Luminița Anghel

Luminița Anghel (; born 7 October 1968) is a Romanian singer, TV personality and politician. She is internationally known for representing Romania at the Eurovision Song Contest 2005 along with percussion band Sistem. Their song, "Let Me Try", reached the third place in the final after placing first in the semi-finals; their appearance marks the country's best result in the contest along with 2010's "Playing with Fire" performed by Paula Seling and Ovi and 2026's "Choke Me" performed by Alexandra Căpitănescu.

Anghel particularly experienced success in her native country with follow-up recordings, resulting her receiving an offer from Walt Disney Pictures to provide vocals for Tangled's Mother Gothel in 2010. The singer won numerous awards, including distinctions from Bulgaria and Malta.

Early life and early career Luminița Anghel was born on 7 October 1968 in Bucharest, Romania. She is a graduate of the Popular Art School, where she attended the vocal-light music section and the Faculty of Sociology and Psychology within the university Spiru Haret. She loved performing during childhood, having performed from the age of 8. Since then, her artistic career has gone from strength to strength. These days, Anghel is a very popular and appreciated artist, and has been awarded with numerous prizes, both in domestic and international song contests. As a teenager, she began working with Ensemble "Doina". Along with this assembly she had a series of tournaments in her native country and abroad.

Anghel became known in Romania in 1993, when she won the first prize and the trophy at the Mamaia Music Festival, and 1995 she won the third prize at the same contest. Also in 1995, she starred in the film Captain Conan, directed by Bertrard Tavernier. In 2001, she won the first prize for the best performance, and the popularity-price at the International Festival The Golden Stag in Romania. One year later she came first at the Maltese Festival Song For Europe. Anghel was there awarded with the first prize and the trophy for the best international voice. Another trophies came for her few months later at the International festival Discovery, in Bulgaria, and the Universetalent. In 2003, she won the first prize for the best international performance at the International Festival Voice of Asia, the second prize at the International Creation Festival in Cairo 2003, with her own and first song I Ask You Why. Luminița is also a well-known and appreciated TV host for different programmes (mostly) on public television. She was a host at the channels TVR1, TVR2, TVRi and Antena 1.

From 2002 to 2009, she was a private party planner for events at ENTERTAINMENT INTL S.R.L. In 2008, she was chosen to be the face of Garnier in Romania for skin care. The claim was later denied by the Romanian CNA, as politicians who campaign for something cannot appear on television.

Her single "Love Will Come" peaked at number 5 in Romania.

Awards and nominations

Filmography

Television Year Title Role Channel Notes 1998 Music ChartsVJ Prima TV 1999–present Care pe Care TV host TVR 12002 Pretul succesului (The price of success) TV moderator TVR 2 Ofertă specială (Special offer)TV hostTVRi 2003–present Start în viață (Start in life) 2005–present Ești femeia perfecta? (Are you the perfect woman) 2005 Secretul Mariei (Maria's secret) Eli 10 episodes Piata Divertis (The Divertis-market)HerselfTVRi sung Let Me Try, 1 episode Trasniti in NATO (Crazy people in NATO) 1 episode 2006 Da-i papucii (Leave him) TV host Antena 1 2014 X Factor Herself duet with Mădălina Lefter

Film Year Title Role Channel 1996 Capitanul Conan (Captain Conan) cameo TVR 2010 Tangled Mama Gothel (voice) Disney Channel

A Poem is... - Narrator - The Mother Song (Romanian version) from Disney Junior block program

Personal life Anghel was in a long-term relationship with former footballer and sports executive Marcel Pușcaș, with whom she adopted a son, David Pușcaș.

Anghel married her partner, Silviu Dumitriade, in a private civil ceremony held on the beach in Mangalia, Romania, in October 2011. The couple later held an Eastern Orthodox religious wedding ceremony in Spain on 20 March 2012.

Anghel and Dumitriade have a son, Filip, born in 2011.

In the 2020s, Anghel publicly discussed difficulties in her relationship with her adopted son David, stating that they had become estranged after years of family conflict.

Eurovision Song Contest Luminița Anghel, along with Tony Tomas and Adrian Piper participated in Selecția Națională 2010 on 6 March 2010. They presented their song "Save Their Lives" in a bid to represent Romania at the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest. In 2013, Anghel attempted to represent Romania, entering Selecția Națională with the song "Unique." Her song placed third overall.

Political career At the 2008 Romanian legislative election, she was a Social Democratic candidate for a Bucharest seat in the Chamber of Deputies; she lost to Elena Udrea.

Discography Albums Title Albums details Release date Șansa e de partea mea Label: Roton Formats: CD, digital download Genres: Pop 1998 Promisiuni Label: Cat Music Formats: CD, digital download Genres: Pop March 3, 2001

Singles + List of singles, with selected chart positions Title Year Peak chart positions AlbumROM "Let Me Try"(with Sistem)20059rowspan="8" "Love Will Come"5"My Everything"2006—"I Ask You Why"2010—"Save Their Lives"—"You Took My Soul"—"Unique"2013—"A Million Stars"2015— "—" denotes a title that did not chart, or was not released in that territory.