Dragostea din tei

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Template:Short description Template:For Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use British English Template:Infobox song "Dragostea din tei"Template:Efn (Template:IPA; Romanian: "The Love from the Linden Tree"Template:Sfnm) is a song recorded by Moldovan group O-Zone, released in Romania around June 2003Template:Efn by Media Services as the lead single from their third studio album DiscO-Zone (2003). It was written by the band's founder Dan Balan and produced by Template:Ill. A 1980s-inspired track blending dance-pop, Eurodance, Eurodisco, Europop and synth-pop, "Dragostea din tei" is performed in Romanian. According to Balan, the lyrics reference sexual encounters beneath trees, although critics have alternatively interpreted them as nonsensical or depicting a phone conversation with romantic interest. The song incorporates humorous elements and is particularly noted for its prominent yodeling motif.

Critics described the song's melody and rhythm as catchy and simple, noting that they were accessible even to non-Romanian-speaking audiences. At the 2005 Echo Music Prize ceremony in Germany, "Dragostea din tei" was awarded Single of the Year. Commercially, the song first topped the Romanian Top 100 in late 2003 before attaining international success throughout 2004 and 2005, reaching number one in Austria, Wallonia, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Switzerland―something unprecedented for a track in Romanian. It was certified diamond by France's Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique (SNEP) and quadruple million by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ). By October 2007, it had sold over 12 million copies worldwide.

Multiple observers have credited the song's international breakthrough to a dance cover released in December 2003 by Italy-based Romanian singer Haiducii through Universo. Her version topped the Italian singles chart in early 2004 and later reached number one in Austria and Sweden. Haiducii's rendition competed with O-Zone's original in several markets, sometimes preceding or even outperforming it on regional charts. A controversy emerged when Balan claimed the cover had been released without his authorization. The original "Dragostea din tei" gained further visibility through a Japanese animated video that circulated online, which later inspired American amateur vlogger Gary Brolsma to use the song in his viral video Numa Numa Dance in December 2004. In the clip, Brolsma cheerfully lip-synchs and dances to "Dragostea din tei" while seated at his computer. The video became one of the most-watched Internet clips of all time and emerged as an early predecessor to the modern Internet meme.

The music video for "Dragostea din tei", directed by Dmitri Voloshin, features the members of O-Zone in the cockpit of an airplane, performing the song both inside the aircraft and atop its wings. To promote the single, the group embarked on live performances across Europe, Russia, and Japan. In the United States, Balan appeared on Today to perform "Ma Ya Hi",Template:Efn an English-language version of the song released exclusively in that market in collaboration with American musician Lucas Prata. Over the years, "Dragostea din tei" has been referenced in numerous other works, achieving varied levels of commercial success. In 2008, American rapper T.I. and Barbadian singer Rihanna sampled and interpolated it in their song "Live Your Life", which reached number one in the United States. "Dragostea din tei" was later also interpolated in French DJ David Guetta and American band OneRepublic's successful 2024 single "I Don't Wanna Wait". Additionally, it has been featured in several films, including Chicken Little (2005) and Happy Feet Two (2011).

Background

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O-Zone was a Moldovan Eurodance group formed in 1999 by Dan Balan.Template:Sfn The original lineup included Balan and Petru Jelihovschi, both of whom had previously performed in the gothic and doom metal band Inferialis during the 1990s. Seeking a more commercially viable sound, the duo released O-Zone's debut studio album Dar, unde ești... later in 1999. The album found success in Moldova, however, Jelihovschi subsequently departed the project to pursue a career in television.Template:Sfnm

In 2001,Template:Sfn Balan cast two new members—Radu Sîrbu and Arsenie Todiraș—and, in 2002, relocated the group to neighboring Romania in search of a larger music market.Template:Sfnm The move was facilitated by the absence of a language barrier, as Romanian is spoken in both countries.Template:Sfn Moldova had been part of Romania until World War II, and its population remains Romanian to a significant extent, fostering a sense of unity between the two countries.Template:Sfn O-Zone achieved their first major success in Romania with the single "Despre tine", which reached number one on the Romanian Top 100 in February 2003.Template:Sfn

Throughout 2003, O-Zone recorded their third studio album, DiscO-Zone (2003), at MOF Records studio in Bucharest. Recording sessions held in April, with assistance from Template:Ill, yielded the follow-up single "Dragostea din tei",Template:Sfn which was released in Romania later that year.Template:Sfn According to Balan, these were the group's final recordings, as internal tensions had begun to escalate―both among the members and with their management. Disputes reportedly centered on the authorship and ownership of the O-Zone brand, as well as the group's future direction. Despite these conflicts, Balan stated that the band ultimately agreed to delay their disbandment until the promotional cycle for DiscO-Zone was completed and contractual obligations to their record label fulfilled.Template:Sfn

Media outlets later reported that O-Zone had initially planned to disband as early as December 2003 to pursue solo careers. Solo renditions of "Dragostea din tei" were allegedly recorded during this period, anticipating the group's separation. However, the Italian commercial success of a cover released by Romanian singer Haiducii around that time reportedly led their label to postpone those plans.Template:Sfn O-Zone's official disbandment was eventually announced in January 2005, at a time when the group remained at the height of their international popularity.Template:Sfn

Writing and authorship dispute

"Dragostea din tei" was written and composed by Balan, while Popoiag produced and mastered it.Template:Sfn Balan worked on the song for two months, with particular emphasis on refining the refrain. The track was originally intended to be titled "Luna mai" (Romanian: "The Month of May"), which is the origin of the "Ma-ia-hii, Ma-ia-huu, Ma-ia-hoo, Ma-ia-haha"Template:Efn sequence featured throughout the song. Balan also stated that he had not encountered the phrase "Dragostea din tei" prior to composing the track.Template:Sfn

In July 2004, Popoiag filed a lawsuit against Balan and Media Services—the label that had signed O-Zone—at the Template:Interlanguage link, alleging that he had not been credited for his purported role as a co-composer of "Dragostea din tei".Template:Sfnm In response, Balan filed a countersuit for defamation.Template:Sfn Media Services' director general Dan Popi claimed that the label had entered into a contractual agreement with MOF Records studio, where Popoiag was employed at the time. The contract reportedly stipulated that a song's producer could not be granted songwriting credits. Popi also questioned the timing of Popoiag's legal action, noting that he had waited several months after the song's release before initiating the lawsuit.Template:Sfn During the trial, Todiraș and Sîrbu reportedly testified in Balan's defense.Template:Sfn The court ultimately ruled in Balan's favor in February 2005, ordering Popoiag to pay 60 million ROLTemplate:Efn after he failed to provide sufficient evidence for his claims. Following the verdict, Balan announced that he would donate the awarded sum to the winner of a songwriting competition.Template:Sfn

Release

Portrait of Lucas Prata smiling at the camera while wearing a blue shirt.
An English language-version of the song, titled "Ma Ya Hi", was released in the United States in 2004 and features American musician Lucas Prata (pictured in 2006).Template:Sfn

"Dragostea din tei" was first released as the lead single from O-Zone's album DiscO-Zone in Romania by local label Media Services.Template:Sfnm While the precise release date remains unclear, the track debuted on the Romanian Top 100 chart in June 2003, suggesting that it had received radio airplay by that time.Template:Sfn Mentions of the song in Romanian media date back to at least July 2003,Template:Sfn and its copyright was Template:Interlanguage link in August of that year.Template:Sfn A Romanian CD release followed in 2003 through Cat Music, which also included the music videos for the group's earlier singles "Numai tu" and "Despre tine".Template:Sfnm

Following its release in Romania, "Dragostea din tei" was licensed to the Italian label Time Records on 29 January 2004 as part of a deal signed by Media Services valued at nearly €100,000.Template:Sfnm This agreement enabled Time Records―who had reportedly become interested in O-Zone through the popularity of Haiducii's cover in ItalyTemplate:Sfn―to subsequently authorize a number of other European labels to distribute the track.Template:Sfnm Another label considered for the same distribution role was Hit Mania, which, according to Tudor Horațiu of Jurnalul Național, was a British imprint of Universo, the label managing Haiducii. Had a contract been signed, Hit Mania allegedly planned to block the release of O-Zone's original version in the Italian market.Template:Sfn

Over the course of 2004, the song received physical releases in several countries, including France,Template:Sfn Germany,Template:Sfn Italy,Template:Sfn the Netherlands,Template:Sfn Spain,Template:Sfn and the United Kingdom.Template:Sfn According to Todiraș, however, international radio stations had begun playing the track prior to its official release.Template:Sfn "Dragostea din tei" was also included as the B-side to select international editions of the single "Despre tine", which was reissued in 2004.Template:Sfn On 22 June 2004, "Dragostea din tei" was made available for digital download in the United States by Media Services under the title "Mai Ai Hee (Dragostea din tei)".Template:Sfn In 2005, a CD of the track was issued in Japan by Avex Trax under the localized title Template:Nihongo.Template:Sfn

