Antonia Iacobescu was born in Bucharest but spent her childhood and teenage years in the United States. When she moved back to Romania after turning 18, she had spent almost her whole life abroad. Within a couple of years she was one of the country’s best-known pop singers, with club hits playing across Europe.
Known simply as Antonia, she has spent more than fifteen years at the top of Romanian pop, first with producer Tom Boxer and later with Global Records, while building a high-profile family life with singer Alex Velea. Here is her story.
Who Is Antonia Iacobescu?
Antonia Clara Iacobescu, known professionally as Antonia, is a Romanian singer, songwriter and model. She rose to fame with dance-pop hits made with producer Tom Boxer, including “Morena” and “Shake It Mamma”, and later released “Chica Loca”, “El Amor”, “Tango” and “Trika Trika”. Her partner is Romanian singer Alex Velea.
How Old Is Antonia?
Antonia is 37 years old. She was born on 12 April 1989 in Bucharest, Romania.
Early Life
Although born in Bucharest, Antonia grew up in the United States, where she lived until she was about 19. After turning 18 she returned with her family to Romania, where she started her music career. Alex Velea has said in interviews that because she spent her formative years in America, she never had the chance to catch up fully on Romanian, something critics have often targeted.
Career
The Tom Boxer years
Her first release was “Roses on Fire” with producer Tom Boxer. The partnership went on to produce the hits “Morena”, “Shake It Mamma” and “Hit ’Em Up Girl”, which made her a regular on Romanian radio and in European clubs. Alongside music, she worked as a model, appearing in advertising campaigns and fashion magazines.
Chica Loca and Global Records
In 2015 she scored again with “Chica Loca” and “Dream About My Face”. In 2016 she left Roton Music and signed with Global Records, where she released “El Amor” (featuring Mike, 2017), “Tango” (2018), “Trika Trika” (2019), “Como Ay” (2020) and “Îmi Placi Tu” (2021).
What Is Antonia Doing Now? Latest Updates
Antonia continues to release music and perform, often with Alex Velea. Their most recent duet, “Ne Certăm” (We Argue), plays on their real-life relationship; promoting it on Pro FM, the couple joked that Antonia has the final word both in the studio and at home.
Personal Life
Antonia has been in a relationship with singer Alex Velea since 2013. They have two sons, Dominic, born in December 2014, and Akim, born in December 2016. She also has a daughter, Maya, from her earlier marriage to Vincenzo Castellano. Velea proposed in July 2021 and she accepted, but the couple have not married; she has said that a long divorce process under Italian law delayed their plans for years.
Belloria’s View
Antonia’s staying power is underrated. Romanian dance-pop produced many one-season stars, but she has kept charting across three labels and more than fifteen years, while the criticism of her Romanian has never really stopped. Choosing to make songs about her own relationship with Velea, rather than hide from the tabloid attention, has kept her relevant with a new audience.
Social Media Stats
| X (Twitter) | IMDb | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| @antonia | Official Page | @AntoniaMusician | Verified profile |
| Official account 2.7m | 3.2M followers | 643.8K | Antonia Iacobescu |
Social media figures are approximate and may change.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Antonia married to Alex Velea?
Not yet. They have been together since 2013 and got engaged in July 2021, but have not married.
How many children does Antonia have?
Three: daughter Maya from her marriage to Vincenzo Castellano, and sons Dominic and Akim with Alex Velea.
What was Antonia’s first hit?
Her breakthrough came through her songs with producer Tom Boxer, starting with “Roses on Fire” and followed by “Morena”.
Where did Antonia grow up?
She was born in Bucharest but grew up in the United States until she was about 19.
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