“Pink Glasses” – A new step in ANNISTA’s musical journey

Still a high-school student in the 11th grade at the National Music School “Lyubomir Pipkov” in Sofia, Anna Stavreva – known as ANNISTA – is boldly carving out her path as a musician and already has remarkable achievements. She applied to the school for both saxophone and vocal studies, was accepted in both specialties, but chose the saxophone as her primary instrument. She also plays piano and guitar. She says that the voice is also an instrument that she continues to develop.

Anna has been involved in music since she was five, when she began singing in the children vocal group “Smehorancheta”. By the age of eight, she appeared on Slavi’s Show – there she not only reached the finals but also greatly enjoyed the feeling of being on a big stage. This was followed by participation in numerous competitions, leading up to "The Voice of Bulgaria" singing competition in 2024, where she was again among the finalists.

In 2025, she was invited to a masterclass with Doni and the legendary band "Fondatsiyata", performing alongside them at the closing of the Apollonia Festival of Arts in Sozopol. That same summer, she achieved another success: she participated in a Berklee program in Italy, competing with over 200 musicians. Only ten were selected for distinction, and ANNISTA was the only vocalist, earning a full scholarship for an intensive program in Boston. This summer, the young singer will study under some of Berklee’s most renowned professors, mainly in the fields of jazz, R&B, and Afro-American music. According to Anna, they greatly appreciate the blending of cultures – which is why she hopes to bring her favorite Bulgarian folklore into these studies.

Translated by Kostadin Atanasov