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Azis

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Azis
Азис
Background information
Birth nameVasil Troyanov Boyanov
Also known asAzis
Born (1978-03-07) 7 March 1978 (age 46)[1][2]
Sliven, Bulgaria[2]
GenresChalga, pop-folk
Occupation(s)Singer, musician, writer, activist, television show host
InstrumentsVocals
Years active1999–present

Vasil Troyanov Boyanov (Bulgarian: Васил Троянов Боянов; born 7 March 1978), professionally known as Azis (Bulgarian: Азис), is a Bulgarian recording artist of Romani ethnicity.[3][4] Azis initially rose to prominence in Eastern Europe performing songs mostly in chalga, a genre which can be described as the Bulgarian rendition of pop-folk. Azis has collaborated with other Bulgarian pop-folk singers, such as Gloria, Malina, Sofi Marinova, Toni Storaro, and with Bulgarian rap artists – Ustata and Vanko 1.[5][6] Other than that, his repertoire includes duets with singers from the former Yugoslavia, including Indira Radić, Marta Savić, Jelena Karleuša, Severina and Tea Tairović.

Boyanov performed "Let Me Cry" at the Eurovision Song Contest 2006 with Mariana Popova, staying in the semi-finals.[7][8]

Other than his acclaimed career as a vocalist, he competed unsuccessfully in the 2005 Bulgarian parliamentary election as a member of the Euroroma party.[9]

Azis remains a prominent figure in the Bulgarian music scene.

Biography

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Azis was born Vasil Troyanov Boyanov in Sliven, although his childhood was spent in Kostinbrod and Sofia. In 1989, after the fall of communism in Bulgaria, he moved with his family to Germany. There, his sister, Matilda, and brother Ryan were born. Azis married Nikolay "Niki Kitaetsa" Petrov Parvanov on 1 October 2006. Their marriage is not legally recognized under Bulgarian law.[10] Azis' daughter was born on 5 August 2007 and was named Raya. Her mother is Azis' longtime friend, Gala.[10] In 2008, Azis and Parvanov separated amicably.[11]

Controversies

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In late November 2007, Boyko Borisov, then mayor of Sofia, censored billboards of Azis kissing Niki Kitaetsa, which pictured both men shirtless[12][13] on the basis they were too graphic in nature. The picture was then censored in other cities in Bulgaria.[14]

In 2021, Azis was scheduled to perform at the Balkan Fair in Kestel, Bursa, Turkey, but the performance was cancelled after a campaign by Islamists targeting Azis' LGBT identity.[15]

Appearances

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  • In 2007, Azis and Kitaetsa appeared in the VIP Brother 2 edition of Big Brother Bulgaria. Azis left the house voluntarily after nineteen days.[9]
  • Azis was interviewed in the second episode of Michael Palin's New Europe.
  • In 2008 on PRO.BG, Azis co-hosted the talk show Azis' Late Night Show with actress Ekaterina Evro.
  • In August 2012, Anonymous used the video clip to Azis' song "Mrazish" to deface the website of the Russian court Khamovnichesky, where the members of the band Pussy Riot were convicted.[16]
  • Azis was a contestant on the widely popular reality show Kato dve kapki voda, which is the Bulgarian version of Your Face Sounds Familiar. After twelve weeks and a wide specter of highly praised and enjoyed performances, he placed second. In early 2021, he was announced as one of the returning participants in the forthcoming ninth All Stars season of the show.

Covers

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Greek laïko vocalist Panos Kiamos, made a cover of Azis' single "Sen Trope" entitled "Fotia me Fotia" (Fire to Fire). Serbian turbo-folk singer Dragan Kojić Keba covered the same song as "Ona to zna" (She Knows That), as well as the Romanian singer Florin Salam as "Saint Tropez".

In November 2012, the Greek singer Giorgos Tsalikis made a cover of Azis' song "Hop", entitled "Asto" (Let it).

