Interview with Jeny Krincheva: "I dream of sharing my music with the world!"

Dear readers, today we are excited to introduce you to Jeny Krincheva. She won the second place with the song called "Hopeless" during the contest"On The Music Waves - International Song Contest" 2nd edition.

Jeny Krincheva is a young musician, singer and composer. Jeny was born on December 24, 2009 in Sofia, Bulgaria. She lives in Sofia, Bulgaria, and her biggest dream is to make music sound around the world. Jeny has a divine singing voice and is often compared to the mythical Orpheus who enchanted every living thing with his music.
Her parents noticed her deep connection with music from a very early age. At just 2 years old, she stands in awe of the street musicians, listening to their tunes with rapt attention. She subsequently recreated interpretations of the tunes she heard. At the age of 4, Jenny began attending Saturday music school, which was her first contact with different musical instruments. For her 5th birthday, she receives a guitar and Odette’s outfit, deeply captivated by the music and captivating story of Swan Lake. Her first guitar teacher was the young and dedicated musician Shterion Pilidov, who was the first to recognize and support her talent.

At 6 years old, Jeny was too petite to handle the guitar’s chords, so her mother and guitar teacher composed her first children’s song to ensure she wouldn't lose her connection with music. This first attempt gave her the opportunity to perform on a grand stage, the European competition for new children’s songs, “Golden Sparks” in 2016.
From 2016 to 2022, Jeny recorded 24 original children's songs, written by some of the best poets and composers in Bulgaria. For 7 consecutive years, she reached the finals of the European competition for new children’s songs, and her songs became favorites among children. Since 2017, she has been involved in a project for new songs for Bulgaria, and these songs have become the most recognizable in the country, sung by all Bulgarian children and Bulgarians worldwide. In 2021, Jeny was invited to participate in a song contest for the anthem of the Historical Park of Bulgaria, which had no age restrictions. The contest was the most grandiose in Bulgaria, and the audience’s votes counted equally with the professional jury. Jeny’s song “Moya e taya zemya” (This Land is Mine) won the competition and became the anthem of the Historical Park. In the same year, Jeny fulfilled another dream by participating in the television show “Bulgaria’s Got Talent” where she reached the finals with incredible interpretations of jazz and international hits. At the final, she had the opportunity to perform one of her original songs, “Mechtata” (The Dream), and became one of the new faces in Bulgaria.
Jeny is dedicated to music, receiving training in singing, piano, ukulele, drums, and music theory. In 2022, a meeting with an Italian producer motivated her to further her skills and complete a course in Music Production for beginners. In the same year, she achieved her first international project - the song “Fly” which marked the beginning of digital distribution of her music.
For two consecutive years, Jeny presented new music alongside a symphony orchestra and a jazz formation, marking some of her most exciting performances, in addition to her first solo concerts and she wins the award for performer of the Symphony Orchestra.
In 2023, Jeny had a personal meeting with famous DJs XiJaro&Pitch, who announced her performances as one of the most recognizable and emotional new voices. This meeting gave her the confidence to work on her own original songs, to become a writer of music and lyrics in addition to her role as a performer.

The interview with Jeny:

Hello, Jenny! Welcome! You won the second prize at the second edition of 'On the Music Waves.' How did you react to the news? What feelings do you experience when you think about it?

Hello! I found out that I won the second prize at the second edition of 'On the Music Waves' before going on stage at the 'Stars on the Radio' competition, organized by Bulgarian National Radio. It was my first time performing the song 'Hopeless' on stage at the Big Concert Studio of the Radio, and how I felt... my first post a few hours later sounded like this: "There are events that leave you speechless, and you need time to realize that they are really happening to you, right now! For me, it's an incredible honor to present a song at the World Song Contest 'On the Music Waves' 2024 and for it to be ranked as the second best new song. Even more incredible is that this is my first original song 'Hopeless,' in which I participated as the author of the lyrics and music alongside the amazing Bulgarian musicians Robi, Svetoslav Kepchelev - Svett, ALEKS.
I am still speechless from the high praise of the professional jury for the song!
I can only say in conclusion that I love it when dreams come true, and I will fly even higher towards the next ones!"
Thank you to absolutely everyone who day after day believes in me, in Bulgarian music, and does everything possible to make it happen and soar!"

