Paula Seling
Encyclopedia
Paula Seling (ˈpa.ula ˈseliŋɡ, born 25 December 1978, Baia Mare
) is a Romanian
singer, composer, and radio DJ.
She represented Romania in the Eurovision Song Contest 2010
, with Ovidiu Cernăuțeanu
, with the song "Playing with Fire". They finished third in the final.
on Christmas Day, 1978. She graduated from the Gheorghe Şincai National College
in June 1997. She also graduated from the "Şcoala Superioară de Jurnalism" in Bucharest
in 2002. She has a brother, Paul Seling. She has been playing piano since she was 6 years old.
along with the band Talisman
and the song "Te iubesc". They managed to end up the fourth (565 points), as they were the second favorites for the juros and the sixth favorites for the televoters. The special jury considered their song was the most suitable for the Eurovision Song Contest 1998
.
Selling competed in the Mamaia
Festival 2011 with her performance of "Ploaie în Luna lui Marte" (a cover after Nicu Alifantis older hit). Then, she received national recognition after winning the Golden Stag Festival
in 2002.
Seling was signed to Roton Records
in the fall of 2002, after winning The Golden Stag International trophy. In 2003 she won an MTV
Romanian Award for "Best Music Video", for a video which she co-directed. In early 2005 she launched her own record label
, "Unicorn Records Romania", along with her father and brother. She has sung duets with Al Bano, Anita Doth (from 2 Unlimited
) and Tony Hawks
. She has performed as an opening act for Joan Baez
(27 June 1997), Chick Corea
(9 November 1998), Michael Bolton
(7 July 2007), Beyoncé
(26 October 2007). In 2008, she performed a song together with manele
singer Florin Salam
and the Bucharest Symphonic Orchestra. The show host described their performance as a reconciliation between manele and mainstream pop music; in the same respect, the song's lyrics raised the problem of ethnic intolerance
.
/Believe, released in 2009. The first single from this album is "Believe" and it reached the top 40 of Romanian Top 100
. The official launch of "Believe" was on June 10, 2009 at Siver Church Club, in Bucharest. From August to December 2009 she was on a tour in Canada and Western Europe. She took part in the 2009 Golden Stag Festival, in September, as a judge, where she met her collaborator Ovidiu Cernăuţeanu
.
, who won her vote at the contest, suggested to Seling that they should perform together in the future. She accepted and Ovi called her back in November, inviting her to participate together at the 2010 Selectia Nationala. They re-recorded the original version of the song and signed up for pre-selection. They were selected as a finalist for the Romanian selection show on January 27, 2010 and won competition on March 6, 2010. Seling and Ovi
performed "Playing with Fire" live in the second Eurovision Song Contest 2010
semi-final, in Oslo
on May 27, 2010. They qualified from the semi-final and competed in final on May 29, 2010. They finished in 3rd place. This is the second time that Romania have achieved this, their highest placing, in the Eurovision Song Contest.
Now, she is in a Romanian dance competition, " Dansez pentru tine ", with her partner Tudor Moldoveanu. She dances for Tudor and for his dream. So far, they had been finishing first for two consecutive episodes.
Seling was the co-host of the Eurovision Song Contest 2011
Romanian national final, held on New Year's Eve night on TVR 1
, along with Ovi
and Marina Almasan-Socaciu.That night she has sang her newest single, entitled "Counting Down", featuring. She had also performed the song "Happy New Year
" (originally by ABBA
) with former Eurovision participants Chiara Siracusa and Niamh Kavanagh
.
She was ranked at #1 in the "Romanian Best Female Voices Alive" top improved by Billboard
Romania
, advancing one place, because of the death of Mădălina Manole
. She is followed by Andra and Nicola
.
Recently, Seling was named the "Best Female Voice" by the Romanian public. She is followed by Andra and Inna
.In 2011 she was asked to be part of the jury for the Romanian X Factor.
Baia Mare
Baia Mare is a municipality in northwestern Romania and the capital of Maramureş County. The city is situated about 600 kilometres from Bucharest, the capital of Romania, 70 kilometres from the border with Hungary and 50 kilometres from the border with Ukraine...
