Best-known Romanian artists on YouTube

In the last years, the music produced in our country has started to get more and more popular outside Romanian borders.

Currently, the most viewed song on YouTube written by a Romanian is Edward Maya’s “Stereo Love”.

The song was released in 2009 and became in a very short time one of the nightclubs’ hits and topped the music charts in Romania, France, Germany, Turkey, Finland, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Ireland and other countries.

Until now, the song has reached more than 148 million views.

Next is Alexandra Stan’s “Mr. Saxobeat” which has more than 90 million views on YouTube.

Alexandra Stan’s debut single “Mr. Saxobeat” is already an international hit even though it has been released this year.

Another Romanian artist that has the foreigners’ sympathy is Inna, whose real name is Elena Alexandra Apostoleanu.

The first hit of the artist from Mangalia, “Hot”, appeared in 2008 and rapidly became number one on the radio charts in Romania, Bulgaria, Poland, Russia, Hungary, Turkey and Greece.

The song managed to reach more than 51 million views on YouTube.

The songs “Love”, “Déjà Vu”, “Amazing” and “10 minutes” from the debut album became hits as well, climbing up the European charts.

After signing a contract with an important foreign record label, Inna has been promoted in countries like USA, United Kingdom and Canada.

Another Romanian band that has more than 20 million views on YouTube for only one song is Akcent.

The band, which debuted in 2001 with the song “Ţi-am promis”, managed to gain more than 21 million views for the song “My Passion”.

O-zone smoothed the way

We can say that the Romanian music phenomenon started with O-zone’s success.

“Dragostea din tei” could be heard everywhere on Earth, and soon people all over the world would sing the famous lyrics: “Alo, Salut, sunt eu, un haiduc,/ Şi te rog, iubirea mea, primeşte fericirea./ Alo, alo, sunt eu Picasso,/ Ţi-am dat beep, şi sunt voinic,/ Dar să ştii nu-ţi cer nimic”.

The song brought the boys numerous international awards.

Also, the hit was translated in more languages like: English, Portuguese, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Estonian and an African language.

“Dragostea din tei” was performed at the opera as well.

After the members of O-zone disbanded, it was other Romanians’ turn to gain international recognition.

Translated by: Camelia-Aura Barbu
MA Student, MTTLC, Bucharest University