10 Questions For: Liviu Teodorescu

INTERVIEW

Sounds European! is proud to present a great new interview. This time, we had the chance of talking to one of the most talented singers of the new generation of the Romanian music scene. And it was a delightful talk, let us say! These are our 10 questions for Liviu Teodorescu:

Sounds European!: We want to start this talk by looking back in time. What are the music memories of your childhood? Who did you use to listen? Who were your idols? And do you feel they have, in any way, influenced your work as a singer, nowadays?

Liviu Teodorescu: As a child, I started singing in a choir, at eight years old. So I kind of started my journey with music being into it rather than being outside, as a fan or as a music lover. I started discovering artists and bands later. The first band I fell in love with was Queen. So, I bought my first mp3 player and I filled it with music from Queen, Michael Jackson, Green Day, Justin Timberlake, Red Hot Chili Peppers and others. My taste in music varies from rock to soul, R&B, hip-hop, because, as a child, I felt so influenced by my idols, that I mentioned before. Today, I listen to every single fresh track, because I want to be in touch with anything new. Because I want to sound fresh.

SE!: At what age did you start singing? And when did you start having your first public presentations? Did you dream, at that time, that you would be a successful professional singer in the future, as you are now?

LT: I started singing at eight years old in a choir and my first public presentation was at nine years old, I think. I remember it like it was yesterday. After that, I swore to myself that I'd never get back on stage again. I felt so nervous and I had stage fright. But then, as time passed, the stage became my friend, the space where I could express myself so easily. Today, before I go on stage, I'm also nervous, but as I take the first step in front of the crowd, I feel free.
Yes, I dreamed so much about being a successful singer. I remember my first microphone and how I used to spend hours and hours singing in front of the mirror, imagining thousands of people watching. I guess this is my destiny, I have to fulfill it, no matter what.

SE!: In 2006, you represented your country on Junior Eurovision Song Contest, as a member of New Star Music. How was your experience in the festival? What lessons did you learn from it, as a kid in an international event? And would you ever consider taking part in the adult version of Eurovision?

LT: The experience of Eurovision marked me as a child. We were rehearsing a lot, daily, for hours. I learned what discipline is and how hard working is so important for your dreams to come true. It was a great responsibility hanging on our shoulders. We took the sixth place, from almost 25 countries participating. I felt disappointed at the time. Now, I realize that our result was great, almost the greatest in the history of Romania in Junior Eurovision Song Contest. Now, I don't know if I'd do that again. Not because it would be hard for me, but because I think Eurovision is, nowadays, more about politics than music.

SE!: We can say that one of your first big steps as an adult singer was during the first season of The Voice of Romania, where you reached the semifinals. What can you tell us about your time in the show? And how did it help you open doors for your career?

LT: The Voice was the start of my career, definitely. It was also my personal coming back into music because, for a while, I was so convinced that I was into acting. I was going to apply for the Acting College here, in Romania. But in the last moment, I fell for music again. Music is the thing that comes out of me without struggle. So I applied for the Conservatory and I was the first student on my group, with the highest marks on the exams – all of that, without having finished high school with a musical profile.
Coming back to The Voice, it was one of my greatest experiences. And, after I left the show, I got into the biggest Romanian television project at that time, a very successful TV series here, called "A bet with life". That was the moment when everybody started to recognize me, as I walked on the street.

SE!: You really seem to be someone who is not afraid of competing. Besides Junior Eurovision and The Voice of Romania, you were a semifinalist of the Romanian Dancing With The Stars and the ninth winner of your country's Your Face Sounds Familiar. How do you face competitions, and being judged weekly by other people and the audience?

LT: It's so funny you say that, because I HATE competition. :)) I think I got so far into these contests not because I'm competitive, but because I love what I do and I focus only on what I have to do, not on others. I'm not afraid of people judging my performances, because I'm a hard worker. And, if you work hard, you have less chances to fail. It's that simple.

"I'm a hard worker. And, if you work hard, you have less chances to fail"

SE!: We are aware this isn't the easiest question for an artist to answer. But how would you define your style, your genre? What would you like people to absorb, to feel, when listening to your songs?

LT: I'd like to heal people. I'd like to say the things that they would like to say too, but they don't, because sometimes it's hard to say what you think. I'd like to make them feel free and positive. My genre is something between R&B and pop-rock. I love the feeling in the R&B music and the strength in rock music. I'm trying to combine these two.

SE!: You are not only a singer, but also a songwriter. What topics do you like to write about? Where do you get inspiration for it? And do you have a specific place and/or time you like to write songs?

LT: I like to write when I'm relaxed and when my previous single is a success. :)) I write also in the shower, sometimes. I like special vocal lines and special topics. Love is one of my favorite topics, but I like different perspectives, saying things as they were never said before. My studio, LiTE Music, is my favorite place for making music, singing and anything connected to music.

SE!: What are your professional projects for the near future? What can your fans expect from you?

LT: The next project I'm working on is called "LiTE moments". I wrote and produced four songs, with an organic sound. I want to prove that simple is the new cool. The topics are special, I wrote from a different perspective. I hope people will understand and feel these songs, as I do. After "LiTE moments", we have a very special song, my next single. I hope people will like it, too.

SE!: You have worked with some other great Romanian singers. Can you name some of them? How were these experiences, for you? And if you could choose anyone, who would be some Romanian and international artists you'd still like to collaborate with?

LT: I worked with Andra, Smiley, Marius Moga, and other great musicians here in Romania. These experiences helped me as a songwriter and producer. I learned a lot and I thank them so much. From Romania, I'd like to collaborate with Delia, Alina Eremia, Killa Fonic, Nane and others. One of my favorite international artists is Dua Lipa and I'd like to spend a day with her in the studio, because I feel like, at the end of the day, we would have a fresh track.

SE!: We would like to finish this interview with a song of yours. What is your favorite song by Liviu Teodorescu, and why?

LT: My favorite song is my last single, "Obsesie". Obsession, in English. I think this song is the apogee for me as a songwriter. The vocal lines came to me so easily, but I worked a lot for this song. I love the final result, and the number of views and the feedback from social media and radio/television prove that you love it, too!