English-language version

"Ma Ya Hi",Template:Efn an English-language adaptation of the song performed by Balan and American musician Lucas Prata, was first included on American DJ Denny Tsettos' compilation album Club Anthems, Vol. 1, released on 7 September 2004 by Ultra Records.Template:Sfnm Also in 2004, the label issued two 12-inch vinyl editions of the song in the United States.Template:Sfnm One of these releases further included the Valentin RemixTemplate:Efn of "Ma Ya Hi".Template:Sfn The English version was recorded in Milan, Italy, and co-written by Balan and Prata.Template:Sfnm Popoiag claims to also have worked on the song with Balan.Template:Sfn Media reports at the time suggested that the project may have led to internal friction within the band since it only featured Balan from O-Zone.Template:Sfnm In a 2013 interview, Balan recalled feeling vilified by the press, stating he had been portrayed as the one responsible for breaking up O-Zone in order to pursue a solo career.Template:Sfn The Valentin Remix of "Ma Ya Hi" later appeared on the North American edition of DiscO-Zone and was serviced to radio stations there in early 2005.Template:Sfnm It was also included on Prata's studio album Let's Get It On (2006).Template:Sfn

Composition and lyrics

Template:Listen "Dragostea din tei" is a 1980s-inspiredTemplate:Sfn dance-pop,Template:Sfnm Eurodance,Template:Sfn Eurodisco,Template:Sfn Europop,Template:Sfnm and synth-pop track,Template:Sfn characterized by its use of synthesized bass and what Rolling Stone Australia described as "robotic stop-start rhythms".Template:Sfnm Billboard staff have categorized "Dragostea din tei" as a novelty song,Template:Sfn while Der SpiegelTemplate:'s Ulf Lippitz described it as "trash-pop" and Balan himself as "funny pop".Template:Sfnm Composed in the key of A minor, the track maintains a tempo of 130 beats per minute (BPM) and follows a chord progression of F-C-G-Am.Template:Sfnm

"Dragostea din tei" is sung entirely in Romanian,Template:Sfn and its title has been translated as "The Love from the Linden Tree".Template:Sfnm The "tei" (English: linden tree) is a motif frequently employed in Romanian literature.Template:Sfn According to Balan, the linden tree symbolizes romanticism and the essence of summertime.Template:Sfn Notably, the pronunciation of the song's title is ambiguous, leading select listeners to mishear it as "Dragostea dintâi" ("First love").Template:Sfn Some publications have suggested that it may convey the notion of "false love" or allude to a district in Bucharest.Template:Sfnm

While Balan has claimed that the lyrics refer to sexual encounters beneath trees, various critics and publications have interpreted them as nonsensical.Template:Sfnm Douglas Wolk of The Believer described the lyrics as "nonspecific", elaborating that they appear to capture one half of a phone conversation with a romantic partner.Template:Sfn A Radio Eska editor added that the lyrical subject seems to seek the affection of their love interest, though the unilateral nature of the dialogue leaves it ambiguous whether those efforts succeed.Template:Sfn The act of "beeping"―a term often referring to missed calls as a form of communication―is also mentioned throughout the lyrics, which Template:IllTemplate:'s Pietro Minto described as emblematic of adolescent life in the early 2000s.Template:Sfn The lyrics also see O-Zone referring to themselves as hajduks―a term for Balkan outlaws—and invoking the name of Pablo Picasso.Template:Sfnm In the English version, "hajduk" is rendered as "duke", while the Picasso reference is expanded with lines such as: "I will paint my words of love / With your name on every wall."Template:Sfn

The sequence "Ma-ia-hii, Ma-ia-huu, Ma-ia-hoo, Ma-ia-haha" is prominently yodeled at the beginning and during the track.Template:Sfnm Lippitz likened Balan's vocal delivery in the song to traditional Romanian folk singing, considering this an element through which the track connected folkloristic with international sounds.Template:Sfn In the refrain, the line "nu mă, nu mă iei" (Romanian: "you won't, you won't take me") is repeated as the lyrical subject details their romantic interest wanting to leave them;Template:Sfnm the former line has also been popularly known as "numa numa yay" and the track as the "Numa Numa Song".Template:Sfnm In the English-language version, this sequence is replaced by "Oo-aa-oo-aa-ay", a change that Wolk criticized for lacking the "baby-talk singability" of the original.Template:Sfn

Critical reception and analysis

Music critics have described "Dragostea din tei" as catchy and straightforward.Template:Sfnm The BelieverTemplate:'s Wolk wrote that "[t]here's scarcely a second without some extraordinary hook",Template:Sfn and Hugh Morris of The Calvert Journal described them as "bright" and as the song's defining strength, observing "not one but two choruses" in the "nu mă, nu mă iei" and yodelled sequences.Template:Sfn While The GuardianTemplate:'s Alexis Petridis remarked that the track "wobbles unsteadily along the line that separates catchy from infuriating",Template:Sfn Lauren Murphy of Entertainment.ie conceded its infectious quality, but deemed it "terrible".Template:Sfn laut.de's Alexander Cordas described "Dragostea din tei" as "unpretentious" and characterized it as "simple light music".Template:Sfn Dana Dorian of Jurnalul Național echoed this sentiment, calling the composition "puerile and very predictable", suggesting it was designed to appeal to a wide, multilingual audience. She further critiqued the vocal performance as unpolished and lacking technical skill, but concluded that a more sophisticated delivery was unnecessary for the track.Template:Sfn

The song's lyrics also drew critical attention, particularly for their perceived nonsensical nature. While LibertateaTemplate:'s Petre Dobrescu criticized this aspect, comparing it unfavorably to the band's other work,Template:Sfn Harald Peters of Die Tageszeitung argued that such lyrical absurdity linked "Dragostea din tei" to other international hits like "The Ketchup Song (Aserejé)" (2002) by Spanish group Las Ketchup.Template:Sfn Other commentators suggested that the Romanian lyrics posed no barrier to success, emphasizing that the song's melody and rhythm had a universal appeal that transcended language.Template:Sfnm Wolk summarized the track's accessibility by describing its chorus as "as big as an abandoned government building", one that "huge legions of drunk people [could] sing easily [to]".Template:Sfn

Some critics positioned "Dragostea din tei" within a broader trend of music from Eastern Bloc countries gaining popularity across Europe at that time. Artists such as Russian duo t.A.T.u. and Ukrainian singer Ruslana were similarly cited as part of this cultural wave.Template:Sfnm Lippitz of Der Spiegel attributed this phenomenon in part to the 2004 enlargement of the European Union, which facilitated increased exposure to Western media and trends in Eastern Europe.Template:Sfn Others compared the song to works by artists like Austrian singer DJ Ötzi,Template:Sfn Swiss musician DJ BoBo's "Chihuahua" (2003),Template:Sfn and Finnish band Ultra Bra's "Sinä lähdit pois" (1997).Template:Sfn

Accolades

Awards and nominations received by "Dragostea din tei"
Ceremony Year Award Result Notes Template:Abbr
MTV Romania Music Awards Template:Center Best Single Template:Nom Template:Center
Echo Music Prize Template:Center Single of the Year Template:Won O-Zone attended the awards ceremony in Berlin
on 2 April 2005 to accept the prize, despite having
disbanded earlier that year. 		Template:Center
Template:Interlanguage link Foreign Radio Hit rowspan="2" Template:Nom Template:Center
Ringtone of the Year

Commercial performance

"Dragostea din tei" was a commercial success. As of October 2007, it had sold over 12 million copies worldwide.Template:Sfnm Among several other achievements, it became the third-most successful single of the 2000s in Germany,Template:Sfn and at one point, it was also the best-selling digital single in Japan with four million units sold, before being surpassed by Japanese-American singer Hikaru Utada "Flavor of Life" in 2007.Template:Sfn In a 2004 interview on Template:Interlanguage link, Balan attributed the international success of "Dragostea din tei" to its cheerful nature, which he saw as a stark contrast to the melancholic R&B tracks that dominated popular music at the time.Template:Sfn

Initial 2003 success in Romania and international recognition in 2004

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Portrait of Haiducii, smiling to the camera in front of a multicolored background whilst wearing a blue jacket and bra paired with light blue jeans.
At one point, five versions of the song were present in the French top 20, including a cover by Romanian singer Haiducii (pictured in 2025).Template:Sfn

The song first achieved commercial success in Romania. It debuted at number 87 on the Romanian Top 100 in June 2003,Template:Sfn eventually reaching number one and holding that position for three consecutive weeks in September 2003.Template:Sfnm It was the group's second Romanian chart-topper following "Despre tine" earlier that year.Template:Sfn By April 2004, "Dragostea din tei" had sold over 250,000 copies in Romania.Template:Sfn

