Azis

Azis (Cyrillic: Азис) (born Vasil Troyanov Boyanov; Cyrillic: Васил Троянов Боянов) (born 7 March 1978) is a Bulgarian Chalga (pop-folk) singer, of mixed Turkish and Roma descent. He is known for his unusual gender expression and his flamboyant persona. Azis has collaborated with other Bulgarian pop-folk (Chalga) singers, such as Gloria, Malina, Sofi Marinova, Toni Storaro, as well as Indira Radić (a Serbian singer), and with Bulgarian rap artists - Ustata and Vanko 1. At the 2006 Eurovision song contest, he performed Let me cry with Mariana Popova, reaching the semi-finals. Azis competed unsuccessfully in the Bulgarian parliamentary election of 2005 as a member of the EuroRoma party.

Azis' childhood was spent in Kostinbrod and Sofia. In 1989, after the fall of communism in Bulgaria, he moved with his family to Germany. There, his sister, Matilda, and brother Ryan was born. Azis married Nikolay Petrov Parvanov (stage name: Niki Kitaetsa, Cyrillic: Ники Китаеца) on 1 October 2006. Their marriage is not legally recognized under Bulgarian law. Azis' daughter was born on 5 August 2007 and was named Raya. Her mother is Azis' longtime friend, Gala. In 2008, Azis and Parvanov separated amicably.

In late November 2007, Boyko Borisov, mayor of Sofia, censored billboards of Azis kissing Niki Kitaetsa, which pictured both men shirtless on the basis they were too graphic in nature. The picture was then censored in other cities in Bulgaria. The Bulgarian LGBT social movement Gemini objected to this decision.

• In 2007, Azis and Kitaetsa appeared in the VIP Brother 2 edition of Big Brother Bulgaria. Azis left the house voluntarily after nineteen days.
• Azis was interviewed in the second episode of Michael Palin's New Europe.
• In 2008 on PRO.BG, Azis co-hosted the talk show Azis' Late Night Show with actress Ekaterina Evro.
• In August 2012, Anonymous used the video clip to Azis' song Мразиш to deface the website of the Russian court Khamovnichesky, where the members of the band Pussy Riot were convicted.

• "Anonymous defaces website of court that convicted Pussy Riot". The Guardian. United Kingdom. 22 August 2012. 

Panos Kiamos, made a cover of Azis' single Sen Trope entitled, Fotia me Fotia, (Fire to Fire). In November 2012, Giorgos Tsalikis made a cover of Azis' song Hop, entitled Asto, (Let it). In 2013, Florin Salam, a Romanian singer, covered Azis' song, Sen Trope (Saint Tropez). In 2012, Enka Mutfagi, a Turkish singer, covered this song (Alayina Zam).

Studio albums

Compilation albums

EPs (Maxi singles)

DVDs

• 2003: Шоу спектакъл
• 2004: Нищо лично
• 2004: The best videoclips
• 2004: Together with Desi Slava
• 2005: AZIS 2005
• 2005: Дуети (Duets)
• 2006: Аз, Азис ( I, Azis) (CD)
• 2007: Azis

Collaborations

In 2011, Azis sang a duet called Sezam with Indira Radić, a Serbian singer, on her album Istok, sever, jug i zapad. After that, in 2012 he sang another duet with Serbian singer Marta Savić, which was featured on her studio album 13. The song was called "Mama" and it was one of Balkan's hit songs in 2012.

• Аз, Азис (Book and CD) (2006)