Kasia Kowalska belongs to the top rung of most frequently broadcast Polish rock artists. With her magnificent voice qualities - a broad range of stunning dynamics, an unbelievable scale that allows her to sing comfortably in all registers imaginable, and an interpretation ability which reflects her emotional engagement, Kasia Kowalska is always the highlight of the gig at crowded concerts and festivals. She has released 7 albums and a number of singles, and has taken part in other recorded projects.
She is well-established at the head of the Polish radio playlists as a mature, yet always fresh singer. Her audiences include both keen youngsters, and committed older fans. She has written all the lyrics on her albums, and is co-composer of numerous songs.
Kasia Kowalska's story begins in the early 1980's, when, as a young girl living in the suburbs of Warsaw, she made her first successful performances. She soon found herself an acclaimed female vocalist on the central Polish stage, where she sang with several Polish bands such as 'Human', 'Fatum', 'Talking Pictures'. At that time she also took part in support for Bob Dylan on his Polish tour. When singing with Robert Amirian's 'Evergreen', she was spotted by Universal Music Polska, and received a debut album offer.
The album appeared in 1994, and was entitled GEMINI (1994), to reflect her Zodiac sign and the complexity of her personality. At the very instant the listeners reached the fifth track on the album, "Here I am" - a star was born! She stirred the then dreary Polish rock circuit with her delicate yet powerful vocal expression, youthful energy and sincere poetry of her lyrics which, based on her own experience, made a convincing impact on the large audiences, bored by the meaningless pulp offered by other singers. Kasia immediately gained a crowd of faithful fans, and attracted the interest of radio stations. The message of her lyrics reflected the confusion of a young person and a search for universal values, common to all young people all over the world. No wonder, then, that the LP sold more than 300,000 copies, and received a Platinum Disc award. Shortly afterwards other major distinctions followed, including 'Greatest Hope of Polish Rock Scene', 'Hit of the Year', and the Grand Prix at the most prestigious Polish Music Festival in Sopot.
Her next LP, 'KONCERT INACZEJ' [A Different Concert], released in 1995, received a Gold Disc award. Its musical form was a surprise to Kasia's fans, as it was a record of her live concerts, rock covers and jazz standards, including pieces by such acclaimed performers as Bernstein, Gershwin, Billy Joel and Jimi Hendrix. Quite unlike the mediocre Eastern European standard of performance, Kasia sang her English songs in outstanding English, including a piece sung in a genuine Brooklyn accent! Soon further awards followed, including Song of the Year, Vocalist of the Year and Hit of the Year, and two Gold Microphones. With pieces that required a virtuoso control of rhythm and tone, Kasia was now recognised as a truly professional singer.
Her third LP 'CZEKAJ¥C NA...' [Waiting for...], released the following year (1996) was another big surprise as it had a pop twist, enhanced, surprisingly, by a brass section that offered a lively dynamic tone to her already well-known flexible yet powerful vocal. The CD was awarded a Gold Disc. In contrast to her first 'program' release, whose message was largely pessimistic, this lighter tone was also reflected in a more optimistic message in the lyrics. Her fans dried their tears and smiled, and then listened to some more lyrical pieces on the album, interpreted by Kasia with the lightness and romantic air that they loved. 1997 brought Kasia a new artistic experience - an appearance in a full-length feature film "NOCNE GRAFFITI" [Night Graffiti], where she played a young drug addict, demonstrating an excellent acting talent that was greatly acclaimed by the media and film critics. The soundtrack contains Kasia's monumental hymn-like song "Zgubi³am swój rozs¹dek" [I've lost my common sense].
After the birth of her daughter Ola, Kasia celebrated her presence in her life in a lovely and tender track on a new album, "PE£NA OBAW" [Full of doubts], appearing in 1998 and co-produced by Kasia to win a Gold Disc. On the textual plane, the lyrics reflect a less self-confident view of the world and carry an air of resignation and fatigue. On the musical plane, however, the album demonstrates how easily Kasia had found her place in the newer rock climate. The mood of "Co mo¿e przynieœæ nowy dzieñ" [What a new day can bring], with its grand and spacious instrumentation and powerful vocal is an instance of monumental interpretation, while "Wyrzuæ ten gniew" [Throw away that anger] stands in contrast to the grand hymn-like pieces with its lightness and vocal flexibility. Both these songs remained for a long time at the top of the Polish Top Twenty, gaining the Polish Song of the Year Award. The disc enjoyed such great popularity that shortly afterwards it had a second release, this time with five bonus tracks. The year 2000 culminated in Kasia's successful concert tour in the USA.
