The beautiful and talented singer Rossitsa Bordjieva is a famous name in Bulgarian popular music. She took her first steps as a soloist with the Severno Siyanie – Northern lights – orchestra in her home town of Rousse. With them, she won a gold medal at the national amateur art review in 1973. She graduated the pop and jazz department at the National Music Academy in Sofia. When did she realize singing was her vocation in life?

“It came naturally to me after I graduated the academy. My love of music goes back to my childhood. I have done solfeggio and accordion at the Angel Kunchev music school in Rousse and I received sound vocal schooling. In 1976 I auditioned for the Golden Orpheus international pop song festival. And that was my spring-board. At the singing contest I came up against stiff competition but I won second prize. After that whirlwind beginning, I came to realize the road to the top was a difficult one.”

After her success at the Golden Orpheus festival, Rossitsa Bordjieva was awarded first prize at the Red Carnation festival in Sochi. Her career took her to different countries of Europe, Asia, South America… “Even now, I feel very nervous when I perform on stage,” she says. “But that is true of any artist with a sense of responsibility who wants to spare no effort for their audience.”

Rossitsa Bordjieva has been living in Italy for many years. There she has been passing on her experience at the New Music school in Citta di Castello.

“I teach children vocal education, but we have people of all ages coming to acquire a sound music culture. The best thing about my work is the children. I love their pure, warm and sincere world. To my mind people are the most valuable asset, worth more than gold. And children are our future. We should approach them with love and teach them how to love too. The messages we convey to them shape their world.”

Rossitsa Bordjieva comes back to Bulgaria often; she says she has a strong bond with the country. Last year she gave a big concert at Bulgaria hall.

“I would like to give a concert like that in Rousse in the autumn. Many of my friends were unable to come to Sofia. I shall dedicate the concert to my home town which I adore. This year, my birthday falls on Easter day. And that is the biggest present I could ever receive.”

The audio features the following songs:

-  Southern nights;

-  Path;

-  Winter break.

English version: Milena Daynova