FiRMA emerged in the early 2000s and is widely considered one of Romania’s iconic alternative bands.
The debut album entitled “La Orbire” (“Blinding”) was released in 2003.
The main creative force behind this release (and all of the following ones) is Rocca (singer, songwriter and producer for FiRMA). The album featured a diverse and original sound ranging from rock, jazz, blues, funk to trip-hop.
The singles supporting the album were “La Orbire”, “Nimeni” and “Important”, backed by beautifully crafted videos played in heavy rotation by major television (MTV, TVR, AtomicTV).
FiRMA received two MTV nominalisations: “Best Romanian Act” at MTV’s European Music Awards in 2004 and “Best Rock Band” at MTV’s 2005 Romanian Music Awards, respectively.
“EXIT”, FiRMA’s second effort, was released in 2007. It heralded a new direction in the band’s sound, somewhat directed to a larger audience, containing pop-rock influences and English-based lyrics. The single, titled “Baby is crying” enters the “New Sounds Of Europe” competition and earns the band an invitation to participate at MTV’s 2007 European Music
Awards in Munich, Olympia Halle.
As the journey continues, new singles are being released between 2012- 2014 as the band embark on a new chapter called “Descantece vol.1” (“Descants vol.1”). The album took several years to complete and it has been described as a healing process, showing (as in all other previous releases) great attention to sonic detail. The album receives the award “Premiile SUNETE Most Wanted Comeback” in 2014. In 2015, the video for “Prizonieri de Razboi” (“Prisoners of War”) is released. Together with all other FiRMA’s videoclips (“La Orbire”, “Nimeni”, “Important”, “Baby is crying”, “Copiii Cerului”, “Doua Suflete”, “Tot Ce Va Fi”, “Doar Nebunii Iubesc”, it completes the cinematic vision Daniel Rocca wanted to create for the songs.
The band is offered the opening slot for MUSE’s show in Bucharest at Rock The City 2016. 2017 marks the beginning of a new and daring endeavor for FiRMA. “Desteptarea Primaverii” (“Spring Awakening”) is the title of a wellknown theatrical play, written by Frank Wedekind in 1890. Following the commissioned request by the famous theater “Teatrul Mic” (Bucharest), Daniel Rocca composes the original soundtrack which was to become the sonic layer for the theatrical performance of the play. The show went on with sold-out shows for five years. The album with the same name, comprised of live performances of songs from the show, was released in 2022. The band release their fourth album, “Descantece vol.2” (“Descants vol.2”). Come December 2018, “Poezii Alese Vol.I” (“Selected Poems Vol.I”) sees the light of day. The album is a massive body of work as it contains nine pieces of music composed by Daniel Rocca, blended with the lyrics of both great classic and contemporary Romanian poets, an arch across time spanning from Mihai Eminescu to Ana Blandiana. As a particularity to this record, the voices of the poets, reciting their own works, were extracted from Radio Romania’s golden audio archive. FiRMA plays “Mangaierea Lumii” (a song from “Desteptarea Primaverii”) alongside the Violoncellissimo Ensemble (conducted by maestro Marin Cazacu) at the Romanian Atheneum, an emotionally charged moment in the “Hope and Homes for Children Romania” campaign.
In 2019, on an especially hot day, FiRMA opened for Bon Jovi’s “This House Is Not For Sale” World Tour in Bucharest, during the Rock The City festival, in front of 35000 people.
The prestigious Sibiu Jazz International Festival commissioned FiRMA in 2020 for a special live jazz-rock set. “Origini” (“Origins”) is the name of FiRMA’s novel show which comprised two memorable shows in 2022, featuring two world renowned Romanian artists: Ana Blandiana and Maia Morgenstern.
FiRMA are invited to play a once-in-a-lifetime performance hosted by the National Museum Of Art, as part of Radio Romania Cultural’s campaign “Romanian Artists for Ukrainian Artists”.
“Electro-acoustic” is the band’s latest proposal for a concert. It features both electric and classical guitars and it showcases the band’s versatility and affinity for all likes of music. Presently, Daniel Rocca and Sorin Erhan (the two FiRMA’s core members) are working in the studio on new material (some of which was created during the pandemic era). Starting on humble beginnings in the early days to playing stadium-like venues, always having the dedication of their fans by the side, FiRMA have undoubtedly proven, throughout the 23+year career, their passion and love of music.
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