Music of Moldova

Moldovan folk is known for swift, complex rhythms (a characteristic shared with many Eastern European traditions), musical improvisation, syncopation and much melodic ornamentation.

Modern pop stars include O-Zone, a Moldovan band whose "Dragostea din tei" was a major 2004 European hit, guitarist and songwriter Vladimir Pogrebniuc, Natalia Barbu, who is well known in Germany, Romania and Ukraine, and Nelly Ciobanu.

The band Flacai became well known in the 1970s across Moldova, turning their hometown of Cahul into an important center of music.

[2] During the Soviet era, Moldovan folk culture flourished, and was strongly promoted by the government.

However, many elements were altered to obscure the shared history of Romania and Moldova, because the Soviet Union wanted to discourage secession.