Chalga
Chalga ( Bulgarian чалга , other transcriptions Calga, Chalga ) is the Bulgarian version of arisen in South-Eastern Europe in the 1980s pop music styles, the transnational popfolk ( попфолк ) are called. Comparable genres of music are called Turbo-Folk in the Yugoslav successor states , Manele in Romania , Tallava in Albania , Skiladiko (Laiko) in Greek and Arabesk in Turkey .
In Bulgaria, chalga has been the most successful form of popular music since the 1990s. Characteristic is a syncopated rhythm called Kiuchek , mostly electronic music production with solo instrumental passages as well as melodies and influences from traditional Bulgarian music as well as other musical styles of the Balkans , Arabic and Turkish music as well as from the music of various Roma groups . The main theme of many song lyrics is (unfulfilled) love and an increased interest in sex, crime, money and branded products. This range of topics corresponds in part to that of US gangster rape and emerged in the climate of economic and political change of the 1990s. Nevertheless, Tschalga also represents a counter-movement to nationalist (also officially expressed) cultural ideas and thus acts as an institutional critique. Cross-border collaboration, integration of Roma and homosexuals, acceptance of crossdressing and an open commitment to the equality of cultural influences are characteristics of a tolerance that is actually lived.
Known representatives of the genre are Ivana ( Ивана ) Desi Slava ( Деси Слава ), Emilia ( Емилия Вълева ) Preslawa ( Преслава ) Anelija ( Анелия ), Marija ( Мария ), Gloria ( Глория ) and Sofi Marinova ( Софи Маринова ). One of the most popular male performers is Azis ( Азис ).
The most important Bulgarian popfolk label Payner ( Пайнер ) began as a distributor of music cassettes. Nowadays it is a large, medium-sized company that relied on 360-degree evaluation, i.e. control of the entire recycling chain, from an early stage. The artists, producers and authors are under contract with Payner, the company organizes the distribution and sale of CDs in its own stores, operates the music channel Planeta Payner ( Планета Пайнер ), a chain of music clubs throughout Bulgaria and, in addition to regular performances, organizes tours for the regularly fill stadiums in several cities. The biggest competitor is the eternal second, Ara-Musik ( Ара Мюзик ООД )