Natalia Barbu: 10 Facts about Moldova’s Eurovision 2024 entrant

Natalia Barbu will represent Moldova at Eurovision 2024 in Malmö. Her crossover song “In The Middle” is all about finding the right balance.A big star in her country of birth and in neighbouring Romania, Natalia was a hotly tipped favourite to win Moldovan selection with her violin (including several on-stage lookalikes). But who is Natalia Barbu behind her Eurovision entry? 

So let’s delve in deeper.

Scroll down for 10 Facts about Natalia Barbu

10 Facts about Natalia Barbu

1. She previously participated in Eurovision and finshed tenth

Many Eurovision fans will know the fact that Natalia previously represented her country of birth at the contest. In 2007, in Helsinki, Natalia sang “Fight” — an entry that eventually finished tenth for Moldova. 

2. Her mother Ana Barbu was a famous singer too

Natalia grew up in a musical family. Her mother Ana Barbu worked as a solist and singer in an orchestra and frequently toured around the region, becoming well-known. Her father was a conductor, while her maternal grandparents also sang in a choir. 

3. Natalia lived with her grandparents until she was eight

One of the fondest childhood childhood memories that Natalia has is that she grew up with her grandparents the first eight years of her life. She spent those years in a small village in the middle of nature. She said in an interview with Formula AS:

“My grandparents raised me in a truly magical family atmosphere! They loved me enormously and gave me great freedom, but love and freedom are two of the things that shape a child beautifully. That doesn’t mean that I didn’t know what that respect was: my grandparents raised me in respect and love for my peers, for nature, for knowledge, for music…”

4. She has been open about growing up in Transnistria during the Transnistria war

After that, Natalia grew up partially in Rîbnița across the Dniester, but as Russian was not her first language, she attended a school on the other side of the river in Rezina. She said about that experience: “I crossed the bridge over the Dniester every day to get to school, I walked past barricades guarded by armed soldiers. It was more difficult for our parents, we, the children, had fun. I remember that, after crossing the bridge and arriving in Moldova, there were some very nice soldiers who served us with seeds.”

5. Natalia has been playing the violin ever since she was eight

Just like her musical parents, Natalia was also raised to be a musician. First, she was assigned to learn to play the violin after she arrived in Transnistria – a wish from her father. It was hard, but eventually she managed to master the instrument. 

6. She dropped out of Chisinau Conservatory because the level was “too low”

After relocating to Chisinau as a teenager, she decided to study at the capital’s main music institution. She said to Formula AS that she applied to study at the Chisinau Conservatory, but dropped out because the level was too low for her taste and she switched to singing. 

7. She has relocated to Romania and lives in Bucharest

To have better opportunities, like many Moldovans, Natalia has since relocated to Romania. For over a decade, she has been living in the country’s capital Bucharest. 

8. Natalia has been married to Nicolae since 2011 and they have a son

Natalia Barbu’s marriage has been well-followed and widely publicised in Romanian and Moldovan magazines. In 2010, she met businessman Nicolae, with whom she has a child. They married in 2011, and have been married ever since, proving gossipers that their love – despite their 26 years age gap – was not just for show. 

9. She loves rock music and is a fan of Imagine Dragons

In an interview to Moldavan newspaper Gazeta de Chisinau in 2020, Natalia revealed that she is a rock music lover. She confessed that she listens to Imagine Dragons and also went to their concert. 

10. She is a real extrovert

Speaking to VIP Magazin, Natalia Barbu revealed that she loves to socialise a lot and that she generally is an open person who likes to connect with others. However, after losing her mother, Natalia learnt to share negative experiences too as she previously tried to keep her negative thoughts to herself. With the experience, she has grown into the person she is now!