Maria Tănase was a Romanian singer and actress. Her music ranged from traditional Romanian music to romance, tango, chanson, and operetta.
Tănase has a similar importance in Romania as Édith Piaf in France or Amália Rodrigues in Portugal. In her nearly three-decade-long career, she became widely regarded as Romania's national diva, being admired for her originality, voice, physical beauty and charisma. In Romania, she is still regarded as a major cultural icon of the 20th century. In 2006 she was included to the list of the 100 Greatest Romanians of all time by a nationwide poll.
Among her songs are Cine iubește și lasă, Leliță cârciumăreasă, Bun îi vinul ghiurghiuliu, Doina din Maramureș, Ciuleandra and Până când nu te iubeam.