The third edition of the “Youth New Song Competition” once again showed the power of young Bulgarian music, and the Bulgarian Music Association (BMA) was for another year among the key partners and drivers of the Musicaautor initiative. The BMA’s support is a natural continuation of the association’s work in recent years to create a sustainable, accessible and professional environment for young artists to perform.

One of the most significant efforts in this direction is the BMA’s investment in the renovation of the Academic Chamber Hall in the National Student’s House at the end of 2022. Thanks to the association, the space was technically equipped with professional sound, stage lighting and the necessary infrastructure to function as a true modern concert stage. As a result, the hall became home to over 50 concerts in three years and became a key platform for independent musicians, authors and groups, many of whom subsequently entered the competition.

Among the most striking examples are the bands from the “Stage – New Music” initiative – a BMA project that presents young and alternative artists in a series of concerts throughout the year. Dozens of promising names have passed through this stage, some of which we saw in the third edition of the competition. Thus, the National Student House is establishing itself as a music center in which young artists not only have a stage, but also build a community, develop their skills and meet professionals from the music industry.

This year, record interest in the competition led to nearly 100 applicants, 60 admitted to the live stage and 26 songs on the final night. The big winner was the band “Rosette” with the song “One Man and Silence”, while the BMA honored Sunblinds for their “Polly”, as well as You Died Yesterday, who won the audience award, also funded by the association.

The BMA also had an important presence in the jury. Hristo Yotsov – Chairman of the BMA Board of Directors, Marina Vasileva, Antoanela Petrova and Ventsislav Mitsov, members of the association’s Management Board, were among the established professionals evaluating the participants, along with musicians, authors, producers and representatives of various spheres of cultural life.

The “Youth New Song Competition” continues to develop as an authentic stage for new Bulgarian artists, a successor to the legendary “Little Orpheus” and a bridge between generations and styles. And the BMA remains a dedicated partner of the initiative and firmly committed to the mission of building a strong, free and vibrant alternative music scene in Bulgaria.

You can read more about the project “Stage – New Music” here.

Photo credit: Filip Shokov / Julia Vitanova