Alexandra Ioana Stan (born 10 June 1989) is a Romanian singer. Born inConstanța, she made her worldwide breakthrough with the 2010 single "Mr. Saxobeat", which was written and produced by Marcel Prodan and Andrei Nemirschi. They had previously discovered Stan at a karaoke bar in 2009 and signed her to their label, Maan Records. "Mr. Saxobeat" had followed the singer's debut single, "Lollipop (Param Pam Pam)" (2009), which brought her moderate fame in Romania. "Mr. Saxobeat" quickly achieved commercial success locally and abroad, reaching number one in several countries and gathering variouscertifications.Saxobeats, Stan's debut studio album, was released in August 2011 and features the follow-up singles "Get Back (ASAP)" (2011) and "Lemonade" (2012), which had moderate success in Europe.
An alleged altercation with Prodan in 2013 anda lawsuit against him preceded the release of Stan's second album,Unlocked, which would eventually be issued in August 2014. Two of its singles, "Dance" (2014) and "Cherry Pop" (2014), were successful in Japan. Stan's third studio album,Alesta, was released in March 2016 and included a collaboration withInna andDaddy Yankee on "We Wanna" (2015); the single went on to reach the top 60 in several countries.Mami, her fourth record, followed in 2018. Preceding the release ofits last single was Stan's feature onManuel Riva's "Miami" (2018), which peaked within the top ten in Romania and onBillboard'sDance Club Songs chart, her fifth studio albumRainbows was released in 2022, her first album in four years, Stan has received a number of awards and nominations, including theEuropean Border Breakers Award, aJapan Gold Disc Award, anMTV Europe Music Award and twoRomanian Music Awards. She is also referred to as one of the most successful Romanian artists alongside Inna.
Alexandra Ioana Stan[10] was born on 10 June 1989 inConstanța,Romania, to Daniela and George Stan,[2][11] and has a sister, Andreea, who is three years older.[12][13] Stan's father used to work as a cook on a ship and was thus absent for a large part of her childhood in theFaleză Nord neighbourhood, which she stated had a largeemotional impact on her. In 2005, her family experienced financial problems due to her father's deteriorating health condition and moved to theValu lui Traian commune, where Stan earned money as a waitress.[13] She recalls havingself-esteem issues and being bullied by classmates for being poor, for which she eventually hadpost-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) therapy.[13][14]
Showing an interest in music from a very young age, Stan studied at the Traian Secondary School and later at the Faculty of Management Andrei Șaguna, but dropped out of the latter in favour of pursuing a music career.[13][2] Her public singing debut was at a Romanian televised show when she was 15 years old.[15] She eventually participated in various music contests, including theMamaia Music Festival in 2009.[2][16] Romanian producers and songwriters Marcel Prodan and Andrei Nemirschi discovered Stan that year at a karaoke bar in Constanța and signed her to their record label, Maan Records.[16] Retrospectively, in a 2021 interview, Stan claimed that the contract disrespected human rights and was written in a way so that Prodan and Nemirschi could have a widespread control over her. According to Stan, her reproaching of this matter and the alleged underpayment she was facing to them resulted in several tensions.[13] Stan rose to moderate fame and began being booked for concerts in Romania with the release of her debut single "Lollipop (Param Pam Pam)" (2009), which was given notable radio airplay.[2][13] Stan's father was involved in her management for two years early in her career.[13]
In 2010, Stan released her international breakthrough single "Mr. Saxobeat".[2][17] The song first achieved success in Romania, where it peaked at number one on theRomanian Top 100 for eight consecutive weeks.[5] It then became acclaimed worldwide, topping the record charts in several other countries, and selling almost one million copies in less than year.[2][18][19] It has also received variousMusic recording certifications, including Platinum by theRecording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[20] "Mr. Saxobeat" was part of a broader movement in which several Romanianpopcorn songs would experience success internationally, promopting the genre to become mainstream.[3][4] At the 2011Romanian Music Awards, Stan and "Mr. Saxobeat" won several awards and received nominations.[21][22] Stan also won theBest Romanian Act and was nominated forBest European Act at the2011 MTV Europe Music Awards.[23][24] In November 2020, "Mr. Saxobeat" reached 200 million streams onSpotify, making it the most streamed song by a Romanian artist on the platform.[25]
