Tudor Lakatosh Changes the Narrative about Romani through Music

• Tudor Lakatosh uses music to fight against the discrimination of Romani people.
• He performs in Romani, Romanian, and English during his appearances.
• Lakatosh aims to be a positive example for Romani youth.

BUCHAREST, Romania — Tudor Lakatosh is fighting against the discrimination of Romani people, using the music of Elvis Presley. Dressed in a suit adorned with sequins and large sunglasses, he performs unique versions of Elvis's hits, mixing Romani, Romanian, and English languages.

Lakatosh does not consider himself an Elvis impersonator, but rather states that "it channels" his popularity to break stereotypes about Romani people and serve as a positive example for Romani children. According to him, he has always wanted to befriend Romanians and showcase the rich culture of the Romani people, which is often seen as stereotypical.

The Romani are an ethnic group that has its roots in Southern Asia, which has suffered persecution in Eastern Europe for centuries. They make up nearly 7% of Romania's population, where a significant part of respondents indicated experiencing discrimination in the past year, according to research data from the European Union.

Lakatosh began his career in the 1980s when he was a student of music during the harsh communist regime of Nicolae Ceaușescu. Singing Elvis songs, he managed to establish contacts with Romanian students, as rock music was a symbol of opposition.

Over the last 25 years, working as a teacher, he uses music to show his students that they can aspire to more than just the simple life of their villages in the southwestern part of Romania.

Lakatosh continues to tour the country, performing his show in various venues, such as "Terasa Florilor" in Bucharest. His performances attract an audience that enjoys not only the music but also the dishes on the menu.

The mixing of languages sometimes leads to misunderstandings, as there is not always a literal translation of Elvis's songs. For example, in his version of the famous song "Don't step on my blue suede shoes," the line is transformed into "don’t step on my bald head," which better reflects the reality of his students' lives.

Tags: Europe/Culture