Whatever you think, that is what you attract

Introduce yourself in a few sentences.

My name is Maria Noveva. I have been playing the violin since I was five years old and I am the founder, producer, and violinist in the trio HYPNOTIC. I founded the group in 2007 and since then I have been the creative engine behind its musical and visual identity.

HYPNOTIC combines classical and pop music in a contemporary crossover style without analogy in Bulgaria. We are happy that our music has been highly appreciated by the world-famous quartet BOND, whose last concert in Bulgaria we had the privilege to open.

What did you dream of becoming in your childhood?

From an early age, music has been an inseparable part of my life, even before I could define it as a dream.

I remember that I had a Casio synthesizer with a keyboard, on which I constantly played, composed, and recorded my own melodies on audio cassettes. It would have been nice to hear them after so many years, but unfortunately, my sister recorded some concert of East 17 over them. :D

I also dreamed of singing and dancing, to be on stage like Michael Jackson – the greatest for me even to this day. I even remember wanting to study ballet, but there was no one to take me to all those activities plus music school.

Music has always been a constant – more than a dream.

At what age did you earn your first money? Share with us an interesting incident.

One of the things I bought with my first fees was a self-propelled walking path. My enthusiasm lasted for 4–5 workouts and it remained more as interior decoration. But thank goodness I didn't throw it away because now I love it and use it regularly. Apparently, it had to come to its time.

What are the main factors and examples that shape us as individuals at an early age and form our interests? What is your recipe for curiosity, sources, and wells of information and inspiration at this stage of our human development?

The upbringing at home and the culture outside are certainly among the strongest factors that shape us as individuals. Unfortunately, a large part of today's generation is already breastfed with the thug values of chalga. It infuriates me that this content is everywhere – from national television to children's ice cream commercials.

I hope that with the music we create with HYPNOTIC, we are a fresh breath of air in this "cultural" environment. And I am glad that there are many incredibly talented artists who do the same. It doesn't matter that you won't see them in the media.

My recipe is to stay as far away from this noise as possible and to follow a few but meaningful artists and channels. DOAC – The Diary Of A CEO is one of them and I highly recommend it to everyone.

I find inspiration in the people around me, in travels, different cultures and cuisines, from the stages we share with the audience. I love cinema, the endlessness of the sea, and weekly walks in the mountains. A lot of inspiration also comes from doing nothing, although we allow ourselves to do it less and less. :D

Has there been any significant change in your perceptions in a more mature age regarding what motivates you to do or not do something?

Today, I subordinate everything to one thing – does it make me smile or not. Even as a child, I forbade my mother to use the word "must" towards me, but I hadn't quite clarified the issue of motivation. :D I listen to my inner voice and trust it. I let things happen better than I planned them. Something that cannot happen if you never let go of control.

Whose decision was it where to pursue higher education and what to study?

Mine, but it was a continuation of my mother's decision to enroll me to study violin at the music school.

Was this decision correct, looking at it from today's perspective?

Oh, yes. And thank goodness, because I couldn't imagine life without music.

Share with us more about your interests, knowledge, skills, and hobbies.

Besides the violin, as a child I took piano lessons and composed my own pieces. I have always dreamed of creating music that combines the best of classical and pop. That's why after the music academy, I completed a course in sound engineering and virtual studio technologies at Sofia University, which gave me more skills and knowledge in working with music composition programs and electronic pop sound.

My love for art leads me to different fields, so I also engage in graphic design, photo retouching, and video editing. With HYPNOTIC, I have the happiness to combine everything I love into one.

Would you change your profession today and which fields of activity attract your interest?

I wouldn't change my profession, but I would combine it with other fields that also attract me. Part of them are the hobbies I already mentioned. I love creating beautiful things – whether they are audio or visual, and best of all, both at the same time. I am attracted to cinema, organizing epic events, and – perhaps surprisingly – law. A copyright teacher even told me that I have a talent in that direction… but I wouldn't practice it in Bulgaria. :D

They say that your personal brand is everything that people say about you when you are not in the same room with them. What would you like to hear today?

I would like them to share that when they hear the music I produce, they immediately recognize HYPNOTIC and that they can't wait to hear us live.

Emotional intelligence, adaptability, and flexibility, as well as our soft skills, are key conditions for success in recent years. How do you cope with the daily challenges of life to stay in good shape and mood?

Daily movement and a healthy diet that gives me energy, lightness, and food for the brain. I have a well-trained reflex to ignore ANT – automatic negative thoughts, and I maintain my mental hygiene.

I try to see the people around me smiling and you won't see me frowning in the morning, ruining the mood of everyone else. I also avoid having such people around me.

What are the most important conclusions you have made so far about maintaining proper communication considering the different characters of the people you meet daily – colleagues, friends, relatives?

• To like each other – you can't like someone and they not like you back at least a little.

• To set boundaries (something I am still learning, because I often work with friends).

• Not to insist on an important conversation when the moment is not right for the person opposite.

• To respect each other, to accept our differences, and to seek a way to understand each other in the easiest and most pleasant way.

What do you think about money? What is their influence on your life? What is your advice to people who often ask themselves questions related to money and how sufficient they are?

I think we live in a very broken system. I don't know what the right one looks like, but money certainly has no place in it. Unfortunately, they determine our lives to a great extent – even which art will reach us.

Imagine: a song – no one has heard it. But the big record label invests 1 million leva in it. 400 thousand go to TikTok, attracting influencers and paying 600 thousand for the person who manages the streams. The result? 20 million streams in the first week on Spotify. And since so much money has been spent on TikTok, the song goes viral and you say to yourself that it must be a hit. This is the reality. The audience does not make songs hits, but the budget behind them...

Otherwise – money is never enough. That's how the system works. :D

And still, it is nice to know that whatever you think, that is what you attract. If your focus is on what you can lose – you will lose. If you focus on what brings you joy – you will see the paths to happiness. And then it will be enough.

What is the most valuable career advice you would give to people?

To follow what makes them smile in the long term. This is perhaps the most direct way to feel which direction is right for you – even before you can fully explain or understand it.