) is a Romanian
Romanians
The Romanians are an ethnic group native to Romania, who speak Romanian; they are the majority inhabitants of Romania....
singer, composer, and radio DJ.
She represented Romania in the Eurovision Song Contest 2010
Romania in the Eurovision Song Contest 2010
Romania participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 2010 and selected their entry through a national final, organised by TVR .- Selecţia Naţională 2010 :...
, with Ovidiu Cernăuțeanu
Ovidiu Cernăuţeanu
Ovidiu Cernăuţeanu is a Romanian-Norwegian singer, also known as Ovi Martin, Ovidiu Jacobsen, or just Ovi.-Eurovision Song Contest 2010:...
, with the song "Playing with Fire". They finished third in the final.
Early life
Paula Seling was born in Baia Mare, RomaniaRomania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
on Christmas Day, 1978. She graduated from the Gheorghe Şincai National College
Gheorghe Sincai National College (Baia Mare)
Gheorghe Şincai National College is a public day high school for grades 9 to 12 in Baia Mare, Romania, attended by some 900 pupils aged 14 to 19. Grades 5 to 8 opened in 2010. The school is named after historian, philologist and educator Gheorghe Şincai...
in June 1997. She also graduated from the "Şcoala Superioară de Jurnalism" in Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
in 2002. She has a brother, Paul Seling. She has been playing piano since she was 6 years old.
Music career 1998-2008
Paula Seling competed in the Selectia Nationala 1998Romania in the Eurovision Song Contest 1998
Romania was represented by Mălina Olinescu, with the song "Eu cred", at the 1998 Eurovision Song Contest, which took place on 9 May in Birmingham...
along with the band Talisman
Talisman
Talisman have several meanings:*TalismanBooks and novels* The Talisman , a historical novel by Sir Walter Scott* The Talisman , a novel by Stephen King and Peter Straub...
and the song "Te iubesc". They managed to end up the fourth (565 points), as they were the second favorites for the juros and the sixth favorites for the televoters. The special jury considered their song was the most suitable for the Eurovision Song Contest 1998
Eurovision Song Contest 1998
The Eurovision Song Contest 1998 was the 43rd Eurovision Song Contest and was held on 9 May 1998 at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham, United Kingdom. The presenters were Terry Wogan and Ulrika Jonsson...
.
Selling competed in the Mamaia
Mamaia
Mamaia is a resort on the Romanian Black Sea shore, considered to be Romania's most popular resort. It is situated immediately north-east of Constanţa...
Festival 2011 with her performance of "Ploaie în Luna lui Marte" (a cover after Nicu Alifantis older hit). Then, she received national recognition after winning the Golden Stag Festival
Golden Stag Festival
The Golden Stag Festival is an annual international music festival held in Braşov, Romania. The main organiser is Televiziunea Română, Romania's state-run television network. The festival has two main components: an international contest and guest performances by both Romanian and foreign stars...
in 2002.
Seling was signed to Roton Records
Roton (label)
Roton is a Romanian record label established in 1994.The company has around 100 employees, having offices in Bucharest, Iaşi, Cluj and Timişoara...
in the fall of 2002, after winning The Golden Stag International trophy. In 2003 she won an MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
Romanian Award for "Best Music Video", for a video which she co-directed. In early 2005 she launched her own record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
, "Unicorn Records Romania", along with her father and brother. She has sung duets with Al Bano, Anita Doth (from 2 Unlimited
2 Unlimited
2 Unlimited is a Dutch Eurodance/Hi-NRG act formed in 1991. The project was the brainchild of Belgian producers Jean-Paul DeCoster and Phil Wilde, and was fronted by a Dutch duo, rapper Ray Slijngaard and singer Anita Doth. During five years of enormous worldwide popularity, the act scored 16 chart...
) and Tony Hawks
Tony Hawks
Antony Gordon Hawksworth, better known as Tony Hawks, is a British comedian and author.-Early life:Born in Brighton in 1960, Hawks was educated at Brighton Hove and Sussex Grammar School and Brighton College...
. She has performed as an opening act for Joan Baez
Joan Baez
Joan Chandos Baez is an American folk singer, songwriter, musician and a prominent activist in the fields of human rights, peace and environmental justice....
