Romanian singer INNA talks UAE fans, Arabic-Afro House, and collaborating on a Nancy Ajram remake

Khaleej Times

21 hours ago

Romanian global pop sensation, INNA, whose high-energy tracks have long ignited dance floors from Ibiza to the Balkans, is now setting her sound on the Middle East. Fresh off the success of her latest collaboration with Sean Paul, Let It Talk To Me, INNA caught up with us on Zoom between concert runs in Austria and Turkey, radiating the same vivacious energy you'd witness from her arena shows and music videos.
'I think I was just born like that,' she laughs, when asked how she sustains such infectious vitality while touring. 'If you saw my mom, you'd understand. The women in my family are all like this — full of energy. The men? Not so much. They're shy.'
INNA, whose real name is Elena Alexandra Apostoleanu, gained international recognition with her hit single "Hot" in 2008.
Still going strong in 2025, that blend of nature and gratitude fuels her fire. 'My fans give me so much back. When you're living your dream, how can you not be thankful? I can't wait for my next concert — I miss the stage after just a few days off.'
But don't let the glam fool you. INNA reveals that she does her own makeup and hair before each performance. 'It's my ritual. It helps me focus, visualise the show, and get into the zone," she says, "Five minutes before I go on, I don't talk to anyone. I'm nervous — still, after 16 years. But once I'm out there, after 30 seconds on the stage, it's like, okay, now I do my job.'
Arabic fans are 'Top 3 in the World'
INNA's relationship with the Arab world runs deep. 'I always say my Arabic fans are the craziest, in the best way," she says. "They dance, they sing, they wave their flags. There's a real connection between us. It's joy, not just a concert.'
She reminisces about past shows in the UAE with warmth, calling the energy 'top three in the world.' However, she hasn't performed here recently in a while.
She was part of UNTOLD Dubai's first edition in 2024. There are chances of her returning to this year's edition of the music festival, slated to take place in November.
Arabic-Afro House?
INNA's music has always evolved with the world around her. Now, it's absorbing the rising pulse of the Middle East's dance scene.
A chance encounter at a café in Paris sparked something unexpected. 'There was a DJ playing, and we ended up doing an impromptu session. He started mixing Arabic vocals with Afro-dance beats — and I was like, ' oh my God, this is amazing.''
That spontaneous moment is now turning into an actual collaboration. 'We decided to remake a Nancy Ajram song,' she reveals. 'I won't say which one just yet — it's a surprise. But I'm recording Arabic lyrics for the first time, and it's not easy!'
She's relying friends to help with pronunciation and translation. 'I know I'm not perfect, but I'm doing it with love — and that's what matters most.'
Sean Paul, R3HAB, and female power in EDM
When it comes to collaborations, INNA doesn't just chase big names — she builds real relationships. ' Let It Talk To Me is actually my second track with Sean Paul. The first, Up, we made during the pandemic without ever meeting.'
This time was different. 'Sean came to Romania to shoot the video. We finally met properly at a festival in Helsinki, and we even performed the track live together for the first time there. He's one of the kindest, most grounded artists I've worked with.'
She credits DJs for shaping her career from the very beginning — including names like R3HAB, Alok, Timmy Trumpet, and Tujamo. 'I've always been supported by the EDM community,' she says. 'And now I think it's time for more female voices to rise.'
That empowerment fuels her interest in the region's emerging female talent. 'I'm keeping an eye on some incredible DJs and producers from the Middle East. There's so much power and sensitivity in what women bring to house music. I also feel that more and more female artists are getting acknowleged and supported and I think it's our time to shine.'
What's next?
Ask INNA where she sees herself in five or ten years, and she laughs: 'I don't even know what's happening tomorrow!'
But her answer quickly turns sincere. 'All I know is, I want to keep doing what I love. I still haven't performed in India, and I want to go back to Australia. I have fans around the world I haven't seen yet.'
And while she admits to feeling tired sometimes, quitting is never on the table. 'Would you be tired of doing the one thing you always dreamed of?' she asks. 'For me, music runs through my veins. I'm not stopping.'
To her, music is about connection, that unique energy, she concludes, "about deep feelings of love and joy, of togetherness."