You started learning music at a very young age, at 4 years old. What do you remember from those early moments?

I live in the center of Sofia, and I often played near the National Theatre, where musicians frequently gather, playing and singing on the steps in front of the theater. One summer afternoon, right there, my friend's father brought his guitar and showed both of us how to play and sing, but my friend wanted to play, and she kept pulling me towards the playground, while I wanted to play the guitar and didn't want to go to the playground at all. After that day, every day, I told my parents what I wanted most for my birthday, which was at least 6 months away - a real guitar.
Just a month later, my mother enrolled me in Saturday music school. It was a whole house full of many children, where I learned notes before I could even read. I chose to learn to play the violin and guitar. I eagerly awaited every Saturday. When it was time for the annual concert and all the children had to form an orchestra and play and sing together, they chose me to participate in the school choir, and with the orchestra and choir, we performed Beethoven's "Ode to Joy". That was my first stage appearance, precisely with the European anthem, which we had learned in its original German.
Of course, for my 5th birthday, I received a real guitar, and since I also danced in a children's ballet school, I got the real clothes of Odette.

In 2016, your teacher Shterion Pilidov and your mother composed your first original songs for you to participate in "Golden Sparks." How important were your parents and a good music teacher for your music projects?

From a very young age, my parents noticed that I could spend hours listening to street musicians. I was very fond of classical music. In Sofia, there are many musical events for children, and I had the chance from a very young age to attend jazz concerts for children, concerts for children organized by the symphony orchestra of the National Radio. I myself was enchanted by the songs from Disney animations, and I still sing them with pleasure. I quickly learned new songs, and practically every week, I learned a new children's song, and then I made my interpretations.
In addition to musical events, my parents took me to events like bio-games organized at the Natural History Museum, mental math classes, where I discovered that math also has its charm, and today it is one of my favorite subjects. Later, my mother became the inspiration for the 25 songs I realized in the period 2016-2022. It is very important to have the support of your parents. Equally important is to have good music teachers.
They are more than just teachers at one point; they are friends who encouraged me to find myself. Later on, they also made a significant contribution to my songs.

What do you remember about "Golden Sparks"? Tell us about your feelings.

The first song that was written specifically for me was by my guitar teacher, Shterion Pilidov, based on a poem by poet Victor Samuelov, and it's called "Mole". The song is very cheerful and sweet, and every time I sang it, I imagined myself as the mischievous Mole.
When they told me that I would go to perform the song on stage at the European contest "Golden Sparks", I didn't yet know that it was an incredible stage where the newest children's songs are performed every year after a very serious selection process. The contest takes place on a unique stage at the archaeological site Roman Baths in Varna. I can't forget that I was so tiny that trying to climb the stage, I couldn't do it the first time because it turned out to be a high step for me, but I tried harder, and on the second attempt, I managed to climb up. I really enjoyed being on stage. I got to know all the performers, and among the rappers, we had a lot of fun.
This first song won awards for the best lyrics, the best arrangement, and for the new children's song.

Jeny, from 2016 to 2022, you recorded 24 original songs for children, written by some of the best poets and composers in Bulgaria. How did you experience this? Do you know the poets and composers?

I love being in the studio and recording new songs. I rely heavily on my mother's judgment, who is the producer of all my songs, because at the very beginning, it's not very clear exactly what will come out of the song, but when you work on it, delve into it, and give the best interpretation, there's no way it won't turn into a beautiful song. I personally know all the poets and composers, and we have worked together as a team on at least a few songs each.
All the creators are amazing people, and when everyone is a professional, making songs and realizing them is a huge pleasure.
All the songs are arranged into four albums and can be heard on digital platforms. Behind each song, there is a story, and it is a part of my life.

Many Bulgarian children sing your songs, which is definitely a source of pride for you. What feelings do you experience receiving so much approval from the audience? How do you experience your relationship with younger children and your peers?

I am happy that the songs reach the audience and are sung. I love young children and often have concerts specifically for them with my original songs. It's fantastic because when I start singing, many children decide they want to be part of the songs and come on stage, dancing and singing with me, turning the performance into not just a concert but a fiesta.
My classmates know me as their friend Jeny and they support me a lot in my performances. Sometimes it's strange when unfamiliar peers come and start talking to me as if we're friends, but I'm no longer surprised where they know me from 😊 because often things are posted about me on social media and many of my peers follow me.

