I grew up with Romanian dance hits

Matey Matev

Matey Matev has never studied Romanian language. But since his school years, he has been captivated by Romanian music. Every summer, when he was a student in the United States, the Netherlands and other European countries, he spent at least a week traveling around Romania. In his relations with Romanians and Romanian music, there are both moments full of positive emotion and disappointment. As in any true love. Matey shared with the blog “The Bridge of Friendship” some Romanian bands and songs that make his life richer and happier.

Morandi – “Save me”

Morandi is one of the most remarkable and talented music groups in Romania in the last 15 years. The musical pop dance duo consists of composer Marius Moga (Mo) and singer Andrei Ropcha (Randi). They achieved their first success with the song “Love me” in 2004, which became a hit both in Romania and abroad. Their music reaches near and far countries such as Poland, Croatia, Russia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. They have 8 songs in first place in local and international charts, as well as 2 nominations for the MTV Europe Music Awards for best Romanian performance in 2005 and 2006. It is a well-known fact that their debut album “Reverse” has sold over 2 million copies, and the song “Angels” was among the most downloaded digital products in Russia and Ukraine in 2007. They also achieved success at the Romanian Music Awards – “RMA”. in 2006, as well as at the international competition “Eska” in 2009.

The song “Save me” is their favorite song. The action takes place in a wheat field, where a couple in love remains separated forever after a serious train accident. The girl, with 47 other people remain forever in the train. At the end of the song, all 48 passengers on the train form the “Save Me” call to the sounds of the piano. Singer Randi shows the true power of love through such a sincere and simple dialogue between him and the girl in the song. This can be a memory of a certain person who has left a lasting mark on our lives. Personally, this song takes me back to my teenage years, when it was played daily on radio and television. Despite the different message, it acts on me like a time machine in 2005 when it became a hit. It reminds me of people I’ve met and places I’ve visited. Although everything remains in the past, the memory and emotions are like in a video, which recalls them automatically in my mind after I hear this song..

DJ Project – “In the light”

I can’t help but mention DJ Project. The band was founded in 2000 by Gino Manzotti and Ovidiu Florea with first vocalist Elena Baltagan. With 9 albums and 31 singles, DJ Project won the hearts of many fans. At the end of 2009, Gulia Anghelescu took the place of Elena. With it, the band created three consecutive hits # 1: “Mi-e dor de noi” (“I miss us”), “Regrete” (“Regrets”) and “Nu” (No). In 2011, Adela Popescu replaced Elena after the latter became pregnant. Adela achieved success with songs such as “Bun Ramas” (“Goodbye”), “Fără tine” (“Without You”) and “Suflet vândut” (“Sold Soul”). In the fall of 2017, Dj Project began collaborating with Mira, one of the youngest voices in the Romanian music industry. The hit “Inimă Nebună” (“Crazy Heart”) conquered the music charts. The latest hit is from the summer of 2020 – “Retrograd” with Andia.

The song “Lumea ta” (“Your World”) became famous in 2005, and it reached the Ministry of Sound in London, which helps and promotes mainly European dance music. There is a version of the song in both Romanian and English. It has been broadcast on radio stations in many European countries. There is a lot of trance in it, which style is famous in English-speaking countries and is majestic for those who understand the genre.

Akcent – “Ţi-am promis”

Akcent is perhaps the most famous Romanian music group, whose fame reaches the United States, Great Britain, Finland, Denmark and even Pakistan. Unlike Morandi and DJ Project, many of the songs are in English and Spanish. The band was founded in 1999 by Adrian Sînă and Ramona Barta, who released their first album “Sensation” a year later. The song Ultima vară (Last Summer) became a summer hit. After leaving Ramona, Marius Nedelcu, Mihai Gruia and Sorin Brotnei joined. Two years later they released the album “În culori” (In Colours) with their single “Ţi-am promis” (I promised you). Following the rapid and unwavering breakthrough of O-Zone, Akcent won international recognition with the hit “Kylie”, whose Romanian version is “Dragoste de închiriat” ( “Love for Rent”). He became famous mostly in England, Finland and Poland. In 2008-2009, Edward Maya contributed to the release of two new songs “Stay With Me” and “That’s My Name”, which soon became popular. In 2012 they toured the United States. The following year, the band disbanded when Mihai and Sorin formed a duo called Two.

My favorite song is “Ţi-am promis”. It came out when I was 13. I had even learned the movements of the dance.

Carla’s Dreams – “Te rog”

This is a musical formation based in Moldova, but with many performances in Romania. The interesting thing about it is that it is composed of anonymous members, whose identity is hidden behind masks. Their musical styles are hip hop, jazz, pop and rock. With 8 songs at the top of the Romanian Airplay 100 chart, Carla’s Dreams is the most successful in the chart’s history. They sing in Romanian as well as in English and Russian.

Photo: Concert (source: Pixabay, CC0)

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