The song began gaining traction internationally in early 2004. In March, it reached number 17 on the Italian singles chart,Template:Sfn and the following month debuted at number one in Spain―the first market outside Romania to provide radio support. It returned to the top position in Spain twice more during May and June 2004.Template:Sfnm In April, "Dragostea din tei" topped the French singles chart and maintained the number-one position for 15 consecutive weeks.Template:Sfn At one point, five different versions of the song appeared simultaneously in France's top 20: O-Zone's original, Haiducii's cover, and three parodies―"Ma cé ki? Massimo" by Italian media figure Template:Ill, "Le poulailler" by French radio programme Template:Interlanguage link, and "Argent-Argent" by French television host Cauet and Mopral.Template:Sfn "Dragostea din tei" was eventually certified diamond by the Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique (SNEP).Template:Sfn

By June 2004, the song had shipped approximately 500,000 copies across Europe.Template:Sfn From June to August, it continued to impact charts in multiple territories. It reached number one in all DACH countries, maintaining that position for 14 weeks in Germany and Switzerland,Template:Sfnm and for 13 weeks in Austria.Template:Sfn In Germany, it received a double platinum certification from Bundesverband Musikindustrie (BVMI).Template:Sfn The song also topped the Dutch Single Top 100,Template:Sfn and achieved success in the Nordic countries, reaching number one in Norway and Denmark,Template:Sfnm number two in Finland, and number three in Sweden.Template:Sfnm

On BillboardTemplate:'s European Hot 100 Singles chart, "Dragostea din tei" spent 12 weeks at number one,Template:Sfn at one point being followed by Haiducii's version at number two and "Le poulailler" at number 18.Template:Sfn The song also reached number one in Ireland,Template:Sfn number two in Scotland, and number three in the United Kingdom.Template:Sfnm A remixed version titled "Unu' in the Dub Mix" peaked at number nine on the radio airplay chart in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).Template:Sfn Around September 2004, "Dragostea din tei" appeared on multiple charts monitoring the most frequently played tracks by DJs across Canada, including in the region of Quebec.Template:Sfn The song topped the 2004 year-end charts in Austria,Template:Sfn France,Template:Sfn Germany,Template:Sfn Netherlands and Switzerland,Template:Sfnm and ranked number one on the year-end list of the European Hot 100 Singles chart.Template:Sfn

Continued success in the United States and Japan in 2005

In the United States, the Valentin Remix of the Lucas Prata version of the song peaked at number 14 on BillboardTemplate:'s Dance Airplay chart at the end of August 2004, however its broader crossover came in March 2005, when it reached number 16 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100, number 69 on the Digital Songs chart, and number 72 on the Pop 100.Template:Sfnm By that time, the song had sold over 32,000 digital downloads, according to Nielsen SoundScan,Template:Sfn and it was later certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).Template:Sfn

In his book The Click Moment: Seizing Opportunity in an Unpredictable World, author Frans Johansson remarked that the track received minimal radio support in the United States due to its introduction to the North American market at a time when techno-driven club music was declining in popularity, with radio dominated by R&B and hip-hop.Template:Sfn A Billboard article from March 2005 cited radio station WKTU as an example of local broadcasters reluctant to play the track, viewing it as "too novelty" for mainstream audiences, especially in the wake of the viral Numa Numa Dance video.Template:Sfn In Japan, the original version of "Dragostea din tei" peaked at number 72 on the Oricon Singles Chart in June 2005.Template:Sfn The song was certified quadruple million, platinum, and gold by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) across various formats.Template:Sfn As of August 2006, "Dragostea din tei" was reported to be Japan's best-selling ringtone, with sales exceeding four million units.Template:Sfn

Virality

On the Japanese Internet

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In Japan, an anonymous user known as Ikari created an animated video using "Dragostea din tei", featuring a character resembling Monā, a popular Shift_JIS art cat frequently illustrated by users of the Japanese textboard 2channel. The video purposefully misinterprets the Romanian lyrics as English or Japanese phrases, accompanied by corresponding visuals. For instance, "salut" (Romanian: "hello") is visually paired with a monkey (Japanese: "saru"), "fericirea" (Romanian: "happiness") is misheard as "panchira" (Japanese: "looking up a skirt"), and "nu mă, nu mă iei" becomes "noma, noma, yay" (Japanese: "drink, drink, yay"). The clip gained popularity online and inspired a wave of similarly styled videos from users around the world. In response to its success, O-Zone's Japanese label Avex Trax released merchandise based on the video's central figure, branding it as the "Noma neko" ("Noma Cat").Template:Sfn

Numa Numa Dance

Template:Main Reportedly discovering the song through Ikari's video, American amateur vlogger Gary Brolsma created a lip-sync video to "Dragostea din tei" titled Numa Numa Dance, which he uploaded to the website Newgrounds on 6 December 2004. The video shows Brolsma seated at his computer, cheerfully singing and dancing along to the song.Template:Sfnm Wren Graves of Consequence characterized Brolsma's performance as marked by "sly humor" and "full commitment". He noticed the use of expressive gestures such as a "perfectly timed raised eyebrow" and fist pumps thrown overhead as key elements that contributed to the video's animated quality.Template:Sfn

The video quickly went viral, reportedly amassing over 700 million views by November 2006,Template:Sfn giving Brolsma mainstream media coverage and sparking numerous parodies and remakes.Template:Sfnm In their essay Memes as genre: A structurational analysis of the memescape, scholars Bradley E. Wiggins and G. Bret Bowers identified Numa Numa Dance as an early prototype of user-generated content and modern Internet memes, before the latter were commonly used in Internet culture. Wiggins and Bowers further positioned it as a point of transition from passive to participatory culture, where content is not solely consumed, but invites response.Template:Sfn Numa Numa Dance remains one of the most-viewed Internet videos of all time.Template:Sfn The BelieverTemplate:'s Wolk referred to the phenomenon as "numanumamania", and wrote that Brolsma's video functioned as more effective promotion for "Dragostea din tei" than any marketing efforts a record label could have financed.Template:Sfn Similarly, Michael Paoletta, writing for Billboard, credited Numa Numa Dance with playing a key role in increasing the song's visibility in the United States.Template:Sfn

Promotion

Marketing

Distinct marketing strategies were developed to promote "Dragostea din tei" across various regions, with Time Records' then–international manager Monica Marcangeli highlighting Balan's involvement in this process during a 2013 interview.Template:Sfn In France, the track was aided by an advertising campaign across television and radio.Template:Sfn A similar promotional effort took place in Germany, where the song was publicized during halftime segments at football matches and through a collaboration with travel agencies.Template:Sfn Additionally, the German CD single was accompanied by a promotional contest in which purchasers could win a German–Romanian dictionary, enabling them to translate and understand the song's lyrics.Template:Sfn Johannson attributed the modest performance of "Dragostea din tei" in the United States to the limited promotional capabilities of Ultra Records, stating that the label lacked the necessary expertise and resources to promote it effectively. According to him, disappointing sales and minimal radio support eventually led the label to cancel the track's promotional campaign.Template:Sfn

Music video

The three O-Zone members performing atop the wings of an airplane. They wear white pants and colored shirts—Todiraș and Balan with shirts open to the waist, accessorized with suspenders and sunglasses.
O-Zone are seen performing what Balan has described as a traditional Moldovan dance atop the wings of an airplane in the music video.Template:Sfn

An accompanying music video for "Dragostea din tei", directed and animated by Dmitri Voloshin,Template:Sfn was released in 2003.Template:Sfn The low-budget clip includes scenes filmed on an only partially constructed aircraft after the crew was last-minute denied permission to shoot on an operational plane at an airport. Footage was also shot at Lake Komsomolskoye in Russia. As "Dragostea din tei" had been freshly written at the time, the band members reportedly did not yet memorize all of its lyrics and read them from a sheet of paper during filming.Template:Sfn The music video also features scenes of the group performing what Balan described in an interview as a traditional Moldovan dance, in which the members stand side by side with their arms linked over each other's shoulders, jumping from one foot to the other in unison.Template:Sfn

The video opens with Todiraș lounging on a couch as elements of "Despre tine" play in the background. This is followed by computer-generated shots of a city—originally featured in the "Numai tu" music video—and a magazine promoting O-Zone's comeback, paired with excerpts from the video for "Despre tine".Template:Sfnm The narrative then shifts to the group members running out of a building toward an aircraft. Upon boarding and entering the cockpit, they take off as "Dragostea din tei" begins. The trio are shown dancing both inside the aircraft and atop its wings mid-flight, as well as recording the song in a studio. Throughout the video, they wear white pants and colored shirts—Todiraș and Balan with shirts open to the waist, accessorized with suspenders and sunglasses.Template:Sfn

The video also features numerous computer-generated sequences of the aircraft, which includes an "on air" sign and jet engines that transform into speakers. Interspersed throughout are animated cartoon stills: Balan depicted as a cyborg, Sîrbu in a bodybuilding competition, Balan and Todiraș in a laboratory with an alien or appearing as vampires, Batman, three men of varying ethnicities in traditional attire before a dove with an olive branch, and the Moldovan flag. The song ends with an animated shot of the group standing before a crashed, burning plane, followed by them leaving the site. The narrative then returns to the opening scene of Todiraș on the couch as a softer reprise of "Dragostea din tei" plays. Balan sits beside him sketching on his pencil board, and all three band members gather smiling to look at the drawing—revealed to be a storyboard of the music video.Template:Sfn

