Turbo-folk

Turbo-folk (Serbian: Турбо-фолк), also known as narodna muzika and yugofolk, is an original musical style of the Balkans. It developed greatly in the former Yugoslav republics of Serbia, Croatia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, as the main genre of Balkan pop.

It was very popular in the 90s, during the Yugoslav wars.

In addition, turbo-folk is present in Bulgaria, Turkey, North Macedonia and Greece, where it is enjoyed alongside chalga, arabesk and laïka, the corresponding musical genres in Bulgaria, Turkey and Greece. The manele is a style very similar to turbo-folk and very successful in Romania.

Origin and development

Turbo-folk is a musical genre that appeared in almost all the Balkan countries, and with greater profusion in the extinct Yugoslavia, as a result of the mixture of oriental music with modern pop, folk and electronic music rhythms. The term "turbo-folk" It means, precisely, the union of electronic rhythms and fast modern melodies with ethnic inspiration, both in main instruments and in arrangements.

The Montenegrin rocker Rambo Amadeus labeled this style of musical mixes with the name "turbo-folk" in a derogatory way. However, contrary to what he expected, the protagonists of the & # 34; turbo-folk & # 34; They accepted and adopted the name.

Among the cultural elites of these countries it is considered a kitsch and vulgar subculture that glorifies parties, hedonism, the cult of beauty, sex, materialism and the achievement of wealth by the fast track. Turbo-folk singers often present a similar appearance, with large breasts, hair extensions, a provocative attitude, an artificial tan, and tight clothing.

Serbia

In Serbia, turbo-folk was the dominant musical style since the early 1990s, shortly before the breakup of Yugoslavia, and was often associated with the warlike, mafia and nationalist elements of the regime. In fact, the main diva of Serbian turbo-folk, Svetlana "Ceca" Ražnatović, was the wife of the feared Serbian warlord Zeljko Ražnatović 'Arkan', leader of one of the Serbian paramilitary groups, the 'Tigers'. One of Ceca's greatest successes, "If you were hurt, I would give you my blood..." It could be heard almost like a hymn in the trenches on the Serbian side. During the Bosnian War, Ceca's success became even more notable. The new economic elite that resulted after the war helped, in part, to privatize Serbian television and include performances by turbo-folk singers in programs. This is the case of channels like Pink or Palma.

More profoundly, Serbian turbo-folk is an example of how some European countries with a strong attachment to their traditions and their own idiosyncrasies feel uncomfortable in a globalized and uniform Western culture. Turbo-folk, in fact, is a musical and sociocultural phenomenon that represents a native and intimate, purely Balkan response, which challenges the concept of urban and cosmopolitan culture that is generally associated with European identity and Western influences. The The paradox is that while turbo-folk benefited from sophisticated marketing techniques and complex music label strategies, it emulated Western trends in dance, fashion and design. Turbo-folk is an intrinsically Balkan, ethnic and patriotic phenomenon.

Romania and Bulgaria

What turbo-folk is in the Balkans, in Romania it is manele and in Bulgaria it is chalga. In these countries the tradition of festival, gypsy, or also called pop-folk music, is also legendary. This music is rooted in the popular traditions of the towns, as well as in their festivals and festivals, and also in funerals and weddings. In recent years, various Balkan groups that love turbo-folk have entered the Western music scene, whether in Europe or even Japan. Some renowned groups are Taraf de Haïdouks or Fanfare Ciocarlia, but there are many more. These groups are quite numerous in terms of the number of members, since there can be up to fourteen including the percussionists, the dancers and of course, the singers.

Reviews

The term "turbo-folk" It goes beyond the musical environment, entering the sociological and psychological environment. Criticism of turbo-folk and its lifestyle has been constant and parallel to the success of the genre. Various authors have agreed to point out the dangers that turbo-folk entails both for the youngest, as well as for women and society.

One of the most controversial aspects is the degrading and sexist image offered of women in the turbo-folk field, according to its detractors. The author Ivana Kronja assured that the female turbo-folk singer is a mere 'object of passion and marketing. She has to be beautiful and attract men. It has to excite them,' which means that a woman's beauty and sexual attitude take on more importance than her educational values. The success of Serbian singers like Ražnatović herself or Jelena Karleuša, the Serbian turbo singers most important folk groups and both known for their sexually provocative attitudes and their silicone implants, caused a social and psychological phenomenon in young Balkan girls, as they wanted to look as much like their idols as possible.

On the other hand, turbo-folk is usually associated with organized crime groups. Ceca Ražnatović is, once again, the best example that illustrates a musical career associated with criminal controversy. Ražnatović rose to fame in the late 1980s after winning a local folk competition. Her popularity increased after marrying Arkan Ražnatović and she became a powerful businesswoman. During the Bosnian War, when Arkan was carrying out his greatest crimes, Ceca sold hundreds of thousands of albums in Bosnia. In 2003, the Ceca's mansion was raided by the police after 88 weapons were seized, including police and military equipment. Aleksandar Vuksanovic, one of the male turbo-folk singers, was also arrested for illegal possession of weapons.

However, defenders of the genre and lifestyle claim that turbo-folk represents the new role of women in society, totally opposite to the traditionally patriarchal society. They also defend the new sexual freedom of women and their fundamental rights.

Turbofolk today

The presence of this music in several renowned films in recent years has also helped the spread of turbofolk, such as Gypsy Time by Emir Kusturica; or more recently, Defosaenfosa, also of Balkan origin.

In Bulgaria, turbofolk is known as pop-folk or chalga and has seen enormous expansion from the mid-nineties to the present. Today Bulgarian turbo folk sells three times more than the rest of the musical styles combined in Bulgaria. One of the singers who has contributed to popularizing turbofolk in Bulgaria has been Glorija, whose albums from 1994 to the present day have sold enormous quantities of copies. Also the singer, showman and actor Slavi Trifonov, known for his duets with the singer Sofi Marinova has helped to popularize this musical genre.

Record labels Payner Music and Ara Audio & video have also contributed to extending this musical genre in a notable way and making it popular even within the country's elite, making the style stop being seen as something kitsch.

Artists

Among the most representative singers of the genre are: