Aneliya Georgieva Atanasova, known mononymously as Anelia, was born on July 1, 1982, in Stara Zagora, Bulgaria. She began her musical journey at a young age, studying violin and singing in various ensembles. In 2001, she collaborated with Milko Kalajdžiev, who became her mentor, leading to her first performance in Svilengrad. Anelia signed with Payner Music the following year and released her debut single "Čuždi ustni" on a compilation album. Her breakthrough came with the release of "Pogledni me v očite", which was included in her 2002 debut album Pogledni me v očite. This album sold over 60,000 copies and established Anelia as a prominent figure in Bulgarian pop-folk music. Subsequent albums included Ne pogleždaj nazad (2004), Vsičko vodi kâm teb (2005), Pepel ot rozi (2006), Edinstven ti (2008), and Dobrata, lošata (2010). Her career also included notable tours such as Planeta Prima, the annual event organized by Payner Music.
