Tonika is a Bulgarian Pop Music

Music of Bulgaria

The music of Bulgaria refers to all forms of music associated with Bulgaria like classical, folk, popular music, etc. Bulgarian music is part of the Balkan tradition, which stretches across Southeastern Europe, and has its own distinctive sound...

 group similar in style to the Italian group, Ricchi e Poveri

Ricchi e Poveri

Ricchi e Poveri is one of the most famous Italian pop music groups in Europe and Latin America. Active since the late 1960s, they have sold over 20 million records.-Formation and early success:...

History

Tonika was first formed in Burgas

Burgas

-History:During the rule of the Ancient Romans, near Burgas, Debeltum was established as a military colony for veterans by Vespasian. In the Middle Ages, a small fortress called Pyrgos was erected where Burgas is today and was most probably used as a watchtower...

 in 1969 by a graduate of Bulgaria's National Music Academy, Stefan Diomov. Tonika grew in national recognition and was part of the 1974 New Year’s celebration on Bulgarian National Television In 1975, the group moved to Sofia

Sofia

Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...

 and released their debut LP on the Balkan-ton label, which was the national record label for Bulgaria. In both 1976 and 1977, Tonika won the Bulgarian national music award Zlatnia Orfei (Bulgarian: Златния Орфей), or Golden Orpheus that further confirmed their status as Pop Stars. In 1978, Tonika released their second LP, which featured many of the best studio musicians in Bulgaria. Tonika won many awards during the yearly music festival in Aytos

Aytos

Aytos , sometimes written Aitos and Ajtos, is a town located in eastern Bulgaria some 30 kilometers from the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast and belonging to the administrative boundaries of Burgas Province. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous Aytos Municipality...

 for over two decades, particularly in the 1970s. Music has always been very important in the culture of this former Iron Curtain

Iron Curtain

The concept of the Iron Curtain symbolized the ideological fighting and physical boundary dividing Europe into two separate areas from the end of World War II in 1945 until the end of the Cold War in 1989...

 Republic and Tonika still has a considerable following today Tonia performed more than 200 concerts per year in the 1970s in addition to their TV appearances, recordings, and rehearsals. Tonika is also known as Tonica, Tonica SV, Domino, and Familia Tonica (Tonika Family).

Tonika Family Members

• Stefan Diomov – producer (1969 to 1986)
• Georgi Naidenov – guitar, vocals (original member of Tonika) (joined Domino 1981)
• Eva Kostadinova-Naidenova – vocals (original member of Tonika) (joined Domino 1983)
• Anastasia Bincheva-Vladowski – vocals (original member of Tonika) (until 1979)
• Yakim Yakimov – guitar, vocals (original member of Tonika) (until 1974)
• Harry Sherikan – guitar, vocals (Tonika 1974 to 1975)
• Ivan Hristov – guitar, vocals (joined Tonika 1975) (joined Domino 1981)
• Krassimir Gyulmezov – vocals (joined Domino 1981)
• Violeta Ivanova-Gyulmezova – vocals (joined Domino 1981)
• Vanya Kostova – vocals (Tonika SV 1981 to 1986)
• Militsa Bozhinova – vocals (joined Tonika SV 1981)
• Ralitsa Angelova – vocals (joined Tonika SV 1981)
• Dragomir Dimitrov – vocals (joined Tonika SV 1981)
• Theodore Shishmanov – vocals (Tonika SV 1981 to 1982)
• Emil Vassilev – vocals (joined Tonica SV 1982)

Partial discography

• Songs as TONIKA

Lado Le (1976) S. Dimitrov - Z. Petrov
Let It Be Summer (1977) S. Dimitrov - M. Basheva
If I Caress You (1978) S. Dimitrov - N. Kunchev
A Farewell (1975) S. Diomov - S. Gotzov
Sea (1975) M. Ganeva - A. Yordanova
Day after Day (1976) M. Ganeva - P. Stoykov
Light (1974) D. Mihaylov - N. Andreev (Cover of Sugar Baby Love in Bulgarian)
My Friend (1974) S. Gotzov - K. Dragnev (Cover of Amazing Grace in Bulgarian)

• Songs as TONICA SV

My Girl and I (1981) S. Diomov - V. Vulchev
Like a Dream (1981) S. Diomov - M. Belchev - P. Slavchev
The Boy from the Barge (1981) D. Kerelezov - N. Troshanov
Auld Lang Syne (1983) Scottish folk song on lyrics by R. Burns (Bulgarian translation by V. Svintila)
If We Could (1983) A. Yossifov - D. Damyanov - S. Marinov
Malayka (1983) Tanzanian folk song (arranged by S. Diomov)
Oh, Malyao (1983) Portuguese folk song (arranged by S. Diomov)
No Problems (1987) M. Stoyanov - H. Yotsov

• Songs as DOMINO

This Wonderful World (1985) by Czesław Niemen, words by E. Mihailova (arranged by K. Gyulmezov)
A Window Still Alight (1983) Y. Popov - D. Kerelezov - I. Kutikov
Modern and Retro (1983) G. Naidenov

Trivia

• In 1979, Almost all of Tonika’s records and taped TV appearances (except a few hidden copies) were destroyed by the Bulgarian government and banned due to a political scandal that occurred during a tour of Western Europe and Asia. The group was forced to disband and they were not allowed to perform for a period of two years.
• In 1994, The entire cast of The Tonika Family reunited (including the four original members) and did four concerts in Burgas and Sofia. In 2000, a CD of the music performed at these concerts was released on the StefKos Music Label.
• In 2001, the Balkanton label released a compilation LP entitled, The Gold Hits of Bulgarian CLASSICAL POP Music which includes the Tonika favorite, "Let It Be Summer."
• Anastasia (Sia) Vladowski of Tonika is the mother of American Idol (season 3)
  American Idol (Season 3)
  The third season of American Idol premiered on Monday, January 19, 2004 and continued until May 26, 2004. The third season was won by Fantasia Barrino, who defeated Diana DeGarmo by an approximate margin of 2% ; the vote total was the highest recorded vote total in the show's history until the...
  
  finalist Leah LaBelle.