Bulgarian singer makes her mark on Germany's schlager scene

An old VHS tape changed the course of Anna-Maria Zivkov's life. At the age of six, she watched a recording of the 2007 Eurovision Song Contest over and over again until she knew every song by heart. At the time, Bulgaria's fifth-place finish with Water (Voda) was the country's best Eurovision result to date, and it was that performance that first inspired her to sing.

Later that year, she gave her first public performance, singing Water at the Bulgarian Consulate General in Bonn during celebrations marking 24 May – the Day of the Bulgarian Alphabet, Education and Culture.

Born and raised in Germany, Anna-Maria is the daughter of an engineer and a mother who worked in commerce. She speaks and writes Bulgarian fluently, having learned the language at home rather than at a weekend school. Her parents felt it was essential that their children should know Bulgaria and retain a strong connection to the country.

Anna-Maria belongs to a generation of Bulgarians building successful careers abroad without losing that connection. Winner of the 2025 Best Pop Schlager Singer award, she is becoming an increasingly familiar face on Germany’s music scene.

"I've always performed a lot of concerts in Mainz and the surrounding area. When I was 17, I took part in the Bulgarian version of X Factor, and that's really when my career started taking off. I also appeared on several TV programmes in Germany. During the Covid pandemic I became very active on social media, doing live streams, and I realised there wasn't a single Bulgarian on the German schlager scene. One thing led to another. I met some wonderful musicians, recorded two original songs, gave a major concert in Berlin and met my manager, who is very well known in the industry here.

"Everything happened very quickly after that. I won the Best Pop Schlager Singer of 2025 award, recorded my first album, and audiences in Germany welcomed me with open arms. This year my concert calendar is packed. On 17 and 18 July I'll be opening for Andrea Berg – she invited me herself. She's like Germany's Lili Ivanova," Anna-Maria says.

Despite her success on stage, Anna-Maria remains firmly grounded. On the advice of her brother, a lawyer in Frankfurt, she chose to study law, believing it would give her a solid profession while she pursued her musical ambitions. Her days are a balancing act between university lectures, studio sessions, photo shoots and keeping in touch with fans on TikTok and Instagram. Even so, she hopes to steal a few days for a summer break in Bulgaria, where she has relatives, friends and, increasingly, fans of her own.

"We used to spend every summer in Bulgaria, but I didn't make it back last year because I had so many concerts. I hope I'll be able to spend at least a few days there this summer because I really miss it."

Bulgaria remains an important part of the family's life, even though they live in Germany. Her parents are active volunteers at the Bulgarian Orthodox Church of the Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple in Mainz, where Anna-Maria also helps whenever she can.

One of her biggest dreams is to meet Lucy Diakovska, the Bulgarian member of the German girl group No Angels, who enjoys enormous respect in Germany.

"I've always made it clear that I'm Bulgarian. Every CV I submit and every biography about me reflects that," she says.

This July she will have the honour of opening for Andrea Berg, but her greatest wish remains to perform before audiences in Bulgaria. She ends the interview with a message to her fans in both Germany and Bulgaria:

"I'd like to thank everyone who supports me and believes in me. It means so much to have so many Bulgarian fans, and I hope we'll meet on a stage in Bulgaria one day. I'm also proud that there are so many talented Bulgarians living abroad. It doesn't matter what field they work in – we're everywhere. And I'm proud to be Bulgarian."

Editor: Elena Karkalanova

English editing by Elizabeth Radkova