Rock Monsters Romania

If you’ve attended a RoadkillSoda concert even once, or any other gig featuring grunge, stoner, or psychedelic bands, you’ve undoubtedly encountered Patricia. She’s the head of all the “bad stuff” behind this wave of stoner, psychedelic movement in Romania, as well as behind bands that manage to make waves both in Romania and abroad.

When you say RoadkillSoda, maybe you think of those never-ending riffs and that overflowing energy, but I instantly think of Patricia ”Hexx” Bîea or “the witch from RoadkillSoda”. Patricia is an advertising person, with vast experience in PR, copywriting, and design, and she recently quit her agency job and now dedicates 100% of her time to Psychedelicious, which is a small agency focused on creativity, promotion, and marketing, centered around the music scene, but not exclusively.

Patricia, alongside the Ferezan brothers, Mihnea and Victor, organize Roadkill Fest, a festival that tries to promote the idea of community and showcases quite niche genres for the Romanian audience. We went to Roadkill Fest last year, and you can find the review here.

What I liked back then is that wherever I looked, I saw Patricia taking a photo or enjoying what came out, not to mention that she also goes up on stage with RoadkillSoda and sings. She’s an inspiration in a world dominated by men and especially in such a niche area, which she approaches successfully. She made those cool posters and merchandise for many bands. You can tell right away what’s made by her and what’s not when you look at a poster. I know her style and lines, and they don’t compare to any other concert poster or, in some cases, even merch that I’ve seen in the Romanian underground.

Photo by Miluță Flueraș

Patricia is a role model for how, when you give up you can do a little bit more. Why? Because she manages to navigate through a domain dominated by men, and in a very niche area that not many people approach.

Curious to learn more about her and to bring her accomplishments to the forefront, we talked to Patricia Bîea about her experiences in the Romanian music industry and beyond.

What are the things people should know about you before reading this interview?

I don’t necessarily enjoy talking about myself. I prefer leaving others discover on their own. 

Which woman inspired you from the beginning? What have you learned from her as a model?

I never really had a role model, but rather I was inspired by different women for various reasons. I have to say that I am very lucky to have an amazing woman as…well, a mom.  And as I got older, and discovered her as a person, not just as ‘’my mom’’, she still amazes me with her natural way of just being …herself. All the time…  But since we’re talking about women in music, if I had to pick someone who truly inspired me, PJ Harvey is definitely my go-to gal. For basically the same reason. And that’s what makes her music, her lyrics, her performances, her visions about writing and composing… so special. Those visceral and natural feelings. I found a huge part of me in everything she does. 

Why have you chosen the music industry? Where does your passion come from?

It wasn’t really a choice. Things happened without giving them too much thought. But looking back, I can trace the moments when the passion started to ‘’happen’’. Since I can remember, my whole life revolved around music, one way or another. When I was a kid, I used to dance in front of the TV, listening to music channels all day long. Then my parents bought me a Walkman, and… that was it.  And then CD players came around, and the moment when I discovered I can burn my own MP3 CDs, oh boy, that was the real game changer. 

Guess I really, really loved music and dancing since forever. Still do.

Was there a moment when another woman warned you about the challenges you might face in the music industry because you’re a woman? What was your reaction?

No, not really. But as I said, things just happened in their own pace, so there wasn’t a moment when I decided to join the music industry, either. Things evolved naturally, and the challenges were (and are) part of the process.  Maybe I should mention that I started doing this as a side hassle, purely out of desire and as a kind of refuge.

Have you faced any challenges that could only happen to women in this industry? Can you give us some examples and explain how you overcame them?

No. I’m surrounded by mean-looking, bearded, tattooed guys all the time (the guys from RoadkillSoda), and that helps. But jokes aside, nothing out of the ordinary. Life taught me early on to pay attention to details and I try to avoid these types of situations before they actually happen.

 Have you ever felt pressured to present yourself in a certain way because of your gender?

I don’t think about gender when I interact with people, I perceive their traits based on our relationship and how we interact.  So, that applies the other way around when it comes to myself too. I mean, I don’t think about how I present myself. I am myself. 

You cannot change how others see you, especially when they don’t know you, or the fact that they will make you feel the need to prove your worth. No matter how you act,. So, we’re the ones that actually put that pressure on us, people are just being people. 

What changes would you like to see in the industry to make it more inclusive and welcoming for women?

Honestly, from my personal experience, I believe that the industry is already inclusive and welcoming towards women. 

Its problem with inclusivity has nothing to do with gender. So, I would definitely encourage a more collaborative and open attitude in general, cause that’s the only way we can make the industry better. Otherwise, things stay exactly the same. Same bands, same people, same line-ups, same, same, same…

How optimistic are you about the future of the music industry in terms of gender equality?

Guess I already answered this one…

Can you share a memorable experience or achievement in your career that you’re particularly proud of?

Mmm, definitely the most recent milestone is the end of 2023, when RoadkillSoda toured in Europe alongside Unida, one of the founding bands when it comes to stoner rock, straight from sunny California. I mean… we discovered this genre through their music, and now joining them on tour for 3 weeks across Europe… Pretty freakin’ amazing.

And to top it off, the tour was really great all together. We played in some legendary places, such as Viper Room, we had some kick-ass crowds, sold a lot of merch. And most importantly, the whole band had an amazing time.  

Are there any projects or collaborations you’re currently working on that you’re excited about and would like to share with our audience?

As a matter of fact, I actually do. Long story short, after almost 10 years of working in Advertising & PR agencies, I quit my job recently. And decided to pursue this passion on a full-time basis. 

I’m super psyched because I just “officially” launched my own spiel – ⭃ Psychedelicious ⥷ – meaning a small creative marketing agency, focused on promo content for the music industry, but not exclusively. So, basically, I create advertising content for musicians, bands, events, concerts and festivals, and everything related to this area. Whether it’s graphic design, posters and prints, merch design, press kits or marketing for streaming platforms, album artworks, and many, many more, I am really looking forward to this new journey and taking on new projects and branching out to all sorts of musical genres.

I’m also looking forward for RoadkillSoda’s upcoming projects and plans for this year, a lot of fun stuff coming soon. Oh, and we’re celebrating the 4^th edition of Roadkill Festival this year, (suddenly realizing that time flies haha), and we want to take it up a notch this year and, naturally, making this edition the best one so far. 

Looking back on your career journey so far, what are some valuable lessons or insights you’ve gained that you wish you knew when you were starting out?

First of all, I have to admit I really enjoyed these interview questions… 

Honestly, I wouldn’t really change anything. With every lesson learned, I felt that I wanna keep going. And I discovered myself along the way…

But looking back at a more innocent/naïve version of myself, I used to think that the music industry is a place where people end up for both passion and the business part of it. 

Turns out that sometimes… forget passion, but not even basic common sense..  

What advice would you give to young women aspiring to pursue a career in music? But to the ones that are reading this interview?

Keep in mind that you make your own luck, so try to stay true to yourselves, And to the people around you. It always pays off.

I hope you enjoyed this interview as much as I did and that we’ll see each other at the RoadkillSoda concert in April at Quantic, as well as at Roadkill Fest. See you there!

And we’ll talk again tomorrow with another interview featuring a woman who shakes up the Romanian music scene.

Text by Ionela Pleșan

Interview by Ionela Pleșan and Radu Mihai