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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 SongContest 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.

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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, Mihaihears - 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.

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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".

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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 inthe 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...".

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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. Sincehis 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.

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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.

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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 hugeinfluence 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

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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 Billboardsinge 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

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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

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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