Lenka Dusilová
Encyclopedia
Lenka Dusilová is a Czech
Angel Award-winning singer-songwriter.
Earlier she enjoyed her family band RSP with her mother and brother. They did own folk music which was set on old Czech and Polish poetry.
During the '90s, Dusilová was a member of several groups, most notably Lucie, the Czech Republic's biggest pop-rock band, playing guitar and singing on several CDs. The band opened for the 1995 Rolling Stones show in Prague's Strahov Stadium.
From 1991 to 1995 she was leader of the rock band Sluníčko (Little Tiny Sun), which released an eponymous CD in 1994, won the Marlboro Rock '94 competition, and opened the Open Air Gampell music festival in Switzerland
. Dusilová was nominated for the 1994 "Discovery of the Year" Angel Award.
After Sluníčko she formed Pusa (Kiss/Mouth) with two members of Lucie. Their song "Muka" (Wheels of Desire) was nominated for an Angel Award in 1996. She and Lucie's David Koller also collaborated on the soundtracks for two films, and several of her recent songs have been included on film soundtracks.
Dusilová won the Angel Award as best female vocalist in 2000. She has been voted best female vocalist every year since 2000 by readers of the premier Czech music magazine, Report. She performs and records with her band, Secret Service.
Since 2000 Dusilová, in addition to her solo work, has recorded and performed with the Czech Republic's preeminent folk-rock band, Czechomor. She appeared on the band's breakthrough album, "Proměny" (Transformations) produced by punkster-turned-classical-composer Jaz Coleman
, who characterized her as "a great talent". Coleman merged Czechomor's electrified traditional sound with the rich symphonic power of the Czech Philharmonic Collegium. Dusilová's duet with Czechomor's Franta Cerny of the CD's title song was a fixture on the Czech charts for months in 2001 and won the Angel Award as song of the year. The "Proměny" CD went multiple platinum and won the Angel for album of the year.
Dusilová records for Universal Music, tours regularly in the Czech Republic, and appears on stages throughout Europe. Her earlier solo efforts, "Lenka Dusilová" and "Spatřit světlo světa" also achieved gold record status, and the single "Pro Tebe" (For You) from her debut CD spent eight weeks in the IFPI Top 20.
The CD was produced by U.S. wunderkind Ben Yonas at Coast Recorders in San Francisco and New York with Dusilová and guitarist Martin Ledvina as co-producers. Backing them up on the CD were renowned San Francisco session musicians Jon Evans (bass) and Scott Amendola
(drums).
She also performed and recorded with other bands like "Vertigo Quintet" ( CD "Live u Staré Paní") or Czech songwritter/poet "Jan Burian" (CD's "Dívčí Válka", "Muži jsou křehcí")..
Dusilová currently writing and preparing a new project with "Clarinet Factory" and jazz composer "Beata Hlavenková".
Their album will be released at the fall 2008.
She's currently an independent artist.
As featured artist
Other appearances
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
Angel Award-winning singer-songwriter.
Career
Dusilová began her professional career in 1988, joining the world-renowned children's choir Bambini di Praga at the age of 13.Earlier she enjoyed her family band RSP with her mother and brother. They did own folk music which was set on old Czech and Polish poetry.
During the '90s, Dusilová was a member of several groups, most notably Lucie, the Czech Republic's biggest pop-rock band, playing guitar and singing on several CDs. The band opened for the 1995 Rolling Stones show in Prague's Strahov Stadium.
From 1991 to 1995 she was leader of the rock band Sluníčko (Little Tiny Sun), which released an eponymous CD in 1994, won the Marlboro Rock '94 competition, and opened the Open Air Gampell music festival in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. Dusilová was nominated for the 1994 "Discovery of the Year" Angel Award.
After Sluníčko she formed Pusa (Kiss/Mouth) with two members of Lucie. Their song "Muka" (Wheels of Desire) was nominated for an Angel Award in 1996. She and Lucie's David Koller also collaborated on the soundtracks for two films, and several of her recent songs have been included on film soundtracks.
Dusilová won the Angel Award as best female vocalist in 2000. She has been voted best female vocalist every year since 2000 by readers of the premier Czech music magazine, Report. She performs and records with her band, Secret Service.
Since 2000 Dusilová, in addition to her solo work, has recorded and performed with the Czech Republic's preeminent folk-rock band, Czechomor. She appeared on the band's breakthrough album, "Proměny" (Transformations) produced by punkster-turned-classical-composer Jaz Coleman
Jaz Coleman
Jeremy "Jaz" Coleman is a musician, composer, singer-songwriter and record producer. He is notable for his vocal contributions to rock band Killing Joke...
, who characterized her as "a great talent". Coleman merged Czechomor's electrified traditional sound with the rich symphonic power of the Czech Philharmonic Collegium. Dusilová's duet with Czechomor's Franta Cerny of the CD's title song was a fixture on the Czech charts for months in 2001 and won the Angel Award as song of the year. The "Proměny" CD went multiple platinum and won the Angel for album of the year.