In her book New Media Literacies and Participatory Popular Culture Across Borders, Bronwyn Williams likened the animation style to anime and called the visuals "inexplicable", ultimately describing the video as "eminently forgettable".Template:Sfn Conversely, Minto of Rivista Studio found the video "spectacular", though he commented that the dance scenes were out of context and the special effects appeared low quality and "botched".Template:Sfn Fred Guilledoux of La Provence described the video as "rather well-edited", commenting on the band members' "pre-pubescent Playboy poses" and singling out the scene in which they perform atop the wing of an airplane as "legendary".Template:Sfn The Calvert JournalTemplate:'s Morris referred to the video as "slightly off-the-wall", comparing its animated sequences to those in Tekken video games and viewing both them and the scenes of dancing on an airplane's wings as a nod to the clip for the Vengaboys' "We're Going to Ibiza" (1999).Template:Sfn In Von Hora, Doina und Lăutaren, scholar Marina Cap-Bun explored possible symbolic connections between the video and the Romanian Zburător myth.Template:Sfn In a 2017 interview, Balan stated that the video contributed to the song's emergence as a gay anthem, in part due to the group's outfits and display of affection for each other.Template:Sfn

Live performances

O-Zone performed "Dragostea din tei" at a number of high-profile television events across multiple countries. In a 2013 retrospective interview, Balan reflected on the intense demands surrounding the song's promotional cycle, describing a sense of mounting pressure and fatigue as numerous television appearance requests arrived simultaneously, driven by the track's overlapping rise in multiple international markets.Template:Sfn O-Zone performed "Dragostea din tei" at the MTV Romania Music Awards 2003 on 5 June 2003.Template:Sfn In Germany, the group appeared on The Dome 30 on 21 May 2004,Template:Sfn followed by performances on Wetten, dass..? on 3 July 2004,Template:Sfn Template:Ill on 1 October 2004,Template:Sfn and the German edition of Top of the Pops on 8 January 2005.Template:Sfn In France, O-Zone presented the song on Hit Machine on 24 April 2004,Template:Sfn and later performed it during the fourth season of Star Academy on 22 October 2004.Template:Sfn The track was also featured during their appearance on the fifth season of Russia's Fabrika Zvyozd in 2004,Template:Sfn and on Top of the Pops in both the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, aired on 25 and 31 December 2004, respectively.Template:Sfnm

In Japan, O-Zone performed "Dragostea din tei" on major music programs including Music Station and SMAPxSMAP in 2005,Template:Sfn however, according to Todiraș, plans for a more extensive tour throughout the country were ultimately cancelled.Template:Sfn Marcangeli of Time Records later stated that, following the group's disbandment that same year, several international television appearance requests also had to be withdrawn, despite efforts by the label to persuade the band to fulfill them.Template:Sfn Later in 2005, Balan appeared on the American morning show Today alongside Prata to perform the Valentin Remix of "Ma Ya Hi". Their appearance on the program, broadcast on 22 February 2005, was prompted by the viral success of Brolsma's Numa Numa Dance video.Template:Sfnm Ultra Records scapped plans for a tour in the United States due to the modest sales and radio performance of "Ma Ya Hi", according to Johansson.Template:Sfn Before disbanding in 2005, O-Zone gave a performance of "Dragostea din tei" at the Golden Stag Festival in Romania in September of that year.Template:Sfnm The group later reunited on select occasions to perform the song: on Europe Day on 9 May 2017 in Bucharest's University Square and Chişinău's Great National Assembly Square,Template:Sfnm and during the New Year's Eve celebration held in Constitution Square in 2019 in Bucharest.Template:Sfn

Legacy and aftermath

A picture of Psy wearing a white vest, posing in front a multicolored background with a sign reading "Gangnam Style".
Critics have remarked the song's atypical global success despite being performed in a non-English language, with one drawing a comparison to the viral impact of the 2012 hit "Gangnam Style" by South Korean rapper Psy (pictured in 2012), sung in Korean.Template:Sfnm

Critics have highlighted the cultural and historical significance of "Dragostea din tei" to Romania and Moldova. Reflecting on its sustained chart presence, Andrei Vulpescu of Curentul characterized the track's global impact—spanning over nine months—as an unparalleled milestone in the history of Romanian music.Template:Sfn In 2015, the British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office ranked "Dragostea din tei" among the five songs that best represented Romania, notably being the only contemporary release on the list. Author Paul Brummell commented that its inclusion as a track of Moldovan origin underscored the prevailing perception that the ethnic Romanian community of Moldova shares a common cultural space with Romania.Template:SfnTemplate:Efn

Libertatea remarked that "Dragostea din tei" had "done more for Romania's image than all politicians put together",Template:Sfn while Balan stated in an interview that his greatest source of pride was promoting the Romanian language through the song.Template:Sfn Commenting on its symbolic importance to Moldova, Yle's Tuukka Tuomasjukka wrote that the track's widespread popularity signified a cultural shift, ushering Moldova into the European cultural landscape in an unprecedented manner, following its period as part of the Soviet Union.Template:Sfn

Another examined aspect of the song's legacy has been its linguistic and cross-cultural resonance. Paul Sexton of Billboard described "Dragostea din tei" as a testament to music's ability to transcend national borders, writing that it "managed to convey uninhibited joy better than any phrase in the English language probably could".Template:Sfn Rivista StudioTemplate:'s Minto similarly reflected on the track's unusual linguistic breakthrough, describing its success in Western markets―despite being sung in a language rarely heard in mainstream pop―as an exceptional occurrence, comparing it to South Korean rapper Psy's viral 2012 single "Gangnam Style", performed in Korean.Template:Sfn Expanding on the impact of "Dragostea din tei", Wolk of The Believer argued that "not even the words but the sound of the recording [are] now part of the fabric of the Internet", having become a "standard".Template:Sfn

Template:Quote box Minto further discussed the track's influence on internet culture, characterizing "Dragostea din tei" as a precursor to modern Internet virality. He situated its spread at a cultural crossroads between the pre-Internet phenomenon of Los del Río's 1993 single "Macarena" and the ascent of "Gangnam Style" to global recognition through social media.Template:Sfn

Following the commercial success of "Dragostea din tei", some publications referred to O-Zone as one-hit wonders.Template:Sfnm In a 2020 interview, Sîrbu acknowledged that it took him nearly a decade to rebuild his career after the song, remarking that sustaining momentum after such success was challenging.Template:Sfn

Listicles

Listicle inclusions of "Dragostea din tei"
Publication Year List Rank Template:Abbr
Rolling Stone Template:Center 50 Greatest Boy Band Songs of All Time Template:Center Template:Center
Billboard Template:Center 100 Greatest Boy Band Songs of All Time Template:Center Template:Center
Rolling Stone Australia Template:Center 75 Greatest Boy Band Songs of All Time Template:Center Template:Center

Template:Multiple image

"Dragostea din tei" has been adapted into over 35 languages.Template:Sfn Among numerous parodies produced,Template:Sfn "Le poulailler" by Le 6–9 and "Ma cé ki? Massimo" by Gargia—both released in 2004—became top 10 hits in France, competing on the charts with both O-Zone's original and Haiducii's cover.Template:Sfnm Another notable parody, "Pluma Gay" released by Spanish comedy duo Los Morancos de Triana in 2005, featured gay-themed lyrics and gained popularity throughout Latin America. According to La ProvenceTemplate:'s Guilledoux, the parody contributed to the gay icons status of the O-Zone members within the region's LGBTQ community.Template:Sfnm In 2008, American rapper T.I. and Barbadian singer Rihanna released "Live Your Life", which prominently samples and interpolates "Dragostea din tei".Template:Sfn The song achieved global commercial success, topping the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States and reaching number two in the United Kingdom, among other territories.Template:Sfnm

Balan has reinterpreted "Dragostea din tei" in multiple projects. In 2006, he recorded a grunge version titled "Sugar Tunes Numa Numa" with his band Balan,Template:Sfnm and in 2008, he released "Numa Numa 2" as a B-side to his single "Mm-ma-ma" under the moniker Crazy Loop.Template:Sfn A separate reinterpretation, also titled "Numa Numa 2", was issued in 2018 featuring American singer Marley Waters.Template:Sfn In 2024, French DJ David Guetta and American band OneRepublic interpolated "Dragostea din tei" in their single "I Don't Wanna Wait", which reached the top 20 in several countries, including Germany and the United Kingdom.Template:Sfnm Other artists have also performed the song live, either as covers or parodies, such as Romanian singer Inna and American group Bloodhound Gang.Template:Sfnm It has additionally been featured in episodes of various international editions of Your Face Sounds Familiar—a show where celebrity contestants impersonate singers.Template:Sfnm

