Ruth Koleva is a singer born in Sofia, Bulgaria, who pursued her education in the Netherlands and now lives and works between Bulgaria and the USA. Her life story is a testament to resilience, courage, and passion, which helped her establish herself in the music industry.
Koleva was born in Sofia, Bulgaria in 1990. She grew up during a challenging period that followed the fall of communism in Eastern Europe, which brought difficulties to many countries in the region. She is the daughter of the renowned Bulgarian weightlifter Nedelcho Kolev, who achieved Olympic and world champion status in Havana (1973) and Manila (1974) and won a bronze medal at the Moscow Olympics in 1980. Unfortunately, the 1990s marked a period of financial collapse for numerous nations in Eastern Europe.
Ruth’s life took an unexpected turn when she relocated with her father to Bahrain, India, and Thailand, where he worked as a coach. This meant a physical separation from her mother and twin brother, an experience that would undoubtedly shape her music and personal journey.
At the age of 15, she signed her first contract with manager Joe Fletcher and moved to the USA. As a 15 year-old girl, she released her first original song, “Clean Your Heart,” in collaboration with Jahmmy Youth.
On 09/04/2011, she released her debut album “Within Whispers,” and the same year GRAZIA magazine awarded her the Woman of the Year in the Music category. Producer Mark Ronson, known for his collaborations with Amy Winehouse and Lady Gaga, praised Ruth’s debut album as “Amazing“. In 2012, she released her second album “Future Sweet EP” and was selected as the Singer of the Year on BG Radio.
From the very beginning, she showcased her unique musical style during her performances. Her album “RUTH” received the main prize at the 2014 Bulgarian Radio Awards. Interestingly, the album also gained popularity among the Japanese audience, resulting in thousands of copies sold there.
As early as 2015, just a few years after the release of her first album, Ruth was named the most influential Bulgarian singer on social networks.
In 2017, the singer released her fifth studio album in Japan “Confidence. Truth“.
Elements of Ruth’s personal struggles and her social activism, including her support for the LGBTQ+ community, fight against domestic violence, and raising awareness about mental health, have had a significant impact on both her music and her career.
So far, she has released about twenty singles and 6 studio albums.
Activism and Music
Ruth is one of the ambassadors for the “I Can” foundation and has participated in the “Avon” campaign against breast cancer.
The song “What you say to a girl?“, which the singer released in 2017, is dedicated to the fight against domestic violence in Bulgaria.
Ruth Koleva is a strong advocate for the civil rights of the LGBT community in Bulgaria and has been a key performer at the Sofia Pride concert since 2014.
Discography
- Within Whispers (2011)
- Future Sweet EP (2012)
- R U T H (2013)
- Rhythm Slave (Remix Album) (2015)
- Wake Up EP (2017)
- Confidence. Truth (2017)
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