Tonika was formed in Burgas in 1969 by a graduate of Bulgaria's National Academy of Music, Stefan Diomov.
Music has always been important in the culture of this former Iron Curtain republic, and Tonika has a considerable following today.
[2] Tonika performed more than 200 concerts per year in the 1970s in addition to their TV appearances, recordings, and rehearsals.
In 1979, almost all of Tonika’s records and taped TV appearances (except a few hidden copies) were destroyed by the Bulgarian government and banned due to a political scandal that occurred during a tour of Western Europe and Asia.
[3] In 2001, the Balkanton label released the compilation LP, The Gold Hits of Bulgarian Classical Pop Music,[4] which included the Tonika favorite, "Let It Be Summer."