Both the original and derivative versions of "Dragostea din tei" have appeared in a variety of media. The song was included in the animated film Chicken Little (2005) for a reported licensing fee of US$$1 million,Template:Sfn and was also used in Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo (2005),Template:Sfn Happy Feet Two (2011),Template:Sfn and It's Only the End of the World (2016).Template:Sfn Additionally, it was featured in an episode of the series Stargate Universe in 2011.Template:Sfn Paired with Brolsma's "Numa Numa", "Dragostea din tei" was notably included in episodes of South Park and NCIS in 2008.Template:Sfnm The song also appeared as a playable track in the video game Just Dance 2017,Template:Sfn and in Fortnite Battle Royale in 2022, where an emote―a preset animation―enabled players to have their in-game characters perform Brolsma's dance set to the soundtrack of "Dragostea din tei".Template:Sfn It has also been used in various commercials, including for the beverage Yakult,Template:Sfn and Berlin's public transit company BVG.Template:Sfn In 2010, Brolsma appeared performing a segment of "Dragostea din tei" in an ad for Vizio that aired during Super Bowl XLIV.Template:Sfn

Comprehensive list of notable derivative recordings

Key
Template:‡ Indicates cover, with original or rewritten lyrics
Template:Hash tag Indicates sample and/or interpolation
List of releases, with origin and selected chart positions
Year Title
Template:Small 		Country of origin Peak chart positions Notes
[[Ö3 Austria Top 40|Template:Abbr]]
Template:Sfn 		[[Ultratop|Template:Abbr]]
Template:Sfn 		[[Ultratop|Template:Abbr]]
Template:Sfn 		[[TopHit|Template:Abbr]]
Template:Sfn 		[[SNEP|Template:Abbr]]
Template:Sfn 		[[GfK Entertainment charts|Template:Abbr]]
Template:Sfn 		[[Billboard Japan Hot 100|Template:Abbr]]
Template:Sfnm 		[[Dutch Single Top 100|Template:Abbr]]
Template:Sfn 		[[Swiss Hitparade|Template:Abbr]]
Template:Sfn 		[[UK singles chart|Template:Abbr]]
Template:Sfn 		[[Billboard Hot 100|Template:Abbr]]
Template:Sfnm
2003 "Dragostea din tei"‡Template:Sfn
Template:Small 		Romania
Italy 		colspan="12" Template:N/A
2004 "Allo!"‡Template:Sfn
Template:Small 		Belgium — 3 — — — — — — — — —
"Argent-Argent"‡Template:Sfn
Template:Small 		France — — — — 14 — — — — — —

ParodyTemplate:Sfn

"Festa no Apê"‡Template:Sfn
Template:Small 		Brazil — — — — — — — — — — —

Lyrics rewritten in Portuguese. Experienced notable commercial success in Brazil.Template:Sfnm

"Kumimies"‡Template:Sfnm
Template:Small 		Finland — — — — — — — — — — —

Lyrics rewritten in FinnishTemplate:Sfn

"Le poulailler"‡Template:Sfn
Template:Small 		France — — 8 — 2 ― — — 30 — —

Parody in FrenchTemplate:Sfn

"Ma cé ki? Massimo"‡Template:Sfn
Template:Small 		— — 13 — 9 — — — 38 — —

ParodyTemplate:Sfn

"Muggen hier, muggen daar"‡Template:Sfn
Template:Small 		Netherlands — — — — — — — 5Template:Efn — — —

ParodyTemplate:Sfn

"Net Die Een Vir My (Maia Hee)"‡Template:Sfnm
Template:Small 		South Africa — — — — — — — — — — —
"Ra la la (Rudi hier, Rudi da)"‡Template:Sfnm
Template:Small 		Germany — — — — — 41 — — — — —

Lyrics rewritten to delve on football themes. Used to promote Germany's participation in the UEFA Euro 2004 championship.Template:Sfn

"Rumba rej"‡Template:Sfnm
Template:Small 		Czech Republic — — — — — — — — — — —

Lyrics rewritten in CzechTemplate:Sfn

"Unsichtbar"‡Template:Sfn
Template:Small 		Austria — — — — — — — — — — —

Won the 2004 Kiddy ContestTemplate:Sfn

"Wenn der Hafer sticht"‡Template:Sfn
Template:Small 		7 — — — — 90 — — — — —

Lyrics rewritten in German languageTemplate:Sfn

"Я её хой" ("Ya Yeyo Khoy")‡Template:Sfn
Template:Small 		Russia — — — 40 — — — — — — —
"Zauberschule"‡Template:Sfn
Template:Small 		Germany — — — — — — — — — — —
2005 Template:Nihongo‡Template:Sfnm
Template:Small 		Japan — — — — — — — — — — —

Medley of multiple songs, including a cover of "Dragostea din tei"Template:Sfn

"Pluma Gay"‡Template:Sfnm
Template:Small 		Spain — — — — — — — — — — —

Also known as "Marica tú" (Spanish: "Gay You"). With lyrics rewritten in Spanish and altered to talk about partying and coming out,Template:Sfnm the parody attained commercial success in several Spanish-speaking territories and became popular with the LGBTQ community there.Template:Sfnm Also covered by Argentine band Los Sultanes.Template:Sfnm

2006 "Sem Drama Aguardarei"‡Template:Sfnm
Template:Small 		Portugal — — — — — — — — — — —
"Template:Lang" ("Sister's Dream")‡Template:Sfnm
Template:Small 		South Korea — — — — — — — — — — —

Experienced commercial success in South KoreaTemplate:Sfn

"Sugar Tunes Numa Numa"‡Template:Sfnm
Template:Small 		Moldova — — — — — — — — — — —

Grunge versionTemplate:Sfn

2007 "Bu Pa Bu Pa"‡Template:Sfnm
Template:Small 		Singapore — — — — — — — — — — —

Lyrics rewritten to delve on overcoming the fear of cockroachesTemplate:Sfn

"Người Tình Mai-Ya-Hee"‡Template:Sfnm
Template:Small 		Vietnam — — — — — — — — — — —

Lyrics rewritten in Vietnamese.Template:Sfn Experienced commercial success in Vietnam.Template:Sfn "Dragostea din tei" has also been covered in Vietnamese by Đan Trường.Template:Sfn

2008 "Live Your Life"Template:Hash-tagTemplate:Sfn
Template:Small 		United States
Barbados 		5 15 19 49 17 12 — 21 8 2 1 The song's co-producer Just Blaze came up with the idea of sampling and interpolating "Dragostea din tei" through Brolsma's viral video.Template:Sfn
"Numa Numa 2"‡Template:Sfn
Template:Small 		Moldova — — — — — — — — — — —

Not to be confused with an unrelated video of Brolsma's of the same nameTemplate:Sfn

"When You Leave (Numa Numa)"‡Template:Sfnm
Template:Small 		Romania — — — — — — — — — — —Template:Efn

Released as a remix produced by Swedish artist BasshunterTemplate:Sfn

2011 "Dragostea din tei"‡Template:Sfnm
Template:Small 		United States — — — — — — — — — — —

Recorded in a humppa version and included on the soundtrack of Happy Feet Two (2011)Template:Sfnm

"Ma-Ya-Hi"‡Template:Sfnm
Template:Small 		Germany — — — — — 84 — — — — —
2012 "Girls"Template:Hash-tagTemplate:Sfn
Template:Small 		Japan — — — — — — 11 — — — —
"My Life Is a Party"‡Template:Sfnm
Template:Small 		Germany 18 — —Template:Efn — 103 43 — — 62 — —
2018 "Numa Numa 2"Template:Hash-tagTemplate:Sfn
Template:Small 		Moldova
United States 		— — — 78 — — 64 — — — —

Marketed as a continuation of "Dragostea din tei".Template:Sfn Not to be confused with an unrelated video of Brolsma's of the same name.Template:Sfn Released under the title Template:Nihongo in Japan.Template:Sfn

2019 "Dragostea din tei"‡Template:Sfn
Template:Small 		Moldova
Ukraine 		— — — — — — — — — — —

Viral cover performed on Holos Krainy by contestant Begu and juror BalanTemplate:Sfn

2020 "Dragostea din tei"‡Template:Sfnm
Template:Small 		Romania — — — — — — — — — — —
2021 "Dragostea din tei"‡Template:Sfn
Template:Small 		France — — — — — — — — — — —
"Faded Love"Template:Hash-tagTemplate:Sfn
Template:Small 		Germany 11 31 — — — 17 — 58 24 — —
2022 "Dragostea din tei"‡Template:Sfn
Template:Small 		— — — — — — — — — — —

Rock cover.Template:Sfn Also performed while competing in the German national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025.Template:Sfn

2024 "I Don't Wanna Wait"Template:Hash-tagTemplate:Sfn
Template:Small 		France
United States 		8 10 4 3 13 10 —Template:Efn 12 7 19 96
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Track listings

