Rock Monsters Romania

Back in September 2022, you met them for the first time at Romania Rocks, before any official releases and even before their very first concert. At that point, they were just beginning to shape their identity and sound. Now, in 2026, The Strizzers are preparing something new, hinting at what could be an entirely new era for the band.

In 2022, they released their first single, “See The Lights,” while 2023 was marked by the release of their first album, “Some Kind of Hero.” In 2024, they released just one more single, but 2024 and 2025 marked the start of many concerts, festival appearances, and even shows outside Romania, in Bulgaria.

Now, they are ready for another important step. On April 28, the band will release their very first song in Romanian, an exciting moment that reflects both artistic growth and a closer connection to their roots. The release will be celebrated with a special concert at Control Club, promising an unforgettable experience for fans.

What is this new song about, and what direction are The Strizzers heading in next? We talked to Monica Costin, the band’s vocalist, to find out more.

It’s been a while since our first interview in 2022, which was also your very first interview as a band. How have you been since then?

Wow, 2022. That seems so far away right now. So many things have happened in the meanwhile. We’ve evolved from being a “new” band on the scene to finding our own footing. We released our debut album, “Some Kind of Hero”, which was a huge milestone for us, and we started hitting the festival circuit. We’ve shared stages at Evergreen Fest, Odyssea, and Rock’N’Iasi, and even took our music across the border to Bulgaria for a mini-tour. It’s been a journey of constant growth, both as musicians and as friends.

The lineup has changed since then, so I have to ask: how challenging is it to change band members? Has this affected the band’s direction, goals, or musical style in any way?

A band is a living organism, so when the people in it change, the whole dynamic shifts. It is always a challenge to align everyone’s vision, but these transitions forced us to be more intentional about our path. 

As any band in its early years, we have been experimenting with different sounds and styles, all while stripping away anything that didn’t feel authentic. This period of trial and error led us directly to our current sound, which we think resides in the alternative hard rock zone. So yes, the changes have affected our style, but they also solidified our desire to make music that is heavier and more direct. We are finally at a point where we feel confident in the emotional and sonic weight of our songs.

The last time I saw you live was in 2023, around the release of your first and only album, “Some Kind of Hero”. If you had to describe it now using just one word, what would that word be, and why?

Beginning. It is the word that best captures the essence of what “Some Kind of Hero” means for us now. We started working on it during the pandemic years. Although we were just getting to know each other as individuals, in those strange circumstances, we thought the best use of our time was to get started on our debut album. By the time we released it in 2023, it had become a chronicle of our early identity.

Looking back, we still resonate deeply with some of the tracks, while others feel like they belong to a version of us that we have already outgrown. However, we don’t see that as a negative. It was a necessary starting point for our journey, a foundation that allowed us to understand what we want to communicate as artists. It was the first step that made everything else possible.

Which song from the album do you think is the strongest, and which one helped you grow the most as musicians and as a band?

Personal preferences definitely play a role here, but I believe “Run From It All” stands out as our strongest track. It remains both a fan and a band favorite, and we still find immense joy in playing it live. There is a specific energy in that song that seems to bridge the gap between us and the audience every single time.

On the other hand, the song that helped us grow the most, at least according to the data, is “You Can’t Say We Never Tried”. With almost 70.000 listens on Spotify, it is our most successful track to date. Ironically, it is also one of our softest songs. If I had been asked to guess, before releasing “Some Kind of Hero”, which song would get the most streams, my money certainly would not have been on “You Can’t Say We Never Tried”. This experience showed us once again that people will resonate with what they find truly appealing and relatable, rather than what you might expect as an artist.

You released a single in 2024, and since then you’ve mainly focused on concerts and festival appearances. How difficult is it for a smaller band to balance writing new music with rehearsals and live performances?