The same year Kasia's fifth disc entitled, simply, "5" appeared on the shelves of record shops. The music here is in a modern rock style that adds an air of freshness and originality to the well-known Kasia Kowalska dynamic and lyrical sound. The first track promoting the disc was "Nobody", which, immediately after its premiere, jumped to the top of the Polish Top Twenty and soon reached the status of Gold Disc! Another outstanding song, "B¹dŸ pewny" [Be sure] begins with a subtle lyrical invocation, and evolves into a monumental chorus with spacious instrumentation that constitutes the background for her well-known outstanding vocal power. The piece shows how extensive is Kasia's range of vocal modes. Another dimension of her talent is exemplified in the dynamic rhythmical oscillation of "Moje Katmandu" [My Katmandu] or "Czekam, bojê siê" [I'm waiting, I'm afraid].
Despite its simple title, "5" is definitely a milestone both in Kasia's vocal career and in the history of Polish rock music. Following six years of experimentation, both in form and contents, Kasia emerged as a superb vocalist, with exquisite control of outstanding vocal possibilities. She had also become a serious messenger whose lyrics contain a multitude of meaningful messages that convey universal truths expressed with witty proverbial sayings, imaginative metaphors and parable-like illustrations. "5" is, in a way, a return to her dynamic rocking roots, with direct statements and a philosophy no less convincing than in her debut release, GEMINI. "5" won a Rock Album Award, and brought Kasia to the world's most prestigious award - an MTV Music Award for 2001!
Kasia Kowalska's road to this point in her career has not just brought her back to her rock roots; it has brought her in a spiral far above that starting point and elevated her to a much higher, and much more stable position in the rock market that promises a still more successful future. The following year, Kasia received as many as three further awards: Best Polish Vocalist of the Year, Best Polish Music Video, and Best Polish Artist's Website (www.kasiakowalska.pl).
On 9 June 2002, Kasia was honoured by an invitation to perform as support for Sting and Robert Plant, which she did very well. Soon afterwards her song "Bezpowrotnie" [Irrevocably] appeared on "A Tribute to Ayrton Senna", dedicated to the prematurely deceased famous Formula 1 World Champion. The disc also contains tracks from such stars as Queen, Phil Collins, Tina Turner and Pink Floyd.
Her sixth album, called "ANTIDOTUM", appeared in 2002; it contains 12 tracks and a multimedia video presentation. One month later the album received the title of Gold Disc in recognition of the 35,000 copies sold! Kasia's by now extensive collection of awards and titles was supplemented by one more, the title of Artist of the Year 2002, and the album reached the status of Platinum Disc for 70,000 copies sold! The same CD also received the Rock Album of the Year Award.
Having released a new video "To co dobre" [What is good], in 2004 Kasia embarked on a trip to Japan, for a photographic session that would promote her newest release, "SAMOTNA W WIELKIM MIEŒCIE" [Alone in a big city]. Like "5", this LP shows that she continues to enjoy a stable position on the Polish music market. The LP won the Gold Disc status. In her lyrics, Kasia now reflects a more sober view of the role of the individual in the world, distancing herself from an earlier, much more involved personal stand. She now seems to accept fate and suggests possible answers to universal moral dilemmas in this confused world. Her audience responds favourably to this more committed, adult approach, and appreciates the fact that Kasia has never gone commercial.
Despite the depth of thought in her lyrics, Kasia is a true 'stage animal' - a fantastic performer who has excellent contact with the audience and who has real fun performing her own pieces and covers with her excellent band including Wojciech Pilichowski, one of the best Polish bass players. Somewhat calm and pensive in private, Kasia spreads her wings on stage. And flies... And spins… And whirls... Enjoy!
