Michał Szpak
Encyclopedia
Michał Szpak is a Polish singer who rose to fame after he received second place in the Polish first series
of X Factor
in June 2011. On Sunday, 5 June 2011 Szpak and Alexandra Burke
sang Hallelujah during the finale of the show.
Musical influences: Queen
, Muse
, Zbigniew Preisner
, Pink Floyd
, David Bowie
, Marilyn Manson
, Michael Jackson
.
. He has two sisters and one brother. Szpak started singing when he was nine years old, and admits to never having taken any formal music lessons. As a high school student Szpak was part of the Whiplash band playing mostly hard rock
style of music. In addition to his musical accomplishments with Whiplash, Szpak has recently started recording his first solo album which is expected to be released later this year. On Friday, June 17, 2011, Szpak was on the lineup for the Orange Warsaw Festival at Stadion Legii, Warsaw
, Poland
. The other artists taking part in this year's Orange Warsaw Festival included Moby
, Skunk Anansie
, My Chemical Romance
, Sistars
, Plan B (musician), The Streets
and Jamiroquai
.
On July 24 2011 it was announced that Michal Szpak will participate in the 2011 Fall edition of the Polish version of Dancing with the Stars
or Taniec z Gwiazdami (season 13)
, a Polish light entertainment reality television series broadcast by TVN (Poland)
. It is the Polish version of the BBC
's popular Dancing with the Stars
franchise which has been sold to more than 30 countries worldwide.
On August 28 2011 it was announced that DRUTEX company, the biggest producer of PVC windowns and doors in Europe, has become a sponsor of Michal Szpak first album. The album will be issued by Universal Music Poland, and the premiere is scheduled for autumn this year. In the album Michal Szpak will present himself as not only a performer, but also the author of several texts. Most of the songs, as the singer admits, will be made in Polish. "I am pleased that DRUTEX has decided to support my debut album, being confident of my talent and believing in my success. Certainly this kind of support will even more impact my motivation and mobilization to create a CD that will be the perfect and energetic project, full of modern sound and climate songs. "- says Michal Szpak.
X Factor (Poland series 1)
The first series of X Factor premiered on 6 March 2011 at 20:00 on TVN. The auditions for the first series were held in January and February. Jarosław Kuźniar hosts the show and the judges are Czesław Mozil, Maja Sablewska and Kuba Wojewódzki. The series was won by Gienek Loska who was mentored by...
of X Factor
X Factor (Poland)
X Factor is a Polish talent show based on a british show The X Factor and broadcast on TVN. The first series premiered on 6 March 2011. On 27 November 2010 during the final of the third series of Poland's Got Talent Marcin Prokop confirmed that the auditions would be held in January 2011...
in June 2011. On Sunday, 5 June 2011 Szpak and Alexandra Burke
Alexandra Burke
Alexandra Imelda Cecelia Ewen Burke is a British R&B and pop recording artist who rose to fame after winning the fifth series of British television series The X Factor in 2008...
sang Hallelujah during the finale of the show.
Musical influences: Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
, Muse
Muse (band)
Muse are an English alternative rock band from Teignmouth, Devon, formed in 1994. The band consists of school friends Matthew Bellamy , Christopher Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard...
, Zbigniew Preisner
Zbigniew Preisner
Zbigniew Preisner is a Polish film score composer, best known for his work with film director Krzysztof Kieślowski.-Life:Zbigniew Preisner studied history and philosophy in Kraków. Never having received formal music lessons, he taught himself music by listening and transcribing parts from records....
, Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
, David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
, Marilyn Manson
Marilyn Manson (band)
Marilyn Manson is an American metal band from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Formed in 1989 by Brian Warner and Scott Putesky, the group was originally named Marilyn Manson & the Spooky Kids with their uniquely theatrical performances gathering a local cult following in the early '90s. This attention...
, Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
.
Biography
Szpak was born in Jasło, a small city in southern PolandPoland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
. He has two sisters and one brother. Szpak started singing when he was nine years old, and admits to never having taken any formal music lessons. As a high school student Szpak was part of the Whiplash band playing mostly hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
style of music. In addition to his musical accomplishments with Whiplash, Szpak has recently started recording his first solo album which is expected to be released later this year. On Friday, June 17, 2011, Szpak was on the lineup for the Orange Warsaw Festival at Stadion Legii, Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
. The other artists taking part in this year's Orange Warsaw Festival included Moby
Moby
Richard Melville Hall , better known by his stage name Moby, is an American musician, DJ, and photographer. He is known mainly for his sample-based electronic music and his outspoken liberal political views, including his support of veganism and animal rights.Moby gained attention in the early...
