The first phase of the Romanian preselection took place last week and the jury picked up the 24 semi finalists. Among them famous Romanian artists like Nicola( Romania 2003), Nico, Paula Seling and Adrian Enache, but also names unknown to most of us. The line-up also sees two artists from Sweden and one from Slovenia.
Yana is a female group consisting of 3 girls, Catalina, Aura and Sabina. They started as "Hora" but after a while they changed their name in Yana because Hora was already taken by another artist. They have released one album, in 2006, and they will participate to the Romanian semifinals with the song C'est la vie.
Zero is a Romanian rock band. They started as Praf in ochi (Dust in eyes) but they changed it into Zero. They have just released their first album in a new member line-up: Laur(vocals), Papu(guitar), Alex(drums, Vlad(bass) and Oxi(sampler). Their first musical attempt has taken one year to finalise and it is dedicated to those "who have got bored of listening to songs with silly lyrics watching naked women". Come this way is their first singlefeaturing. For more information you can visit Zero's official website here.
Lucia Dumitrescu in just 18 years old. She also participated in the Romanian national final in 2006 with Laurentiu Cazan with the song I believe in my star and ended up 4th. Although she was only 16 years old back then she impressed the jury. Now, she is participating with the song Dragostea mea (My love).
Nicola is one of the most famous female artists in Romania. Her full name is Nicoleta Alexandru. She started her career back in 1985 at the Festival of Mamaia. In 1992 she participated in the Romanian selection for the Eurovision Song Contest with the song Balerina without success. Her second attempt was in 1994 with the song Doar amintiri. In 1996 with the songUndeva departe esti tu and in 1998 with the song Europa. In 2000 shetries again with the song I feel good and in 2002 with the song I do.She finally got to represent Romanian in 2003 with the song Don't break my heart and ended up 10th. Now, she wants to represent Romania again with the song Fairytale story.
Nico was born on the 1st of February in Ploiesti, Romania. She started singing at a very early age and she always wanted to be an artist. She has won many prizes in festivals she participated all over Romania. She participated in the national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest in 2002, 2003 and 2005 with Mihai Traistariu and in 2006 with Akcent. Now she wants to represent her country as a solo artist with the song Fight for life and as a duet with Vlad Mirita with the song Pe o margine de drum (At the edge of the way). For more information you can visit Nico's official website here.
VH2 is a 7 member Romanian rock band consisting of Gabi, Mihai, Teava, Lapi, Gabriel, Catalin and Soe.Their first album was called Greatest hits and in 2002 they release their second single Mai stai (Stay more). In 2004 they released their second album. Now they want to represent their country in the Eurovision Song Contest 2008 with the song Follow me but they face a serious dilemma, being a 7 member band,they will have to decide who will be excluded from the Eurovision stage, should they win.
For more information, you can visit VH2's official website here.
Ana Mardare has studied Arts and Economics. She has participated in several music festivals such as the festival of Mamaia in 2004 and 2007. She has released her first album titled Eu(Me). Now she wants to represent Romania in Belgrade with the song Heaven, a duet with Irvin Doomes.
Tabasco is a Romanian rock band who, together with other, similar bands, have been touring Romania. Now they want to represent their country in the Eurovision Song Contest with a funky-rock song titled Love is all i need.
Leo Iorga is a well known guitarist and vocalist. He was initially a member of the group Cargo and afterwards he moved to the Romanian famous rock band, Compact. In 1997, Leo Iorga and his friend Adrian Ordea created a new band Schimbul 3. Now he wants to represent his country along with Pacifica with the song Prea mici sunt cuvintele.
Paula Seling is one of the most famous artists locally. She tried to represent Romania in 2003 and 2004 with no success. She studied piano and canto and she has released almost 10 albums and came first in several festivals in Romania and abroad. Now she wants to represent Romania with the band Provinciali in the Eurovision Song contest with the song Sapte zile(Seven days).
For more information you can visit Paula’s official websitehere.
Adrian Enache is a very well known singer in Romania. He started singing when he was a student at the University and in 1988 he was invited to become the lead singer of the rock band Compact but he denied. He has released 4 solo albums and he had his own showson TVR, the Romanian national television. He is also a hugely successful theatre actor. Now, he wants to represent Romania with the song Te iubesc (I love you).
For more information you can visit his website here.
Simona Nae is a young female Romanian singer. Sheplays thepiano and harpe. When she finished high school she entered the Music Faculty to study the piano. She participated in several festivals such as the International festival of Brasov “Golden steag”. She became well known to the public when Marius Moga composed for Simona the song Sune-mi cine featuring Connect-R ( Moldova 2006). Now she wants to go to the Eurovision Song Contest 2008 with the song The key of life.
Inesa Stratulat is a Moldavian female singer. She recently released an album with 11 songs in English. She wants to represent Romania in the Eurovision Song Contest 2008 with the song La storia della pioggia.
Catalin Josan is the Moldovan young singer who won the Romanian Magastar. He released his first album titled Maga-start signed by Marius Moga and his first single Big brown eyes is already a big hit in Romania. Now, he is one of the semifinalists with the ballad When we’re together composed by Romania’s “Mozart”, Marius Moga and with the song Runaway.
New effect is a Romanian pop house band. They participated last year in the Romanian national selection with Moni-k with the song Sinada. This year they want to represent their country with the house song Zamira along with their lead singer Gentiana.
Ro-mania is also one of the most popular boy bands in Romania. Their name is inspired by their mania for their country especially because they combine Romania’s popular music with pop dance style songs. They have had many hits and have reachedhigh placeson top 100 lots of times. They participated in the Romanian national selection last year again with Rednex were disqualified due to plagiarism accusations .This year they want to try again with another song titled Railroad, railroad.
Viper is a young male artist. He wants to represent Romania with the pop song titled Mas conmigo. The song is composed by Mihai Alexandru , Nicola’s ex husband, while the lyrics are written by Viper.
Daniela Nicol is a female Romanian singer. She is one of the semifinalists to the Romanian national selection with the song Why, composed by the big Romanian Jazz man Marin Petrache Pechea.
Imba is a Romanian band and one of the Romanian semifinalists with the song Yeke yeke composed by Imba.
Anna Sahlene and LaGaylia will perform Dr. Frankenstein in the Romanian national selection. Anna Sahlene represented Estonia at the 2002 Eurovision Song Contest in Tallinn. She entered Sweden's Melodifestivalen in 2003 and 2006 with Unbreakable and This Woman respectively but did not reach the final in her native country.LaGaylia is an American born singer that moved to Sweden in 2001. The RnB artist released her first album LaGaylia Uncovered in January of last year in Sweden and is a renowned live performer.
Oscar, Lars, Alexander, Fredrik are from Sweden and the want to represent Romania in the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest that will take place in Belgrade with the song Shine” composed and penned by Henrik Wikström, Niklas Edberger andMåns Zelmerlöw.
Maya is from Slovenia and is one of the Romanian semifinalists. The song titled Time to rise composed by Slatinsek and Ziga Pirnat who also wrote the lyrics too.
