Mihai Trăistariu VS Stromae

Mihai Trăistariu born on

December 16, 1979 in Piatra
Neamţ) is a Romanian singer and
musician. He represented
Romania at the Eurovision Song
Contest 2006 held in Athens,
Greece, with the song "Tornero".
Since that competition the song
has been broadcast in over 30
countries in Europe.

Paul Van Haver, better known as

Stromae (born 12 March 1985,
Brussels, Belgium) is a singer-
songwriter of Belgian-Rwandan origin.
He has distinguished himself in both
hip hop and electronic music. He first
became famous with the song "Alors
on danse" which remained at number
one for several weeks in numerous
countries throughout Europe.
 Mihai comes from a family of artists. His father, Gheorghe Trăistariu, was one of
the greatest painters of Piatra Neamţ and his mother, Natalia Trăistariu (born Natalia
Antohi), studied medicine and performed in her youth. Mihai has three siblings: Geanina,
Constantin and Vasile. All four play a musical instrument: Mihai - piano, Geanina -
violin, Vasile - piano, and Constantin - trumpet and guitar. He studied piano for 10 years
with a private teacher.
Mihai graduated from the University "Al. I. Cuza" University in Iasi, with double
major in mathematics and informatics, but chose to pursue a singing career. He graduated
from National College "Petru Rares" (High School) in Piatra Neamt, mathematics-
physics section. At 16 years of age he began to take courses in acting-directing with actor
Corneliu Dan Borcia, the manager of " Youth Theater " in Piatra Neamt. At 17, Mihai
hears - a great voice and a song that had to change his life and career on the radio. It was
Mariah Carey - "Without You" and he begins to "work" his voice to see if he could reach
5 octaves. He went to Iasi, joined the jazz courses of Student House in Iasi, led by
composer and teacher, Romeo Cozma.
 He is one of the few male singers in the world that has a five-octave range,
earning him the nickname "the male Mariah Carey". His highest recorded note was an
astonishing live D♯7 (2492 Hz), which he sang when invited to a TV show Mihai was
tested and certified by a specialists in a famous Guinness Book TV Show.
They concluded that Mihai Traistariu is the only man in the world who has a
vocal range of 5 octaves and a third (needs validation see here). So far only approved
record belongs to singer Mariah Carey: 5 octaves and a half.

In 1998 he played in a successful boy-band Valahia, then began a successful solo

career. He taught singing at the Academy of Stars - STARSCOOL in Bucharest. He also
serves as the singing teacher for the finalists of the biggest Romanian music festival
competition, called "Mamaia Festival".
 Stromae was born in Brussels to a Rwandan father, whom he only got to see three
times in his life, and a Belgian mother. At the age of eleven Paul Van Haver already
showed an interest in music and attended 'l'Académie Musicale de Jette', where he
studied music history and learned to play the drums.

In 2000 he appeared as a rapper called Opsmaestro, though he later changed his

stage name to Stromae (a syllablic inversion of "Maestro", a practice called verlan). It
was with this name that Van Haver became successful.
At the age of 18, he founded a rap group called "Suspicion", along with rapper
"J.E.D.I." in Eichof. They produced the song and music video "Faut que t'arrête le
Rap...", though later, J.E.D.I. decided to leave the rap duo.
In order to finance his private school education, Van Haver worked part-time in
the hospitality industry, but his school performance wasn't up to standard. It was only
later, when he registered at l'Institut National de Radioélectricité et Cinématographie, that
he released his first album "Juste un cerveau, un flow, un fond et un mic...".
 During his study at the film school of Brussels, Stromae decided in 2007 to
concentrate fully on his musical career. This resulted in his debut-EP "Juste un cerveau,
un flow, un fond et un mic…".