Dusilová records for Universal Music, tours regularly in the Czech Republic, and appears on stages throughout Europe. Her earlier solo efforts, "Lenka Dusilová" and "Spatřit světlo světa" also achieved gold record status, and the single "Pro Tebe" (For You) from her debut CD spent eight weeks in the IFPI Top 20.
2005: Mezi Světy / Between Worlds
Her latest 2005 CD "Mezi Světy" (Between Worlds) took the Czech music world by storm and reached gold record status within weeks of its release. "Mezi Svety" won the 2006 Czech Academy of Music Angel Award (the Czech Grammy) for best rock album and Lenka herself won as best female vocalist.The CD was produced by U.S. wunderkind Ben Yonas at Coast Recorders in San Francisco and New York with Dusilová and guitarist Martin Ledvina as co-producers. Backing them up on the CD were renowned San Francisco session musicians Jon Evans (bass) and Scott Amendola
Scott Amendola
Scott Amendola is an American jazz drummer from the San Francisco Bay Area. His styles include jazz, blues, groove, rock and new music. He is considered central to the Bay Area music scene....
(drums).
2006 - 2008
Last two years Dusilová has been touring across United States with her American band and simultaneliously she crossed the Czech country with her Czech band which join Czech top musicians Beata Hlavenkova, Peter Binder or Rasto Uhrik and Danko Soltis from Vertigo Quintet.She also performed and recorded with other bands like "Vertigo Quintet" ( CD "Live u Staré Paní") or Czech songwritter/poet "Jan Burian" (CD's "Dívčí Válka", "Muži jsou křehcí")..
Dusilová currently writing and preparing a new project with "Clarinet Factory" and jazz composer "Beata Hlavenková".
Their album will be released at the fall 2008.
She's currently an independent artist.
Studio albums
As lead artist- 2000: Lenka Dusilová, B&M/Universal
- 2002: Spatřit světlo světa, B&M/Universal
- 2004: UnEarthEd, Playing FieldPlaying Field RecordingsPlaying Field Recordings is a record label that operates out of Urbana, Illinois. It is known for early releases in the midwestern emo scene ....
- 2005: Mezi světy, B&M/Universal
As featured artist
- 1994: Sluníčko with Sluníčko, BMG Ariola
- 1996: Pusa with Pusa, BMG Ariola
- 2008: Eternal Seekers with Eternal Seekers, Respekt
Other appearances
- 1996: Černý kočky, mokrý žáby by Lucie, B&M
- 1997: Meky by Miro ŽbirkaMiroslav ŽbirkaMiroslav "Meky" Žbirka is a Slovak pop music singer and songwriter. He performs in Slovak, Czech, and English ....
, Universal - 1998: Smrtihlav by Daniel LandaDaniel LandaDaniel Landa is a Czech musician, actor and racer.Born in Prague, Landa began his musical career in 1987 when he along with David Matásek founded the oi! band Orlík. He graduated from the Prague Conservatory in the area of Music and Drama. After the breakup of the band in 1992 he began his solo...
, EMI - 2000: Čechomor by ČechomorCechomorČechomor is a Czech traditional music band playing songs in rock arrangements. They are reportedly a favourite band of Czech playwright and former president Václav Havel.- Discography :...
, Venkow - 2002: Proměny by Čechomor, Universal
- 2002: Čechomor Live by Čechomor, Universal
- 2003: Proměny Tour 2003 by Čechomor, Universal
- 2005: Co sa stalo nové by Čechomor, Sony BMG
- 2006: Rande s panem Bendou by Wohnout, Sony BMG
- 2006: Live u Staré Paní by Vertigo quintet, Amplión
- 2006: Dívčí válka by Jan Burian, IndiesIndies RecordsIndies Records is a record label based in Brno, Czech Republic. The label was founded in 1990 by Milan Páleš and Miloš Gruber and has since released over 200 titles, working under the label motto "We only release music that we like". Starting out releasing different types of alternative music, the...
- 2007: Muži jsou křehcí by Jan Burian, Indies
- 2007: Polib si dědu by Wohnout, Sony BMG
- 2007: Bob America by Bob America, Happy Honkey
- 2007: Michal Pavlíček a Beatová síň slávy by Michal Pavlíček, Sony BMG
- 2007: Bílá velryba by Michal Hrůza, Universal
- 2008: Dirty Movie Music by MED, Amplión
- 2009: Joy for Joel by Beata Hlavenková, Animal
Awards and nominations
| Year | Nominated work | Award | Category | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Herself | Ceny Akademie populární hudby (aka Ceny Anděl) | Best Female Vocal Performance | ||
| 2003 | |||||
| 2005 | |||||
| Mezi světy | Album of the Year - Rock | ||||
| 2006 | Herself | Best Female Vocal Performance | |||
| 2008 |