DIA releases “Nishan” inspired by original folklore

For the past ten years, DIA (Dimana Mircheva) has been creating her songs with a focus on Bulgarian folklore. She gives it new life by writing original lyrics and melodies based on folk tradition, and sometimes even on individual words alone. Her latest song was inspired by a single word: nishan. DIA has more:

“Nishan is of Persian origin and entered the Bulgarian language through Turkish. It’s an extremely beautiful word that I had actually forgotten about. I am very inspired by discovering such small gems. Yes, this song was born from a single word. Nishan is a very nice word. I knew it meant a sign, but it also has other meanings: mark, symbol, even an engagement gift.”

Thus, the creative process revolves around the nishan as a betrothal gift that a young woman waits to receive from a young man. In the song, she does not receive it, but she sings about it— saying that if he gives her a nishan, she will belong to him forever. From there comes the team’s inspiration to reinterpret the nishan in a different way—that everyone is waiting for their own nishan, whether in their personal or professional life—a sign that says, “Go ahead, move forward!” Thus, the song takes on a much more universal meaning than its original concept.