By: Margo Nikolova
Music is an integral part of both history and current times, revealing important implications about political, economic, and social climates. Different musical genres may highlight times of hardship and triumph while also featuring a variety of cultural elements. The emergence of genres that combine modern and traditional elements may indicate shifting landscapes and uncover interactions between the past and the present. One such hybrid musical genre can be traced to the Balkan region. Balkan pop-folk combines both contemporary and traditional stylistic elements to create a new blend of music, especially popular among the younger generation. While the genre is most prevalent in Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania, and Greece, its innovative style has spread farther and captured audiences across Europe and beyond.
Balkan pop-folk includes elements of traditional music found in southeastern Europe. The folk music uses complex time signatures, unique vocal styles, and distinct instrument tuning to create a unique sound. Balkan pop-folk blends these classical elements with modern lyrics and techno beats to create a mixed style of music. The emerging genre particularly appeals to young students for its innovative take on tradition and culture, as the genre adapts to constantly evolving music tastes and trends.
During the late 1960s, Balkan pop-folk emerged alongside the presence of Communism in the region. The former Yugoslavia saw the emergence of newly composed folk music, an iteration of Balkan pop-folk, after World War II and the rise of industrialization. Many struggled with the process of urbanization, and thus this new music was used to ease their transition away from rural life. In Bulgaria, Communist programs to purify music of Ottoman influence were intended to create an “‘ideal’ folk music.” The restrictions placed on music led to the creation of unsanctioned performances played at weddings and influenced by neighboring countries. After the fall of the Communist regimes, the changing landscape and atmosphere coupled with hardships faced by the population fostered the perfect environment for the emergence of a genre that mixed modern and traditional sounds. The region’s hybrid genre indicates the impact of “post-communist democratization processes” and citizens’ hardships during a time of social and economic upheaval.
Balkan pop-folk continued to evolve following the Cold War, and the genre is reaching new heights of popularity today. With the growth of social media and globalization, the musical style has gathered a large number of new listeners. A significant impact of the genre lies in its importance to the formation of national identities. It keeps traditional folk elements alive as music tastes continue evolving. Croatia, for example, has tried to used pop-folk to differentiate itself from its Serbian neighbor by focusing on western elements and traditional Croatian culture. These elements are an attempt to distance itself from Serbian musical techniques due to common tendencies to group the countries’ genres together. The genre creates an avenue for each country to spotlight folk characteristics specific to its national identity, which fosters a sense of nationalism among citizens.
On the other hand, Balkan pop-folk has also acted as a unifying force for the different countries of southeastern Europe. One example of this is Balkanika Music Television. The show broadcasts pop-folk music from every country in the Balkans twenty-four hours a day. The broadcasting connects residents of the Balkan states across borders through a shared appreciation for music. Despite its popularity, many critics have called the genre “kitsch,” while condemning its materialism and commercializing take on traditional music to appeal to a wider audience. Questions about the role of Balkan pop-folk in the formation of national identities, especially following the already unstable construction of identities after the fall of communism and subsequent conflicts such as the breakup of Yugoslavia, have been at the forefront of the debate over the genre’s impact. Controversies over the belonging of songs have also given way to questions of identity and whether Balkan pop-folk has fostered a sense of division or unity. In Croatia, we see that the music was called “inauthentic for sounding too much like Serbian music,” while also “not being truly Serbian.” These debates bring up questions over whether the genre has helped revive cultural identities and introduce traditional cultural elements from the region to a more global audience, or whether this new musical style is simply a way to commercialize traditional folk music at the same time that it creates divisions among Balkan populations. Despite these debates, the emergence of pop-folk has certainly brought more attention to the cultural elements of music from eastern Europe, allowing newer generations to rediscover and reimagine regional folk traditions in a changing world.
