Voltaj

Voltaj was founded in 1982 in Bucharest with Horațiu Rad on bass, Nikki Dinescu on drums, Gabi Nacu on guitar, Cristi Minculescu on vocals, and Adrian Ilie on guitar. Their early sound leaned towards the heavier side of hard rock, making them one of the pioneering acts of traditional heavy metal in the Romanian music scene.

During this period, the band went through numerous lineup changes, which eventually led to the formation of a second Voltaj known as Voltaj 88′. This lineup also released several albums in the 1990s.

By the time of their debut album in 1996, “Pericol de Moarte,” only drummer Nikki Dinescu remained from the original lineup. The album, which also featured Tavi Colen Talisman on vocals, showcased their heavy metal style and remains their only record in that genre.

In 1998, the two remaining members, bass player Vali Ionescu and guitarist Gabi Constantin, recruited a new lineup with Bobby Stoica on keyboards and Călin Goia as the new vocalist. With Goia’s vocals and creative input, the group quickly gained success and popularity. They transitioned to an electronic-influenced pop-rock sound with the release of their album “Risc Maxim 2.” In 2002, Oliver Sterian joined the band as the drummer. Voltaj went on to release numerous hit singles, including “20 ani,” “Albinuța,” “De mâine,” “De la capăt,” and “Doar pentru ea,” establishing themselves as one of the most well-known groups in Romania.

They won the Best Romanian Act award at the MTV Europe Music Awards in 2005. After winning Selecția Națională in 2015, they represented Romania in the Eurovision Song Contest with the song “De la capăt.” They advanced from the semi-finals and placed 15th in the final with 35 points.

In 2016, a new album, “X”, was released. It contained several hits, like “Merci de box” and “De la capăt”. A third song, “Om”, became a hit in 2020. That was even after the release of the 2019 album “Ca La 20 De Ani”. 

Between December 3 and 5, 2021, Voltaj performed several concerts, both in Toronto and Montreal. During Christmas, they released “Anotimpuri” (Seasons), a collaboration with Vali Sterian, the late Romanian musician, singer, and composer known for his folk and rock music. The entire concert can be found on Voltaj’ Youtube Channel.

On 1 June 2023, a new single was released:  “Copile”.