At this time, Inna is probably the most well known Romanian artist in Europe and in UK. Edward Maya has even greater success with “Stereo Love”, reaching the first position of French Billboard Chart! The list of successful Romanian artists continues with Akcent, Deepcentral, Anda Adam, Deepside Deejays, Fly Project, Morandi, etc.
In Poland, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Serbia, Turkey, Romanian artists are occupying a higher position in radio charts than their own local artists, so…
Why do Romanian artists deserve to conquer the international music stage?
1. Dance music is the new trend
In the 90’s we’ve seen how hip-hop dominated the music market, with Dr. Dre, Puff Daddy, easily followed by pseudo-European-rappers.
Several years ago, the Americans artists (like Timbaland and Pharrell) and the UK artists (through dnb and hip-hop scene) have been inspired by European electronic and dance music. Synth infusion from German trance and electro arpeggio from French dance style have saved the American pop.
Romanian’s advantage: Romanians were always experts in imitating the European style, especially the German and the French ones.
2. Popcorn
A lot of Romanians are tired of this new music style invented by David Deejay and refined by Play&Win, but now the Europeans are feeling the taste of it! Not to forget that it’s for the first time in history when Romanians are inventing something new. In general they are good at copying, but now we are delivering a new sound!
Romanians advantage: Romanians are the only ones who knows how to do “the popcorn”.
3. Simple, simplistic, kitsch
Voltaj have invented a new musical style and they have taken a shot in Europe with it. Urma and Firma have also tried to impress Europe. The approach is wrong because Europe has great rock bands! How can you impress the Europeans? You do things that they cannot do it: surprisingly kitsch things. O-Zone with “Dragostea din tei” was the Romanian ’Macarena’, just because it was an exaggeratingly simple song, with stupid lyrics, but easy to learn. And they sold over 12 million albums!
Romanians advantage: Without a national Pop Music history, the young Romanian composers are very surprising due to their melodic simplicity.
4. Balkans and the Middle East
The local folklore influences but also the Russian and Greek influences and even Azerbaijani sound exotic for the European and American ears. The only solution for Romania to impress is to use the folklore sound that defines the geographical region where we live.
Romanians advantage: The Romanian accordion in dance songs created an original style, easily recognizable.
5. The Internet
The Russians, the Romanians and the Indians were always good at mathematics and IT. The online piracy rate shows this very clear… But the Internet is also a tool to promote and to distribute music. The Romanian fan is informed, spends a lot of time surfing the Internet (Romania is on 2nd place in Europe‘s top high speed broadband countries), gets bored quickly and is interested in entertainment. YouTube statistics shows the fact that the Romanian Internet user seeks for video clips more that other users from other parts of the world.
Romanians advantage: Our Internet users are just better than theirs.
6. God is a DJ
I wrote an article called “The composer. The pianist. The Conductor.” where I highlighted the moving of the weight point from the composer to the vocal singer and then to the DJ. After 2000 the DJ (I mean the musical producer, not the interpreter artist) became the star, the idol: Bob Sinclar, David Guetta, Tiesto, Martin Solveig, etc.
The Romanians advantage: We have less good voices to confront the Americans artists with, but we are good at sampling.
7. Big studios are in financial crisis
The CD selling decline and the appearance of cheap software for music production have destroyed the big recording studios, so, on one hand there are fewer “star” albums made with millions of dollars, and on the other hand anyone can create a hit with his laptop.
Romanians advantage: The Romanians were always producing cheap music on the computer, but now, finally, this electronic sound doesn’t bother anyone.
8. Beautiful girls
Romanian girls are beautiful! It’s not just a national pride. And the musical video (especially the dance ones, see point 1) have to show beauty and sensuality. No wonder why the first video by Deepside Deejays had so much success in Europe!
Romanians advantage: Our girls are beautiful, take a gander out the window..
9. Free music
The Americans are still looking for their pity and trying to find out their savior solutions. The French people are proposing laws for online piracy punishment. At the same time, South Korea (the most advanced country regarding the Internet/digital technology) has a musical industry exclusively based on online environment, meaning that the CD has died.
Romanian artist are sending themselves the mp3 to free download websites and they are using YM as the main channel to distribute music. The Romanians are sending the voice tracks on the Internet, so that every DJ to remix them or to create mash-ups.
Romanians advantage: In Romania free access everywhere on the Internet is as usual as the gravitation.
10. You
You came up here so you are interested not just in Romanian music, but also to find out the reasons why our artists are successful outside the country. You, the one that reads this article, have made every song a hit in Romania which conquered the international charts. You listen to, filter and promote a wave that will take to the tops in Europe and the USA!
Romanians advantage: the fans.
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