Lili Ivanova

Lili Ivanova

Lili Ivanova performing at BG Radio Music Awards
Background information
Birth name Lilyana Ivanova Petrova
Born 24 April 1939
Origin Kubrat, Razgrad Province, Bulgaria
Genres Pop
Occupation(s) Singer
Years active 1961–present

Lilyana Ivanova Petrova (Bulgarian: Лиляна Иванова Петрова, born April 24, 1939[1] in Kubrat), known professionally as Lili Ivanova (Bulgarian: Лили Иванова) is a renowned Bulgarian singer. In tribute to her contribution to the culture of the country, she is often referred to as the "Prima of Bulgarian popular music". Her best known songs are "Панаири" ("Fairs"), "Щурче" ("A Cricket"), "Стари мой приятелю" ("My Good Old Friend"), "Ветрове" ("Winds"), "Без правила" ("No Rules"), "Детелини" ("Clovers"), "Осъдени души" ("Doomed Souls"), "Наше лято" ("Our Summer"), "За тебе бях" ("To You I Meant"), "Хризантеми" ("Chrysanthemums"), "Camino", "Море на младостта" ("Sea of Youth") and her Russian hit "Забудь обратную дорогу" ("Forget the Road Back").

Biography

Lili Ivanova is born on April 24, 1939 in the town of Kubrat. She graduated the medical professional school in Varna and worked as a nurse. Her career as a singer begins in the 1960-s, she received her first recognition in 1963 as a singer with the variété show of Ambassador Hotel and the Constantin Tanase Music Hall Theatre in Bucharest. The local audience adored the not-yet famous singer and the local television broadcast 4 live shows. Her first album "Amore Twist" was recorded in the same year. Her second album "Sea of Youth" was recorded in Bulgaria in 1967 and contains 11 songs. Her third album was recorded in Moscow in 1968 [Payot Lili Ivanova (Singing Is Lili Ivanova), Melodia, 1968]. Lili Ivanova's renowned album "Camino" was recorded by the Bulgarian Balkanton in 1968. The singer is still performing the Camino song, as it allows for the full broad spectrum of her voice.

Lili Ivanova wins her first prize "Golden Key" in 1966 in Bratislava, Czechoslovakia. In the years that follow she receives over 10 international awards and numerous local recognitions. In 1997, the International Women association nominates Lili one of the most famous women of the 20th century. In 1999 Lili is awarded with the highest Bulgarian State Award, "Stara Planina" medal, for her contribution to the Bulgarian pop music.

During 1981-1987 Lili Ivanova lives and performs primarily in Germany. During these years she records several albums: "Warning" and the German "Kein Film War Schoner“ in 1981, "A Cricket" in 1982, the duo with Asen Gargov "The Heart Chose You" in 1983. The double album "I Want You" comes out in 1984, followed by "Lili 86" in 1986 and "A big Wedding" in 1989.

During the turbulent 1990-es Lili Ivanova manages to sustain her career. She records 3 albums - "Gambling" in 1993, "Are you Ready for Love" in 1995 and "Private Matter" in 1998. She continues to perform live, as well.

In 2000, she scores the biggest hit of her career - the song "Winds". In the years to come Lili performs in the biggest concert and events hall in Bulgaria, at the National Palace of Culture. On January 9, 2009 Lili performs at Olympia Hall in Paris. While the Bulgarian audience continues to prove they adore Lili, the singer herself continues to prove that she is capable of mastering different musical styles. At present she performs with the own band: „Grand Li Orchestra“ and will participate in Andrea Bocelli's concert in Sofia, in May 2014.

Artistry

Music style and voice

Lili Ivanova started her career singing popular Italian, French and Russian hits. However, she soon redirected her creative work to performing Bulgarian songs. The singer's music style is distinctive, characterized with strong meaningful lyricism and a constant innovation. Her music in the 1960s and 1970s was marked by complex and rich orchestrations, dramatic transitions between quiet and loud moments, often played with a brass band, string orchestra and electric guitars, with accents of piano or Hammond organ, backing vocals (sometimes choral) and a reverberation to the voice of the performer. Subsequently, with the style going out of fashion, the singer began performing music composed with electronic musical instruments. After 2000, Lili Ivanova is accompanied at her live performances by several musicians - mainly pianist, violinist, guitarist and a saxophonist. The singer has repeatedly stated the importance of the songs' lyrics and the message they convey to the public. Throughout her career she has shown interest in experimenting with new sounds and has expanded her repertoire with compositions in the styles - rock, soul, rhythm and blues, Balkan ethno and jazz.

Discography

Lili Ivanova has recorded and released 35 albums and 29 singles altogether in Bulgaria, USSR, Romania, Turkey, Germany, Spain and other countries.[2] There aren't exact statistics on the number of sold copies of her albums. According to Alexander Yosifov, ex-director of Balkanton from 1968 to 1986, Lili Ivanova's albums in store for the Soviet Union always reached a circulation of over 1 million.[3] The Italian Magazine L'Europeo stated that she has sold more than 10 million copies in the USSR. However, due to the Socialist system in Bulgaria, she has never received any income from the sales of the records, beside a monthly salary equal for all famous singers at that time.

Concert performances and tours

Lili Ivanova has had over 11,000 concerts and many tours abroad, mainly in the former USSR (and Russia in the 1990s). She has performed successful concerts in Germany, Cuba, Japan, Turkey, the Czech Republic, Yugoslavia, Hungary, Poland, Greece, Portugal, Brazil, etc. as well as several tours in the US and Canada singing for Bulgarian immigrants there.

The "Prima of Bulgarian popular music" is the first singer from the Eastern Bloc with a concert in the renowned music hall Olympia, Paris.[4] She is also the first Bulgarian performer with a concert in the newly built Armeets Arena in Sofia, gathering 15,000 people (the venue normally can hold up to 14,000) on 22 November 2012.[5] Lili Ivanova will be the first person to perform in the brand new Arena Ruse sports hall with a concert on July 23, 2015.[6]

Awards, nominations and honours

Lili Ivanova was awarded with a golden vinyl plate from Balkanton for selling 2 millions albums for a year (there are only 5 such golden plates in Bulgaria). She returned it back publicly in an act of a protest after Balkanton lowered the criteria for getting such a recognition in 1990.[10]

References

  1. ↑ Original autobiography
  2. ↑ Official website - Albums
  3. ↑ Interview with Alexander Yosifov
  4. ↑ Olympia, Paris - Concert
  5. ↑ Armeets Arena Concert
  6. ↑ "http://www.sportal.bg/news.php?news=542915".
  7. ↑ MIDEM Award
  8. ↑ Brazil Award
  9. ↑ Yamaha Award
  10. ↑ Lili Ivanova Golden plate on YouTube

External links