Renowned Bulgarian Folk Singer Yankа Rupkina Passed Away

Renowned Bulgarian folk singer Yanka Rupkina has died at the age of 87 after a prolonged stay in hospital, where doctors had been fighting for her life for weeks. In early March, she suffered a severe stroke.

Rupkina remains in history as one of the most prominent ambassadors of Bulgarian folklore worldwide, known for her performances of songs from the Strandzha region. She gained international recognition through her work with the vocal trio Trio Bulgarka.

Bulgarian National Television has changed its schedule and will broadcast The Path at 22:00 on BNT 1 in her memory.

Photos by BTA/archive

Born on 15 August 1938 (officially registered as 25 August), Rupkina completed her secondary education in 1954 at a nursing technical school in Burgas.

She began singing folk songs at an early age and, at 22, won first prize at a folk singing festival in the village of Gramatikovo. There, she was noticed by leading folklorists, who invited her to Sofia to audition for the Ensemble for Folk Songs of the Bulgarian National Radio—a competition she won. From 1960, she was a soloist with the ensemble for three decades.

Rupkina made numerous recordings for the BNR archive, released several records with Balkanton and appeared in many productions for Bulgarian National Television. Her recordings often featured contemporary interpretations of traditional folk heritage.

She also collaborated on modern folk projects with Trio “Speshen Sluchay”, composer Dimitar Penev and kaval player (an eight-hole wooden "shepherd" flute) Teodosii Spasov. Her performance of “Kalimanku, Denku”, arranged by Krasimir Kyurkchiyski, impressed Swiss producer Marcel Cellier, who included it among his favourites in the acclaimed series the Mystery of Bulgarian Voices.

Yanka Rupkina collected and recorded hundreds of original songs from the Strandzha region for Bulgarian National Radio and Balkanton.

In 2012, she was awarded the high state honour Order of Saints Cyril and Methodius.

She was named an honorary citizen of Burgas in 2017.

A respected and beloved figure in Bulgarian music, Yankа Rupkina leaves a lasting legacy.

Condolences have been extended to her family.