Kayah (singer)
Encyclopedia
Katarzyna Rooijens professionally known as Kayah, is a Polish singer-songwriter
. She began her career with her 1995 album Kamień and established herself as one of the most successful Polish singers with her further releases, including Zebra (1997) and Kayah i Bregović
(1999). In the early 2000s Kayah founded her own label, Kayax, which has released many critically acclaimed albums by numerous singers. She has sold more than 1 million copies of her records so far and remains one of the most awarded artists in Poland by Polish music industry.
. She made her solo debut with the song "Córeczko" in 1988 at the National Festival of Polish Song in Opole
. The same year her first full-length self-titled album was issued. It was a commercial and artistical disappointment and today is not included in Kayah official discography.
She released her first self-produced solo album, Kamień, in 1995. It was a great success, consisting of melancholy pop songs, deriving from soul and jazz tradition. In the same year, she was voted the Vocalist of the Year by the Polish music industry and received a Fryderyk
award in recognition of her achievements. In 1997, she received another three Fryderyks, this time for the album Zebra as well as in the categories of Singer and Composer of the Year. With Zebra she changed her style, moving in the direction of American soul/funk music. The album spanned two big hits, "Na językach" and "Supermenka".
In 1999, Kayah paired with the Yugoslav composer Goran Bregović
to record what would become one of the most popular Polish albums ever, entitled Kayah i Bregović
. Most of the music was composed by Bregović for the band Bijelo Dugme
(White Button), which he had been a part of and movie soundtracks that he had worked on. The lyrics were both translations of the original texts and inspired of. Two first singles released from the album, "Śpij kochanie, śpij" and "Prawy do lewego", became massive hits in Poland for many months and the record went on to sell in excess of 700 000 copies. In the same year Kayah was awarded another Fryderyk, in the category Vocalist of the Year.
In 2000, she released the album JakaJaKayah which featured pop, jazz and techno-influenced songs. She duetted with Cesária Évora
for a track "Embarcacao", sung in Crioulo, from the re-release of the album, newly entitled YakaYaKayah. Her next album, Stereo typ, was issued in August 2003 and featured a major hit single, "Testosteron". The record was nominated for 7 Fryderyk awards and in the autumn Kayah embarked the Stereo Tour to promote the new album.
2005 saw the release of her first compilation, The Best & the Rest
, a 2-disc set featuring all her greatest single hits as well as less-popular tracks. It was promoted by two singles: "Prócz ciebie, nic", recorded with Krzysztof Kiljański, and "Jutro rano". Kayah focused then more on producing career and released a number of successful, critically acclaimed albums on her own label Kayax. In 2006 she released her first live album, MTV Unplugged
. The following years saw her working on various soundtrack tunes.
Kayah returned with her first studio album in six year in 2009. Skała, musically similar to her 1995 debut album, became a bestseller in Poland. 2010 saw the release of two collaboration albums: Kayah & Royal Quartet with Royal String Quartet, consisting of some of her previous songs in string arrangements
, and Panienki z temperamentem, on which Kayah and another Polish singer Renata Przemyk
presented their own interpretations of work by Kabaret Starszych Panów.
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
. She began her career with her 1995 album Kamień and established herself as one of the most successful Polish singers with her further releases, including Zebra (1997) and Kayah i Bregović
Kayah i Bregovic
Kayah i Bregović is a joint album by Bosnian musician Goran Bregović and Polish singer Kayah, released in 1999.The album became a bestseller in Poland, exceeding 700,000 copies sold...
(1999). In the early 2000s Kayah founded her own label, Kayax, which has released many critically acclaimed albums by numerous singers. She has sold more than 1 million copies of her records so far and remains one of the most awarded artists in Poland by Polish music industry.
Career
At the start of her career, Kayah sang in choirs and recorded backing vocals for a number of bands, such as TiltTilt (Polish punk band)
Tilt was a Polish rock band, regarded as one of the first punk bands in Poland. It was founded in Warsaw in 1979 by Tomasz Lipinski and it has been existing with several breaks until now. In its first years, it performed songs in English, later switching to Polish...
. She made her solo debut with the song "Córeczko" in 1988 at the National Festival of Polish Song in Opole
National Festival of Polish Song in Opole
National Festival of Polish Song in Opole is a yearly music festival in Opole, Poland. Together with Sopot Festival it is the most important music festival in Poland. Opole Festival is meant as a summary of yearly season of achievements of Polish song writers and performers...
. The same year her first full-length self-titled album was issued. It was a commercial and artistical disappointment and today is not included in Kayah official discography.
She released her first self-produced solo album, Kamień, in 1995. It was a great success, consisting of melancholy pop songs, deriving from soul and jazz tradition. In the same year, she was voted the Vocalist of the Year by the Polish music industry and received a Fryderyk
Fryderyk
The Fryderyk is the annual award in Polish music. Its name refers to the original Polish spelling variant of Polish composer Frédéric Chopin's first name...
award in recognition of her achievements. In 1997, she received another three Fryderyks, this time for the album Zebra as well as in the categories of Singer and Composer of the Year. With Zebra she changed her style, moving in the direction of American soul/funk music. The album spanned two big hits, "Na językach" and "Supermenka".