Template:Col-begin Template:Col-2

  1. "Dragostea din tei" – 3:33
  2. "Despre tine" (Unu' in the Mix) – 7:38
  3. "Dragostea din tei" (Unu' in the Dub Mix) – 3:39
  4. "Numai tu" (Music video) – 4:10
  5. "Despre tine" (Music video) – 3:53
  1. "Dragostea din tei" (Original Romanian Version) – 3:33
  2. "Dragostea din tei" (DJ Ross Radio Remix) – 4:15
  3. "Dragostea din tei" (DJ Ross Extended Remix) – 6:22
  4. "Dragostea din tei" (Original Italian Version) – 3:35
  5. "Dragostea din tei" (Unu' in the Dub Mix) – 3:39
  6. "Dragostea din tei" (Music video) – 4:46
  1. "Dragostea din tei" (Original Romanian Version) – 3:33
  2. "Dragostea din tei" (DJ Ross Radio Remix) – 4:15
  1. "Dragostea din tei" (Original Romanian Version) – 3:33
  2. "Dragostea din tei" (Original Italian Version) – 3:35
  1. "Dragostea din tei" (Original Romanian Version) – 3:33
  2. "Dragostea din tei" (DJ Ross Radio Remix) – 4:15
  3. "Dragostea din tei" (Original Italian Version) – 3:35
  4. "Dragostea din tei" (Unu' in the Dub Mix) – 3:39
  1. "Dragostea din tei" (Original Romanian Version) – 3:33
  2. "Dragostea din tei" (Nectar Remix) – 5:57
  3. "Dragostea din tei" (DJ Ross Extended Remix) – 6:22
  4. "Dragostea din tei" (Spike Norton Tekmix) – 6:37
  5. "Dragostea din tei" (Almighty Mix) – 7:00
  1. "Dragostea din tei" (Nectar Remix) – 5:57
  2. "Dragostea din tei" (Spike Norton Flymix) – 6:34
  3. "Dragostea din tei" (Spike Norton Tekmix) – 6:37
  4. "Dragostea din tei" (Almighty Mix) – 7:00
  1. "Dragostea din tei" (DJ Ross Extended Remix) – 6:22
  2. "Dragostea din tei" (Original Romanian Version) – 3:33
  3. "Dragostea din tei" (Acapella) – 3:30
  1. "Dragostea din tei" (Original Romanian Version) – 3:33
  2. "Dragostea din tei" (DJ Ross Radio Remix) – 4:15
  3. "Dragostea din tei" (DJ Ross Extended Remix) – 6:22
  4. "Dragostea din tei" (Original Italian Version) – 3:35
  5. "Dragostea din tei" (Unu' in the Dub Mix) – 3:39
  1. "Dragostea din tei" (Original Romanian Version) – 3:33
  2. "Dragostea din tei" (DJ Ross Radio Remix) – 4:15
  • Italian, Mexican, Dutch and Spanish CD single,
    and Swedish CD single 3    Template:Sfnm
  1. "Dragostea din tei" (Original Romanian Version) – 3:33
  2. "Dragostea din tei" (Original Italian Version) – 3:35
  3. "Dragostea din tei" (DJ Ross Radio Remix) – 4:15
  4. "Dragostea din tei" (DJ Ross Extended Remix) – 6:22
  5. "Dragostea din tei" (Unu' in the Dub Mix) – 3:39
  1. "Dragostea din tei" (DJ Ross Extended Remix) – 6:22
  2. "Dragostea din tei" (DJ Ross Radio Remix) – 4:15
  3. "Dragostea din tei" (Unu' in the Dub Mix) – 3:39
  4. "Dragostea din tei" (Original Italian Version) – 3:35
  5. "Dragostea din tei" (Original Romanian Version) – 3:33

Template:Col-2

  1. "Dragostea din tei" (DJ Ross Extended Remix) – 6:22
  2. "Dragostea din tei" (DJ Ross Radio Remix) – 4:15
  3. "Dragostea din tei" (Original Italian Version) – 3:35
  4. "Dragostea din tei" (Original Romanian Version) – 3:33
  1. "Dragostea din tei" (DJ Aligator vs. CS-Jay Radio Version) – 3:35
  2. "Dragostea din tei" (Original Italian Version) – 3:35
  3. "Dragostea din tei" (Original Romanian Version) – 3:33
  4. "Dragostea din tei" (DJ Ross Radio Remix) – 4:15
  5. "Dragostea din tei" (DJ Ross Extended Remix) – 6:22
  6. "Dragostea din tei" (DJ Aligator vs. CS-Jay Club Version) – 6:04
  1. "Dragostea din tei" (Original Romanian Version) – 3:33
  2. "Dragostea din tei" (Almighty Mix) – 6:58
  3. "Dragostea din tei" (DJ Ross Extended Remix) – 6:22
  4. "Dragostea din tei" (Unu' in the Dub Mix) – 3:39
  5. "Dragostea din tei" (Almighty Dub) – 6:01
  1. "Dragostea din tei" (Original Romanian Version) – 3:33
  2. "Dragostea din tei" (DJ Ross Extended Remix) – 6:22
  3. "Dragostea din tei" (Almighty Mix) – 6:58
  4. "Dragostea din tei" (Almighty Dub) – 6:01
  1. "Ma Ya Hi" (featuring Lucas Prata) – 3:36
  2. "Dragostea din tei" (Original Italian Version) – 3:35
  3. "Dragostea din tei" (Original Romanian Version) – 3:33
  4. "Dragostea din tei" (DJ Ross Extended Remix) – 6:22
  5. "Dragostea din tei" (DJ Ross Radio Remix) – 4:15
  1. "Ma Ya Hi" (featuring Lucas Prata) [Valentin Remix Club Version] – 6:38
  2. "Ma Ya Hi" (featuring Lucas Prata) – 3:37
  3. "Dragostea din tei" (Original Italian Version) – 3:33
  4. "Dragostea din tei" (DJ Ross Radio Remix) – 4:16
  5. "Dragostea din tei" (DJ Ross Extended Remix) – 6:23
  1. "Dragostea din tei" – 3:39
  2. "Dragostea din tei" (Overhead Champion Remix) – 6:46
  3. "Dragostea din tei" (DJ Kaya & DJ Kousuke Remix) – 5:40
  4. "Dragostea din tei" (Eurobeat Remix) – 4:09
  5. "Dragostea din tei" (DJ Ross Extended Remix) – 6:23
  1. "Dragostea din tei" (Overhead Champion Remix) – 6:46
  2. "Dragostea din tei" (DJ Kaya & DJ Kousuke Remix) – 5:40
  3. "Dragostea din tei" (Original Version) – 3:39
  4. "Dragostea din tei" (Eurobeat Remix) – 4:09
  1. "Dragostea din tei" (Crystal Mix) – 3:45
  2. "Dragostea din tei" (Seb Version) – 3:53
  3. "Ma Ya Hi" (featuring Lucas Prata) [Valentin Radio Edit] – 3:34
  4. "Dragostea din tei" (Ole Ed Remix) – 2:52
  5. "Dragostea din tei" (Radu Sirbu Remix) – 3:35
  6. "Dragostea din tei" (W&W Remix) – 2:54
  7. "Dragostea din tei" (Besomorph & It's Different Remix) – 2:08

Template:Col-end

Charts

Template:Col-begin Template:Col-2

Weekly charts

2003–2005 weekly chart performance for "Dragostea din tei"
Chart (2003–2005) Peak
position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)Template:Sfn 1
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)Template:Sfn 2
Belgium (Ultratop 40 Wallonia)Template:Sfn 1
CIS Airplay (TopHit)Template:Sfn 48
CIS Airplay (TopHit)Template:Sfn
Template:Small 		9
CIS Airplay (TopHit)Template:Sfn
Template:Small 		146
Czech Republic (IFPI)Template:Sfn 2
Denmark (Tracklisten)Template:Sfn 1
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)Template:Sfn 1
Europe (European Radio Airplay)Template:Sfn 13
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)Template:Sfn 2
France (SNEP)Template:Sfn 1
Germany (Media Control)Template:Sfn 1
Hungary (Rádiós Top 40)Template:Sfn 2
Hungary (Single Top 40)Template:Sfn 5
Hungary (Dance Top 40)Template:Sfn 3
Ireland (IRMA)Template:Sfn 1
Italy (FIMI)Template:Sfn 17
Japan (Oricon)Template:Sfn 72
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)Template:Sfn 1
Netherlands (Single Top 100)Template:Sfn 1
Norway (VG-lista)Template:Sfn 1
Romania (Romanian Top 100)Template:Sfn 1
Russia Airplay (TopHit)Template:Sfn 72
Russia Airplay (TopHit)Template:Sfn
Template:Small 		31
Russia Airplay (TopHit)Template:Sfn
Template:Small 		116
Scotland (OCC)Template:Sfn 2
Spain (PROMUSICAE)Template:Sfn 1
Sweden (Hitlistan)Template:Sfn 3
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)Template:Sfn 1
UK Singles (OCC)Template:Sfn 3
Ukraine Airplay (TopHit)Template:Sfn
Template:Small 		7
Ukraine Airplay (TopHit)Template:Sfn
Template:Small 		68
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 (Billboard)Template:Sfn
Template:Small 		16
US Digital Songs (Billboard)Template:Sfn
Template:Small 		69
US Dance Airplay (Billboard)Template:Sfn
Template:Small 		14
US Pop 100 (Billboard)Template:Sfn
Template:Small 		72
2017 weekly chart performance for "Dragostea din tei"
Chart (2017) Peak
position
Ukraine Airplay (TopHit)Template:Sfn 103
2024 weekly chart performance for "Dragostea din tei"
Chart (2024) Peak
position
Moldova Airplay (TopHit)Template:Sfn 85

