Svetlin Radoslavof, a native of Bulgaria, is a well-known musician with an inspirational story. In 2016, Svetlin, also known as “Svet,” began experiencing unbearable headaches. That August, he went to the hospital, not knowing what to expect. There, he was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor. The tumor, which is most commonly found in children, appears in just one in two million adults. At the time, Svet was only 29. He was traveling the world and playing for various crowds, including troops at different US airport bases across the globe.
Music has always been a large part of Svet’s life. Originally from Bulgaria, he came to the United States when he was just 11 years old. After moving to Rochester, he was introduced to different genres of music. Having grown up listening to only classical, Svet was instantly captivated by hip-hop music. Though he was immersed in an entirely new culture, Svet never forgot his roots. Bulgaria is the oldest country in Europe and has an extensive history, and Svet began to blend his two cultures to create a truly unique artform. He credits his ability to create such a blend to an old saying in Bulgaria that means ‘stew with grapes.’ It is through this saying that Svet explains his inspiration for “mixing everything into one, even if it appears something might not belong,” when creating his electro hip-hop violin performances.
There is a craft to captivating a crowd, especially in New York City. Having grown up six hours away from the city, Svet worked hard to find the creative outlets to perform and share his talents with audiences. While he was in college, he recalls studying for finals in between bus rides and performances in the city, as he was constantly searching for opportunities and never limiting himself. He appeared on both America’s Got Talent and Bulgaria’s Got Talent and continued to seek opportunities through the following he gained. He lives by the saying, “An instrument without an artist is not an instrument, an artist without a stage is not an artist, and a stage without an audience is not a stage.” Through this mentality, Svet recognizes that the art of performance is an all-encompassing project and that there will always be opportunities to share what makes you unique with the world. In order to do so, one must seek out and seize the opportunities before them.
Throughout his career, Svet has taken a special interest in those he meets. He strives to be the first person at the theater and the last person to leave when he performs. This is because he always finds something interesting in everyone he meets. Meeting others broadens his perspective and allows him to appreciate the differences every person has to offer. He often takes it upon himself to break the ice and encourage connection because, as he describes: “Showing interest towards others allows you to find the most amazing things in those people.”
While faced with what many would see as a devastating challenge, Svet never stopped performing and connecting with others. Having performed since he was three years old, the first thing Svet did after he came out of surgery was move his fingers. With this assurance that he could still play the violin, there was nothing that could stop him. Driven by music to get better and move forward, Svet also had a new mission. He wanted to show his perseverance to the world. His message that even when “life comes at you 100 miles per hour, you can still get through it” speaks volumes to masses across the globe.
He now works with children facing cancer and other childhood diseases to show them that the afflictions they are facing do not define who they are. He encourages those that he meets to turn their challenges into opportunities. Children have pure energy and curiosity, and Svet believes they should never be forced to lose that. Throughout his own treatments, Svet interacted with many of the children in the hospital and performed for them at Christmas. He bought the children ukuleles and encouraged them to participate in the hopes of showing them how music can help them through their struggles.
This message now reaches a wider audience with the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. With the world at large facing unprecedented struggles, and performers in particular facing hardship due to regulations surrounding gatherings, this message of perseverance is deeply needed. Svet’s story reminds others to “always look towards the sunlight and be courteous to those around you.” This is an important reminder that we must work towards a better society and strive against division as we persevere through dark times, because there is always light to be found.
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