Ally: The First Chapter

Every great story has a beginning. For Alexandra Polezhanova – Ally, that first chapter unfolds on the stage of Bansko Jazz Festival.
Winner of the Grand Prize of the Bansko Jazz Academy 2025, the young singer, pianist and composer presents her original project “Ally: First Chapter”—a musical narrative about talent, dreams and the courage to discover one’s own artistic voice.
This performance represents a symbolic continuation of a journey that began in Bansko, where Ally took her first musical steps as a pianist at the age of eight. Today she is a student at the National Academy of Music “Prof. Pancho Vladigerov,” pursuing studies in both Composition and Pop & Jazz Singing. Her music stands out for its emotional depth, refined artistic sensibility and contemporary songwriting approach.
Joining her on stage are some of Bulgaria’s most respected jazz musicians: Borislav Petkov, Dimitar Karamfilov, Atanas Popov, Ivan Yordanov and Milen Kukosharov. Together they create a bridge between youth and experience, between new ideas and the rich traditions of Bulgarian jazz.
The concert will also feature a special appearance by Mimi Nikolova, whose presence transforms the evening into a celebration of jazz, where talent, memory and the future of music meet on one stage.