(27 June 1997), Chick Corea
Chick Corea
Armando Anthony "Chick" Corea is an American jazz pianist, keyboardist, and composer.Many of his compositions are considered jazz standards. As a member of Miles Davis' band in the 1960s, he participated in the birth of the electric jazz fusion movement. In the 1970s he formed Return to Forever...
(9 November 1998), Michael Bolton
Michael Bolton
Michael Bolton is an American singer and songwriter. Bolton originally performed in the hard rock and heavy metal genres from the mid 1970s to the mid 1980s, both on his early solo albums and those recorded as the frontman of the band Blackjack...
(7 July 2007), Beyoncé
Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles , often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child...
(26 October 2007). In 2008, she performed a song together with manele
Manele
Manele is a music style from Romania, generally associated with the Romani minority, though not exclusively....
singer Florin Salam
Florin Salam
Florin Stoian , better known under the stage name of Florin Salam and Florin Fermecătoru, is a Romani singer of manele from Romania. He is one of the best known and appreciated manele performers....
and the Bucharest Symphonic Orchestra. The show host described their performance as a reconciliation between manele and mainstream pop music; in the same respect, the song's lyrics raised the problem of ethnic intolerance
Ethnic hatred
Ethnic hatred, inter-ethnic hatred, racial hatred, or ethnic tension refers to feelings and acts of prejudice and hostility towards an ethnic group in various degrees. See list of anti-ethnic and anti-national terms for specific cases....
.
2009
Her most recent studio album is Culeg ViseCuleg Vise
Culeg Vise is the eleventh studio album by Romanian female recording artist and songwritter Paula Seling, the winner of Golden Stag in 2002. It was officially released on February 12, 2009. It contents sixteen track and a bonus track . The only single released is "Culeg Vise"...
/Believe, released in 2009. The first single from this album is "Believe" and it reached the top 40 of Romanian Top 100
Romanian Top 100
The Romanian Top 100 is the national airplay-based singles chart of Romania. It is weekly and it started running in 1996. It is recognized as an official chart by the European division of Billboard, Music & Media....
. The official launch of "Believe" was on June 10, 2009 at Siver Church Club, in Bucharest. From August to December 2009 she was on a tour in Canada and Western Europe. She took part in the 2009 Golden Stag Festival, in September, as a judge, where she met her collaborator Ovidiu Cernăuţeanu
Ovidiu Cernăuţeanu
Ovidiu Cernăuţeanu is a Romanian-Norwegian singer, also known as Ovi Martin, Ovidiu Jacobsen, or just Ovi.-Eurovision Song Contest 2010:...
.
Eurovision Song Contest 2010
After the Golden Stag festival OviOvidiu Cernăuţeanu
Ovidiu Cernăuţeanu is a Romanian-Norwegian singer, also known as Ovi Martin, Ovidiu Jacobsen, or just Ovi.-Eurovision Song Contest 2010:...
, who won her vote at the contest, suggested to Seling that they should perform together in the future. She accepted and Ovi called her back in November, inviting her to participate together at the 2010 Selectia Nationala. They re-recorded the original version of the song and signed up for pre-selection. They were selected as a finalist for the Romanian selection show on January 27, 2010 and won competition on March 6, 2010. Seling and Ovi
Ovidiu Cernăuţeanu
Ovidiu Cernăuţeanu is a Romanian-Norwegian singer, also known as Ovi Martin, Ovidiu Jacobsen, or just Ovi.-Eurovision Song Contest 2010:...
performed "Playing with Fire" live in the second Eurovision Song Contest 2010
Eurovision Song Contest 2010
The Eurovision Song Contest 2010 was the 55th annual Eurovision Song Contest, broadcast from the Telenor Arena in Bærum, Greater Oslo, Norway. It was the third time Norway had hosted the contest, having previously done so in 1986 and 1996. The 2010 winner was Germany with Lena singing "Satellite",...
semi-final, in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
on May 27, 2010. They qualified from the semi-final and competed in final on May 29, 2010. They finished in 3rd place. This is the second time that Romania have achieved this, their highest placing, in the Eurovision Song Contest.
