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A Southern Gospel artist from Romania? As surprising as this may be, Dora Pop is not only a native Romanian but also a true-blue gospel singer with a talent that will soon make her as well known as artists like Kim Hopper. Dora released her solo album, “Who Am I” in 2007 and since then her voice and her story have been reaching more hearts every day.

“I was born in Oradea, Romania,” says Dora. “My parents are both Romanian and when I was six months old, my father fled the country to provide a better life for his family, which was at the time, my mother, sister and I.  After arriving to America, he immediately began on working to bring over the rest of the family. I came to America when I was two and a half.”

Dora’s family lived a life that few of us have had to experience. “It was difficult to do much of anything in Romania, being a Communist country, all actions were constantly monitored, phone calls, times you arrived at work, where you stopped on your way into and out of work.  It’s difficult to live life constantly on watch by soldiers.” However, Dora’s family was blessed to be a part of Christian church and the fact that Southern Gospel was reaching into her country twenty years.

“In Romania, my parents’ pastor received a lot of Southern Gospel music from American missionaries,” says Dora. “He would share his collection of cassette tapes with people from the church.  They would borrow Southern Gospel music from him all the time.”

Dora’s father’s two passions in life are God and music. “My parents always listened to Southern Gospel music. I didn’t know about genres of music, I just knew that I wanted to sing.” And sing she did! “In kindergarten, we had a special program at the end of the school year where I was chosen to sing the ABC’s in front of all the parents and visitors.”

“When my family moved to Texas in 1998, I was in 8^th grade and, of course, I enrolled myself in music class at school,” Dora explains. “I didn’t realize how intense the school music programs are in the state of Texas until High School when I began auditioning in my district, region and pre-area for the Texas All-State choir.  That was when I began taking voice from a coach.  My training was mostly classical, building the foundation for any other music I’d sing later on.”

Dora enrolled in the Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business at Belmont University. After she graduated in 2006, Dora went to work as the publicist for the Daywind Music label. This experience confirmed her calling to sing and “Who Am I” is the first fruit of what will be a long and amazing career for this young lady.

Audiences and other artists alike are struck by Dora’s heart for ministry. She met the God she sings about a young age. Dora shares, “We lived in Cleveland, Ohio, for eleven years after my family came to America. I got saved at my parents’ old house in Cleveland, on a Sunday night in December after watching the video, Heaven's Gates and Hell's Flames.  The next day there was a blizzard outside and it took the school bus two and a half hours to drive two and a half miles to get my sister and I home. I was eight and thought I was going to die. I got on my knees in the school bus and prayed again to make sure I'd go to Heaven!”

On her new album, Dora sings the Goodman standard, “Who Am I” in Romanian. This gives her concerts a special flare and allows her to share her family’s story of how they came to America. “I think we all have a story,” says Dora. “God works through all of us in different ways.  I’m able to tell people about how God took my family and me out of a Communist country.  I’m able to encourage people and remind them not to take their faith for granted.  The freedom we have to praise the One and Only Living God should never be taken for granted!”

This young lady doesn’t take her freedom for granted or the platform the Lord has given her to share His love with others. When asked what her most exciting moment to date has been, Dora replies, “The first time I saw someone come to Christ at the end of a concert. That is why I’m called to this ministry.  God continues to affirm my calling and it’s such a blessing to see that!”

Dora’s enthusiasm about the Gospel and love for this music is contagious and evident in everything she says. “God has blessed Southern Gospel music in so many ways.  There is such a rich heritage, which is probably why I relate to it so well, having a rich Romanian heritage.  Southern Gospel music has such a depth in it, lyrically and harmonically, much like the hymns we find in the Hymnal.” 

Like any other 22-year old making her mark in the world, Dora’s life is not anxiety-free. “Specifically this week, God has reminded me of the story of Thomas.  When he first saw Jesus after the resurrection, he said, ‘Father, forgive me for my unbelief.’ Jesus said, ‘Blessed are those who have not seen, yet believe.’  So many times, our worry causes us to doubt the provision of God, and we forget or don’t believe that He will come through for us.  I am guilty of that!  I’m learning to put my faith in Him daily and believing that He’s always at work!”

God is at work in the life of this joyful young lady. Although she says her next goal is to sing the National Anthem at a Cubs game, Dora is already living her biggest dream. “My entire life, I’ve wanted to sing, record and travel. I’m answering God’s call to be available to Him and minister through music.  God is good!”