The photos depict Bulgarian pop singer Raffi Boghosian in the images of celebrities of show-business. Raffi imitated them in 2013 and won the popular TV show “One to One”. Earlier, in 2011, our fellow was among the finalists of around 3000 participants in X Factor show in Sophia and was a winner. Today, Raffi is a famous singer in Bulgaria. These days, he visits his ancestral homeland for the first time. “Aravot” met with Raffi Boghosian. In an interview with us, the 25-year-old singer said he is a specialist in marketing. He was studying in the 12th grade when by the advice of his friends, he participated in the casting of X Factor TV show. “Since my childhood, I used to listen to famous singers, including the opera, such as Pavarotti, and I was trying to imitate them. I was often singing in friendly and family surroundings … Winning in the X Factor show played a great role in my life. My trainer in the project was a Bulgaria, now the concertmaster of the London Royal Opera Orchestra, Vasko Vasiliev.
After winning, I cooperated with renowned British producer Troy Miller, moreover, at his invitation. Until last year, again by contract, I was cooperating with the Bulgarian “Virginia Records” recording company which in turn is cooperating with famous “Sony Music”. In the meantime, I recorded 6 songs which were turned into a video,” said our interlocutor. To the question about his producer now, Raffi replied, “I am a market specialist by profession and I do not trust producers. I have no willingness to compose a whole life under dictating, i.e. what I sing, where to sing, with what honoraria, etc. I am my producer and as such, specifically in 6 months, I have recorded 2 songs and filmed them. Now, I am writing most of my songs. I believe that it is much more correct because no composer can express my emotions better than I do. In short, my works created under various emotional states are mini stories. Currently, I am working on the release of my first album, which I believe will come true in the end of this year. I have my bend and show ballet.”
Our interlocutor assured that he is frequently invited to concerts where in the same evening, he performs with such Bulgarian celebrities as Lili Ivanova, Vasil Naydenov, young singer Mihaela Fileva and others. To the remark that certainly Lili Ivanova will require an honorarium with several zeros whereas he will be more modest in this matter, Raffi said, “Today, the renowned Lili Ivanova can afford herself to demand what she is doing, about 1 million dollars for her show while the amount of honorarium for the average generation or my peers starts from 1000 dollars, the number can increase to 25 thousand dollars. Imagine that 80-year-old Lili Ivanova is still in a great “shape”.”
The singer added that the performances of pop stars in the clubs of Sofia are more popular than, let’s say, in Arena Armeez prestigious hall with 15000 spectators. She explained that the ticket prices for the concerts in the clubs start from 20 dollars whereas the rental of only the concert hall is a huge amount and the VIP seats cost around 300 dollars. The singer being in the homeland for the first time was informed that X Factor project started in Armenia in 2010 on “Shant” TV channel. Although Raffi is in Yerevan for a short time but he wishes to visit “Shant” TV company and get acquainted with his colleagues and composers. He also assured that both the Bulgarian people and the Armenian community are alarmed because of the war unleashed by Azerbaijan in recent days. He believes that one day he will also perform before the Armenian audience. Caption: Raffi Boghosian in the image of Pavarotti. With Mihaela Fileva.
We asked what of the Armenians in various professions Bulgaria is proud of. Raffi Boghosian mentioned TV journalist Gevorg Gevorgyan, banker Levon Hambardzumyan, pop singer Haygashot Agasyan, businessman Bedo Toganyan, producer Mkrtich Halbajyan, prominent composer Willie Kazasyan’s daughter and jazz singer Hilda Kazasyan. Raffi Boghosian stressed that his grandfather, who was living in Bursa, survived in 1915 and settled in Bulgaria with his family.
Samvel DANIELYAN
“Aravot” daily