, Skunk Anansie
Skunk Anansie
Skunk Anansie is an English rock band whose members include Skin , Cass , Ace and Mark Richardson .Skunk Anansie formed in March 1994, disbanded in 2001 and reformed in 2009...
, My Chemical Romance
My Chemical Romance
My Chemical Romance is an American alternative rock band from New Jersey, formed in 2001. The band consists of lead vocalist Gerard Way, guitarists Ray Toro and Frank Iero, and bassist Mikey Way and have a diverse sound incorporating elements of punk, emo, glam metal, and progressive rock...
, Sistars
SiStars
Sistars is a Polish pop/soul group formed in 2001. Their music showcases the vocals of sister vocalists Natalia Przybysz and Paulina Przybysz, and producers/composers Bartek Królik, Marek Piotrowski incorporating elements of rap, R&B, funk and jazz....
, Plan B (musician), The Streets
The Streets
The Streets were a British rap/garage project from Birmingham, United Kingdom, led by vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Mike Skinner and has included a myriad of other contributors most notably drummer Johnny Drum Machine, vocalist Kevin Mark Trail and the Italian-American beatmaker Leroy.The...
and Jamiroquai
Jamiroquai
Jamiroquai is a British jazz funk and acid jazz band formed in 1992. Jamiroquai were initially the most prominent component in the early-1990s London-based acid jazz movement, alongside groups such as Incognito, the James Taylor Quartet, and the Brand New Heavies. Other Acid Jazz artists such as...
.
On July 24 2011 it was announced that Michal Szpak will participate in the 2011 Fall edition of the Polish version of Dancing with the Stars
Dancing with the Stars
Dancing with the Stars is the name of several international television series based on the format of the British TV series Strictly Come Dancing, which is distributed by BBC Worldwide – the commercial arm of the BBC. Currently the format has been licensed to over 35 countries...
or Taniec z Gwiazdami (season 13)
Taniec z Gwiazdami (season 13)
The 13th season of Taniec z Gwiazdami, the Polish edition of Dancing With the Stars, will start on September 4, 2011 and end in November 2011. It will be broadcast by TVN. Piotr Gąsowski and Natasza Urbańska are the hosts...
, a Polish light entertainment reality television series broadcast by TVN (Poland)
TVN (Poland)
TVN is a major Polish commercial television network. The broadcaster was co-founded by Polish businessmen Mariusz Walter and Jan Wejchert. The network launched on October 3, 1997. TVN belongs to the TVN S.A...
. It is the Polish version of the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's popular Dancing with the Stars
Dancing with the Stars
Dancing with the Stars is the name of several international television series based on the format of the British TV series Strictly Come Dancing, which is distributed by BBC Worldwide – the commercial arm of the BBC. Currently the format has been licensed to over 35 countries...
franchise which has been sold to more than 30 countries worldwide.
On August 28 2011 it was announced that DRUTEX company, the biggest producer of PVC windowns and doors in Europe, has become a sponsor of Michal Szpak first album. The album will be issued by Universal Music Poland, and the premiere is scheduled for autumn this year. In the album Michal Szpak will present himself as not only a performer, but also the author of several texts. Most of the songs, as the singer admits, will be made in Polish. "I am pleased that DRUTEX has decided to support my debut album, being confident of my talent and believing in my success. Certainly this kind of support will even more impact my motivation and mobilization to create a CD that will be the perfect and energetic project, full of modern sound and climate songs. "- says Michal Szpak.
Awards and nominations
- 2011: X Factor (Poland)X Factor (Poland)X Factor is a Polish talent show based on a british show The X Factor and broadcast on TVN. The first series premiered on 6 March 2011. On 27 November 2010 during the final of the third series of Poland's Got Talent Marcin Prokop confirmed that the auditions would be held in January 2011...
Runner Up - 2011: Poland Style & Design Awards for Creative Performance & Achievement Emerging Talent
- 2011: Fall edition of Dancing with the StarsDancing with the StarsDancing with the Stars is the name of several international television series based on the format of the British TV series Strictly Come Dancing, which is distributed by BBC Worldwide – the commercial arm of the BBC. Currently the format has been licensed to over 35 countries...
, Taniec z Gwiazdami (season 13)Taniec z Gwiazdami (season 13)The 13th season of Taniec z Gwiazdami, the Polish edition of Dancing With the Stars, will start on September 4, 2011 and end in November 2011. It will be broadcast by TVN. Piotr Gąsowski and Natasza Urbańska are the hosts...
, 5th place