Rock Monsters Romania

After years of operating as a DIY community dedicated to Romania’s alternative music scene, Stray Lights is becoming a festival. Between July 31 and August 2, Stray Lights Festival and Control Club will launch the inaugural edition of an event built around music that refuses to be confined by genre boundaries, as well as around an idea that has been at the heart of the project from the very beginning: music needs spaces where it can be discovered, and people need places where they can come together around it.

One of the bands from the line-up is Baby Elvis. Born out of Oradea’s underground scene, Baby Elvis combines the energy of garage rock with psychedelic, indie, and synth-pop influences in an explosive and difficult-to-categorize mix. Following appearances on major stages across Romania and Europe, including the Main Stage of Zagreb’s INmusic Festival, the band continues to explore new sonic directions and is currently working on its third studio release.

We talked to them before their Stray Lights Festival performance, curious to se what they are preparing.

The first question is a bit of a cliché one, but if you had to describe your music in one word, which one would it be and why?

This is a tough one. Uuuum, we’d probably say “unpolished.” People often associate that with something negative, but for us it means authenticity. We like music that feels spontaneous and alive. We’re not big fans of overly polished productions. We’d rather keep the rough edges if they help preserve the emotion and energy of the song.

A lot of people have questions about your name. Where does it come from? Were you fans of Elvis when the idea clicked? And if you could go back in time, would you choose a different name?

We came up with the name during one of our first rehearsals while we were trying to figure out what to call the band. At one point, someone said it would be great if there was another Elvis born. That’s when “Baby Elvis” just clicked.

We like Elvis as much as anyone does, but we wouldn’t really call ourselves fans. So the name is loosely connected to him, but not in any deeper way. We also liked that it evokes a certain era and carries a bit of that old rock ‘n’ roll imagery.

The real reason this band exists, though, is a Prague band called The Maggie’s Marshmallows. They played a show in our hometown, Oradea, and completely blew our minds. A few years later, we ended up opening for them, which felt surreal. The funny part is that the band doesn’t exist anymore.

As for the name, we wouldn’t change it. We like that it came out naturally in that moment, and we’re happy we were all there when it happened.

This year you released a new album, World Fame. Is the title a manifestation, or what inspired it?

It’s actually quite the opposite. The title is meant ironically.

World Fame is about self-doubt, identity, societal expectations, and the often absurd pursuit of validation. It’s our way of exploring what it means to be human in a world where image and perception often matter more than truth.

Each song looks at a different side of that. Some deal with insecurity and the search for authenticity, while others criticize the modern world and social norms through dark humor, irony, and surreal imagery. So despite the title, the album isn’t really about fame. It’s about everything that happens before, behind, or even instead of it.

Looking at the album now, which song are you most proud of, and why?

This changes over time, but right now we’d probably say “Law of the Good Boys.” It captures the sound we were aiming for on World Fame better than any other track. It has the right balance of melody, noise, and energy, and there’s a certain confidence to it that we really like. It feels bold, and very much like us. Yeah, it has a lot of balls.

You also had a release concert at Control alongside Mock Surprise, which was very well received by both music critics and the audience. How did it feel from your perspective? What went well, and what do you think could have been improved?

Yeah, that was a really fun night. We absolutely love Mock Surprise and we were very happy they could join us for the show. Big shoutout to Stray Lights Community for making it happen.

We usually have a lot of fun on stage, and this show was no exception. There was a great energy in the room, and you could really feel the excitement around the new album.

As for what could have been improved… it would have been nice if Alex’s pedalboard hadn’t decided to short-circuit after three songs into the set. But that’s live music. We managed to get through it anyway, and in the end it became just another story to laugh about.

And now you are back at Control at the end of July for Stray Lights Festival. Are you preparing any surprises for the show? If yes, can you give us at least a hint?

We wouldn’t say we have any big surprises planned. We’re just going to do what we always do and give everything we’ve got on stage.

There is one change, though. People who know us might be surprised to see that Oscar, our guitarist, won’t be playing this show because he wasn’t available for the date. We really wanted to be part of the festival, so our friend Vlad from Astro Generale stepped in to help us out. We’re really grateful to him, and we’re looking forward to sharing the stage together.

How important is it for new bands, especially those that are not from Bucharest, to have DIY festivals and concerts in Romania? What should improve in this area, and what advice would you give to young bands?

It’s incredibly important. For bands outside Bucharest especially, DIY festivals and concerts are often the best way to meet new people, build an audience, and become part of a community. Without these events, it’s much harder for new bands to grow.

If we could improve one thing, it would be the relationship between everyone involved. We’d love to see more trust, communication, and support between bands, promoters, organizers, and venues. It’s always a bit sad when people within such a small community end up working against each other instead of together.

As for advice, we’d simply say this: be kind to the people around you and appreciate everyone who helps you along the way. Making music is important, but no band exists in a vacuum. Respect, humility, and genuine relationships will take you much further than acting like the world revolves around you.

Before the final question of the interview, can you tell us what other plans you have for this year after Stray Lights Festival?

The main goal is to play the new album live as much as possible. We feel like these songs really come alive on stage, so we’re hoping to take them to as many places as we can.

Besides that, we have a few live videos we’ve already shot and we’re looking forward to editing and releasing them over the coming months. 

What message do you have for the people who will come to see you live at Stray Lights Festival?

Thank you for being part of festivals like this. Your support means a lot, not just to us, but to the entire independent music scene. We can’t wait to play for you. Come say hi, sing along if you know the songs, and let’s make it a memorable night together.

If you want to see them live, get your ticket for Sunday from Eventbook now!

Interview by Radu Mihai