2010: After Eurovision
She and Ovi will continue promoting their Eurovision song in Romania and Europe. Seling is also planning to release a new album in some time. The duo released another two songs on YouTube: "We got something" and "Counting down".Now, she is in a Romanian dance competition, " Dansez pentru tine ", with her partner Tudor Moldoveanu. She dances for Tudor and for his dream. So far, they had been finishing first for two consecutive episodes.
Seling was the co-host of the Eurovision Song Contest 2011
Eurovision Song Contest 2011
The Eurovision Song Contest 2011 was the 56th annual Eurovision Song Contest and was won by Eldar & Nigar performing "Running Scared" for Azerbaijan. The event took place in the Esprit Arena in Düsseldorf, Germany, following Germany's win in the previous year...
Romanian national final, held on New Year's Eve night on TVR 1
TVR 1
TVR1 is the main channel of the Romanian public broadcaster TVR.The most important show of the channel is Jurnalul TVR, whose motto is Jurnalul aşa cum ar trebui sǎ fie! , but on 28 March 2009 was replaced by Telejurnal...
, along with Ovi
Ovidiu Cernăuţeanu
Ovidiu Cernăuţeanu is a Romanian-Norwegian singer, also known as Ovi Martin, Ovidiu Jacobsen, or just Ovi.-Eurovision Song Contest 2010:...
and Marina Almasan-Socaciu.That night she has sang her newest single, entitled "Counting Down", featuring. She had also performed the song "Happy New Year
Happy New Year (song)
"Happy New Year" is a popular song by Swedish pop group ABBA from their 1980 album Super Trouper. The song's working title was all the more festive and humorous; "Daddy Don't Get Drunk on Christmas Day"...
" (originally by ABBA
ABBA
ABBA was a Swedish pop group formed in Stockholm in 1970 which consisted of Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Agnetha Fältskog...
) with former Eurovision participants Chiara Siracusa and Niamh Kavanagh
Niamh Kavanagh
Niamh Kavanagh is an Irish singer and winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 1993.Kavanagh is perhaps best known for winning Eurovision Song Contest 1993, held in Millstreet, County Cork, Ireland. She sang "In Your Eyes" to clinch a second consecutive win for Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest;...
.
She was ranked at #1 in the "Romanian Best Female Voices Alive" top improved by Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, advancing one place, because of the death of Mădălina Manole
Mădălina Manole
Magdalena-Anca Mircea better known by her stage name Mădălina Manole , was a Romanian pop recording artist.-Early life:...
. She is followed by Andra and Nicola
Nicoleta Alexandru
Nicoleta Alexandru , whose stage name is Nicola, is a Romanian singer, best known for representing her country at the 2003 Eurovision Song Contest.-Biography:...
.
Recently, Seling was named the "Best Female Voice" by the Romanian public. She is followed by Andra and Inna
Inna
Elena Alexandra Apostoleanu , best known as Inna, is a Romanian dance music singer. On November 12, 2008, she released her debut single "Hot", which was produced by Play & Win, a Romanian dance music trio and one of the leading music producers in Romania...
.In 2011 she was asked to be part of the jury for the Romanian X Factor.