Template:Col-2

Year-end charts

2003 year-end chart performance for "Dragostea din tei"
Chart (2003) Position
Romania (Romanian Top 100)Template:Sfn 12
2004 year-end chart performance for "Dragostea din tei"
Chart (2004) Position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)Template:Sfn 1
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)Template:Sfn 7
Belgium (Ultratop 40 Wallonia)Template:Sfn 1
CIS Airplay (TopHit)Template:Sfn
Template:Small 		73
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)Template:Sfn 1
France (SNEP)Template:Sfn 1
Germany (Media Control)Template:Sfn 1
Hungary (Rádiós Top 40)Template:Sfn 48
Ireland (IRMA)Template:Sfn 9
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)Template:Sfn 1
Netherlands (Single Top 100)Template:Sfn 1
Russia Airplay (TopHit)Template:Sfn
Template:Small 		188
Sweden (Hitlistan)Template:Sfn 15
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)Template:Sfn 1
UK Singles (OCC)Template:Sfn 28
Ukraine Airplay (TopHit)Template:Sfn
Template:Small 		26

Decade-end charts

2000–2009 decade-end chart performance for "Dragostea din tei"
Chart (2000–2009) Position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)Template:Sfn 9
Germany (Media Control)Template:Sfn 3
Netherlands (Single Top 100)Template:Sfn 12

Template:Col-end

Certifications and sales

Template:Certification Table Top Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Summary Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Bottom

Release history

Release dates for "Dragostea din tei"
Region Date Format Label Version Template:Abbr
Romania June 2003Template:Efn Radio airplay Media Services Template:Center Template:Center
Template:Center CD single Cat Template:Center
DACH Template:Center Universal Template:Center
Europe Template:Hlist Template:Center
France 14 April 2004 colspan="2" Template:N/A Template:Center
Template:Center CD single Universal Template:Center
12-inch single Template:Center
Germany CD single Template:Hlist Template:Center
Mini CD Template:Center
Italy CD single Time Template:Center
12-inch single Template:Center
Mexico CD single Musart Template:Center
Netherlands BMG Template:Center
Spain Vale Template:Center
12-inch singleTemplate:Efn Template:Center
Sweden CD single Bonnier Template:Center
United Kingdom 24 May 2004 colspan="2" Template:N/A Template:Center
Template:Center CD single Time Template:Center
12-inch single Jive Template:Center
United States Ultra Template:Center Template:Center
Template:Center Template:Center
22 June 2004 Digital download Media Services Template:Center Template:Center
30 November 2004 Time Template:Center Template:Center
Early 2005 Radio airplay Template:N/A Template:Center Template:Center
Japan Template:Center CD single Avex Trax Template:Center Template:Center
Template:Center 12-inch single Rhythm Republic Template:Center
Various Template:N/A Digital download Cat Template:Center Template:Center

Haiducii version

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Background and composition

Italy-based Romanian singer Paula Monica Mitrache, professionally known as Haiducii, recorded a cover of "Dragostea din tei" after being advised to do so by her label Universo,Template:Sfnm despite initially opposing the idea.Template:Sfn Her stage name was inspired by the song's reference to hajduks (Romanian: haiduci).Template:Sfn The cover was produced and mixed by Max Minoia at MM Studio in Rome, Italy,Template:Sfn and features uncredited vocals by Italian singer Vittorio Centrone, who notably provides the "Ma-ia-hii, Ma-ia-huu, Ma-ia-hoo, Ma-ia-haha" sequence.Template:Sfnm In Haiducii's dance version of the song, both a man and a woman are heard conversing—a concept which Rivista StudioTemplate:'s Francesco Gerardi compared to "Template:Interlanguage link" (1974) by Italian singer Claudia Mori.Template:Sfnm Wolk of The Believer unfavorably categorized the cover as a "badly sung boy-and-girl duet".Template:Sfn

Release

Haiducii's "Dragostea din tei" was released as her debut single in Italy in December 2003 by Universo.Template:Sfn The track was later physically distributed in multiple territories throughout 2004, including France,Template:Sfn Germany,Template:Sfn Italy,Template:Sfn Netherlands,Template:Sfn Spain and the United States.Template:Sfnm These releases included a remix by Italian DJ and Eiffel 65 member Gabry Ponte.Template:Sfnm A digital remix EP became available for download on 3 August 2004 in various countries.Template:Sfnm In 2005, the track was issued in Taiwan under the title Template:Lang ("Mai A Hi") by Avex Trax, featuring cartoon imagery used to promote the song locally.Template:Sfnm The cover was later included on Haiducii's only studio album, Paula Mitrache in Haiducii (2008).Template:Sfn A remix titled "Dragostea din tei 2k13", featuring vocals from Eiffel 65 lead singer Jeffrey Jey, was released in 2012.Template:Sfn On 11 August 2023, Haiducii issued a solo re-recording of the song to mark its 20th anniversary.Template:Sfnm

Commercial performance

Photo of Gabry Ponte behind his DJ equipment and wearing headphones while performing onstage.
A remix produced by Italian DJ Gabry Ponte (pictured in 2011) significantly aided the song's performance on the Italian charts.Template:Sfnm

Haiducii's version achieved considerable commercial success, in some cases preceding O-Zone's original in international markets such as Germany,Template:Sfnm Italy,Template:Sfnm Spain,Template:Sfnm and France.Template:Sfnm In January 2004, it debuted at number one on the Italian singles chart, selling 200,000 copies and peaking higher than O-Zone's version.Template:Sfnm Aided by the Gabry Ponte remix,Template:Sfnm the single remained at number one for six weeks and spent over four months in the top 10.Template:Sfn

The cover debuted and peaked at number four in Spain in March 2004,Template:Sfn followed by number one in Austria and number two in France in April.Template:Sfnm In May, it reached number two in Wallonia, ranking just below O-Zone's version.Template:Sfnm In June 2004, the track similarly peaked at number two in both Germany and Switzerland,Template:Sfnm number four in Norway, and number six in Flanders.Template:Sfnm It climbed to number two on the European Hot 100 Singles chart in July,Template:Sfn and reached the top 10 in the Netherlands, Denmark, and Hungary.Template:Sfnm In Sweden, Haiducii's version topped the singles chart in August, outperforming O-Zone's, and remained at number one for five consecutive weeks, spending a total of five months in the top 10.Template:Sfnm In the United States, the single peaked at number four on the Dance Singles Sales chart in November 2004.Template:Sfn

By year's end, the track had ranked among the top 10 best-performing singles of 2004 in Austria,Template:Sfn Germany,Template:Sfn Italy,Template:Sfn Sweden,Template:Sfn Switzerland,Template:Sfn as well as on the European Hot 100 Singles chart.Template:Sfn It also received gold certifications in Austria,Template:Sfn Belgium,Template:Sfn France,Template:Sfn Sweden and Switzerland.Template:Sfnm As of February 2021, cumulative European sales of the single surpassed one million units.Template:Sfn

Promotion

A music video accompanied the release of Haiducii's version, appearing in 2004 at the latest.Template:Sfn The video opens with a man entering a hotel room and throwing himself on a bed before roaming the room and hallway. Meanwhile, Haiducii watches him via surveillance footage from a separate room. The man eventually discovers the hidden camera and arrives at Haiducii's room, only to find it empty. There, he then views footage of her leaving, dressed in a red fur outfit. The video incorporates frequent four-way split screens and features Haiducii dancing in various outfits.Template:Sfn

To promote the single, Haiducii performed on the Italian edition of Top of the Pops on 28 February 2004,Template:Sfn and appeared at the Sanremo Music Festival 2004 on 4 March 2004.Template:Sfn In France, she performed on Template:Ill on 5 June 2004,Template:Sfn and in Germany on Top of the Pops later that month and on Template:Interlanguage link on 24 June 2004.Template:Sfnm Haiducii became the subject of controversy in Germany after multiple scheduled appearances in cities such as Mannheim, Karlsruhe, and Leipzig were fulfilled by unprofessional impersonators lip-syncing as her. The deception went unnoticed for several days, reportedly misleading event organizers and broadcasters, until it was revealed that Haiducii had been performing live in Italy at the same time. Legal proceedings were subsequently initiated against the agency responsible for the fraudulent bookings.Template:Sfn In later years, Haiducii appeared on Template:Ill in Germany on 3 January 2020,Template:Sfn and on ZDF-Fernsehgarten on 7 May 2023 in the same region.Template:Sfn That same year, she also performed on Template:Interlanguage link in Italy on 27 September.Template:Sfn In 2024, she made a surprise appearance on the Italian version of The Voice Senior during Centrone's audition to perform the song with him.Template:Sfn

