Mihai Trăistariu

Mihai Trăistariu, born on December 16, 1976, in Piatra Neamț, Romania, is a Romanian singer, songwriter, and businessman. 

Mihai was born into an artistic family. His father, Gheorghe Trăistariu, was a well-known painter in Piatra Neamț, and his mother, Natalia Trăistariu, studied medicine and sang in her youth. Mihai has three siblings. All four siblings learned musical instruments. Mihai started playing the piano at age 7 with a private teacher and studied it for 10 years.

As a child, Mihai excelled in math, competing in national math Olympiads from age 12 to 18. He dreamed of becoming a scientist or mathematician but was also drawn to music after hearing Mariah Carey’s five-octave voice on the radio. At 16, he began acting and directing lessons with Corneliu Dan Borcia at the Youth Theater in Piatra Neamț. He graduated from Petru Rareș National College in Piatra Neamț in 1994, majoring in math and physics.

In 1996, Mihai enrolled at Alexandru Ioan Cuza University in Iași, studying math and informatics. He later attended Ovidius Theatre University in Constanța. During this time, he took jazz lessons at the Iași Students’ House with composer Romeo Cozma. Between 1996 and 1998, Mihai competed in 18 national singing competitions, winning seven first-place trophies. His talent caught the attention of Sony Music Romania, and in 1998, he signed a five-year contract with them.

In 1998, Mihai joined the pop band Valahia. The group released several albums, including Valahia (1998), Why (2000), Pisicuta (2001), Te Iubesc Atât de Mult (2001), 2002 (2002), and Sha-la-la (2003). Their single “Why” (2000) was a hit, earning a platinum disc. Valahia competed in Romania’s Eurovision national selection in 2000, 2002, and 2003 but didn’t win. Mihai’s time with Valahia helped him gain fame, and the band won eight gold discs for albums like Valahia, Pisicuta, 2002, and Curcubeu. In 2004, Valahia disbanded, and Mihai began his solo career.

In 2004, Mihai debuted as a solo artist at the Mamaia Festival with “Cât de Frumoasă Ești,” winning third place and the Press Award. He signed with ERA Business, an EMI International licensee, joining artists like Kylie Minogue. That year, he won five international festival trophies in Serbia, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Belarus, and Latvia. His first solo video, “Cât de Frumoasă Ești,” was released in February 2005, and he won the National Love Song Festival Trophy with it.

In 2006, Mihai won Romania’s Eurovision national selection with “Tornerò,” a pop-dance song with English verses and an Italian chorus. Written by Cristian Hriscu, Mihaela Deac, and Eduard Cîrcotă, it showcased his high vocal range. At the Eurovision Song Contest in Athens, Greece, Mihai finished fourth with 172 points. “Tornerò” became a global hit, selling over two million copies and earning €2.5 million. It peaked at number 38 in Romania, number 4 in Greece, number 8 in Finland, and number 21 in Sweden. The song won awards like “Hit of the Year” in Greece, Cyprus, Malta, and more, and Mihai was named “Best Male Voice” in several countries. He received a star on Malta’s Bay Street in 2007 and one in Mangalia, Romania, in 2009, making him the only Romanian artist with a star abroad.

In 2007, Mihai won Artist of the Year at the Radio România Actualități Awards and released albums like Tornerò (2006), De Crăciun (Christmas, 2007), and Love (2008). He performed 33 concerts in Greece, 28 in Moldova, 10 in the USA, and 4 in Canada. In 2008, he considered competing for Russia at Eurovision but stayed with Romania. He released Best Of (2010), Lie, Ciocârlie (folklore, 2010), Balade (2010), and Change (2010). Mihai won “Album of the Year” for Tornerò and Christmas and earned a double gold disc for Tornerò.

Mihai continued releasing singles like “Je t’aime” (2011), “Zombie Love” (2013), and “Paradisio” (2017). He competed in Romania’s Eurovision selections in 2016, 2017, and 2018 but didn’t win. He judged talent shows like I Want to Be a Star on Antena One and taught singing at the Mamaia Festival and StarsCool Academy in Bucharest. By 2020, he had 14 albums (six with Valahia, eight solo), 61 Romanian singles, six international singles, and 22 music videos. He won 123 awards, including three “Best Voice in Romania” and six Mamaia Festival prizes.

Since 2021, Mihai has focused on business and music. He owns Mihai Taxi and Mihai Studio in Constanța. He remains active on Instagram (@mihaitraistariu) with over 70,000 followers, sharing performances and modeling photos. No major album releases or Eurovision attempts were reported for 2024 or 2025, but he continues performing and mentoring young artists. His fanbase includes 43 Romanian and 11 international fan clubs with over 36,000 members.

Mihai is also one of the few, if not the only, Eurovision participant with his own Onlyfans account.