Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Bulgarian pop – Latino style

БНР Новини
Kalin Velyov and the Tumbaito band
Photo: library




June came with higher temperatures than we are used to, so why not enjoy the early summer with some of the hottest Bulgarian Latino hits. The Kalin Velyov, Nina Nikolina duet will transport you to the magic of the Caribbean with a dance rhythm from faraway Cuba. The career of the percussionist started out with the bands Akaga and Medicus but through the years he has worked with many Bulgarian musicians. His stage partner Nina Nikolina is a master at combining modern with ethno music.

The hot Latino blood is temperamental. Bésame Mucho (Kiss me much more) is fully in this vein. It was written in 1940 by a Mexican lady - Consuelo Velázquez. As the years went by the famed bolero has come to be one of the most frequently performed songs in the world. Hypnotic is the Bulgarian band that had performed it.

The Hypnotic quartet

You don’t need to take part in reality shows like Dancing Stars for example to learn to dance. You can just listen to Dance lesson by the salsa band Tumbaito. The musicians came together in 2007 and quickly became the Latino sensation of Bulgaria.

Iskren Petsov from Latino Partizani

Golden beaches and lush tropical landscapes – this is what Latino Partizani’s song On a desert island calls to mind. The band was founded by Iskren Petsov in 1996, at the time they were unique to the music clubs. They play mostly Latino covers, whereas back then rock was the thing. Now, Latino Partizani rarely get together to play on stage. Their frontman, Iskren Petsov has a successful solo career.

Wikeda in concert

Wikeda is a band that brings together many different styles – rock, ska, punk… Whiskey with peanuts is a song that shows that the boys from the band feel at home with Latino as well. 


The audio file contains the following tracks:

-  Cha-cha, music Kalin Velyov, lyrics Rushi Vidinliev;

-  Bésame Mucho, Hypnotic quartet;

-  Dance lesson, Tumbaito;

-  On a desert island, Latino Partizani;

-  Whiskey with peanuts, performed by Wikeda music and lyrics Iskren Petsov.


English version: Milena Daynova




Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

The autumn edition of the 25th European Music Festival comes with unique violins and intriguing surprises

The European Music Festival held in Sofia offers several bright events for music lovers in the autumn series of its 25th edition. From mid-October to December 2, 2025 , concerts with interesting programs and outstanding performers are coming up to the..

published on 10/12/25 8:15 AM

Bulgarian and South Korean musicians to share stage in Blagoevgrad

On 11 October at 7 p.m., the Blagoevgrad Cultural Centre will host a concert titled “Melodies Without Borders”, bringing together Bulgaria’s Pirin Ensemble Choir and South Korea's crossover group SOOK. According to the organisers, this..

published on 10/11/25 11:05 AM
Emanuil Manolov (1860–1902)

Composer Emanuil Manolov and the song “Fair Are You, My Homeland”

For decades, a misguided notion has persisted in the histories of Bulgarian classical music – that the country still had catching up to do with Europe and the wider world.  Such a view is not only misleading, but it does a grave disservice to..

published on 10/10/25 8:25 AM