Dispute over legality and impact on the original version

In February 2004, Balan alleged that, although he had been credited as the songwriter, Haiducii'sTemplate:Efn version had been released without his permission. He threatened legal action against Haiducii and Universo unless the single was withdrawn. According to Balan, the label had cited an Italian law that allegedly allowed such covers without explicit consent; however, he contended that no such law existed or applied in this case, particularly as Haiducii was Romanian and the original song was recorded in Romania.Template:Sfn Gerardi of Rivista Studio argued that Haiducii's approach was legally permissible at the time.Template:Sfn According to Romanian media, both parties ultimately reached an agreement without any lawsuit ever being filed.Template:Sfn In a 2016 interview, Haiducii confirmed that no legal action had been taken against her version.Template:Sfn

Several commentators argued that Haiducii's cover played a pivotal role in drawing international attention to the original track.Template:Sfnm Gerardi wrote that O-Zone's version had enjoyed success in Romania and Moldova before being largely forgotten. However, once Haiducii's cover gained popularity, opportunities arose to initiate international distribution for the original version.Template:Sfn Nonetheless, Balan described the coexistence of the cover as an obstacle in promoting the original internationally, stating that the band had to persuade record labels that the track was their own.Template:Sfn

Other usage

In 2009, a version of the song titled "Maya Hi, Maya Hu", credited to Swedish animated character Crazy Frog, was released.Template:Sfn In 2019, Haiducii collaborated with Catholic priest Don Allessandrou Cosu to release "Parliamo di Gesú" (Italian: "Let's Talk About Jesus"), a religious adaptation of the song, published on YouTube.Template:Sfnm The music video, filmed inside a church, went viral on Italian social media in 2021.Template:Sfnm In June 2023, Italian artist Caffellatte and Haiducii released the single "Troppo Chic (Dragostea din tei)", incorporating portions of "Dragostea din tei" that Haiducii re-recorded. The duo performed the song live on the Italian music programme Template:Interlanguage link.Template:Sfnm

Track listings

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  • Austrian, Italian, Dutch, US and Taiwanese CD single,
    and Swedish CD single 1    Template:Sfnm
  1. "Dragostea din tei" (Original Mix) – 3:35
  2. "Dragostea din tei" (Haiducii vs. Gabry Ponte Radio Version) – 3:42
  3. "Dragostea din tei" (DJ Ross 4 the Radio Remix) – 4:15
  4. "Dragostea din tei" (Haiducii vs. Gabry Ponte Extended Version) – 6:30
  5. "Dragostea din tei" (DJ Ross 4 the Club Remix) – 6:22
  1. "Dragostea din tei" (Original Mix) – 3:35
  2. "Dragostea din tei" (Haiducii vs. Gabry Ponte Radio Version) – 3:42
  3. "Dragostea din tei" (DJ Ross 4 the Radio Remix) – 4:15
  1. "Dragostea din tei" (DJ Ross 4 the Club Remix) – 6:22
  2. "Dragostea din tei" (Haiducii vs. Gabry Ponte Extended Version) – 6:30
  3. "Dragostea din tei" (Original Mix) – 3:35
  1. "Dragostea din tei" (Original Mix) – 3:35
  2. "Dragostea din tei" (Haiducii vs. Gabry Ponte Radio Version) – 3:42
  3. "Dragostea din tei" (DJ Ross 4 the Radio Remix) – 4:15
  4. "Dragostea din tei" (Haiducii vs. Gabry Ponte Extended Version) – 6:30
  5. "Dragostea din tei" (DJ Ross 4 the Club Remix) – 6:22
  6. "Dragostea din tei" (Potatoheadz Club Mix) – 6:55
  7. "Spring" – 7:17
  1. "Dragostea din tei" (Original Mix) – 3:35
  2. "Dragostea din tei" (Haiducii vs. Gabry Ponte Extended Version) – 6:30
  3. "Dragostea din tei" (DJ Friki Remix) – 5:17
  4. "Dragostea din tei" (Karaoke Version) – 3:35
  5. "Dragostea din tei" (Music Video) – 3:35
  6. Kultvideo von DJ Friki – 2:21

Template:Col-2

  1. "Dragostea din tei" (Haiducii vs. Gabry Ponte Extended Version) – 6:30
  2. "Dragostea din tei" (Haiducii vs. Gabry Ponte Radio Version) – 3:42
  3. "Dragostea din tei" (DJ Ross 4 the Club Remix) – 6:22
  4. "Dragostea din tei" (Original Mix) – 3:35
  1. "Dragostea din tei" (Haiducii vs. Gabry Ponte Radio Version) – 3:42
  2. "Dragostea din tei" (DJ Ross 4 the Radio Remix) – 4:15
  3. "Dragostea din tei" (Haiducii vs. Gabry Ponte Extended Version) – 6:31
  4. "Dragostea din tei" (DJ Ross 4 the Club Remix) – 6:22
  1. "Dragostea din tei" (Original Version) – 3:35
  2. "Dragostea din tei" (Haiducii vs. Gabry Ponte Radio Version) – 3:42
  1. "Dragostea din tei 2k13" (Gabry Ponte featuring Haiducii and Jeffrey Jey) [Radio Edit] – 3:26
  2. "Dragostea din tei 2k13" (Gabry Ponte featuring Haiducii and Jeffrey Jey) [Extended] – 4:52
  3. "Dragostea din tei 2k13" (Gabry Ponte featuring Haiducii and Jeffrey Jey) [Alien Cut & Dino Brown Radio Remix] – 3:38
  4. "Dragostea din tei 2k13" (Gabry Ponte featuring Haiducii and Jeffrey Jey) [Alien Cut & Dino Brown Remix] – 5:46
  5. "Dragostea din tei" (with Dual Beat and Mr. Frog) [Future Rave Extended Mix] – 5:30
  6. "Dragostea din tei" (with Dual Beat and Mr. Frog) [Future Rave Radio Mix] – 3:18

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Charts

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Weekly charts

2004 weekly chart performance for Haiducii's version of "Dragostea din tei"
Chart (2004) Peak
position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)Template:Sfn 1
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)Template:Sfn 5
Belgium (Ultratop 40 Wallonia)Template:Sfn 2
Denmark (Tracklisten)Template:Sfn 7
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)Template:Sfn 2
France (SNEP)Template:Sfn 2
Germany (Media Control)Template:Sfn 2
Hungary (Single Top 40)Template:Sfn 5
Hungary (Dance Top 40)Template:Sfn 1
Italy (FIMI)Template:Sfn 1
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)Template:Sfn 8
Netherlands (Single Top 100)Template:Sfn 4
Norway (VG-lista)Template:Sfn 4
Spain (PROMUSICAE)Template:Sfn 4
Sweden (Hitlistan)Template:Sfn 1
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)Template:Sfn 2
US Dance Singles Sales (Billboard)Template:Sfn 4

Template:Col-2

Year-end charts

2004 year-end chart performance for Haiducii's version of "Dragostea din tei"
Chart (2004) Position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)Template:Sfn 3
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)Template:Sfn 14
Belgium (Ultratop 40 Wallonia)Template:Sfn 22
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)Template:Sfn 9
France (SNEP)Template:Sfn 39
Germany (Media Control)Template:Sfn 9
Italy (FIMI)Template:Sfn 3
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)Template:Sfn 82
Netherlands (Single Top 100)Template:Sfn 28
Sweden (Hitlistan)Template:Sfn 5
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)Template:Sfn 9

Decade-end charts

2000–2009 decade-end chart performance for Haiducii's version of "Dragostea din tei"
Chart (2000–2009) Position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)Template:Sfn 77
Germany (Media Control)Template:Sfn 95

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Certifications and sales

Template:Certification Table Top Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Summary Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Bottom

Release history

Release dates for Haiducii's version of "Dragostea din tei"
Region Date Format Label Version Template:Abbr
Italy December 2003 Template:N/A Universo Template:Center Template:Center
Austria Template:Center CD single Edel Template:Center
Belgium ARS Productions Template:Center
France Universo Template:Center
12-inch single Bertelsmann Template:Center
Germany CD single Template:Hlist Template:Center
Italy Sony Template:Center
12-inch single Spy Template:Center
Netherlands CD single Digidance Template:Center
Spain Blanco y negro Template:Center
Sweden Template:Hlist Template:Center
Switzerland Ministry of Sound Template:Center
United States Empire Musicwerks Template:Center
Various 3 August 2004 Digital download Template:N/A Template:Center Template:Center
Taiwan Template:Center CD single Avex Trax Template:Center Template:Center

See also

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References

Notes

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Citations

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Sources

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Template:O-Zone Template:Haiducii Template:Authority control

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