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Kindly step aside, Alexandra Stan, there's a woman in Sofia just as awesome as you and her name is Maria. Today, she released her video for "Game Over" and it's game, set and match for those trying to take Marina's dance/pop throne....it  belongs to her, bitches! The sultry singer is on a roll lately. "Game Over" is the Payner artists latest (and greatest) but just last month she dropped another sexy clip for "Той не спира да е мой." Both videos are below. Maria is certainly one to watch if she ever decides to sing in English (not like she has to, she's already gaining fans at a steady clip in Bulgaria and is often in Bulgarian gossip websites/magazines).

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So you know who's just about the hottest thing going in Bulgaria these days and is not a chalga/turbofolk singer? Divna (or Дивна). The teenager is taking over Sofia this winter with a song and new clip for "I Ti Ne Mojesh Da Me Spresh" or "You Cannot Stop Me." And it looks like no one can stop her...the promo has just passed 500,000 views since it dropped last month, a big number for a Bulgarian clip, and she went to the top of some pop charts with the song below recently. The video features over 50 dancers from Bulgaria's largest school of modern hip-hop dancing, the "Street Dance School The Center." Also in the clip, Miro, and the producer of the song, Krisko. Divna has a long bio for such a young, budding pop/R&B star, which you can translate here. Hot stuff, check it.

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Sure, it's exciting waiting for Madonna's comeback video(s), but you know who's better looking and just as epic as Madonna? Bulgaria's Andrea (Андреа). The sultry singer is back and back in a big way this year with a brand new today clip for "Лоша," which features the "Champagne" singer getting crucified, just like Jesus (or Madonna in one of her music videos, take your pick). Anyway, this is a bold return to form for Sofia's top pop/folk diva after a few less-than-epic clips last year. The song title, "Losha," translates to "bad" and it's also the title of Andrea's new album (out today).

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Earlier this year I was thrilled to find an Albanian Inna clone in Ertila Koka's awesome "Feel the Beat." Now, I've found a Bulgarian Inna/Andrea (she sure looks like Andrea!) hybrid and her name is Joanna (Йоанна). "Never Say Goodbye" is (I think) her only English language offering on You Tube. She has other chalga clips but they mostly look like low grade porn films and they are virtiually indistinguishable from the hundreds of other turbo folk clips churned out on a near daily basis out of Sofia. But this song is special: a well done knockoff of the 'Romanian sound.' It feels like old school Inna and Joanna could be one to watch in the new year. Check her below.

I think 2010 was actually a better year for Bulgaria in terms of music videos, but there were some incredible videos in 2011 out of Sofia. However, the combination of good songs + good clips was rare this year (Andrea had great videos, for example, but her songs were better in 2010). The absolute best song for me, anyway, was Sahara's "Champagne," which features Andrea (and rapper Shaggy), was shot in a Sofia club and went on to become a hit in some EU countries thanks to producer Costi. My 2nd favorite under rated offering from Bulgaria was via Desislava. Her "I Like" should have been a summer smash all over Europe, yet it was not. Lastly, we have a singer I think is very special, Cvetelina Yaneva, and her early 2011 Costi-produced "Pritesnqvai Me," boasting a clip shot in Milan. Love all three of the tracks below and all have great videos to go with them.