Discography

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Studio albums

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Year Original title Transliteration Meaning in English
1999 Болка Bolka Pain
2000 Мъжете също плачат Mazhete sashto plachat Men also cry
2001 Сълзи Salzi Tears
2002 AZIS Azis AZIS
2003 На голо Na golo In the nude
2004 Кралят Kralyat The King
2004 Together- Заедно с Деси Слава Together- Zaedno s Desi Slava Together (with Desi Slava)
2005 AZIS 2005 Azis 2005 AZIS 2005
2006 Дива Diva Diva
2011 Гадна порода Gadna Poroda Nasty breed
2014 Azis 2014 Azis 2014 Azis 2014

Compilation albums

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Year Original title Transliteration Meaning in English
2002 The Best The Best
2005 Дуети Dueti Duets
2005 The Best 2 The Best 2

EPs (Maxi singles)

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Year Original title Transliteration Meaning in English
2003 Целувай ме+ Tseluvay me+ Kiss me+
2004 Как боли Kak boli How it hurts
2016 Хабиби Habibi Habibi

Videography / Songs

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Year Original title Transliteration Translation
1999 "Болка" Bolka Pain
1999 "Автомонтьор" Avtomontyor Auto mechanic
2000 "Мъжете също плачат" Mazhete sashto plachat Men cry too
2001 "Хвани ме де" Hvani me de Catch me
2001 "Обичам те" Obicham te I love you
2002 "Няма" Nyama I won't
2002 "Делник и празник"
(дует с Кали)
Delnik i praznik Weekday and weekend
(with Kali)
2002 "Дай ми го дай" Day mi go day Give it to me
2003 "Всеки път" Vseki pat Every time
2003 "Никой не може" Nikoy ne mozhe No one can
2003 "Целувай ме" Tseluvay me Kiss me
2004 "Как боли" Kak boli How it hurts
2004 "Хайде почвай ме" Hayde pochvay me Let me soil
2004 "Не сме безгрешни"
(дует с Глория)
Ne sme bezgreshni We're not sinless
(with Gloria)
2004 "Казваш, че ме обичаш"
(дует с Деси Слава)
Kazvash, che me obichash You say that you love me
(with Desi Slava)
2004 "Но казвам ти стига" No kazvam ti stiga But I'm telling you to stop
2004 "Ледена кралица" Ledena kralitsa Ice Queen
2004 "Жадувам" Zhaduvam Crave
2005 "Обречи ме на любов" Obrechi me na lyubov Condemn me to love
2005 "Точно сега"
(дует с Устата)
Tochno sega Right now
(with Ustata)
2005 "Верността е лъжа"
(дует с Марта Савич)
Vernostta e lazha Devotion is a lie
(with Marta Savić)
2005 "Не знаеш"
(дует с Малина)
Ne znaesh You don't know
(with Malina)
2005 "Като скитница" Kato skitnitsa Like a Wanderer
2006 "Празнуваш ли сега" Praznuvash li sega Are you celebrating now
2006 "Черните очи"
(дует с Малина)
Chernite ochi The black eyes
(with Malina)
2006 "Тежко ли ти е" Tezhko li ti e Is it hard for you
2007 "Подлудяваш ме" Podludyavash me You drive me crazy
2009 "Теб обичам" Teb obicham Loving you
2009 "Накарай ме" Nakaray me Make me
2009 "Имаш ли сърце" Imash li sartse Do you have a heart
2010 "Дай ми лед" Day mi led Give me ice
2010 "Луд ме правиш"
(дует с Ванко 1)
Lud me pravish You make me crazy
(with Vanko 1)
2010 "Удряй ме" Udryay me Hit me
2011 "Няма накъде" Nyama nakade Nowhere
2011 "Мразиш" Mrazish Hate
2011 "Гадна порода" Gadna poroda Nasty breed
2011 "Хоп" Hop Hop
2011 "Сен Тропе" Sen Trope Saint-Tropez
2012 "MMA"
2012 "Кажи честно" Kazhi chestno Tell me honestly
2012 "Пробвай се"
(дует с Андреа)
Probvay se Give it a try
(feat. Andrea)
2012 "Ти за мен си само секс" Ti za men si samo seks You're just sex for me
2012 "Коледа" Koleda Christmas
2012 "Нещо мръсно" Neshto mrasno Something dirty
2013 "Евала" Evala Well done
2013 "Хайде на морето" Hayde na moreto Let's go to the sea
2013 "Ти ме размаза" Ti me razmaza You crushed me
2013 "Като тебе втори няма"
(дует с Ванко 1)
Kato tebe vtori nyama There's nobody like you
(with Vanko 1)
2014 "Ти ли си"
(дует с Ваня)
Ti li si Is it you
(with Vanya)
2014 "Пий цяла нощ" Piy tsyala nosht Drink all night
2014 "Колко сме пили"
(with Тони Стораро)
Kolko sme pili How much we drank
(with Toni Storaro)
2014 "Миконос" Mykonos
2014 "Каза ли го"
(дует с Мария)
Kaza li go
(with Maria)
did you say it (with Maria)
2014 Estar Loco
(with Giorgos Tsalikis)
To be crazy
(Giorgos Tsalikis)
2014 "Чуй ме"
(дует с Мария)
Chuy me Hear me
(with Maria)
2015 "Джанъм, джанъм" Djanam, djanam Darling, darling
2015 "Моля те не ми звъни"
(дует с Мария)
Molya te ne mi zvani Please don't call me
(with Maria)
2015 "Блокиран"
(дует с Фики)
Blokiran Blocked
(with Fiki)
2015 "Хабиби" Habibi Habibi
2017 "Мотел" Motel Motel
2018 "Позна ли ме?" Pozna li me? Did you recognize me?
2019 "Циганче" Ciganche Gypsy kid
2020 "Тясно" Tyasno Narrow
2022 "Пистолет" Pistolet Pistol
2023 "По, По, По" Po, Po, Po Better, Better, Better