Awards and nominations
| Year | Type | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Golden Stag Festival | Golden Stag Trophy | |
| Romanian Musical Industry Awards | Best Female | ||
| MTV Romanian Music Awards | Best Music Video | ||
| "Avantaje" Magazine | Woman of the Year | ||
| 2000's | Fildorf Festival | Various Awards | |
| 2010 | Selectia nationala | Romania in the Eurovision Song Contest | |
| RRA Awards | Best Pop Album | ||
| Best Pop Song | |||
| Eurovision Song Contest Eurovision Song Contest The Eurovision Song Contest is an annual competition held among active member countries of the European Broadcasting Union .Each member country submits a song to be performed on live television and then casts votes for the other countries' songs to determine the most popular song in the competition... |
Semi final | ||
| Final | |||
| 2011 | "Successful Women Awards" | Young Talents | |
| "RRA Awards 2011 RRA Awards 2011 The Radio România Actualităţi Awards 2011 will be held on March 13, 2011, at 6:15 PM in the Sala Radio of the Romanian Radio Broadcasting Company. The awards are yearly and they are developed by the Radio România Actualităţi, the main National Radio Channel... " |
"Artist of the Year" | ||
| "Female Performance of the Year" | |||
| "Best Pop Song" (Playing With Fire) |
Albums
| Year | Album details |
|---|---|
| 1998 | Only Love
|
| Ştiu că Exist
|
|
| Colinde şi cântece sfinte
|
|
| 1999 | De Dragoste
|
| 2001 | Mă Voi Întoarce
|
| Ştii ce înseamnă
|
|
| Prima Selectie
|
|
| 2002 | Albumul de Craciun
|
| 2003 | Fără Sfârşit
|
| 2006 | De Sărbători
|
| 2009 | Culeg Vise
|
| Believe
|
|
| 2010 | Playing with Fire
|
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak Chart Positions | Album | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROM Romanian Top 100 The Romanian Top 100 is the national airplay-based singles chart of Romania. It is weekly and it started running in 1996. It is recognized as an official chart by the European division of Billboard, Music & Media.... |
SWE Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association .... |
BUL Bulgaria Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east... |
RUS | NOR VG-lista VG-listen is a Norwegian record chart. It is weekly presented in the newspaper VG and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation program Topp 20. It is considered the primary Norwegian record chart, charting albums and singles from countries and continent around the world. The data is collected by... |
FIN | SWI Swiss Music Charts The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75... |
EURO 200 |
UK UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
|||
| 1998 | "Ploaie în Luna lui Marte" | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Ştiu că exist |
| "Te iubesc" (feat. Talisman Talisman (band) Talisman was a Swedish hard rock band characterized by an international melodic/powerful sound.-1980s - Getting together:Talisman was formed by bass player Marcel Jacob, who had previously played with Rising Force, John Norum Group and Power.While Jacob was playing with John Norum, he started... ) |
88 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Romania in the Eurovision Song Contest 1998 Romania in the Eurovision Song Contest 1998 Romania was represented by Mălina Olinescu, with the song "Eu cred", at the 1998 Eurovision Song Contest, which took place on 9 May in Birmingham... |
|
| 2001 | "Lânga mine" (ft. Direcṭia 5)" | 100 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Mă Voi Întoarce |
| "Un băiat şi o fată" (ft. Parlament)" | 41 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Prima Selecţie | |
| "Promit" | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Stii ce inseamna | |
| "Serile Verii" | - | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003 | "Timpul Timpul (song) Timpul , also called "La Radio Se Anunta Ploi" is a pop/adult song and the greatest hit in Romania so far by Romanian pop artist Paula Seling, who represented her country in the Eurovision Song Contest 2010. The song has peaked at number 10 in the Romanian Top 100, being Paula's first and only top... " |
10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 198 | - | ...fara sfarsit |
| "Chip de Inger" | 69 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009 | "Culeg Vise" | 98 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Culeg Vise |
| "Believe" | 55 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Believe | |
| 2010 | "Playing with Fire" (ft. Ovi Ovidiu Cernăuţeanu Ovidiu Cernăuţeanu is a Romanian-Norwegian singer, also known as Ovi Martin, Ovidiu Jacobsen, or just Ovi.-Eurovision Song Contest 2010:... ) |
65 | 29 | 44 | 112 | 12 | 28 | 51 | 132 | 200 | Playing with Fire |
| 2011 | "Counting Down" (ft. Ovi Ovidiu Cernăuţeanu Ovidiu Cernăuţeanu is a Romanian-Norwegian singer, also known as Ovi Martin, Ovidiu Jacobsen, or just Ovi.-Eurovision Song Contest 2010:... ) |
- | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "Calling You (Hello, Hello)" (ft. Ovi Ovidiu Cernăuţeanu Ovidiu Cernăuţeanu is a Romanian-Norwegian singer, also known as Ovi Martin, Ovidiu Jacobsen, or just Ovi.-Eurovision Song Contest 2010:... ) |
66 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "I Feel Free" (ft. Plan D Dimitris Kontopoulos Dimitris Kontopoulos is one of the most famous Greek music composers known for his dance-pop music.-Personal life:Dimitris Kontopoulos was born in Athens, Greece on November 9, 1971... ) |
- | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||