In 2021, your song "Moya e taya zemya" won the competition and became the anthem of the Bulgarian Historical Park. Tell us about this experience for you and how the song "Moya e taya zemya" was created.

The experience of being on the biggest stage in Bulgaria and receiving the biggest award was breathtaking. The audience chanted my name, everyone wanted to take pictures with me and congratulate me, and every time I remember that moment, I get excited. It's moments like these that make creating music worthwhile, music that inspires and touches the listeners.
The competition for the anthem of the Bulgarian Historical Park was the most grandiose organized in the last 10 years in Bulgaria. It involved teams of the best Bulgarian poets, composers, and Bulgarian performers. There were no age restrictions in the competition.
The song came together like magic. Poet Angelina Zhekova wrote the lyrics in one breath, and composer Shterion Pilidov prepared an inspiring arrangement in just a few days, like for a movie soundtrack, while original folk instruments added immense authenticity to the music. For me, the lyrics not only grabbed me but genuinely moved me.
When they announced the songs for the final, our whole team was very happy. For me, it was a huge challenge – to sing with the stars of Bulgarian pop music on one stage. I love the song "Moya e taya zemya," and I tried my best on stage. The songs were judged by a professional jury and the audience.
I don't remember how I went on stage when they announced the name of the song and my name as the performer of the best new Bulgarian song, nor how I received the check with the big award, but I clearly remember that just as I was about to perform the winning song, when a strong wind was blowing, the wind stopped, when heavy rain was falling, the rain stopped, and as I sang the final song, the audience applauded, sang along, and Bravo shouts were heard from everywhere.

Also in 2021, I realized another dream by participating in the television show "Bulgaria's Got Talent," reaching the final with incredible vocal interpretations of jazz and international hits. Finally, I had the opportunity to perform one of my original songs, "The Dream," and became one of the new talents in Bulgaria. How was this experience on a big show? What did you feel besides the recognition of the jury and the audience?

When I applied for the television show "Bulgaria's Got Talent", I didn't have expectations of what exactly would happen. Since I was little, I've been constantly participating in concerts, competitions, and festivals, and practically every week, I'm on stage. I've won many awards, and my repertoire includes songs in various genres, so I actually dreamed of experiencing the thrill of participating in this show.
When they aired my performance from the audition, the next day, as I stepped out of the house, I realized that everyone on the street already knew me. Everyone was taking pictures with me, sharing how much they were thrilled with my performance of "Nature Boy," and everyone wished me success for the next stage. Just with one performance on the stage of the television show, I became recognizable to the audience. In the semifinals, the television audience supported me and voted for me to go to the final, and I am infinitely grateful for this incredible opportunity.
In this show, I experienced the incredible pleasure of working with a great team of professionals who took care of every aspect to present me in the best possible way. For me, working with the team of the television show is invaluable, and to this day, we maintain wonderful feelings towards each other.
The final was very exciting for me. I had the opportunity to perform my original song "The Dream," and the producers of the show created one of the most fantastic stage designs for the presentation of the song. The emotion experienced during the live broadcast was immense, and I wish to experience it again with the next challenge.
After my participation in this show, I already knew that my next dream is to become an artist whose music reaches every corner of the world. I started training intensively at a music school, rehearsing every day, and searching for myself. Before the show, I knew that I loved singing and did it with great passion, but after the show, everyone believed in me and my dreams, which encouraged me to work even harder towards the next dream.

How was the song "The Dream" created and what is it about?

The song "The Dream" was created in 2020 - exactly when the whole world was closed for travel, we were studying online for 2 years, and all stages were closed. I only went out to the backyard, surrounded by 4 apartment blocks, and sang - with my only listeners being all the neighbors who came out onto their balconies and supported me greatly and enjoyed the performances. Those applause were invaluable to me. I never stopped singing for a moment, making new songs, and dreaming that everything would return to how it was before the pandemic. I wanted the song to be very emotional, tender, and exciting, and for its messages to provide hope. I dreamed that one day the song would sound in a Disney animation, which I adore, and bring hope, light, and happiness to every child and parent.
The song is about dreams not being tied to a string because they are not puppets, they are free birds with proud and strong wings. And the song is about following our dreams, no matter how impossible they may seem, and believing that the Universe is with us.