DVDs

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  • 2003: Шоу спектакъл
  • 2004: Нищо лично
  • 2004: The best videoclips
  • 2004: Together with Desi Slava
  • 2005: AZIS 2005
  • 2005: Дуети (Duets)
  • 2006: Аз, Азис ( I, Azis) (CD)
  • 2007: Azis

Collaborations

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List of non-single guest appearances, with other performing artists, showing year released and album name
Title Year Artist(s) Album
"Sezam" 2011 Indira Radić Istok, sever, jug i zapad
"Mama" 2012 Marta Savić 13
"Fališ mi" 2022 Severina
"Katastrofa" 2024 Tea Tairović

Books

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  • Аз, Азис (Book and CD) (2006)

References

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  1. ^ "Профилът на Азис" [Azis Profile]. Slava.bg (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 4 January 2014.
  2. ^ a b Silverman, Carol (24 May 2012). Romani Routes: Cultural Politics and Balkan Music in Diaspora. Oxford University Press. p. 189. ISBN 9780195300949. Retrieved 3 January 2014.
  3. ^ Samson, J. (2013). Music in the Balkans. BRILL. p. 610. ISBN 9789004250383. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  4. ^ Kenrick, D. (2010). The A to Z of the Gypsies (Romanies). Scarecrow Press. p. 35. ISBN 9781461672272. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  5. ^ Haj-Najafa, D. (12 May 2009). "Kitsch of the Day, Azis i Ustata's 'Tochno Sega'". The New York Times. Men's Fashion blog. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  6. ^ Watkins, R.; Deliso, C. (2008). Bulgaria. Lonely Planet. p. 52. ISBN 9781741044744. Retrieved 1 January 2014 – via Internet Archive. azis bulgaria.
  7. ^ Taras, R (2008). Europe Old and New: Transnationalism, Belonging, Xenophobia. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 200. ISBN 9780742557345. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  8. ^ Fricker, K; Gluhovic, M, eds. (2013). Performing the 'New' Europe: Identities, Feelings and Politics in the Eurovision Song Contest. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 9781137367976. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  9. ^ a b Imre, A (2009). Identity Games: Globalization and the Transformation of Media Cultures in the New Europe. MIT Press. p. 125. ISBN 9780262090452. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  10. ^ a b "Bulgaria's Gay Idol Becomes Father". Novinite.com. 5 August 2007. Retrieved 4 January 2014.
  11. ^ "Азис и Китаеца се разделиха без скандали" [Azis and a Chinese parted without scandals]. vsekiden.com (in Bulgarian). 29 April 2008. Archived from the original on 4 January 2014. Retrieved 29 December 2016.
  12. ^ Kourtova P; Attwood F; et al., eds. (2012). Controversial Images: Media Representations on the Edge. Palgrave Macmillan. p. 60. ISBN 9781137291998. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  13. ^ Daskalova K, et al. (2012). Gendering Post-socialist Transition: Studies of Changing Gender Perspectives. LIT Verlag Münster. p. 85. ISBN 9783643902290. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  14. ^ "Свалят скандални билбордове на Азис и Китаеца в София" [Download scandalous billboards Azis and Kitaetsa in Sofia]. news.bg (in Bulgarian). 20 November 2007.
  15. ^ Buyuk, Hamdi Firat (14 September 2021). "Islamist Backlash Cancels Bulgarian LGBT Star's Concert in Turkey". Balkan Insight. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
  16. ^ "Anonymous defaces website of court that convicted Pussy Riot". The Guardian. United Kingdom. 22 August 2012.
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