Rock Monsters Romania

There’s a common belief that to become popular, you must be highly active on social media and frequently showcase your face. However, this isn’t always true…

Raluca Ciobanu, also known as Năluca, is one of the biggest Romanian concert photographers. If you’re a concert enthusiast based in Bucharest, chances are you’ve encountered her work. However, you might not have immediately recognized her since there are relatively few photos of her on the internet. You likely recognize her shots of bands like byron, The Mono Jacks, Robin and the Backstabbers, COMA, or Piqued Jacks. Yet, these are just a few of the numerous concerts she has covered and the expressive images she has captured over time. Her portfolio also includes acts as Florence + The Machine, The 1975, or YUNGBLUD, that you can found on her Instagram or her official website.

If you haven’t seen her concert photos, you’ve probably come across her concert posters. Remember those eye-catching posters for Robin and the Backstabbers that left you wondering who created them? Well, now you have the answer! But it’s not just Robin and the Backstabbers… she has also designed posters for E-an-na, The Strizzers, Paul Tihan & Andra Andriucă, and others.

And if you’re a fan of byron, you could wear a T-shirt designed by Năluca right now! Yes, you read that correctly. She also creates designs and illustrations for various products, but also posts which are perfect for sharing on your Instagram if they resonate with you (especially the Christmas ones if you’re a metalhead). You can find more of these on Things I Found In The Dark.

I first met Raluca last year in April at a byron concert, and I remember being so stressed to say hi and introduce myself. I knew of her and how amazing her photos are as I always used them as standards for my own photography. I was surprised to see how natural she was while taking them. Since then, I’ve seen her multiple times at concerts and always made sure to say hi, even though I am still nervous every time.

We had the opportunity to interview her in a special and rare occasion, during which we learned more about her and her female role models.

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

No unicorns have been sighted and no Chat-GPT has been used during the process of answering these questions.

My name is Raluca, but everybody knows me as Năluca – fun fact: I didn’t want to choose this nickname at first because it seemed very silly, until I realized it’s actually a catchy & easy-to-remember combo especially because it rhymes. I am both fishing for meaningful moments and popping from one spot to another, I like staying as hidden as possible.

I am an architect gone rogue, I loved my job until at some point the urge to explore my creativity in, well, more creative ways screamed so loud I couldn’t ignore it anymore. I often switch to graphic design, to illustration and then back and I kind of like it like this.
I believe that no experience is useless as long as we learn something from it.

I like to take my time and allow the process to unfold and I believe that a final “product”, be it a photograph or anything else, needs a little bit of room to breathe, to transform if necessary and then to settle in its final form until it’s shown to the world.

I absolutely dislike this fake sense of urgency our modern society is based on and I wish people focused more on the present moment than always rushing to the next one. Fast-paced action is nice in healthy amounts.

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

Basically, every brave and bold woman that refused to back down and fought her own way through or around the obstacles that arose. Even if most of the times this happens in a quiet way rather than an obnoxious one, it’s not less valid.

The first models we look up to are, of course, our mothers. I learned from mine that nothing is impossible to achieve if you work hard towards it, that attention to details is very important & that I should focus on my uni studies and stop this concert photography nonsense. The latter did not yield the expected results.

I think we should look up more to the women around us and the ones that are already in our lives. The chances of finding some absolutely amazing inspiration there are Too. Damn. High!

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

I didn’t choose the music industry. It didn’t choose me either, haha. Rarely does, frankly, but that’s okay, I’d rather put my energy in a handful of collabs that feel right to me.
Music has fascinated me since childhood and it continues to do so in ways that I don’t fully comprehend. There’s something very primal, yet very harmonic to the way live music connects to you and the way it brings people together. This + my interest in the visual arts = surprise! My only regret so far is that I don’t know to fully play any instrument.

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?

Absolutely not, I don’t think any woman has time for that, we’re too busy working twice as much to make sure our efforts are minimized and discredited, haha.

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?

Up to a point, I didn’t actually think about misogyny because I simply couldn’t fathom it exists: why would I face extra challenges as a woman? That’s stupid. I was so focused on my work that I didn’t stop to take this seriously, but the signs were there. More than once people online assumed my gender wrong and they still insisted on being very surprised I’m a woman. Wait, whaaaat? Why would gender matter? Some other people once told me I take photos like a man and then proceeded to explain it’s because I do a great job. Sweet little innocent things like these that are subtle signs of something bigger and scarier, a deeply ingrained patriarchal way of life & thinking that will take a lot of time to transform into one based on true equality no matter the gender or orientation. Moreover, I refuse to believe that I might not be the first choice for a job solely because of my gender or because I am not pretty enough to do the job, as if beauty > skills & experience, but I am well aware it’s still happening. To all of you smartpants who do this, I know. Wouldn’t work with you anyways 🙂

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

No and I always dismiss any potential comments regarding this, I don’t think it’s relevant. But as Courtney Barnett says, “I hold my keys/ Between my fingers” 🙂

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

It would be amazing if we snapped our fingers and suddenly there was less toxic behavior. If people were more aware of the impact of their attitudes and their actions, less shady and more honest & trustworthy. If we outgrew this veeery very classic Romanian sport of biting each other in the a** – and instead chose to work together and build better and smarter, especially that arts & culture struggle to survive.

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

I think it’s on the right track, there are more and more voices calling out bullsh*t when it happens. People trying to shush them will only validate them further.

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

Whenever I finish editing in less than 24 hours since the end of the concert.

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

I’m currently working on a mashup of concert photography and illustration, more on that soon if it comes out right.

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?

Well, given the fact that I’ve followed more than one path so far, I feel I’ve gained some nice insight that is generally true. I wish I knew that energy and enthusiasm are limited resources and one needs to invest them carefully, because it’s easy to run out of both if you pour them into the wrong opportunities a.k.a. work with people who don’t truly appreciate nor respect you, with all the implications it comes with. And I wish I would trust me, myself and my intuition properly and set better boundaries, still working on that.

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

You’ve got it!

If you loved reading this interview, don’t forget to follow her and share her photos and creations, or even buy some merch maybe? Every small encouragement is still a huge encouragement for the ones who are posting this.

Rock Monsters Romania believes in professionalism and in the chance for women to stand out in an industry that seems dominated by men. Due to this belief, we have decided that once every two weeks on our website, you can find a woman who is making waves in the music industry and offers daily inspiration and support to those around them.

Text by Radu Mihai

Interview by Ionela Pleșan and Radu Mihai