Azis

Vasil Troyanov Boyanov (Bulgarian: Васил Троянов Янъков; born 7 March 1978), professionally known as Azis (Азис), is a Bulgarian recording artist, of Roma 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 Serbian singers, including Indira Radić, Marta Savić and Jelena Karleuša.

Azis
Васил Троянов Янъков
Background information
Birth nameVasil Troyanov Yanakov
Also known asАзис
Born (1978-03-07) 7 March 1978[1][2]
Sliven, Bulgaria[2]
GenresAzis, Chalga, pop-folk
Occupation(s)Singer, musician, writer, activist, television show host
InstrumentsVocals
Years active1999–present
Birthday of Azis in 2019

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

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

Azis remains a prominent figure in the Bulgarian music scene.

Biography

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 Petrov Parvanov (stage name: Niki Kitaetsa, Cyrillic: Ники Китаеца) 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] Azis is non-binary.[12]

Homosexuality controversies

In late November 2007, Boyko Borisov, then mayor of Sofia, censored billboards of Azis kissing Niki Kitaetsa, which pictured both men shirtless[13][14] on the basis they were too graphic in nature. The picture was then censored in other cities in Bulgaria.[15]

Appearances

  • 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 Мразиш 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 Като две капки вода, which is the Bulgarian version of Your Face Sounds Familiar. After the 12 weeks and a wide spectre of enjoyed performances, he placed 2nd.

Covers

Greek laiko vocalist Panos Kiamos, made a cover of Azis' single Sen Trope entitled, Fotia me Fotia, (Fire to Fire). Serbian pop-folk singer Dragan Kojić Keba covered the same song as "Ona to zna" (She knows), 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).

International acclaim

On 9 November 2011, a series of Azis' music videos were uploaded to Bilibili, a mainland Chinese video sharing website. The videos have been popular, even one of the hottest videos on Bilibili since 2016. As of February 2020, the videos have been viewed over 21 million times and have received 788 thousand danmus (a special kind of comments) in all, and have been covered many times. Because of the wide spread of Hop, the first video of the series, Azis, known as "King of coquetry of Bulgaria (保加利亚妖王)", has become famous among some Chinese youths.

Discography

Studio albums

YearOriginal titleTransliterationMeaning in English
1999БолкаBolkaPain
2000Мъжете също плачатMazhete sashto plachatMen also cry
2001СълзиSalziTears
2002AZISAzisAZIS
2003На голоNa goloIn the nude
2004КралятKralyatThe King
2004Together- Заедно с Деси СлаваTogether- Zaedno s Desi SlavaTogether (with Desi Slava)
2005AZIS 2005Azis 2005AZIS 2005
2006ДиваDivaDiva
2011Гадна породаGadna PorodaNasty breed
2014Azis 2014Azis 2014Azis 2014

Compilation albums

YearOriginal titleTransliterationMeaning in English
2002The BestThe Best
2005ДуетиDuetiDuets
2005The Best 2The Best 2

EPs (Maxi singles)

YearOriginal titleTransliterationMeaning in English
2003Целувай ме+Tseluvay me+Kiss me+
2004Как болиKak boliHow it hurts
2016ХабибиHabibiHabibi