After the success of "Mr. Saxobeat", Stan released the follow-up single "Get Back (ASAP)" (2011),[2] which achieved modest success, reaching the top 10 in Finland and Romania and the top 20 in other European countries.[23] The singer's debut studio albumSaxobeats was released in August 2011;[26] it was moderately successful in Japan and Europe.[27][28] For Stan's international achievements in 2011, she won aEuropean Border Breaker award.[29] Her chart success followed into 2012 with "Lemonade", which was certified Gold in Italy.[30] An alleged violent incident between Stan and Prodan and aresulting lawsuit which attracted widespread media coverage in Romania occurred in June 2013.[31] The singer was hospitalized with visible bruises and accused Prodan ofblackmail,bodily harm,common assault androbbery.[32][33][34] While on a musical hiatus, the collaborative single "Baby, It's OK" with German group Follow Your Instinct was released in August 2013 and fared moderately well inGerman-speaking Europe.[35][36]
In April 2014, Stan released her comeback single "Thanks for Leaving", which she said was personal.[37][38] Several observers connected its lyrical message to her violent incident with Prodan.[39][40] The follow-up "Cherry Pop" became the most sought-after ringtone on theRecochoku service in Japan within two hours of its release,[41] and "Dance" experienced similar success on its release.[42]Unlocked, Stan's second studio album, was premiered in August 2014, and charted at number 21 in Japan.[43][44] Stan had also signed a new record deal with Fonogram Records.[45] Later in 2014, the singer performedCher's "Strong Enough" (1999) translated intoCatalan ("Sóc forta") forLa Marato, an annual Spanish charity event,[46][47] and also appeared at the SpanishCarnival of Las Palmas as a special guest.[48]
In June 2015, Stan released "We Wanna", a collaboration with Romanian singerInna and Puerto Ricanreggaeton performerDaddy Yankee.[49] The track reached the top 60 in multiple countries including Romania, Argentina and Italy,[50] and was certified Gold in the latter region.[30] The follow-up, "I Did It, Mama!", reached the top ten in her native country.[51]Walt Disney approached Stan in the same year, and she was hired to be the voice of Inger in the Romanian version ofAtlantis: Milo's Return.[52] The singer's third studio albumAlesta was issued in March 2016,[53] and—supported by a tour in Japan[54]—debuted at number 34 on theOricon albums chart.[44] Later that year, Stan made her fashion debut with a Japan-only range of clothing called Alesta XBershka.[54] She also joined thesupergroupG Girls along withAntonia, Inna and Lori for the single "Call the Police", which was successful in Poland,[55][56] and launched her own Alexandra Stan Records label.[6]
In 2017, Stan recorded "Favorite Game" for the soundtrack of the Japanese movieMiko Girl. The film premiered during the 30thTokyo International Film Festival in October 2017, where Stan appeared on the red carpet with its cast and crew.[57][58] In April 2018, Stan released her fourth studio album, which is titledMami,[59][60] and peaked at number 119 in Japan.[44] She also contributed guest vocals onManuel Riva's track "Miami", which reached the top ten on the USDance Club Songs chart; this was Stan's first appearance on an AmericanBillboard ranking since 2011's "Mr. Saxobeat".[61] It also reached the top ten in Romania.[62] The singer opened the 2018Neversea Festival, which had selected "Miami" as its anthem.[63][64]
In June 2019, following several months spent in the United States,[65] Stan released "I Think I Love It", her first single as a lead artist in over a year after "Mami" (2018).[66][67] She had desired to expand her music career to the aforementioned territory and also considered venturing into acting, but returned to Romania due to personal issues and her father's health condition.[13] Stan went on to sign record deals withUniversal Music Romania andMediaPro Music,[7] and the release "Obsesii" attained success in Romania, reaching number 12 on the localAirplay 100 chart in June 2020.[68] From September to October 2020, the singer appeared as a contestant on reality singing competitionMasked Singer România.[69] She also appeared onthe second season ofreality game showSurvivor România in a bid to "discover herself",[70][13] but was soon evacuated for medical reasons.[71] Her fifth studio album,Rainbows, was first revealed in a September 2020 interview,[72] and eventually released on 29 April 2022.[73]In late October 2024, Stan released her first full Romanian album, "Energia Ta". Featuring songs like the title track and "Loop", it received minimal but good critic critiques. The album has a heart necklace dripping out of her mouth, with Stan's hair noticeably wet. The music video for "Energia Ta" was very popular in Romania, gaining support. The album sold less than expected, though, Stan's worst selling album.
