Contribution short abstract:

Several music projects have recently emerged that address discrimination against Bulgarian Roma. What forms and genres do these projects embrace, and who produces them, why and how? Via artists such as Azis I explore the strategies of merging activism and music in the context of neo-nationalism.

Contribution long abstract:

Several music projects have recently emerged that address prejudice, police brutality, evictions, and discrimination against Bulgarian Roma. What forms and genres do these projects embrace, who produces them, why and how, and what effect do they have? In short, what are the challenges regarding attempts to merge activism and Romani music in the context of the neo-nationalist political landscape? Although Roma are revered for their musical talent, offstage they face xenophobia and racism. With this fraught context, activism merits a deeper treatment than merely “protest songs.” Activism may emerge in texts and images as well as declaring identity in non-stereotypical ways, managing your own career, or changing the unequal structures of music production. Recently, the radical pop/folk music non-binary icon Azis has become more public about their Romani identity. Azis has a long history of exposing exclusions related not only to gender and sexuality but also to poverty, disability, race and ethnicity. I examine recent videos, interviews, and social media posts to explore his work. I compare celebrities to struggling performers such as Neno Iliev who released a biting satire of the political landscape while also criticizing his fellow Roma for being apathetic. Another case study investigates a media scandal about a Romani cover version of a beloved song from the 1970s on the theme of migration. Migration itself is a charged issue: while nationalists demonize Syrian and Afghani migrants, over 3 million Bulgarians, including many Roma, have moved westward. Research is based on 40 years of Bulgarian Roma fieldwork.