The music of Romania
Romania has a rich cultural heritage and a vibrant music scene which has entertained audiences for centuries. Now, with rise of several Romanian artists on the international scene, including Edward Maya and Inna, we take a look at how Romanian music is gaining a global audience.
Despite its blend of Balkan, Slavic, and Central European influences and its modern international outlook, Romania has been historically underappreciated on the global music stage.
That’s changing now with more international listeners discovering (or rediscovering) the talent coming out of the country. If you want to learn about Romania’s music history and the current musical landscape, here’s where to start:
Romanian Music in the Modern Classical Era
Classical music has a long-standing tradition in Romania, with several of the country’s musicians making an impact on the global music scene. Among them is Gheorghe Zamfir who is known as the Master of the Pan Flute. Zamfir’s expert performances on the pan flute, which combine Romanian folk melodies with classical influences, has captivated audiences worldwide. His unique music style popularised the pan flute and his compositions have been used in the soundtracks of many films, including Tarantino’s martial arts film Kill Bill:Vol 1.
Zamfir is a classical artist who has left an indelible mark on Romanian music. His mastery of the pan flute propelled him to international fame, with over 40 million albums sold. George Enescu, a prodigious composer, violinist, and pianist, studied in Vienna, before embarking on one of the most renowned classical music careers of the 20th century. He is one of Romania’s greatest musicians and his legacy is honored by having a festival named after him.
Vocalists like Maria Tanase infused Romanian folk songs with striking tones and cabaret theatricality. Johnny Raducanu showed that jazz was a force within the country (even when repressive political regimes tried to ban it) and Angela Gheorghiu, with her powerful soprano voice, showed that Romania also had great talent when it came to opera singers.
Romanian Music in the Modern Era
For the past fifty years rock music has been an important genre in Romania and its influence is still apparent on the streets of the country today.
Bands such as Iris, Tyranssylvania Phoenix, and Alternosfera are some of the biggest and most daring rock bands of recent decades. Collectively, rock artists in Romania have rallied against repressive regimes, whether it was communism in the 20th century or modern-day Russian aggression in Eastern Europe. Bands like Iris and Alternosfera embody a punk-rock attitude that has became synonymous with rebellion and dissent.
Since the collapse of communism in the early 1990s, Romania has been transitioning in more ways than one, with many of the country’s emerging artists reflecting a newfound vibrancy and freedom. Dance-pop and Eurodance surged at the start of the 21st century, reflecting a more open, uninhibited country. The Moldovan-based band O-Zone (who sing in Romanian and have close ties with the country, as many Moldavans do) are well known internationally, and their single Dragostea Din Tei is still one of the highest-selling singles of all time.
Plenty of other exciting dance-pop artists have emerged as well. Edward Maya captured the essence of the genre with his single Stereo Love; which beautifully incorporates a synthesized accordion for its unmistakable hook. Other acts, such as Morandi and DJ Project are influential musical exports.
Eurodance/dance-pop has struggled to be recognized as music with artistic merit and has been criticized for its commercial aspects. This seems unjust, considering the talent that has come from Romania in the last thirty years. Many of these artists should be commended for proving that dance music doesn’t have to be all dark rooms and crushing atmospheric drum-and-basslines—it can be light and fun as well.
The previously mentioned track Stereo Love featured the enchanting vocals of Vika Jigulina and became a staple in clubs. Similarly, Alexandra Stan, whose infectious pop hits have dominated the airwaves internationally is known for such tracks as Mr Saxobeat and Lemonade. Elsewhere, Delia Matache’s versatile brand of Romanian-RnB has had a major impact on the national music scene.
Inna is Romania’s best-selling artist and its most prominent musical export. Much of her success can be attributed to her versatility as an artist. She is known for her adaptable style, which has seen her release songs in different genres, including pop-rock, house and R’n’B. She has collaborated with some of the biggest names in international music, including Daddy Yankee, Flo Rida, and Sean Paul,
Inna was born in Mangalia, Romania in 1986 and was raised in Neptun, a summer resort town on the Black Sea. She studied political science at university and then got an office job. When her manager heard her singing in the office one day, he contacted a Romanian production team who recorded some songs with her.
Inna released her debut album Hot in 2009. A collection of dance-pop tracks, the album quickly climbed the charts in Europe. Her second studio album, I Am the Club Rocker, released in 2011, was met with widespread acclaim. Her songs blend elements of pop, dance, and electronic music. For more then a decade her high-energy tracks have been the staples of dancefloors in Europe and South America.
A multilingual artist, she blends different languages and music styles, singing in Romanian, English, French and Spanish. She released Caliente, her first song in Spanish in 2012. The track was a fusion of EDM and Latin pop and blended elements of salsa and reggaeton. Her collaboration with J Balvin on the Latin-infused Cola Song promoted the FIFA World Cup in 2014. In recent years, she has released more experimental music, with her album, Yo, being influenced by gypsy music and Romanian folklore.
Inna’s album Heartbreaker, released in 2020, is more introspective as it draws from the pain of heartbreak and the difficulty in letting go. Throughout the album she explores themes of love, vulnerability and resilience. Her song Flashbacks is the standout track on the album.