When interviewed at the European Border Breakers Awards in 2012, Stan said the diverse nationalities in her home city Constanța have influenced her music.[76] In another interview, she namedMichael Jackson,Madonna,Adele,Rihanna,David Guetta,Sia andRobbie Williams as influences.[77] Stan's first studio albumSaxobeats featureshi-NRG,dance,electronic,house andeurodance music,[78][79] with saxophone being used on some songs.[80] Stan expressed her interest in the instrument, which is often used in her region.[81] Its use in her songs had become her signature "saxobeat" sound.[74][75]
Unlocked has elements of dance,techno,pop andR&B,[82][83] which one music critic described as an evolution in her artistry.[84] The album also features "Thanks for Leaving", which is the first ballad of Stan's career.[85] "Cherry Pop", which appears on the same album, uses aJ-pop style.[75] In a 2018 interview, Stan elaborated on the content of her first four studio albums: "Each album represents a stage in my life as a woman. OnSaxobeats, I showed my rebellious side, typical of teenagers going to maturity, onUnlocked I rediscovered and reopened myself in front of the audience through the lyrics of songs, onAlesta I wanted to give my fans songs that they can have fun to, and [onMami] I can say that I feel the most female so far."[86]
Stan, along with Inna, has been referred to as one of the most successful and best-paid Romanian artists.[87][88] Stan frequently receives media attention for her provocative public appearances and photographic shoots.[89][90][91] The music video for "I Did It, Mama!", which was released in 2015, included a scene in which she and a background dancer simulate sexual acts, which the RomanianCancan andClick! publications speculated could have led to a ban of the video in Romania.[92][93] In December 2019, controversial footage of Stan lasciviously dancing naked surfaced online, with the singer soon after apologizing and deleting the video, saying it had been mistakenly shared.[94] Stan is open about hersexual practices, and revealed that she had experimented withgroup andlesbian sex; she further stated that she experiences occasionalbisexual feelings.[13][14]
Stan was born withonly one kidney and received treatment for thenodules she had on her vocal cords early in her career.[13] She has stated that she believes in God and has her own religious principles, describing herself as a non-traditional Christian.[95] Throughout the years, Stan has lived in various cities including Constanța,[81] Los Angeles,[96] Santa Monica[97] and Bucharest.[98] At the age of 16, the singer was in a one-month romantic relationship with Romanian actor and recording artistDorian Popa [ro], but the relationship broke down because of alleged infidelity.[99][13] She also had a short-lived relationship with the bar owner she worked at as a waitress in her youth in Valu lui Traian.[13]
DuringStan's court case against Marcel Prodan, he and others testified that she had more than a professional relationship with him; Stan initially denied these claims,[100][101] but eventually acknowledged their relationship.[102] In a 2022 interview, she revealed thatdepressive thoughts had led to her attempting to commitsuicide twice during that time period.[102] From 2014 to 2019, Stan was in a relationship with Bogdan Stăruială,[98][103][104] and also dated Bogdan Drăghici for a couple of months as of November 2020.[105][13] In July 2021, she revealed to the public that she had married her fiancé Emanuel around two months earlier, on 24 April.[106] Stan announced their separation in October 2021.[107] Shortly after her divorce, Stan began dating singer and music producer Alex Parker.[108] The two ended their relationship after five months of dating.[109]
^Unlocked (Liner notes/ CD booklet). Alexandra Stan.Bucharest, Romania:Roton (Barcode: 8693644012601). 2014.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
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^ab"O noua voce: Alexandra Stan" [A new singer: Alexandra Stan] (in Romanian). Urban.ro. 25 November 2009. Archived fromthe original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved16 October 2015.
