Paula Seling

Paula Seling (; born 25 December 1978 and a minor European hit which entered the charts in Finland and Norway, and in 2014 with the song "Miracle", finishing 12th.

In 2010 she participated in Dansez Pentru Tine (Romanian "Dancing with the Stars"), finishing 3rd. From October 2011, she was also a juror and mentor in the Romanian version of X Factor.

Early life Paula Seling was born in Baia Mare, northwestern Romania, on 25 December 1978. She began playing piano when she was six years old. she studied journalism at the Școala Superioară de Jurnalism in Bucharest, graduating in 2002. also appearing in the show Viața de român ("Romanian life"), as a backing vocalist.

In 1997, she opened for Joan Baez, and participated in the Mamaia Trophy with the Romanian-language song "Trurli". She sang on the show Din darul magilor ('From the Magi's Gift') in December 1997.

The following year she released her first album in English, Only Love,

Seling first competed in the Selectia Nationala in 1998, collaborating with band Talisman on the song "Te iubesc", which came 4th with 565 points, finishing 2nd in the jury vote and 6th in the televote. a collection of 10 songs composed by Nicu Alifantis. The album included tracks such as "Almost Silence"/"Aproape liniște"; "The Shadow"/"Umbra"; and "How Good That You Exist"/"Ce bine că ești".

2001-2009: Awards and rise to fame Seling competed in the Mamaia Festival 2001 with her performance of "Ploaie în luna lui marte" (Rain in the Moon of Mars), a cover of a song by Nicu Alifantis, which was named Hit of the Year. Dana Cristescu proposed Alifantis to work on Seling's next album as a composer and producer. "Ploaie în luna lui marte" was chosen to be the first track.

In January 2001 Seling released the album Mă voi întoarce ("I will return"), which included "Lângă mine" (Next to me), a duet with Cristi Enache of Direcția 5.

Paula and Paul Seling worked on the album, Știi ce înseamnă (să fii fericit) ("You know what it means (to be happy)") until the autumn of 2001, collaborating with Cezar Stănciulescu and Cristi Ștefănescu of the band NSK. All the lyrics for the album were written by Paula.

She won the Golden Stag Festival in 2002, and was signed by Roton Records in autumn that year. on Channel 5 in London. on which Seling composed, produced and arranged all 17 songs. and won the competition on 6 March 2010.

Seling and Cernăuțeanu performed "Playing with Fire" live in the second Eurovision Song Contest 2010 semi-final in Oslo on 27 May 2010. They finished 4th in the semi-final to qualify for the final on 29 May 2010, where they finished 3rd, The pair came third in the competition.

In early 2011, Seling released a new song, "I Feel Free".

In late 2011, Seling recorded duets with Alexander Ryback, Ovi Cernăuțeanu and Al Bano,

In 2013, Seling began endorsing a Romanian moisturising cream, Gerovital. The brand Loncolor asked Seling to become their brand ambassador in 2012, representing LONCOLOR enVogue 535.

In 2012, Selling was chosen by Disney to record the song "My Spirit Flies" ("Chiar pot zbura"), for the Pixar animation Brave.

In August 2012, she released a single with Alexander Rybak called "I'll Show You".

Eurovision Song Contest 2014

On 1 March 2014, Paula Seling and Ovi Cernăuțeanu again won the Selectia Nationala, and were chosen as the Romanian entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2014 in Copenhagen, with the song "Miracle". Seling and Cernăuțeanu performed "Miracle" live in the second semi-final on 8 May 2014. They qualified from the semi-finals, and finished 12th in the final on 10 May 2014.

Personal life Seling married Radu Bucura in 2005; the two had known each other since their teenage years, and he was later the drummer in Dana Nălbaru's band. In 2022, Seling announced that she and Bucura had adopted a daughter, Elena, several years earlier; Elena was three years old at the time of the adoption. The couple later divorced after 17 years of marriage, but continue to co-parent their daughter.

A Romanian Orthodox Christian, Seling is anti-abortion and attended the March for Life in Bucharest in March 2016.

Seling speaks, writes, and performs in French, English, and Romanian; she also performs in Italian.

Awards and nominations Year Type Award Result 2002 Golden Stag Festival Golden Stag Trophy Romanian Musical Industry Awards Best Female MTV Romania Music AwardsBest Music Video "Avantaje" Magazine Woman of the Year 2000s Fildorf Festival Various Awards 2010 Selectia nationala Romania in the Eurovision Song Contest RRA Awards Best Pop Album Best Pop Song Eurovision Song Contest Semi-Final Qualified Final 3rd Place 2011 "Successful Women Awards" Young Talents "RRA Awards 2011" "Artist of the Year" "Female Performance of the Year" "Best Pop Song" (Playing With Fire) 2014 Selecția Națională Romania in the Eurovision Song Contest Eurovision Song Contest Semi-Final Qualified Final 12th place

Discography

Albums Year Album details 1998 Only Love Released: May 1998 Format: CD Label: Roton Note: Debut Album Ştiu că Exist Release Date: 1998 Format: CD Label: Roton Colinde şi cântece sfinte Release Date: December 1998 Format: CD Label: Cat Music Note: Christmas album, with Narcisa Suciu 1999 De Dragoste Release Date: November 1999 Format: CD Label: Roton Note: Compilation album 2001 Mă Voi Întoarce Release Date: 2001 Format: Audio Tape Label: Cat Ştii ce înseamnă Release Date: July 2001 Format: CD Label: Roton Prima Selectie Release Date: November 2001 Format: CD´S Label: Roton Note: Best Of 2002 Albumul de Craciun Released: December 2002 Format: CD Label: Roton Note: Christmas album 2003 Fără Sfârşit Released: 14 May 2003 Format: CD Label: Roton, Universal Note: First album to hit the stores 2006 De Sărbători Released: 3 December 2006 Format: CD Label: Roton Note: Christmas album 2009 Culeg Vise Released: January 2009 Format: CD, digital download Label: Universal, Unicorn Believe Released: 10 June 2009 Format: CD Label: Roton, Universal Note: First album in English 2010 Playing with Fire Release Date: 2010 Note: With Ovi, from Eurovision 2013 One Mile of Words Release Date: 2013 Genre: Pop:Dream Pop Label: Universal

Singles

Title Year Peak Chart Positions Album ROM SWE BUL RUS NOR FIN IRE SWI UK "Ploaie în Luna lui Marte" 1998 3 — — — — — — — — Ştiu că exist "Te iubesc" (featuring Talisman) 88 — — — — — — — — Romania in the Eurovision Song Contest 1998 "Lânga mine" (featuring Direcṭia 5) 2001 100 — — — — — — — — Mă Voi Întoarce "Un băiat şi o fată" (featuring Parlament) 41 — — — — — — — — Prima Selecţie "Promit" 24 — — — — — — — — Stii ce inseamna "Serile Verii" — — — — — — — — — "Timpul" 2003 10 — — — — — — — — ...fara sfarsit "Chip de Inger" 69 — — — — — — — — "Culeg Vise" 2009 98 — — — — — — — — Culeg Vise "Believe" 55 — — — — — — — — Believe "Playing with Fire" (featuring Ovi) 2010 65 29 44 112 12 28 — 51 200 Playing with Fire "Counting Down" (featuring Ovi) 2011 — — — — — — — — — "Calling You (Hello, Hello)" (featuring Ovi) 66 — — — — — — — — "I Feel Free" (featuring Plan D) 10 — — — — — — — 100 Non-album single "Pansament" 2013 10 — — — — — — — — One Mile of Words "Miracle" (featuring Ovi) 2014 — — — — — — 88 — 174 Non-album single "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released.