British rock group Coldplay invited Romanian manele singer Babasha to perform on stage alongside the band’s lead singer during their first concert in Bucharest on June 12, a moment which was met with boos from the audience and raging debates afterward. Around 50,000 people attended the famous band’s first concert in Bucharest on Wednesday night.
Babasha is currently number one on YouTube Trending in Romania. Before inviting him on stage, Coldplay’s lead singer said he chose him after hearing him sing on the street recently.
“When I landed yesterday, well, two days ago, I wandered the streets and heard this man singing so beautifully on the street. Then I looked at the music charts in Romania and was impressed because there are so many wonderful artists. Maybe you don’t understand what kind of people you have in Romania, it’s incredible,” said Chris Martin, quoted by Digi24.
When Babasha started singing on the stage of the National Arena in Bucharest, part of the audience began to whistle loudly while another part applauded. However, by the time his moment ended, the crowd booed loudly. Chris Martin, Coldplay’s lead singer, continued to sing alongside him and encouraged him.
The moment from the concert quickly went viral and sparked many comments from dissatisfied spectators.
“The manele could have been left out. We have something more that represents us as Romanians and Romania. I’m sorry he was booed. It wasn’t him who was booed, but the tactic,” said one fan, cited by Digi24.
“Whoever wants to listen to a certain genre should go to that concert. I understand Coldplay’s attitude of inclusion, but it’s not to my taste. The audience can’t be judged for acting honestly. They didn’t come for anything else but for Coldplay,” another added.
A video of Babasha’s performance during the Coldplay concert in Bucharest below:
Babasha also reacted after the concert on social media. In a video, he said: “I don’t want people to think I’m taking advantage of this, and I’m not in a position to talk about such things, I leave it to people to judge the situation as they see fit.”
“But what I must say is that Coldplay wanted to have a moment with a Romanian artist for their concert […], and they looked at the music charts and saw me. They personally contacted my agents, I suddenly found myself in this situation, and I don’t know how many of you would have refused such an opportunity. Because we’re talking about a completely different level, and regardless of all the boos in the world, I still would have accepted because something like this is once in a lifetime,” he added.
Babasha also said that manele got a bad name in Romania because of racism.
Babasha, whose real name is Vlad Babașa, is 22, originally from Bacău, and is currently very popular on multiple audio streaming platforms. The song “Păi Naa” released by Babasha 11 days ago, has over 6.7 million views on YouTube, a popular platform among manele performers.
Coldplay is known for integrating local artists and artistic moments in concerts during their tours. Last year, the band invited young Australian afropop artist Adrian Dzvuke to perform with them in front of a large audience despite being virtually unknown.
Manele has always been one of the most controversial music genres in Romania. It is mainly played by Roma musicians, and some dislike this style because they say it comes with a rather superficial message. The incorrect use of grammar in texts is another aspect mentioned, which resulted in manele being also often associated with a low level of culture. Lyrics often make reference to the use of violence, money, and luxurious cars and include blatant sexism and misogyny.
Nevertheless, manele are still popular in Romania, being usually played at weddings or other family celebrations and parties, and the artists gather large crowds at concerts. The trending music section of YouTube in Romania is also dominated by manele at almost every point.
Coldplay’s concerts in Bucharest are a highlight of the city’s cultural agenda this year. The two events (June 12 and 13) broke all records, marking the fastest sell-out for a stadium show in the history of live music in Romania.
radu@romania-insider.com
(Photo source: Facebook/EMAGIC; credit: Daniel Robert Dinu/Gigxels)
