Dana Dragomir

Dana Dragomir (Romanian pronunciation: [ˈdana draɡoˈmir]; born 22 July 1964) is a Swedish pan flute musician and composer of Romanian origin. She is also known under the name Pandana (combination between the Greek god Pan and her name).

Dana Dragomir is best known for her interpretation of the song "Mio My Mio", written by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus of ABBA. She is the first professional female Pan flute player in the world. Her music is a mixture of Pop, World and New-age music. She achieved chart success in Sweden with several of her albums, being quoted the best selling instrumental artist in Scandinavia and she is the first instrumental artist ever to top the Swedish radio record chart, Svensktoppen.

Biography

Dragomir has a twelve-year education at the prestigious Dinu Lipatti and George Enescu High School of Music in Bucharest, her place of birth. She was discovered and became an established star at the age of sixteen in her native country.

In 1985, aged 21, she left Romania for a three-year contract in Las Vegas, her manager then having big plans for her in the USA. These were the last years of the Ceaușescu era, and the Securitate let her leave the country only on condition that she would spy for them. But Dragomir had no intention to ever come back to Romania. Her defection had dear consequences for her parents, who both lost their jobs. She eventually went back to Romania for the first time in 1990, after the fall of Ceaușescu.