Women Who Rocked the Polish Music Scene
Today, 8th March we observe International Women’s Day. To celebrate it with you, I would like to introduce you to three women who made an impact on Polish music. There are, of course, many great women on the Polish music scene, here’s just a brief introduction, ready?
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Let’s start with the classics, an absolute icon and the unquestionable Queen of Polish pop-rock everybody knows and loves is Maryla Rodowicz. I swear, I don’t know anyone who wouldn’t know some of her songs, she truly unites the generations! You may say it’s not your style but I bet it’d be hard to find someone over 30 who has never shed a tear singing “Ale to już było” during some farewell party. Maryla released 24 studio albums, it is estimated that she has around 2,000 songs. She also released albums in English, Czech, German and Russian. You can tell that she never stops! She’s very often a guest at public events, such as New Year’s Eve, etc. She was born in 1945 but she feels younger than everyone else, she’s still doing sports and she has no intention to retire!
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Another very popular singer, whose music unites the generations is Kora. Her mundane name was Olga Sipowicz, and for most of her career, she was the lead singer of Maanam. Even though her music is usually classified as rock and new wave, and her lyrics are not always as light as Maryla’s, she was equally loved by her audience, everybody knows her songs such as “Kocham cię kochanie moje” or “Krakowski spleen”. Her songs touch upon a vast range of topics and are not always easy to interpret. She expressed her personality not only through her music but also as a judge in one of the popular talent shows where the audience got to know her sharp tongue and, at the same time, great sensitivity to music. She died in 2018 after battling cancer on and off for several years, even in the face of the terminal illness she was admired for her incredible force of character.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Last but not least, the former lead singer of the band “Hey”, Katarzyna Nosowska. She’s known for her great versatility and experimenting with various music styles - from rock, through electronic music to trip-hop and pop. Those, who musically belong in the 90s know her best for the songs she played with the band “Hey”, the younger generation knows her better from her solo performances and playing with various musical genres. In recent years she started posting short and funny videos on her social media. This idea was born out of her reflections on ageing, the challenges women face as they get older when they doubt their femininity. Based on her social media content she published a book where she shares her insight in a very light and funny way which many women found empowering.
David, OLS Community Manager - Polish