Rock Monsters Romania

Today we are back in Bucharest, where we found an amazing Alternative Rock band that will blow away your mind with their songs.

Heartbreak Cinema is an electronic rock band, approaching a variety of different styles and influences from Alternative, Metal and EDM. Fronted by lead vocalist Maria Teodora and chief songwriter Radu Bădilaș, the final result is loud, rebellious, story-driven music with a cinematic touch.

Starting in 2018 in the bedroom of 17-year old Radu, the first compilation of Heartbreak Cinema productions titled “A Collection of Clouds” was shared with his friends group on November 25th, 2018. It included 4 tracks, 3 of which have later been remastered and officially released as the Test Footage EP, with an added remix of the second track. The second Heartbreak Cinema EP was released on November 20th, 2020, titled “No More Fate and Destiny”. It was made throughout late 2019 and 2020 and it tells Radu’s story of leaving abroad to study film production and quitting soon after. The EP features 4 original tracks, one of which is a collaboration with the L.A. based rapper Forsyth.

After a few more singles and collaborations, the project evolved from a solo venture into a band when Radu realized that his music wouldn’t fit well in a live concert. He then approached Maria to help him remaster the project, with the two of them writing, producing, and developing together a brand new, rock-infused iteration of Heartbreak Cinema.

All the tracks are still written and produced entirely in Radu’s bedroom studio.

Heartbreak Cinema is going to release a new EP this December, so we tried to find out more about it and the band’s future plans…

How was the idea of Heartbreak Cinema born and where did the name come from?

Radu: Heartbreak Cinema was born in 2018 out of my desire to start a long-term music project that I could eventually take to the stage. Even though we switched genres and influences throughout the years, one common trait of all our music is the cinematic nature of it. That’s the “Cinema” part of the name – the storytelling and film-score sounds that we season our songs with.

The “Heartbreak” part comes from the underrated value of this feeling, as it is an incredibly powerful tool for creation and expression. We truly believe the most beautiful art stems from moments of heartbreak, and we want to encourage listeners to embrace their heartbreak.

The band’s composition changed in 2022. How did you two meet?

Maria: We met in March 2021, while working together on a video project for a close mutual friend – Vlad Ciocoiu. One night after filming, I sent a video of me and Vlad singing “Lady Gaga – Perfect Illusion” to our group chat, and I guess that was enough to get Radu’s attention.

Radu: I was thinking of bringing in a female vocalist for the project and that video just clicked with me, I instantly had a hunch that she’s the one. I just followed that hunch and, well, here we are. Turns out I was right.

2022 was the year when you released your first music videos. How hard is it to do this as a small band? Who helped you through this process?

Radu: This was definitely both the biggest challenge and the biggest achievement of this year for us. It may not look like it at times, but all these music videos were produced on a shoestring budget, with many, many roadblocks along the way. I’m sure I could write a few chapters worth of stories and commentary, but I won’t go into detail here.

We were incredibly lucky to work with a group of very talented film school and acting students from UNATC (University of Theatre and Film “I.L. Caragiale” in Bucharest): director LeeAnna Hedesiu and director of photography Mihai Pîrlitu took these videos to the next level together with a dedicated crew, and we will forever be grateful for their help, along with my parents who were incredibly supportive and helpful throughout.

You’ve already released two new singles, “Plot Twist” and “I KILL EVERYTHING I TOUCH”. What inspired them?

Radu:
“Plot Twist” is mainly about our unexpected transition from a one-piece electronic music persona to a two-piece alternative rock project, while also dismissing any naysayers along the way. It’s an imposing glimpse into the project’s future sound.

“I KILL EVERYTHING I TOUCH” is about the struggle of fighting against your inner demons, which sometimes act on your behalf and can hurt innocent people throughout the process. The song could be seen as a cry for help, as it attempts to warn others of these involuntary decisions.

What can you tell us about your latest single, “Sin”? What’s the story behind the curtains?

Radu: This is probably the single I’m most proud of so far, mainly because of the lyrics. It’s a song about the complementary nature of love and lust, as one cannot exist properly without the other. This is, unfortunately, a tragedy, as finding both in the same place is more uncommon than not.

We tried our best to capture this difficult-to-explain kind of heartbreak in both the lyrics and the sonic footprint of this song, and we are very proud of the outcome.

You’ve also announced that you will release a new EP in 2022. When will it come out? What can you tell us about it?

Radu: At last, it is finally time to set a date for this EP: December 16th, 2022.

It will be titled simply “Heartbreak Cinema“, as we intend this to be the new standard of the project and a clear pillar of our direction moving forward. It’s got both fierce and emotional moments and it’s our best work yet. There will be 6 tracks in total, including the singles “Plot Twist”, “I KILL EVERYTHING I TOUCH” and “Sin”.

And now a question for the both of you… from all the songs that will be on the upcoming EP, which one is your favourite and why?

Maria: Mine is 100% “I KILL EVERYTHING I TOUCH”, because it was a chance for me to release all of my frustrations, dark thoughts and sadness through a song.

Radu: I will go with “Sin”, I think it’s probably our best lyrical work yet and I love the ending. There’s also a song that’s only on the EP that’s a bit more personal for me, it’s called “Home“, and that would be a close second. You will get to listen to it soon.

Can you describe, in one word, how did this album and project impact your life this year? Explain why you chose that word.

Maria: “Revelation” – this project helped me reveal and see myself, my character, my preferences (in music especially), and it gave me hope.

Radu: “Faith” – in spite of the challenges and sacrifices, the final result of this album is one that I am very proud of, and it gave me some much-needed faith in my music and myself.

2023 is near and I am sure that you have many plans for it, too. What can you tell us about them? Are there any plans for live performances?

Radu: For sure, our main goal for next year is to build a live version of the project and to secure as many live performances as we possibly can.
This will be another big challenge for us as we both live in different cities and we also need to expand the live formula to include guitarists and a drummer, but if our 2022 EP proves something, is that we can and we will pull it off, one way or another.

What other goals do you have for the next few years?

Radu: It may be too early to raise any expectations besides “doing live shows and releasing more music”, but I can tell you that a full-length debut album is in our agenda, and it will be our most ambitious project yet, once we have the necessary resources.

I am also thinking of doing an EP of cover songs, but that’s all I’m going to say about that. You might see it in 2023, so keep an eye out.

What message do you have for the people who supported this project? But for the ones who are discovering the band through this interview?

Maria: Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for believing in us and supporting us. We love you all. This is only the beginning, and you will hear from us again soon enough.

Radu: It might seem like there’s only 2 of us, but behind the scenes of the Heartbreak Cinema EP are at least 12 people all giving their best. I am forever grateful and in debt to all of the people who have helped us, from the film crew to our mixing engineer, to our parents.

As for our fans, new and old, thank you for all your comments and thoughts, it’s what kept us going through these packed months. We cannot wait to meet all of you in person at our first live shows, starting next year.

Find Heartbreak Cinema online:
• Spotify
• Apple Music
• Instagram
• Facebook
• TikTok

Interview by Radu Mihai