Change (Hotel FM song)

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Change is a 2011 pop song by the Romanian group Hotel FM. It was released as a CD single by TVR and was written by Alexandra Ivan and Gabriel Băruţă, with Băruţă handling production. The track is an uptempo pop ballad with drums, piano and violins, and its lyrics talk about making positive changes in the world and in one’s life. Critics compared it to music by Take That and Sean Maguire.

Change represented Romania in the 2011 Eurovision Song Contest in Düsseldorf after winning Selecția Națională. Hotel FM finished 4th in the semi-final with 111 points and went on to place 17th in the Grand Final with 77 points. On stage they were joined by two female background dancers, and the LED screen showed pulsating circles and ovals. The song received mixed reviews from critics: some praised the instrumentation, while others called it unspectacular or cheesy.

A music video promoting Romania appeared on YouTube on March 18, 2011. It features Romanian tourist spots and was produced by TVR and Schneider Production. The enhanced CD release in Romania included the song, an instrumental version, the music video, and two additional tracks, “The Gathering” and “Come as One.” Hotel FM consists of British-born lead singer David Bryan, pianist Gabriel Băruţă and drummer Alex Szűz.

Hotel FM promoted Change across Europe, performing in Bulgaria, Moldova, Greece, Italy, Hungary, Belgium and the United Kingdom. Romania’s Eurovision budget for the entry was about €500,000, and the performance was later remastered to be more dynamic for the contest.