In 1999, Kayah paired with the Yugoslav composer Goran Bregović
Goran Bregovic
Goran Bregović is one of the most internationally known modern musicians and composers of the Balkans. He currently splits his time between Paris and Belgrade, where he settled down during the Yugoslav Wars.Bregović has composed for such varied artists as Iggy Pop and Cesária Évora...
to record what would become one of the most popular Polish albums ever, entitled Kayah i Bregović
Kayah i Bregovic
Kayah i Bregović is a joint album by Bosnian musician Goran Bregović and Polish singer Kayah, released in 1999.The album became a bestseller in Poland, exceeding 700,000 copies sold...
. Most of the music was composed by Bregović for the band Bijelo Dugme
Bijelo dugme
Bijelo dugme was a highly influential former Yugoslav rock band, based in Sarajevo. Active between 1974 and 1989, it is widely considered to have been the most popular band ever to exist in former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and one of the most important acts of the Yugoslav rock...
(White Button), which he had been a part of and movie soundtracks that he had worked on. The lyrics were both translations of the original texts and inspired of. Two first singles released from the album, "Śpij kochanie, śpij" and "Prawy do lewego", became massive hits in Poland for many months and the record went on to sell in excess of 700 000 copies. In the same year Kayah was awarded another Fryderyk, in the category Vocalist of the Year.
In 2000, she released the album JakaJaKayah which featured pop, jazz and techno-influenced songs. She duetted with Cesária Évora
Cesária Évora
Cesária Évora is a Cape Verdean popular singer. Nicknamed the "barefoot diva" for performing without shoes, Évora is perhaps the best internationally known practitioner of "morna."-Early life:...
for a track "Embarcacao", sung in Crioulo, from the re-release of the album, newly entitled YakaYaKayah. Her next album, Stereo typ, was issued in August 2003 and featured a major hit single, "Testosteron". The record was nominated for 7 Fryderyk awards and in the autumn Kayah embarked the Stereo Tour to promote the new album.
2005 saw the release of her first compilation, The Best & the Rest
The Best & The Rest
The Best & The Rest is a greatest hits compilation by Polish singer Kayah. A summary of her first ten years of work, it includes released singles as well as duets with Krzysztof Kiljański and Cesária Évora, remixes, and rarities. The songs "Na językach", "Córeczko" and "Dobry potwór nie jest zły"...
, a 2-disc set featuring all her greatest single hits as well as less-popular tracks. It was promoted by two singles: "Prócz ciebie, nic", recorded with Krzysztof Kiljański, and "Jutro rano". Kayah focused then more on producing career and released a number of successful, critically acclaimed albums on her own label Kayax. In 2006 she released her first live album, MTV Unplugged
MTV Unplugged (Kayah album)
MTV Unplugged is the ninth overall and first live album by Polish singer Kayah. It was recorded on 28 November 2006 in film studio Toya in Łódź, Poland. With its release on 23 March 2007 it became first such production in central-eastern Europe...
. The following years saw her working on various soundtrack tunes.
Kayah returned with her first studio album in six year in 2009. Skała, musically similar to her 1995 debut album, became a bestseller in Poland. 2010 saw the release of two collaboration albums: Kayah & Royal Quartet with Royal String Quartet, consisting of some of her previous songs in string arrangements
Bowed string instrument
Bowed string instruments are a subcategory of string instruments that are played by a bow rubbing the strings. The bow rubbing the string causes vibration which the instrument emits as sound.-Violin family:...
, and Panienki z temperamentem, on which Kayah and another Polish singer Renata Przemyk
Renata Przemyk
Renata Przemyk is Polish singer and song writer. In Bielsko-Biała she attended primary and secondary school. She enjoyed her childhood together with her parents, grandmother and brothers...
presented their own interpretations of work by Kabaret Starszych Panów.
Albums
- 1988: Kayah
- 1995: Kamień
- 1997: Zebra
- 1999: Kayah i BregovićKayah i BregovicKayah i Bregović is a joint album by Bosnian musician Goran Bregović and Polish singer Kayah, released in 1999.The album became a bestseller in Poland, exceeding 700,000 copies sold...
- 2000: JakaJaKayah
- 2003: StereoTypStereoTypStereo typ is seventh album of Polish singer Kayah. She wrote all of lyrics except "Do it right" which was written by Mika Urbaniak and "Testosteron" which was co-written by Krzysztof Pszona. Kayah considers this album as a diary and reflection of her past. She is against stereotypes, of herself as...
- 2005: The Best & The RestThe Best & The RestThe Best & The Rest is a greatest hits compilation by Polish singer Kayah. A summary of her first ten years of work, it includes released singles as well as duets with Krzysztof Kiljański and Cesária Évora, remixes, and rarities. The songs "Na językach", "Córeczko" and "Dobry potwór nie jest zły"...
- 2007: MTV UnpluggedMTV Unplugged (Kayah album)MTV Unplugged is the ninth overall and first live album by Polish singer Kayah. It was recorded on 28 November 2006 in film studio Toya in Łódź, Poland. With its release on 23 March 2007 it became first such production in central-eastern Europe...
- 2009: Skała
- 2010: Kayah & Royal Quartet
- 2010: Panienki z temperamentem
Most notable singles
- 1988: "Córeczko"
- 1996: "Fleciki"
- 1997: "Na językach"
- 1997: "Supermenka"
- 1999: "Śpij kochany, śpij"
- 1999: "Prawy do lewego"
- 2000: "Jaka ja Kayah"
- 2003: "Testosteron"
- 2005: "Prócz ciebie, nic"
- 2009: "Jak skała"
- 2011: "Za późno"
External links
- Official site
- Kayah at YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
- Kayah at MySpaceMySpaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
- Review of Panienki z temperamentem (in English)