During 2022, you met an Italian producer. Who is he? Are you still collaborating with him?

The Italian producer I met in 2022 is Dariana Kumanova. We are still collaborating. In my pursuit in music, I have participated in several music business seminars with the incredible Dariana Kumanova. For two decades, she has been a significant figure on the international music scene and in the artistic life of Italy. Since 2011, she has been a lecturer at the Academy of Sanremo and has been awarded the "Woman of the Year" prize in Italy in the "Art" category. She is also a recipient of the "Golden Lion" from the Venice Festival for professional achievements in music and culture. Ms. Kumanova runs a music school in Milan and is a partner in a recording studio (Massive Arts Studio), where international names such as Lana Del Rey, Black Eyed Peas, Kasabian, Ornella Vanoni, Loredana Bertè, and Emma Marone have recorded.
For me, meeting Dariana Kumanova was a significant step in my development towards music production and songwriting. Ms. Kumanova conducts masterclasses in Sofia at least twice a year, and I regularly participate in them.

Tell me about the song 'Fly'.

"Fly" is a song that holds significant meaning for me as it marked my first international project and served as the beginning of distributing my music across all digital platforms. It all started when I participated in the United Kids International Contest in 2022 and won second place out of over 600 participants. During the awards ceremony, Ruslan Kvinta, a renowned Ukrainian composer and producer of TV shows like "The Voice of Ukraine" and "The Voice Kids," expressed his admiration for my performance, stating that I had moved him to tears. He announced his desire to write a song specifically for me, which was a tremendous honor.
The song "Fly" was written by Ruslan Kvinta with lyrics by Andrey Vojnikov. It premiered at the European contest Golden Sparkles 2022, where I won the Grand Prix for Best Performer with this song. This marked the beginning of my journey into the international music scene. I also performed "Fly" at the Musical Waves International Song Contest in 2023.
The music video was shot on a February day amidst the natural wonder of the Belogradchik Rocks in Bulgaria. These rocks, which were once the bottom of the sea in ancient times, are now one of the natural wonders of the world and hold immense emotional value for me.
"Fly" carries a message of empowerment, urging listeners to embrace their true selves and seek the wings that will lead them to fulfilling their dreams. It reminds us that the power to make our dreams come true lies within each of us; we just need to believe in ourselves. For me, this song represents the fulfillment of yet another dream, and it comes straight from my heart and soul to all the viewers and listeners.
This song is a call to never lose sight of oneself and to believe that we can achieve our dreams. It encourages us to soar above anything that pulls us down and backward. Fly towards the confidence of being yourself!

Tell us about your experiences performing with a symphony orchestra and jazz ensemble. Where have you performed? Do you enjoy collaborating with these practitioners?

Nothing compares to singing with the Sofia Symphony Orchestra & Jazz Formation. You feel like one entity with over 60 musicians, each contributing their sound to the collective piece. Moreover, the songs themselves were written in the traditional Bulgarian 7/8 rhythm, which was another challenge for everyone in performing the compositions.
My participation was at the invitation of composer Vasil Belezhkov, to showcase his songs for two consecutive years at the finals of the symphonic song competition ECLECTICA UNION KIDS, held in the Grand Hall of the Central Military Club in Sofia.
It's an incredible pleasure to share the stage with these amazing professionals like the musicians from the Sofia Symphony Orchestra & Jazz Formation, who under the baton of Maestro Minko Lambov made the songs sound otherworldly. For me, there was no greater reward than being part of this experience. Even more impressively, both years the Symphony Orchestra awarded me their prize as the best performer at the competition for new symphonic compositions.

What can you tell us about DJ 'XiJaro&Pitch'?