Mihai Traistariu is, perhaps, the most awarded Romanian singer of all time. Since
his start in Romanian music, he has received 91 awards. He has won national and
international competitions for interpretation or record and album sales.
He has released twenty singles and twelve albums in his native country, as well as
four international singles ("Tornero", "Dimmi si o no", "Your love is high", "Puerto
Rico", "Je t'aime") and four international albums ("Tornero", "Christmas", "Love" and
"Best of"). He has contracts with record labels in 15 countries: Warner Brothers (Sweden,
Norway, Finland, Denmark), Planet Works (Greece and Cyprus), Jupiter Records
(Germany, Austria, Switzerland), Template Records (Malta), Vale Music (Spain and
Portugal), Garden Records (England), Roton (Romania and Rep. Moldova).
He was a judge on the TV show "I want to be a star" on Antena One TV.
 He is the organiser of the International Festival of Pop Music " Liga Campionilor"
( " Champions League " ) at Rasnov, Jud. Brasov, Romania. He is, together with Alina
Todasca, one of the organisers of "My Song Contest ", a musical competition on TV.
Tornerò was the Romanian entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006, performed
in English and Italian by Mihai Trăistariu and composed by Mihai Traistariu and Eduard
Cîrcotă. Tornero was ranked first in the Romanian national selection on 26 February
2006, receiving 22 points in total. The song is an up-tempo number, with Trăistariu
addressing a former lover. He tells him that he is "keeping your smile on my mind every
day" and that he knows he will return to him. The chorus (performed in Italian) in fact
features him singing both that "she" will return to "him" and that "he" will return to "her".
Prior to the Contest, a line was added in which Trăistariu sings in a falsetto voice
"I just really miss you and I wanna kiss you".
In Eurovision 2006 Tornero had received 172 points, the highest score from
Romanian history in
Eurovision, placing 4th in a
field of 24 .
Following the Contest,
" Tornero " became an world
hit in Greece, Cyprus, Malta,
Sweden, Norway, Finland,
Denmark, Ireland, Spain,
Portugal, Lithuania, Latvia,
Macedonia, Croatia, Serbia,
Rep. Moldova, Bulgaria,
Ukraine, Poland, Belgium,
Turkey, Netherlands. New
versions were recorded by
Mihai himself, as well as the
popular Greek pop artists
Tamta and Anna Vissi.
 Stromae in 2008 signed a 4-year record deal with "Because Music" and
"Kilomaître".
In 2009 Paul worked as a young trainee at the musical radio station NRJ in
Brussels. Vincent Verbelen, Music Manager, was impressed by the talent of Stromae's
first single 'Alors on danse' and decided to air it for the first time on NRJ. The response
from listeners was one of extreme enthusiasm and Stromae's career was launched. Sales
quickly rose to number one in Belgium in just a matter of weeks.
Vertigo Records, a label of Mercury Records France (Universal Music Group)
signed him for a worldwide licensing deal soon after this.
By May 2010 the track Alors on danse had reached number one in France, the
Netherlands, Greece, Germany, Austria, Turkey, Switzerland, Italy, Denmark, Belgium,
Romania and the Czech Republic.
On September 2, a remix of his hit Alors on danse has been made by Kanye West
and himself.
Of his music and its influences he has said : " I was in a little group doing rap
music. I thought that rather than copying the French sound, I'd focus on a more American
style but give it a European spin. And then I rediscovered 90s Eurodance. For a long time
we were ashamed of that sound but in fact there's a lot to discover, it has its roots in
everything from house to salsa. I also really admire Jacques Brel - he has been a huge
influence on me - but also all sorts of other stuff, Cuban son, and the Congolese rumba
which I heard as a child; that music rocked the whole of Africa." The critic Molloy
Woodcraft : " He combines 90s electro synths and beats with a laidback delivery to
mesmeric effect".
He is one of the ten winners of the European Border Breakers Award 2011. On
February 9, his debut album 'Cheese' (with hitsingle 'Alors on danse') won the award for
Best Dance Album at the Victoires de la Musique.
Lead by “Alors on Danse,” Stromae has become a massive music phenomenon.
Against the conventions of baggy rags, the young maestro has no desire for the artifice of
the hip-hop bling. Instead, this artist’s humble demeanor comes dressed in a bow tie, his
reason being “simply being dressed for work like everyone else.” Ironically the loather of
trends would soon become a trend of own. Always in the core of the movement, this
distinguished artist is above all, his own creator.
The Stromae sound, influenced by new wave beats that are mainly derived from
Belgium, express a more subversive danceable version of their early 90’s Technotronic
and underground House music. The new beat term refers to a new “beat” oriented sound,
encompassed by combining electronic club music and techno with a flavour of 80’s
Chicago House music.
Born Paul Van Haver, the beat making prodigy cradled in hip-hop and electro
music, discovered his zeal for the drums and percussion as a child. Son of a Rwandan
father and a Belgium mother, he practices from his home studio in Brussels, Belgium.
Composer, songwriter, interpreter, he produces his own tracks which he later presents in
an innovative manner.
In 2009, in his bedroom seated at his desk in front of his keyboard and computer,
he faces a camera playing the role of a music teacher. In a course on how to make a
musical composition, he incorporates several of his own tracks like, “Alors On Danse,”
thus becoming “lesson n8” of the notorious “lessons of Stromae.”
Discovered by Internet users, the rhythmic maestro never imagined that these
lessons would one day provoke a viral frenzy of fans spreading from Belgium to
Germany and eventually all over Europe. Charting at N°1 on the European Billboard
singe charts, with “Alors On Danse,” the French speaking lyrical artist captivated the
attention of the world.
Only 25 years of age, Stromae now has a fist full of resources, an undeniable
talent, and a world buzz on his side. Stromae chose to verbalize over noteworthy beats
points about music, life, and the one he has yet to live. Not just a party in a box, but a
well written body questioning unwanted work, weekends as a way to escape everyday
burdens, spousal abuse, love, topics often too real but always treated with a positive and
thoughtful message. Stromae’s album “Cheese” is full of vibrant colored punches and
rhythmic variant sounds that he confides his distinguished fingerprint in. The record
conveys an old school minimal Technotronic sound warped from the 90’s, minced with
sharp poetic texts and vintage electric beats. Naturally innovative he delivers most of his
lyrics in French over music derived from house and electro. Distinguished by his ability
to gather catchy rhythms fused with arranged beats sutured with an effective production.
Always in motion he follows his conducting line subliminally registering a specific
Stromae sound.

The art of Stromae’s style is like an image, “Depth and composition.” His record
suggests soaking in the currents of effective melodies, while leaving us with deep lyrical
blows to think about. Every creation emanates from a reflection, which is the essence that
outlines the themes of his songs. A new rhythmical current is baptized. A moment in a
childhood remembered, when we’re asked to smile for a picture. We don’t know why but
we straighten our bow tie anyway and say that familiar word, “Cheese.”

Mihai Trăistariu
 Birth name Mihai Trăistariu
Born December 16, 1979 (age 31)
Piatra Neamţ, Romania
Genres Pop - Dance music
Occupations Singer, Composer, Lyricist, Teacher of Maths
Instruments Singing
Years active 1998–present
Labels Sony Music, Warner Brothers, Jupiter Records, EPIC, EMI,
Cat Music, Era Business, Template Records, Planet Works, Garden
Records, Roton
Website www.mihaitraistariu.ro

Stromae

Birth name Paul Van Haver Also known as Stromae

Born 12 March 1985 (age 26) Brussels, Belgium

Genres Hip hop, New Beat, Electronic music

Occupations Singer-songwriter

Instruments Musical keyboard, drums

Years active 2005-present

Labels Vertigo Records of Mercury Records France (Universal Music Group France)

Website www.stromae.org