Valya Balkanska
Valya Balkanska was born in a hamlet consisting of seven houses near the village of Arda in the Rhodope Mountains. Since her childhood years she has been singing Rhodopean folk songs, which she learned from her mother and grandmother, as well as at work-bee parties. In 1960 she became the main soloist of the Rhodopa State Ensemble for Folk Songs and Dances. She was only 18 years old at that time. Up to this day Balkanska has performed more than 300 folk songs, having been accompanied by the bagpipe player Petar Yanev for the last 14 years.