DJ 'XiJaro&Pitch' are a globally renowned DJ duo in trance music, consisting of Xander van Dommelen from the Netherlands and Anthony Reyers from Belgium. Together, they are the driving force behind XiJaro & Pitch, a duo known for their uplifting trance releases and their ability to stir emotions within their dedicated and expansive fan community. Formed in 2014, they are best known as the musical minds behind dozens of thrilling, inspiring releases on some of the most prestigious trance labels, as well as the creators of the weekly show "Open Minds Live," which currently captivates the Twitch trance community. Their work has seen them handpicked by Armin van Buuren for his renowned "A State Of Trance" mix compilation, as well as the opportunity to perform at the coveted Luminosity Beach Festival. They produce exclusive tracks with talented artists from around the world. For me, it was an incredible honor to participate in their documentary series on music production, and I am endlessly grateful for their tremendous support in collaborating with me as a songwriter, musician, and performer.

Returning to "On Musical Waves - International Song Contest". You are a co-author of the song "Hopeless". How was it created? Tell us about the other musicians and authors who wrote the song with you.

The song "Hopeless" is my first project in which I participate as the author of both lyrics and music. The idea was to collaborate with musicians who share a common vision for music, and the work began with uncertainty about what and how it would turn out.
At the heart of the song "Hopeless" is my collaboration with Bulgarian beatmaker Robi (Roberto Nikolov). Robi is an established artist on the Bulgarian scene, and each of his projects is another testament to his creativity and originality. His songs are part of the repertoire of the best Bulgarian singers and artists. Robi was very impressed by my desire to work on a project that aims to be at a global level. His experience, professionalism, and willingness to support a young artist are the foundation for making this project a reality.
The theme of the song "Hopeless" was chosen by me as a reflection of the feelings raging in my teenage world. The song is a call to seek beauty and tranquility within ourselves, in our lives, in our confusing world, and in fact, hope is always around us, however mysterious it may seem, and we just need to discover it and emerge from our hopelessness. The song invites each of us to immerse ourselves in the magical night and meet ourselves.
Joining the team for the arrangement was another incredible Bulgarian musician, Alexander Georgiev - A.L.E.K.S. He is a young and talented artist who graduated in composition from the British Institute of Modern Music in Manchester and is one of the active performers in Bulgaria and England. His participation in the music format "The Voice of Bulgaria" in 2022 made him a total favorite of the teen audience and a mentor to young musicians, and his work on the song added an amazing dose of fantasy and finesse to "Hopeless".
The song "Hopeless" acquired its beautiful sound arrangement thanks to the arranger and sound designer Svetoslav Kepchelev - Svett, who is also the music director of the team at the world-famous music platform Smule. His innovative spirit, perfectionism, and attention to every detail in the sound are his trademark, and the ease with which we worked on the song was very impressive.
The mutual desire of the entire team for the song to become not just a beautiful song but to touch everyone who hears it is at the heart of "Hopeless" gaining its delicate sensitivity.
Behind the exciting and emotional performance on one hand is my pursuit of perfection in singing, daily rehearsals, but also the support and mentoring from the established international vocal coach Iskra Milkova, who has been encouraging me for years to boldly pursue my dreams.
The video was also filmed with imagination in terms of colors, messages, and ease in seeking oneself in the world and the world in oneself. For the video realization, I entrusted the video artist Nikola Gyulmezov, with whom I have been shooting all my sessions and videos from 2016 until now. Nikola is not only a wizard of video images but also an established photographer.
And the most important person in every team - the producer, who has been invariably with me all the time and encouraged me to try, to experiment, to continue despite the difficulties, and made all this organizationally happen. For years now, this has been my mother, Teodora Videnova, who from 2016 until now has been the driving force behind the realization of all my songs and besides being my mother, she is also my manager, as well as my producer, and she is always available 365/24/7. I am more than blessed that my whole family supports me and believes in me unreservedly.

You continue to study musical instruments such as piano, ukulele, drums, singing, and music theory. Which one is your favorite instrument?

Every instrument has its beauty, and each instrument has its application. I really enjoy arranging with non-traditional instruments and sounds, creating interesting harmonies. I sing every day and also play.

What does music and "creating music" represent for you?

Music is life, inspiration, and beauty. Creating music gives you immense freedom to express what's inside you and how it sounds, and when you're sincere, the song is your inspiration.

You have already won many awards. What does this mean to you?

Yes, indeed, I have many awards, over 150 from various international competitions, including quite a few Grand Prix for performance, but I've always received awards, and they've never been an end in themselves. Certainly, the greatest reward I truly strive for is for my music to charge people with emotion and with my messages.

Are you already thinking about future projects?

