Valya Mladenova Balkanska, born Feime Kestebekova on January 8, 1942, in Arda, Kingdom of Bulgaria, is a Bulgarian folk music singer known for her extensive repertoire of Balkan folk songs. She began singing Rhodope folk songs from an early age. Balkanska joined the Rodopa State Ensemble for Folk Songs and Dances from Smolyan, becoming a soloist in 1960. Her breakthrough came with the recording of "Izlel ye Delyo Haydutin" in 1968, which gained international recognition when included on the Voyager Golden Record, launched aboard the NASA Voyager spacecraft in 1977. In 2002, she was awarded the Stara Planina Orden, Bulgaria's highest honor.
| Rhodope Songs |
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Bulgarian traditions
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Излел е Делю хайдутин
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Мирът
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Развявай, Кольо, байряка
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Добре ми дойде, юначе
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| Petar Yanev Kaba Gaida |
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Първи национален събор на народното творчество: Копривщица, 1965 година
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| The Magic of Rhodopa Mountain |
| Hey, Moon: Bulgarian Folk Heritage, Stefan Kanev |
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Магията на българските гласове
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Балкантон представя магията на българския музикален фолклор 9: Родопски песни и свирни
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| Открийте Красотата на Българската Народна Музика |
| The Magic of the Rhodopa Mountains, Vol. 2 |
| The Magic of Bulgarian Voices |