Fun Times Are Coming

Even if “School’s Out” (as Alice Cooper would say), there are many highschool bands which won’t be stopped by this pandemic.

One good example is Fun Times, one of the best teen bands from Bucharest (Romania) at this moment. The band has 4 members, all aged 16-18: Alexandra Vulpe (vocals), Oana Olteanu (drums), Andreea Muşat (bass) and Daria Cotocu (guitar).

After the band was confirmed in the line-up for the second edition of a Rock/Metal Festival, we’ve tried to found out more about them and we are delighted to share the interview with you!

Why have you made the band?

We decided to form a band because we all shared the same passion for music and wanted to express our feelings in a creative way.

How and when have you met each other?

Initially, the band only had three members – Oana, Daria and Andreea met on a camp organised by Rockschool in 2017. They talked for a couple of days about forming a band and then agreed to do so. Later down the line, after their first gig in February 2019 with the Romanian bands My Only Venus and Why Cat Why, Alexandra joined them on vocals.

Who are your idols?

Oana: My idols are definitely my parents, they have always supported my decisions and encouraged me to pursue anything that makes me happy.

Daria : I do not consider a certain person my idol as I do admire many musicians from both Romania and foreign countries for their passion, skills and determination.

Alexandra : The person that I look up to in the music industry is Maria Brink from In This Moment. I consider her my idol for her bravery of letting go of her past self and embracing her true self through her music and theatrical performances. I relate to that.

Andreea: When it comes to idols, artists that i look up to in the music industry, i can’t really limit myself to choosing only one. There’s a bunch of talented people out there whom i admire for the effort and passion they put into their work. One of the many artists that caught my attention over the time was the band Alternosfera. I think that dedication and assiduity are the best words to describe this group of incredibly talented people.

What is your goal for 2020?

Our goal for 2020 is to continue performing gigs in front of lovely audiences, to compose new songs and also to brush up on our older ones.

What are your goals for the next 5-10 years?

We plan to keep our project alive after we finish high school, despite the fact that we will be studying in different countries, so distance might come into play. Our desire is to play as many gigs as possible and, fingers crossed, finally record our first album.

How hard is it to have a band in the highschool?

Being in a band in high school has not been easy, because we have different schedules and quite often we have trouble agreeing over rehearsal hours. Luckily for us, Fun Times is something we do out of passion, not obligation, so we always find a way to agree on different issues.

What would you say to your past self (about the band) now if you had the opportunity?

You are very lucky, not everybody can get along so well. Being in a band with your friends can be quite a challenge, but you are handling it well, maybe try working just that little bit extra harder.

What advice would you give to the teens who want to form a band?

Go for it. Fun Times really helped us improve our musical skills but also our communication skills, as we have to agree on every single practical aspect of our band. Through this experience we have created some incredible memories, from playing gigs to making jokes and having fun at rehearsals.

Do you have any message for your friends and people who supported you until now?

Thank you so much, without you we wouldn’t have had the opportunity to perform in all the amazing places we have already performed into and create these memories which will definitely stay with us for a long, long time.

Do you have a message for the metalheads who are going to read this interview?

For everyone reading this short interview we encourage you to follow your passions and try to follow your dreams, as you have got nothing to lose.