Mónika Lakatos was born in Budapest to an Olah Gypsy family. She was taught to sing by her father and aunties in her community. In 1996 she was the first ever Romani singer to win the most popular national Hungarian talent show – to which she was enrolled in without her knowledge.

Photo: Andras Farkas

After performing with various bands, Mónika and her husband Mihály “Mazsi” Rostás founded Romengo, playing original songs rooted in Olah Gypsy musical tradition. This world music band toured all around Europe and performed in eight South-American and Asian countries as well – amongst many others, they played the Berlin Philharmonic and the Frankfurt Opera. Both of Romengo’s albums were featured on World Music Charts Europe’s top 10 list, as was Mónika’s first solo album, Romanimo (2017). On Romanimo Mónika sings slow, heartbreaking hallagto songs of Romani-Hungarian musical tradition. The album was selected for World Music Charts Europe’s top 5. In 2018 she founded Mónika Lakatos and the Gypsy Voices in an effort to represent and preserve Olah Gypsy culture in its purest traditional form.