I have to admit, that like many, my knowledge of Romanian pop stops at Numa Numa. Romania is not exactly the country from which your typical pop star can break through from but Bastien is anything but a typical pop star. The twenty-something guy prefers to do his own thing amidst an industry that churns out turbo folk and Eurovision contestants. “When you’re very young, you want to be like everyone else but when I entered college, I began to wonder what I really wanted – and I decided to fight for what I believed in.”

For his first single “Stay With Me”, he wanted something sensual and at the same time full of groove and power. The verses, reminiscent of artists such as James Arthur and Kwabs, are followed by a hymn-like chorus in the Hozier “Take Me to Church” energy and style. The video is about an ambiguous love triangle where two different guys are in love with the same girl. His debut album is coming out in 2019.

Photo: Emil Costrut