Chalga
This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (October 2009) |
Chalga | |
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Stylistic origins | |
Cultural origins | 1960s, Bulgaria |
Chalga (Bulgarian: чалга; often referred to as pop-folk, short for "popular folk" or ethno-pop, short for "ethnic pop")[2][3] is a Bulgarian music genre. Chalga or pop-folk is essentially a folk-inspired dance music genre,[4] with a blend of Bulgarian music (Bulgarian ethno-pop genre)[5] and also primary influences from Greek, Turkish and Arabic.
Etymology
The name Chalga is derived from the Turkish word Çalgı, meaning "musical instrument".[6]
History
Although it originated in parallel with now-ex-Yugoslav (now Serbian)
Throughout the Balkans, folk traditions have seen a process of modernization. In Greece, there are similarities with
In Turkey,
Whilst in the
1990s onwards: Surge in popularity
In 1989, when the communism fell, restrictions on broadcasting Chalga or Pop-folk music were lifted. A new generation of musicians adopted the genre and grabbed the public spotlight, performing daring and overtly sexual songs forbidden earlier. Pop-folk also infiltrated the mass media with a string of controversial sensational coverage. Though it was still widely considered "degenerate" and "low level" music, it managed to gain popularity in the following decade. In the first years of the rise of Chalga, the melodies were influenced by Arabic, Turkish, Roma and Greek folk music featuring instruments such as zurna, clarinet, accordion and buzuki. The early Pop-folk divas and "kings", such as Toni Dacheva and Boni- singers of Kristal Orchestra - Gloria, Valdes, Rado Shisharkata and Sasho Roman, opened the way for uprising stars such as Sashka Vaseva, Desi Slava, Ivana, Kamelia, Reni, Extra Nina, Tsvetelina, Vesela, Joro Lyubimetsa. Although, some had only several years of success, many of the stars of the early Pop-folk years became icons for the genre. Several recording studios such as Payner Music and ARA Music, pumped out a steady stream of tracks every week on dedicated TV channels.
By the 2000s, Chalga's popularity greatly increased, in far greater proportion to its neighboring popular traditions of
Other competing styles made efforts to create fusion using Chalga elements in
Today Pop-folk record companies collaborate with various partners, mainly from other Balkan countries, giving in to the popular world trends of
Criticism
Chalga has become popular in "Chalga
Chalga proponents often claim Chalga or Pop-folk is the new Bulgarian folk music,[citation needed] but critics have demonstrated that it lacks connection to any indigenous music traditions and that its origins are largely Middle Eastern.[10] Nevertheless, the Chalga industry promotes Chalga as having Bulgarian-roots to the local population and to tourists,[11] with the latter accepting it as a novel approach to Balkan pop.
Chalga is often criticized for its "tawdriness", "loose morals",[12] its "disconnection from Bulgarian music tradition"s (i.e. its Middle Eastern, Arabic, Arabesque roots), and its sexually explicit lyrics. In addition, the Chalga industry has been criticized for "exploiting women and degrading them through sexism".[citation needed]
Chalga music videos often feature a wealthy man who spends money on promiscuous women and insinuate that they engage in indiscriminate sexual acts. Chalga lyrics focus predominantly on sexual intercourse, promiscuous behavior, sexism, and corruption.[13]
Chalga venues are largely criticized for not regulating entry by underage individuals and for failing to protect its customers from sexual assault by promoting sexual interactions. Chalga venues also do not regulate distribution of illicit drugs and are related to smuggling and drug-trafficking. Some artists, performers, and musicians shun the Chalga industry for undermining music creativity by encouraging formulaic and predictable music, plagiarism, and lewd lyrics.[14]
In addition, many Chalga critics claim the genre is made predominately for the minority
There has been a long, intensive and very hostile rivalry between Chalga fans (or 'chalgadzhii'/'chalgari' (the latter is sometimes used as a derogatory term)) and heavy metal fans (or metalheads) in Bulgaria, due to genre and their respective subculture differences. Bulgarian metalheads tend to oppose Chalga due to its 'ethnic backwardness', proving that 'capitalism is only another modernist lie'.[15]
Lyrics and music videos
Modern-day Chalga or pop-folk lyrics and music videos have overwhelmingly liberal
Because of its appeal and thanks to Bulgarian music
Popular singers
See also
- Byzantine music
- Arabesque (Turkish music)
- Laïko
- Manele
- Skiladiko
- Turbo-folk
- Arabic pop music
- Mizrahi music
- Tallava
- Čalgija
- Disco polo
- Eurodance
- Music of Lebanon
- Arabic music
Notes
- ^ An umbrella term covering Balkan; In this case Bulgarian and influence from Greek, Serbian, Croatian, Slovenian, Albanian, Bosnian, Macedonian, Montenegrin, Romanian Turkish and indian music.
- ISBN 954-01-1536-1
- ISBN 978-954-8307-14-7
- ^ Balkan Popular Culture and the Ottoman Ecumene, p. 144
popular music, in the pages that follow I concentrate on the most popular genre, chalga. In today's Balkan peninsula, chalga is the general name for a new dance music that is a complex mixture of various musical styles and traditions
- ^ Music in the Balkans, p. 669, at Google Books
- ^ Self-Orientalization in South East Europe, p. 54, at Google Books
- ^ "A BRIEF HISTORY OF BULGARIAN CHALGA MUSIC". www.vagabond.bg. Archived from the original on May 18, 2016. Retrieved 2015-12-01.
- ^ Ройтерс обяви България за попфолк република. Webcafe.bg , Ройтерс, БГНЕС 25.06.2010 г. (Archive)
- ^ Milena Droumeva (en). "New Folk: The phenomenon of chalga in modern Bulgarian folk" (PDF). Sfu.ca. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 15, 2022. Retrieved 2012-10-22.
- ^ Чалга скандалът в България. Mediapool.bg., 14 февруари 2013 (Archive)
- ^ "Анализи | Бетовен, Шилер и чалга". Dnevnik.bg. 2012-10-15. Archived from the original on June 27, 2022. Retrieved 2012-10-22.
- ^ "Вестник "Култура", бр.4, 2 февруари 2001 г". Online.bg. Archived from the original on 2012-03-09. Retrieved 2012-10-22.
- ^ "Do you like Chalga?". Eat Stay Love Bulgaria. Archived from the original on May 16, 2022. Retrieved 2015-12-01.
- ^ Irina Ivanova, Controversial popfolk rules Bulgaria's dancefloors. Reuters; June 24, 2010.
- ^ «Little-Big» – Chalga-Pop and Metal (Archive)
- ^ "Камелия & Сакис Кукос - Искаш Да Се Върна (Music Video)". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2014-05-10.
- ^ "Цветелина Янева ft. Rida Al Abdullah - Брой ме (Music Video)". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2014-05-10.
- ^ "Емилия ft. Нидал Кайсар - Любов И Нежност (Music Video)". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-13.
- ^ "Preslava ft. Rashid Al Rashid - Molish me (Music Video)". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2014-05-10.
References
- The phenomenon of chalga in modern Bulgarian folk by Milena Droumeva
- Claire Levy, "Who is the "Other" in Balkans?" in Music popular culture identities, Rodopi, 2002, p. 215
- Седемте гряха на чалгата. Към антропология на етнопопмузиката, Розмари Стателова, ISBN 954-01-1536-1 (in Bulgarian) (translation of the title: The seven deadly sins of chalga. Toward an anthropology of ethnomusic, Rozmary Statelova)