Guitarist and singer with original style, Nikola and his band Cool Den have been among the most interesting music phenomena of recent years. After his arrival in the capital city for his studies at the Sofia University, Nikola quickly gained popularity among the young audience. His unusual lyrics and sometimes frankly crazy ideas made him a sought-after and beloved club performer. It is well known that for various reasons, many of the bars and restaurants with live music in Sofia are situated under the ground. That is why Nikola jokes that he could easily be part of the Bulgarian underground movement.

If we wanted to put labels, we would admit that he and many other young and talented artists have been trying to be an alternative to the mass and "shiny" products marketed by the music industry.

"Whether in front of 2 or 20,000 people, a musician must play in the same way, otherwise they have no integrity,” the musician believes. “When it comes to what my colleagues and I do, it can be traced back to the Cro-Magnon, who would sit near the fire in the cave and hit some logs with mammoth bones. It might sound funny but music should always be organic, natural. I like to use metaphors because I think humor is a good way to make a situation brighter, no matter how difficult it is. The metaphors inscribed in a song help people see a problem in a different way and make them think that something needs to be done to change a situation or find more joy. It has always been natural for me for a social issue to stimulate my creative energy.”

Nikola’s band gathered together about three years ago and their debut album "1" was presented immediately after the first lockdown. Cool Den performs their own songs and the arrangements are joint work of the band. The lyrics are mostly in Bulgarian but there are also songs in English. Particularly impressive is The Man With the Lion’s Jump, dedicated to Bulgarian national hero Vasil Levski and it seems it was written in English in order to tell a wider circle of people about his self-sacrifice and heroism. In addition to sharp social and even political topics, Nikola uses melodies or verbal formulas recognized as signs of "mass music consumption."

"Some topics are very serious, others are entertaining and they make people laugh and dance," he says. “Style is of great importance. You can say something in a rude, cynical way, or you can also say it in a veiled manner, which makes it more valuable. Surprisingly, Cool Den fans range from 5 to 65 years of age. I don't know why but obviously everyone finds something for themselves and we are very happy about this."

Nikola was born in Shumen where his first attempts and first successes happened. There he met Yavor Tsvetanov, the first drummer of the band.

"In my life things develop in such a way that all happens thanks to contacts with other people. One friendship brings you to another. It's all about friendship and warm human relationships. That should never be lost.”

Cool Den are currently preparing their second album. They have also been working on videos for the songs from the first one. They are grateful to "Music Author" for the subsidy they received for the release of "1" and hope to find money for their next project. According to Nikola, the way to a brighter future for young musicians in the genre is unity:

"I really wish for a stronger community. I'm not talking about those who think they're making music while working with people who have monopoly on this market and therefore not everyone can break through. I'm talking about real musicians who can't live without art despite the difficulties. We must support each other and resist the vulgar phenomena that flood us from everywhere.

English: Alexander Markov

Photos: Victoria Vucheva