Even while realizing the song "Hopeless," I was inspired and actually wrote over 20 song lyrics, and we're already working on the first two songs, with the next ones in the process. By the end of the year, I dream of releasing my first EP with songs based on my lyrics and music, and I'll be happy for my music to reach your listeners through you.
I have so much to share—almost every song I have has very different experiences, but let me limit it to three.
One of the most impressive moments on stage was at the semi-finals of "Bulgaria's Got Talent." The stage was covered with over 10000 roses, and amidst this sea of roses, I nervously performed one of my favorite songs by Lewis Capaldi – "Someone You Loved." After my performance, the viewers voted for me to be their finalist in the show, for which I am very grateful to everyone!
The next song is my song "I Want a Dog." Since I was very young, I wanted to have a dog, but my parents were of the opinion that the time wasn't right. However, when we released the song "I Want a Dog," within just a week, it had 150,000 views on one of the channels, and kids started sending me pictures of the dogs they got after playing my song non-stop to their parents. There were even pictures of kittens and hamsters. However, no matter how much I sang it to my parents, they didn't get me a dog ☹, and honestly, I was sad about that fact, but also proud that my song still helped other kids. A few months later, I finally got my beloved dog, named Rafi, who is the sweetest dog in the world and very musical too. While I rehearse, he loves to sleep, but if I accidentally mess up, he immediately wakes up and starts to look at me very attentively.
And one more story—about my song "Bulgarian Child." I released this song in 2017 when I was only 7 years old. I really liked that this song didn't sound like it was for little kids; it had a bit of jazz with a flute and a lot of space. This song is the new anthem for Bulgarian children worldwide, and every celebration starts with it. I'll never forget the surprise on stage when I presented this song—over 20 children had choreographed a dance to it, and they were so happy to perform together. It turned out that the children were all taller than me, and when they danced in a circle around me while I sang, I couldn't see anything, but the entire audience was singing along, and it turned out to be a fantastic experience.

Apart from music, who is Jeni? Which school do you attend? What are your hobbies and other passions?

There was one year when, due to a retinal surgery, I had to be homeschooled for a year, and my mom taught me all subjects. That's when I actually started writing my own song lyrics and realized that I really like math, and now it's one of my favorite subjects. This year, I'm studying at a specialized school for visually impaired children, and I know that whatever difficulties we may have, we can overcome them. I've already been accepted to a Music High School, and next year I'll be part of Akatamus Gymnasium in the music department.
My biggest passion after music is horses and horseback riding. I've been riding and taking care of horses for several years. At home, I take care of my beloved dog Rafi, my goldfish, and my parrot Daisy. I enjoy skiing, skateboarding, and swimming.

We would like to imagine your music as a metaphor with certain colors, scents, images of landscapes... How would you describe your music?

The color of my music is a light shade of lilac because it's one of the finest colors I've felt, with a soft earthiness and, at the same time, an unadulterated elegant hardness, yet it's inevitably intertwined with all the colors of the rainbow. Sometimes I also think of it in black and white.
Music is like the vividness around us. The scent of my music is that of wildflowers, freshly cut grass, the dampness after rain, the mist of melancholy, and the sea. In general, the imagery of my music is everything that surrounds us.
And the music comes from my soul, and my music is me.

We're closing this interview with our usual question: what is Art, and who are the artists, according to you?

I often read the thoughts of writers, poets, philosophers, and I marvel at how beautifully they've expressed their ideas - whether centuries ago or more recently - and how their insights still resonate with us today.
Art is undoubtedly what would captivate people today and in the future, where they will discover their feelings and thoughts - in this case, embodied in melody and lyrics.
And the creators of art are time travelers, who convey their sensations, thoughts, and sounds from their present to the Universe.

Thank you for taking the time to speak with us! I wish you great success and may your dreams come true! We hope to see you in Italy for a live performance!

Last week, I won a quota to participate in the World Championship of Performing Arts, which will take place in September in Rome, and I hope to see you there in person.
Thank you very much for the high evaluation of my song "Hopeless" and for the wings you gave me, allowing me to fly even more boldly towards new horizons. Thank you!
I want to wish all participants - make music from your hearts! I wish good health and happiness to all organizers, participants, and viewers! I love you all!
Thank you! Love you!