BY Monique Geiss

Today, Lora’s name and face may not strike a chord immediately. But with her beautiful voice, great ambitions and current hit-video ‘Raja’, this rising star will make it big, and not just in Bulgaria.

Born in Burgas this 19 year old singer started singing at age 11, her brother Yavor accompanying her on the guitar. “I think it’s a God given talent. I don’t come from a musical family at all. Although my father thinks he’s got musical talent, but he really doesn’t”, Lora said.

When she was just 16 Lora and her brother started their band – also named Lora- and moved to Sofia. Here they play regularly and at several clubs around town for restless audiences. With her blond hair, pale skin and perfect English Lora doesn’t seem very Bulgarian. And when she is singing songs from bands like The Cranberries Lora is, often mistaken for an Irish or English singer, especially by foreigners. “Most of the time we play covers but every now and then we get a chance to play our own music. I write the lyrics in English and then translate them to Bulgarian. We want to make world music, not Bulgarian music, but unfortunately Bulgarians would rather listen to me singing in Bulgarian”, said Lora, who is also an English language student. But studying is just ‘an escape from boredom’ as she put it. “The band and my music are the most important things in my life. That’s what I concentrate on. I would never drop music for a piece of paper.”

Lora is very serious about her work and makes an extremely determined impression when she talks about the future. “I want the band to become world-famous, that's not possible if we stay here. If you sell 2000-3000 copies of a single here, it's a success. There aren't many young people in Bulgaria, even less young people who can afford to buy music”, Lora explained. Hopefully we will soon be away from here. We’ve found sponsors who can help us to go to Germany soon. And there are also plans for a trip to Japan. On top of that we just finished a demo with 11 of our own songs, which will be send to various record labels. In the entire history there has never been a world-famous Bulgarian pop-singer and that's what I want to become. I want to be remembered.”

You still have a chance to hear Lora perform; the band will be playing at Irish pub Murphy’s on New Year’s Eve.

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