With a passion deeply rooted in folklore and the traditional influences of Balkan music, TÉODORA’s musical journey is a captivating blend of genres that defy categorization. The Romanian singer is not confined to one genre; instead, she’s on a mission to blend them seamlessly. Her palette includes Pop, R&B, Trap, Balkan, and electronic music.
TÉODORA’s well of inspiration runs deep, drawing from an eclectic mix of musical genres. Pop lends its structure, R&B influences her vocal style, Trap adds production elements, electronic music brings complexity, and Balkan influences course through her veins. Since moving to the Balkans two years ago, she has rekindled her love for traditional music, its instruments, and its rich history.
Last week the talented singer released her debut collaboration with producer J.Ar.J, “No Distance.” The song delves into the complexities of long-distance relationships and the pangs of homesickness.
Keep reading to find out more about TÉODORA’s new single, beginnings and more!
How would you define your music?
I want my music to be honest, and I don’t refer to the lyrics in particular, but as an overall. That’s why I also work on music production, because I want the production and the message of the song to be well connected! When I listen to a song, I don’t always focus on the lyrics, but I can relate and feel many emotions only through the composition/production, and this is the direction of my music.
Your music blends various influences, including electronic, rap, and Balkan influences. What draws you to these diverse musical styles, and how do they contribute to your unique sound?
I draw inspiration from what I consume and I consume a lot of music from different genres. The pop genre is found in the composition and structure of the songs, R&B is very evident in the way I sing, Trap makes an appearance through production elements, electronic music adds more complex production in places and Balkan influences are in the blood. I fell in love with my culture again once I moved here 2 years ago and I really rediscovered how much I love traditional music, its instruments and its history. I want to use music to share a culture that is not often discussed.
Your live performances are praised for your strong vocals. How do you prepare for your live shows, and what do you enjoy most about performing in front of an audience?
I can say now that my voice is the piece de resistance in my live shows. That’s what I worked on since I was little because that’s what I cared about at the age of 8 when I started actively participating in music competitions. Inspired by big names like Beyonce, Whitney Huston, and Christina Aguiler, I used to play only the “heavy” songs of these artists. Through hard work and perseverance, I acquired a good vocal technique that helped me become a voice tutor during high school. But above all, it is what I love the most. You can find me everywhere singing, whether I’m in public or not.
Can you tell us about your new single “No Distance”?
“No Distance” is my first collaboration with my amazing producer J.Ar.J. It is a song about the challenges of long-distance relationships and homesickness, with a unique blend of pop, trap, R&B, and Balkan vocals. The lyrics are based on personal experience and I am grateful to have J.Ar.J as a producer who created such a unique sound for my story! I really focused on conveying the song’s message, but in a more subtle way, because each listener has a different experience of longing. I hope people relate to the whole vibe of the song because I am sure we all miss a place or a lover at least once in our lifetime.
“No Distance” is a song that touches on the challenges of long-distance relationships and homesickness. Can you share the inspiration behind this track and how your personal experiences influenced the lyrics?
Well, I don’t want to go into too many details about my love life, but I’m going through a long-distance relationship right now, and I’m experiencing a wave of good, bad, restless, unexpected, etc. feelings. So, I ended up in the studio, and from then on I just related to this subject, for a long period of time, because let me tell you, a relationship like this is not something you get used to. It makes you feel weird every day – songwriting material :).
This is your second release. How is your music evolving?
Here’s a longer story. This song is my second release under the name TÉODORA. I had another career start some time ago, after a few years ago I reached the finals of X Factor Romania. Time has made me understand what I really want from the future and from my music, and now I feel like I’ve gotten there. I only write what music I like, not what other people “should” like, and I feel like I’m finally showing the identity of the artist in me. I hope that my music in the future will continue on this idea, to be as “me” as possible and to surprise the audience more and more because what will follow next month is already different from what has been heard so far.
What’s next for Téodora?
I’m already preparing a new song and I’m rushing it a little because I want it to be released before Christmas. It’s out of my comfort zone, in the best possible sense, and I’m very curious to see what reactions it provokes.
You are only at the beginning of your career. How do you envision your music and career evolving in the next few years?
I want to meet and collaborate with more people. I haven’t been in London for a long time and already I really like to see how many creative people are here. Collaborating I hope to launch many musical and visual projects and together with my band I hope to prepare more live concerts!
What is a message you would like to give through your music and why?
I want my music to be complex and have everything. I don’t think I’m the person to stay in one niche, so I want to explore more musical genres, instruments, collaborations, etc. The message of the songs will always be from my extra sensitive side and will illustrate in one way or another an experience, but I want the listener to interpret it from its own skin, so I avoid being a music writer who has a clear message, I like it vague.
Write here something you want to let people know.
I am on a long and challenging road in my career, and I want people to discover me, to give my music a chance. I hope very much that I have aroused at least a little curiosity and if someone wants to look for me or discover some new music from an independent artist, let them know that I am everywhere – Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, etc and that I am happy to answer to any question, idea, or good intention!
You can listen to TÉODORA’s new single “No Distance” on our Spotify playlist:
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