the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast in Sunny Beach resort (renamed later into the Golden Orpheus). Angel Zaberski entrusted me with a very difficult song. I had to learn that song quickly. I wrote the first stanzas of the verses on my palm which gave me courage. Fortunately I did not have to use them as a reminder, because the ink was all over my hand and it would not help me a lot. At 1 am we learned that this song won the first prize and I had to sing it again. Initially I panicked a lot, but everything went well. The atmosphere in the variety-hall was excellent. It was packed with Bulgarian and foreign music fans.

Mimi Nikolova is one of the first jazz singers in Bulgaria. She was a soloist of the Bulgarian National Radio Big Band, the Balkanton Orchestra, as well as of Jazz Focus 65 Quartet founded by Milcho Leviev at the initiative of Radoy Ralin. Mimi Nikolova performed successfully at the music festivals in Sopot (Poland) in 1967, Split (former Yugoslavia) in 1969, Varadero (Cuba) and Tokyo (Japan) in 1977. She worked for many years with Ivan Staykov.

Ivan Staykov wrote many songs for me. The song Once Again presented in Japan was the most impressive one. Ivan also wrote the lyrics in English. We had to record this song in advance in order to participate at the music festival in Japan. We made the recording at the Bulgarian National Radio. A total of 1780 pieces took part at the festival and only several songs, including Once Again reached the final. The competition was severe. We made two rehearsals in Japan. All people from Yamaha foundation were great professionals. The concert was held in a huge music hall with 13,000 seats and it was literally packed. I received many congratulations. Later, a Japanese composer asked me whether I would sing one of his songs at festivals in Malta and Florida (USA). However, the Bulgarian Ministry of Culture, which managed at that time the performances of the Bulgarian artists categorically refused.

At her benefit concert in Sofia Mimi Nikolova will perform together with Misho Yosifov (trumpet), Vili Stoyanov (trombone), Boris Taslev (bass) and other popular Bulgarian musicians. She will perform some of her most emblematic songs of her music repertoire, as well as favorite jazz pieces together with Petar Zhelezarov (piano).

English version: Kostadin Atanasov