^Deliu, Cătălin (12 September 2010)."Lansare: Alexandra Stan - Mr. Saxobeat" [Release: Alexandra Stan - Mr. Saxobeat] (in Romanian). HeavyRotation.ro. Archived fromthe original on 3 July 2016. Retrieved8 March 2022.
For Czech Republic:"SNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Archived fromthe original on 10 January 2007. Retrieved13 February 2016.Note: insert 201114 into search.
^abScris de Edi (1 August 2011)."Nominalizarile Romanian Music Awards 2011" [Nominations for Romanian Music Awards 2011] (in Romanian). Urban.ro.Archived from the original on 18 November 2015. Retrieved21 March 2016.
^abScris de Oza (17 September 2011)."Castigatorii Romanian Music Awards 2011" [Winners at Romanian Music Awards 2011] (in Romanian). Urban.ro.Archived from the original on 6 April 2016. Retrieved21 March 2016.
^abScris de Valy (5 September 2011)."Nominalizari MTV EMA 2011: Best Romanian Act" [Nominations for MTV EMA 2011: Best Romanian Act] (in Romanian). Urban.ro.Archived from the original on 6 April 2016. Retrieved21 March 2016.
^"オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」" [Oricon Ranking Information Service 'You Big Tree'].Archived from the original on 20 May 2011. Retrieved2 November 2015.Note:Search for サクソビーツ by アレクサンドラ・スタン, product code VICP-65037 in the アーティスト＆楽曲検索 (artist & song search).(subscription required)
^ab"FIMI certificazioni" (in Italian).FIMI.Archived from the original on 16 January 2018. Retrieved10 January 2018.Note: 1) Insert 'Alexandra Stan into Filtra, 2)Select Singoli under Sezione, 3) Select Tutti gli anni under Anno, 4) Select Tutte le settimane under Settimana
^Citations regarding the alleged physical altercation between Stan and her former manager:
For Slovakia:"SNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Archived fromthe original on 10 January 2007.Note: insert 201525 into search.
^Cristi Nitzu (24 April 2016)."Airplay 100" (Podcast).Kiss FM.Archived from the original on 9 May 2016. Retrieved28 May 2016.
^Arvunescu, Victor (15 June 2020)."Top Airplay 100 - La-la-la-la! Avem un nou No.1!" [Top Airplay 100 – La-la-la-la! We have a new No.1!] (in Romanian). Un site de muzică.Archived from the original on 15 June 2020. Retrieved18 June 2020.
^Baltaretu, Eugen (21 September 2011)."Alexandra Stan lanseaza albumul "Saxobeats"" [Alexandra Stan releases the album "Saxobeats"] (in Romanian). Devorator Monden. Archived fromthe original on 17 September 2016. Retrieved20 June 2016.
^Olivio, Umberto (17 January 2016)."Alexandra Stan – Unlocked" (in Italian). RnB Junk.Archived from the original on 9 January 2017. Retrieved8 January 2017.
^Göbel, Malte (22 March 2012)."Echos 2012, die Nominierten" [Echos 2012, the nominees].GIGA (in German). Giga.de.Archived from the original on 25 August 2018. Retrieved24 August 2018.