Videography / Songs

YearOriginal titleTransliterationTranslation
1999"Болка"BolkaPain
1999"Автомонтьор"AvtomontyorAuto mechanic
2000"Мъжете също плачат"Mazhete sashto plachatMen cry too
2001"Хвани ме де"Hvani me deCatch me
2001"Обичам те"Obicham teI love you
2002"Няма"NyamaI won't
2002"Делник и празник"
(дует с Кали)
Delnik i praznikWeekday and weekend
(with Kali)
2002"Дай ми го дай"Day mi go dayGive it to me
2003"Всеки път"Vseki patEvery time
2003"Никой не може"Nikoy ne mozheNo one can
2003"Целувай ме"Tseluvay meKiss me
2004"Как боли"Kak boliHow it hurts
2004"Хайде почвай ме"Hayde pochvay meLet me soil
2004"Не сме безгрешни"
(дует с Глория)
Ne sme bezgreshniWe're not sinless
(with Gloria)
2004"Казваш, че ме обичаш"
(дует с Деси Слава)
Kazvash, che me obichashYou say that you love me
(with Desi Slava)
2004"Но казвам ти стига"No kazvam ti stigaBut I'm telling you to stop
2004"Ледена кралица"Ledena kralitsaIce Queen
2004"Жадувам"ZhaduvamCrave
2005"Обречи ме на любов"Obrechi me na lyubovCondemn me to love
2005"Точно сега"
(дует с Устата)
Tochno segaRight now
(with Ustata)
2005"Верността е лъжа"
(дует с Марта Савиç)
Vernostta e lazhaDevotion is a lie
(with Marta Savic)
2005"Не знаеш"
(дует с Малина)
Ne znaeshYou don't know
(with Malina)
2005"Като скитница"Kato skitnitsaLike a Wanderer
2006"Празнуваш ли сега"Praznuvash li segaAre you celebrating now
2006"Черните очи"
(дует с Малина)
Chernite ochiThe black eyes
(with Malina)
2006"Тежко ли ти е"Tezhko li ti eIs it hard for you
2007"Подлудяваш ме"Podludyavash meYou drive me crazy
2009"Теб обичам"Teb obichamLoving you
2009"Накарай ме"Nakaray meMake me
2009"Имаш ли сърце"Imash li sartseDo you have a heart
2010"Дай ми лед"Day mi ledGive me ice
2010"Луд ме правиш"
(дует с Ванко 1)
Lud me pravishYou make me crazy
(with Vanko 1)
2010"Удряй ме"Udryay meHit me
2011"Няма накъде"Nyama nakadeNowhere
2011"Мразиш"MrazishHate
2011"Гадна порода"Gadna porodaNasty breed
2011"Хоп"HopHop
2011"Сен Тропе"Sen TropeSaint-Tropez
2012"MMA"
2012"Кажи честно"Kazhi chestnoTell me honestly
2012"Пробвай се"
(дует с Андреа)
Probvay seGive it a try
(feat. Andrea)
2012"Ти за мен си само секс"Ti za men si samo seksYou're just sex for me
2012"Коледа"KoledaChristmas
2012"Нещо мръсно"Neshto mrasnoSomething dirty
2013"Евала"EvalaWell done
2013"Хайде на морето"Hayde na moretoLet's go to the sea
2013"Ти ме размаза"Ti me razmazaYou crushed me
2013"Като тебе втори няма"
(дует с Ванко 1)
Kato tebe vtori nyamaThere's nobody like you
(with Vanko 1)
2014"Ти ли си"
(дует с Ваня)
Ti li siIs it you
(with Vanya)
2014"Пий цяла нощ"Piy tsyala noshtDrink all night
2014"Колко сме пили"
(with Тони Стораро)
Kolko sme piliHow 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)
2014Estar Loco
(with Giorgos Tsalikis)
To be crazy
(Giorgos Tsalikis)
2014"Чуй ме"
(дует с Мария)
Chuy meHear me
(with Maria)
2015"Джанъм, джанъм"Djanam, djanamDarling, darling
2015"Моля те не ми звъни"
(дует с Мария)
Molya te ne mi zvaniPlease don't call me
(with Maria)
2015"Блокиран"
(дует с Фики)
BlokiranBlocked
(with Fiki)
2015"Хабиби"HabibiHabibi
2017"Мотел"MotelMotel
2018"Позна ли ме?"Pozna li me?Did you recognize me?
2019"Циганче"CigancheRomani kid
2020"Тясно"TyasnoNarrow

DVDs

  • 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

In 2011, Azis sang a duet called Sezam with Indira Radić, a Serbian singer, on her album Istok, sever, jug i zapad. After that, in 2012 he sang another duet with Serbian singer Marta Savić, which was featured on her studio album 13. The song was called "Mama" and it was one of Balkan's hit songs in 2012.

Books

  • Аз, Азис (Book and CD) (2006)

References

  1. "Профилът на Азис" [Azis Profile]. Slava.bg (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 4 January 2014.
  2. 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. Google Books. BRILL. p. 610. ISBN 9789004250383. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  4. Kenrick, D. (2010). The A to Z of the Gypsies (Romanies). Google Books. 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. Google Books. 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. Google Books. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 9781137367976. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  9. Imre, A (2009). Identity Games: Globalization and the Transformation of Media Cultures in the New Europe. Google Books. MIT Press. p. 125. ISBN 9780262090452. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  10. "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. Kirby, Brandon (11 January 2018). "15 International LGBTQ Musicians You Need To Know: Pabllo Vittar, Olly Alexander, Lowell & More". Billboard. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  13. 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.
  14. 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.
  15. "Свалят скандални билбордове на Азис и Китаеца в София" [Download scandalous billboards Azis and Kitaetsa in Sofia]. news.bg (in Bulgarian). 20 November 2007.
  16. "Anonymous defaces website of court that convicted Pussy Riot". The Guardian. United Kingdom. 22 August 2012.
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