Which: Paula-Alexandra Gînju, also known as Paulina, is a young singer-songwriter and therapist in training from Romania who has just released her first album.

What: Prin Lume (Where Worldwide) is an eight-track electro-pop love album rooted in several Romanian musical traditions.

What they say: “I wrote this album to symbolically mark the end of an important stage in my life: a romance worthy of a fairy tale that ended in disappointment. A self-destructive love. I loved someone who was unable to love me back, no matter how many songs or poems I wrote for that person,” the singer explains. “Through my music, I gave myself an ultimatum and regained my strength.”

Why should you listen: Prin Lume is steeped in nostalgia, blending influences that range from Romanian folklore, 90s pop and jazz to Romanian Roma music genres like lăutărească and manele. The combination of the singer’s soothing vocals, melodic fusion, and steady dance beats creates a bittersweet vibe that’s suitable for both the dance floor and quiet nights alike. Its appeal is universal, but Romanian speakers might also appreciate the sentimental, manele-stylish words, sprinkled with unexpected metaphors. Like an uneasy line on the album’s final track, “Nu meriți inima” (“You don’t deserve my heart”), proclaims, “You have the sharp soul of a knifemaker.”

Listen to the album below and follow our Eastern European New Releases playlist on Spotify.