Rock Monsters Romania

In the last period of time, most of the music I’ve been listening to comes from Iași. Andra Andriucă, Paul Tihan, Missed Call, what do they all have in common? They’re either from Iași or based there. I’ve been hearing people talk about Missed Call a lot, and when I went into a trance was when they released the single “losing my mind”. I’ve literally had days where I’ve had this song on repeat. If I feel like dancing randomly around the house, I play it on Spotify and don’t stop until I go to bed.

These guys are just too funky and fresh; they give you the joy of listening to something new that makes you move. Missed Call plays a dancy mix between pop, electro, rock, edm, sprinkled with elements of jazz, soul, and r&b, that’s what they say on Facebook, but honestly, as long as I like what they play, they can play whatever they want.

Photo by Luca Priscornic

Missed Call is a band formed by 4 individuals. Cosmin Gafițescu (Gafi) on drums, Tudor Șanta on bass, Răzvan Nica on guitar, and Radu Săndulescu on vocals. The band was initiated in 2018 by its founding members, Gafi and Răzvan. They took care of composing, recording, and producing all the songs, sometimes asking for help from friends for the vocal parts.

Collaborating with Diana Liță, Maria Păuleț, Alex Savin, and Radu Săndulescu for vocal recordings. Radu officially joined the band as a full-time member in 2021, completing the lineup. In August 2023, Tudor found his place on bass in Missed Call. In 2022 they released their first album // Missed Call and in 2024, they are preparing for the release of the second one.

Gafi is the only “musician” in the band. The rest are IT guys, with Tudor being a photographer. Răzvan has an interesting background; his family loves different genres of music, and he’s also involved in mixing. They seem like the type of band who got tired of being asked “So, what kind of music do you play?” That’s where all the description about the styles they tackle comes from.

I’m so curious to see them live and feel the energy they have and see their audience. For me, they seem like the kind of band that doesn’t stay in their comfort zone and explores different avenues, so I’m looking forward to announcements for concerts or festivals around the country.

The guys recently released the 2 singles from the upcoming album, “KEEP IT SECRET” and “losing my mind”, and both have something fresh, funky, but also that drum area that goes wherever it wants.

Because I’m very curious and wanted to know more about them, I talked to them about future plans, new singles, and how they get along and cope with social media. Enjoy!

Let’s start with the beginning, how did you all meet and decide to make music?

We have known each other since childhood, and music has always been the bond between us. Writing songs together seemed like the natural thing to do; maybe it was destiny.

Where does the band name come from, and what are your individual backgrounds?

In the beginning Missed Call wasn’t a band…Răzvan and Cosmin were writing the songs and outsourcing the vocal parts to friends when needed. So, instead of calling a song “…feat. someone” they came up with the idea “Missed Call from someone”. 

We all developed an interest in music during our childhood and used to study it in our free time. However, out of all of us, only Gafi pursued music professionally and became a musician. Răzvan and I are developers, while Tudor is a photographer.

Photo by Luca Priscornic

What are your sources of inspiration from Romania and abroad?

We have some musicians and bands who have been our source of inspiration while writing our songs. Our favorite international artists are 21 Pilots, The 1975, Nothing but Thieves, and Bring Me the Horizon. Their music has always been the creative spark for us. Apart from that, we also draw inspiration from some local artists. One of our sources of inspiration from Romania, especially for our upcoming album, is The Kryptonite Sparks. Their music taught us how to let our ideas flow without overthinking them and enjoy the whole process of creating rock and roll. 

What are your future plans?

We are planning to release our second album this year, most likely in autumn. While we would like to have a small tour around the country, we don’t have many details about it yet. Until then, we will be releasing one or two more singles from our upcoming album. So, keep an eye on our social media channels for updates.

What’s it like being a budding band from Iași and when can we expect to see you in Bucharest?

I believe I can speak on behalf of all of us when I say that being a part of Missed Call is a dream come true. The fact that we are also good friends outside of the music industry makes everything else easier, like writing songs and all that stuff. But besides that, having the strong relationship that we share also helps us deliver some magic when we’re on stage. Sooner than you think we’ll meet each other in Bucharest. We’re so looking forward to seeing you all guys!

Your online promotion strategy seems very fresh and funny. How do you go about it, who handles it, and is it proving successful?

