Millions of Romanians are captivated by the music of Lolita Cercel, a virtual singer whose piercing gaze and powerful voice have resonated with audiences across social media. Her videos have amassed millions of views, yet she is not a real person. Instead, she is an AI-generated character created entirely by a Romanian graphic designer who prefers to remain anonymous, going only by the name “Tom.”
The name “Lolita Cercel” translates to “earring” in Romanian, which also serves as the title of her first song and her last name. Every aspect of her identity, from her face to her voice, was crafted by Tom. He describes her music style as “Balkan trip-hop,” though many listeners perceive it as closely resembling Romanian manele—a genre of pop folk music with Ottoman influences. This genre is often associated with the Roma community but has since become mainstream.
Inspired by a 1941 poetry collection
Tom’s journey into music began during his school years when he used to rap. Later, he pursued a career as a film director, though without significant success. His creative path shifted when he discovered a 1941 poetry collection titled “Cantece tiganesti” (Gypsy Songs) by the Romanian poet Miron Radu Paraschivescu. The book, written during World War II, has sparked controversy within the Roma community due to its title, which many now find offensive. Despite this, Paraschivescu’s sympathetic portrayal of Romani people inspired Tom to return to music.
He credits new technological advancements for enabling him to bring his vision to life. “Lolita was created when my curiosity and the tools at my disposal came to a point that I could create the sound I wanted,” he said. Tom spent four months developing his character, drawing inspiration from people living in precarious conditions in his hometown and throughout southern Europe. He gathered ideas during evening walks with his dog, collecting “unfiltered, grammatically imperfect, vivid words.”
‘If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it is a duck.’
Tom insists that he made it clear from the beginning that Lolita Cercel is an AI-generated character. However, he denies creating a Roma character, stating that his creation is simply “a woman from the Balkans.” For many in the Roma community, this distinction is not enough.
Alex Stan, a representative from the Budapest-based Roma Education Fund, highlights the issue. He argues that the combination of Lolita Cercel’s name, appearance, musical style, and references to Romani spiritual practices creates a clear pattern: “If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it is a duck.” According to Stan, Tom’s project is disingenuous because it fails to represent the complex experiences of a Romani woman.
Alexandra Fin, a young Roma activist from Cluj, was among the first to criticize the project as an “instrumentalization of Roma culture.” She points out that while real Roma artists are often overlooked, a “virtualized, racialized and dehumanized Roma identity” has found sudden success. “The difference is racism,” she says with bitter irony.
Experience is an ‘ingredient, not the whole recipe’
Tom rejects these criticisms, arguing that art does not require personal experience. In a video message, Lolita Cercel defends herself: “An author doesn’t have to be a murderer to write a compelling crime novel; a deaf composer can create symphonies.” She adds, “Experience is an ingredient, not the whole recipe.”
However, Alex Stan remains unconvinced. He emphasizes the unique live performance aspect of Romani music, which differs greatly from studio recordings or AI-generated content. He also notes that there are many real Roma artists eager to gain recognition, but they face structural barriers in the music industry. “It gives the impression that there is a platform for Romani music — but without Romani people.”
Stan cites examples like Bosnian musician Goran Bregovic and German producer Stefan Hantel, both of whom collaborated with real Romani musicians before achieving international success. In contrast, Tom’s project relied on an algorithm, according to Stan.
For Romanian musician Cristian Stefanescu, known as “Electric Brother,” Lolita offers an interesting alternative to much of what is played on commercial radio. Yet, he acknowledges that “if she were a real singer with this material, she would probably have been rejected. Because she’s different. And the industry doesn’t want anything else.”
Tom continues to develop Lolita Cercel’s world, along with new characters and potential collaborations. For him, AI represents the democratization of creativity. However, his critics see it as a tool of exploitation that allows him to appropriate the stories of a minority group without involving anyone from the Roma community.
Whether poetic or ironic, Lolita Cercel captures the contradiction: “When you listen to my music and feel something, you’re not thinking of me, but of yourself. I’m just a pretext.”