It’s a constant juggling act. Since we all have lives and jobs outside the band, time is our most precious resource. In 2024, after releasing “I Am a Winner”, we shifted our focus to the stage to build that “live muscle”, especially since we had two new band members to integrate. Balancing the two is difficult because songwriting requires a quiet, introspective headspace, while performing is all about outward energy. Honestly, we are still working on an efficient system to do it all, so if anyone has some pointers, feel free to give us a DM.

Looking back at the concerts you’ve played and the people you’ve met, what has been the most important moment or realization for you?

The biggest realization for us was that success isn’t built on a single viral moment or one great concert, but on sustained, consistent work. It’s easy to be motivated when everything goes according to plan, but the real test is showing up when things don’t work out as you’d hoped.

We’ve seen time and again that consistency beats luck or fleeting success every time. For a band like us, understanding that this is a marathon, not a sprint, changed our entire perspective. It’s about the grit to keep going, to keep rehearsing, and to keep connecting with our audience, even when the progress feels slow. That discipline is what eventually turns into a solid foundation.

You’re releasing a new single this month, can you tell us more about it? Perhaps also about the story behind it?

The single is called “De ajuns” (Enough), and it’s a very special one for us because it’s our first song in Romanian. The story behind it comes from a place of deep frustration with social pressure. For years, I felt this invasive weight of everyone else’s expectations, from how I should look and act as a woman to my career choices and personal life. It felt like no matter what I did, it was never enough for the world around me.

This song is about the moment I chose my own authenticity over the need to please others. Beyond the personal rant, I truly hope that for those who have felt this same overwhelming pressure, the song acts as a form of comfort. I want them to feel that they are not alone in this struggle. It is a transition from feeling powerless to finding strength through music, and I believe that sharing this in our native language makes that connection even more direct and raw.

The single will be launched with a special concert at Control on April 28th. What are your expectations for the show? Can fans look forward to any surprises?

Control Club has an incredible atmosphere that demands honesty and energy, so our expectations are high. We want this show to be more than just a concert; we want it to be a shared experience where the audience feels the weight and the release of De ajuns right along with us.

As for surprises, we are thrilled to have some amazing friends joining us on stage. We will be performing alongside Romina Apostol (The Voodoo Child), whose energy is legendary, and Mădălin Duca from Jack of All Trades, a band we love and respect. We are also joined by Laura Brat, a true staple of the Romanian alternative scene. She is well-known for her work with Tragic, but also for her powerful collaborations with iconic bands like Implant pentru Refuz or Pixels. Having these distinct voices and personalities with us will bring a completely new dimension to our sound. It’s a one-night-only type of setup, so we really want to make it count.

What other plans do you have for 2026? More concerts, festivals you’d love to be part of, or maybe even a second album?

Our main focus for 2026 is completing and releasing our new EP. “De ajuns” is just the first chapter of this journey in Romanian, and we are putting all our energy into making the rest of the material just as honest and impactful.

Beyond the studio, we are eager to hit the festival circuit this summer. After the success we had at Rock’N’Iasi and Odyssea, we want to bring this new, heavier sound to even larger stages. Once the EP is out, we also plan to take these songs on the road and play some clubs across Romania. We want to meet new people and see how this Romanian-language material resonates with audiences outside of Bucharest. It’s a year of consolidation for us, focusing on the quality of the music and the raw energy of our live performance.

Finally, do you have a message for your fans and for those who might be discovering your band through this interview?

To those who have been following us for a while: thank you for being there and for listening to our music. It has been quite a journey so far and we appreciate each and every one of you! 

To those just discovering The Strizzers now: we hope you find a piece of yourself in our music, especially in our new song. If you check it out and like it, we would love to hear from you on your preferred platform. 

Our message is simple: don’t be afraid to define your own path, even when it feels like you’re going against the tide. We hope to see as many of you as possible on April 28th at Club Control to celebrate this new release. It’s going to be a night of loud music and honest connections, and we can’t wait to share it with you.

If you enjoyed the interview and liked what you heard, don’t forget to follow them on social media and, if you get the chance, see them live, especially if you’re in Bucharest.

Interview by Radu Mihai