We are striving to keep up with the latest musical trends and stay in touch with what other bands/artists are doing on social media. Our strategy is simple and straightforward. We search for music-related funny videos and try to incorporate them into our own content.

You recently released 2 singles, what do they represent for you and do you have a favorite among the two?

KEEP IT SECRET was the first single that we recorded for our upcoming album. It marks the beginning of a new sound for the band and the end of a traumatic experience that I had during my teenage years. 

On the other hand, losing my mind shares a similar feeling of anxiety. To combat this feeling, we thought it would be a good idea to embrace it and not care, as the lyrics suggest: “Don’t stop the music, the silence makes me elusive…you know.” 

In my opinion, losing my mind is the best song we’ve written so far, although the other guys in the band may have different opinions.

The latest track, “Lose Your Mind,” is so funky and fresh! What did you put in it that sounds so good I have it on repeat?

Thank you so much for your support! To be honest, I believe the key to creating this song was to keep it simple and let our creative minds guide us. We tried not to overthink things and just went with the flow.

Who from the Romanian music industry would you like to collaborate with and why? Who would you like to open for?

I think we’d be a great match with Golan, Irina Rimes, Om la Lună, and The Kryptonite Sparks. We’ve even shared the stage with the last two in the past, and it was a fantastic experience.

 What’s your biggest dream related to music?

Our greatest aspiration is to perform on an international stage, entertaining thousands of enthusiastic fans. This is why we made the decision to create music in English, with the hope of expanding our reach overseas.

Photo by Luca Priscornic

How would you describe the sound and musical style of your band to those who haven’t heard you yet?

“That one time, at band camp”, but fockop (funk-rock-pop). Slightly melancholic, definitely nostalgic.

What are the key elements you emphasize when creating a new song?

I think the main elements are:

• Relatable story;
• Catchy beat;
• Unforgetable phrase;

How do you think you differentiate yourselves from other bands with funky sounds in today’s music scene?

Missed Call has always been the space in between for us. We all have different guilty pleasures when it comes to music, such as dnb, metal, funk, pop, and more. I believe that our key element is how we combine these different genres and deliver them to our audience. This can be observed by comparing our first album with what we have released in the last few months.

How do you see your sound and style evolving as you learn and grow as a band?

I don’t think we’re going to change our sound anytime soon. It took us a while to define our style, whether it’s in our music, social media content, or outfits. We believe that the current version of our sound and appearance is the best, but who knows what the future holds?”

What is your songwriting process like? Is there a specific approach you follow or is it more of a spontaneous and collaborative process?

When we started writing songs for our first album, the process was quite different from what it is now. All of the songs were almost entirely written on the computer, that’s why the EDM sound. However, for our second album, we went back to the old-fashioned way of songwriting. The four of us would gather in a rehearsal room, jam together, and try to create something special. This is still the way we create music today, which has made the process more organic compared to how we used to work in the past.

Photo by Luca Priscornic

How do you adapt to the experience of being a freshly launched underground band when it comes to promoting and distributing your music?

We understand that our music may not sound like the typical radio-friendly bands from Romania. However, we aim to connect with individuals who relate to our stories. As a result, we are currently distributing our music online and regularly posting engaging content to maintain our audience’s interest.

How do you engage with the local music community or other underground scenes to support yourselves and connect with other artists and fans?

We are always excited to connect with underground artists by supporting them and attending their shows. We believe that every artist is unique and special in their own way, and we try to support and draw inspiration from everyone around us. It’s a beautiful thing to witness various styles, approaches, and visions within the community.

What are your short-term and long-term goals as a band in terms of development and success in the music industry?

I believe that in the short term, we would really love to have an album release tour sometime this year. It has been a while since we performed on stage, and we have a lot of new and exciting things for our fans. In the long term, our biggest dream is to build a strong community of dedicated fans both in Romania and abroad, and to have a significant influence in the music industry.

Do you have any messages for your fans? And for the people who will read this interview?

We are looking forward to meet you all guys! Keep an eye on our socials because there are so many things comin’ up! We pwp you!

I hope this interview has sparked your interest to listen to Missed Call and attend their concerts. Go give them a follow on Instagram. Like them on Facebook and dance to “losing my mind” around the house.

Text and interview by Ionela Pleșan