Lili Ivanova (or Лили Иванова)was born in the town of Kubrat. She finished a medical professional school in Varna. Later she worked as a nurse in her hometown. In 1961 she was approved to audition before the music agency of that time, called Konzertna Direktsia (Concert Directorate) in Sofia, that organised her first foreign tour abroad, in Rumania, together with other eminent Bulgarian pop-singers Emil Dimitrov, Irina Chmihova and Maria Koseva. In 1963, she took part in shows at Ambassador Hotel and the Constantin Tanase Music Hall Theatre in Bucharest. Her brilliant performance was broadcast live four times on the national television of Rumania.
In 1998, Lili received the highest award of Sv. Nikolai Chudotvorets (St Nicholas the Miracle Worker) Foundation for contributing to goodness in the world. In 1999, President Peter Stoyanov awarded Lili Ivanova with the Golden Range order for contribution to the Bulgarian pop music. In her career, Lili Ivanova has performed live at more than 10 000 concerts both in Bulgaria and abroad.
Today Lili Ivanova is deservedly known as the Prima of the Bulgarian Pop Music.
Until now Lili, who has been the favorite pop star of about 3 generations of Bulgarians, has 35 albums, 10000 public appearances and concerts and over 500 songs. Some of her greatest hits are "Camino", "Detelini" (Clovers), "Shturche" (Cricket), "Obicham te" (I love you), "Tejka svatba" (Hard wedding), "Vetrove" (Winds), etc. In 1997 the International Women's Association nominated her as one of the most popular females in the world. In 1998 she received the highest order of the Russian foundation "St. Nikola Miraclemaker" for contribution to world peace.
She was also on the cover of the first Bulgarian issue of Playboy (despite her age)
She still performs and produces albums.
Old hit song of Sezen Aksu "yasanmamış yıllar" is also a Lili song "Утеха" Turkish lyrics by Sezen.
Links:
http://www.lili.bg/ (official site)
