Before becoming Ina, Elena Alexandra Apostoleanu was a girl from the Romanian Black Sea Coast who sang in a church choir and grew up in a family close to music. She was born on October 16, 1986 in Mangalia and grew up in Neptun. Today, the Romanian singer turns 40, and her name has long been associated with some of the most recognizable dance hits of the early 21st century.
Her mother is a singer, and her grandmother is also involved in music. Ina herself says that music has been part of her life since childhood, when she started singing and attending vocal lessons. Later, she studied political science at the “Ovid” University in Constanta. A musical career did not come immediately. Before that, Ina worked in the office of a real estate company, where her manager heard her singing and encouraged her to meet the production trio Play & Win.
The song that opened borders
In 2008, “Hot“ was released - the song that changed the direction of her life. The song was created by Play & Win and quickly became a radio hit in Romania, and then reached listeners in a number of European countries. Its success marked the beginning of an international career that was not limited to the Romanian market.
The debut album “Hot“ was released in 2009 and brought more songs, including “Love“, “Amazing“, “Déjà Vu“ and “10 Minutes“. This was followed by “I Am the Club Rocker“ in 2011, “Party Never Ends“ in 2013 and the eponymous “INNA“ in 2015. By that time, the singer was already a regular presence in European charts and concert posters.
From “Sun Is Up“ to the Spanish “YO“
Among Ina's most popular songs are “Sun Is Up“, “Cola Song“ with J Balvin, “More Than Friends“ with Daddy Yankee and “Rock My Body“. She has also worked with Pitbull, Sean Paul and Flo Rida, gradually expanding her sound with Latin, house and electronic influences.
In 2019, she released “YO“ - an album recorded entirely in Spanish. It shows a different side of her artistic image and focuses her attention on the Spanish-speaking audience. This was followed by “Heartbreaker“, “Champagne Problems“ and new singles, including “7 Zile“ and “Echo“.
Awards also mark her path. Ina won the award for Best Romanian Artist at the MTV Europe Music Awards in 2009 and 2010, and in 2011 she received the European Border Breakers Award for the international success of a European artist.
In 2026, she continues to take to the stage and perform both her early hits and her more recent repertoire. Ina's story remains connected to a simple but unusual sequence for pop music: a girl from a small Black Sea town turns her first big song into a pass to the world stage.
Sources: radioconstanta.ro, gulfnews.com, los40.com