Haiducii

Haiducii formed in Brașov, Romania in 1999 with Nicu Covaci on vocals, Bogdan Drăghiescu on guitar, Sorin Drăghiescu on bass, and Cristi Chivu on drums. They built a following in Romania by mixing folk elements with pop. In 2004, their song 'Dragostea Din Tei' became a massive hit across Europe and beyond, spawning countless parodies and remixes.

That success brought challenges. The band had legal disputes with their record label and saw members depart. Some critics dismissed their music as too commercial, and there were plagiarism claims about 'Dragostea Din Tei' resembling a traditional folk song, though Romanian copyright officials dismissed those allegations.

Haiducii released six studio albums over roughly a decade. Beyond their signature hit, they had other tracks like '7 Frati' and 'Cantecul Pribeagului' that found audiences. The group's lineup shifted over time, with later members including Marius Cordoș on bass and Mihai Nistor on keyboards.