Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2024 All Rights Reserved

Dara Ekimova and “Stay”- a love song is born again


At the Bulgarian Christmas charity concert held at the end of December 2022, Dara Ekimova presented her version of one of the most beautiful Bulgarian pop songs - "Stay". The original version of the piece gained popularity several decades ago. It was performed by Bulgarian pop singer Pasha Hristova.

Parashkeva Stoyanova Hristova (who adopted the artistic pseudonym Pasha Hristova) began her professional music career at the Bulgarian National Radio, where she studied singing in the newly-established Pop Singers Studio. Her solo career began in 1966. One year later, she earned a gold medal and a first prize at the Fun Song Festival in Sochi, Russia. In 1970, she won third prize at the Golden Stag Festival in Brashov, Romania. In 1971, Pasha Hristova won first prize at the Sopot International Song Festival in Poland. During her short life, she sang and recorded dozens of songs, which later became evergreen songs. She died at the age of 25 in a plane crash at Sofia Airport.  


Today, young Bulgarian singer Dara Ekimova revives one of Pasha Hristova’s iconic songs- “Ostani/Stay”, with subtlety, emotion and vocal mastery.

Stay is among the songs that are closest to my heart. It is the anthem of eternal love and its incarnations. It is an honor to sing this song, said Dara Ekimova:

"Stay" is a very personal song. One can't convey the message of the lyrics if one doesn‘t have the emotional intelligence", Dara Ekimova noted, "This song is about true love and you can feel it in every word. I just feel what it's saying to me. "Beautiful when you come, twice more beautiful when you go"- is such a powerful sentence.

Renowned Bulgarian singer Pasha Hristova performed the song for the first time in 1971 at the Golden Orpheus Festival. “Stay” is composed by pianist Nikolay Arabadzhiev. Bulgarian poet Dimitar Vasilev authored the lyrics of the piece. Dara Ekimova’s version is performed by the Bulgarian National Radio Symphony Orchestra, conductor- Levon Manukyan. Levon Manukyan also authored the arrangement of the song.

Dara Ekimova is among the most promising young Bulgarian pop singers. She is a brilliant vocalist and artist, and a very talented author. In 2022, she released her first EP “Don't Wake Me Up”.


Dara Ekimova has more about her version of the song “Stay”:

"I received a proposal to sing this song and I wondered whether I would be able to do it? Pasha Hristova is an absolutely brilliant vocalist and artist - extremely subtle, extremely beautiful, sings high notes with ease. Incidentally, I had a conversation in which I said that this is really my very, very favourite song. And I said to myself - we have to record it. I recognize myself in the song. I was not aiming to repeat anything at all. I just feel the song in me. It's a very strange feeling."



More from category

Kichka Savova's songs bring together young talents at a masterclass in Plovdiv

On November 9, one of the halls of Trakia Ensemble in Plovdiv will host the traditional masterclass "With Kichka Savova’s Songs" . The event is organized by the Kichka Savova Foundation, chaired by Stefka Zdravkova, daughter of the renowned Thracian..

published on 11/8/24 7:05 AM

Iskrena Yordanova – a distinguished musician who has dedicated her heart to Baroque music

For thirty years now, Bulgarian violinist Iskrena Yordanova has been living in Lisbon. Everything she does as a musician is related to Baroque music. She has devoted much of her time to discovering ancient manuscripts, which she brings back to life with..

published on 11/6/24 10:44 AM

Kottarashky with 2 events in Berlin: a premiere of the film Balkan Black Box and a concert

Kottarashky is one of the most intriguing musicians to have appeared on the Bulgarian music scene in the first decade of the 21 st century. The man behind the stage name is Nikola Gruev, and his work is an ongoing genre-blending experiment. He is..

published on 11/5/24 8:23 AM