Introduction

• Participant(s): Intelligent Music Project
• Song: Intention
  
• Writer(s): Milen Vrabevski, MD
• Composer(s): Milen Vrabevski, MD
• Broadcaster: BNT
  
• Social media:      
  
• Team review: 

Like in recent years the Bulgarian broadcaster BNT made an internal choice, who to send to the Eurovision Song Contest. The choice felt to the rock band Intelligent Music Project. The band is celebrating its 10th anniversary. And the founder Milen Vrabenski wanted to make Bulgarian music and culture more popular outside the country. By now the band has released 6 albums and singles like: “Every time” , “I Know” , “Listen”  or “Sometimes & Yesterdays That Mattered (Live in Plovdiv)” .

One band member is very well-known in the Eurovision world: Stoyan Yankoulov, he has been representing Bulgaria twice in the ESC, 2007 with “Water” (7th place) and “Samo Shampioni (Only Champions)” in 2013 (12th place in the semi-final). He will certainly gave his band member precious advices what going on in the Eurovision bubble. The other band members have the most different backgrounds, having supported big names like Phil Collins, TOTO or Stevie Wonder. The current members are, who will also be on stage in Turin (a maximum of six is allowed) are: Ronnie Romero (vocals), Biser Ivanov (guitar), Slavin Slavchev (backing vocals), Ivo Stefanov (keyboard), Dimitar Sirakov (bass) and Stoyan Yankulov (drums).

After the big success of the Italian rock band Måneskin, it’s no wonder that more rock songs will be found in this year’s competition. “Intention” is a powerful song with e-guitar solo and rocking singer. The ESC is obviously very open for all kinds of music, which makes it even more interesting. Let’s cross the fingers for the Bulgarians!

History

• Debut: 2005
• Participations: 14
• Victories: 0
• Finals: 5
• Top 10: 3

For Bulgaria it’s the 14th time in the Eurovision Song Contest. Recently Bulgaria has developed a really good and successful way. Since 2016 Bulgaria could always reach the Grand Finals and made one 2nd and one 4th place. That’s an impressive upgrading in music quality and singing.

The Bulgarian debut entry “Lorraine” by Kaffe was a wonderful song but unfortunately this entry has not qualified for the Grand Final in Kiev. Since then Bulgaria is mostly trying to participate but paused 2014 - 2015. The neighbour country Romania has already joined the ESC family eleven years earlier in 1994.

The biggest success so far was the performance of Kristian Kostov with “Beautiful Mess” – a great entry, which was very close to victory as never before any other entries, at the end Kristian made a fabulous second place. The year before Poli Genova made a 4th place in Stockholm. And not to forget the extraordinary percussion performance “Water” by Elitsa Todorova & Stoyan Yankulov in Helsinki 2007, they made a great 5th place.

Bulgarian entries showed different music styles over the years. Unfortunately, not all songs matched the European taste. If there is an international production like in the last years, the chances for a good placing are a lot higher.

Biggest successes

• 1x 2nd place
  “Beautiful Mess” | Kristian Kostov (Kiev 2017)
• 1x 4th place
  “If Love Was A Crime” | Poli Genova (Stockholm 2016)
• 1x 5th place
  “Water” | Elitsa Todorova & Stoyan Yankulov (Helsinki 2007)
  
  

Video Nostalgia

• “Let Me Cry” | Mariana Popova
  Rank 17 (Semi-Final), Athens 2006
  
• “Love Unlimited” | Sofi Marinova
  Rank 11 (Semi-Final), Baku 2012
  
• “Bones” | EQUINOX
  Rank 14, Lisbon 2018

First Rehearsal