Maria Antonina Rodowicz, known professionally as Maryla Rodowicz, (
Polish pronunciation: born 8 December 1945 in
Zielona Góra
Zielona Góra is the largest city in Lubusz Voivodeship, located in western Poland, with 140,403 inhabitants (2021). Zielona Góra has a favourable geographical position, being close to the Polish-German border and on several international road ...
), is a Polish
singer
Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or without ...
,
guitarist
A guitarist (or a guitar player) is a person who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of guitar family instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselv ...
and
actress
An actor or actress is a person who portrays a Character (arts), character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek ...
.
Throughout over 50 years of her career, she released twenty Polish and four foreign-language studio albums including five with
platinum
Platinum is a chemical element with the symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a dense, malleable, ductile, highly unreactive, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name originates from Spanish , a diminutive of "silver".
Platinu ...
and three with
gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile met ...
certifications and selling over 15 million records. Known for her close collaboration with
Agnieszka Osiecka
Agnieszka Osiecka (Polish pronunciation: ; 9 October 1936 – 7 March 1997) was a Polish poet, writer, author of theatre and television screenplays, film director and journalist. She was a prominent Polish songwriter, having authored the lyrics to ...
and
Seweryn Krajewski
Seweryn Krajewski (born 3 January 1947, Nowa Sól, Poland) is a Polish singer and songwriter who rose to fame in the 1960s and 70s with the popular Polish band Czerwone Gitary. After leaving the group in 1997, he recorded several solo albums.
He ...
, her most popular songs include "Małgośka" (1974), "Futbol" (1974), "Remedium" (1978), "Niech żyje bal" (1984), "Łatwopalni" (1997) and "Wszyscy chcą kochać" (2005). She remains one of the most prominent and successful artists in the history of
popular music in Poland.
Among the numerous awards and decorations she received are
Gold Cross of Merit, Commander's Cross of the
Order of Polonia Restituta
The Order of Polonia Restituta ( pl, Order Odrodzenia Polski, en, Order of Restored Poland) is a Polish state decoration, state Order (decoration), order established 4 February 1921. It is conferred on both military and civilians as well as on al ...
and Gold
Medal for Merit to Culture – Gloria Artis
A medal or medallion is a small portable artistic object, a thin disc, normally of metal, carrying a design, usually on both sides. They typically have a commemorative purpose of some kind, and many are presented as awards. They may be int ...
.
Early life
Originally the Rodowicz family came from
Vilnius
Vilnius ( , ; see also other names) is the capital and largest city of Lithuania, with a population of 592,389 (according to the state register) or 625,107 (according to the municipality of Vilnius). The population of Vilnius's functional urb ...
. Her father worked at the
Stefan Batory University
Vilnius University ( lt, Vilniaus universitetas) is a public research university, oldest in the Baltic states and in Northern Europe outside the United Kingdom (or 6th overall following foundations of Oxford, Cambridge, St. Andrews, Glasgow and ...
in Vilnius before the
war
War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regular o ...
and her grandparents were the owners of a pharmacy near the famous
Gate of Dawn
The Gate of Dawn ( lt, Aušros vartai), or Sharp Gate ( pl, Ostra Brama, la, Porta Acialis, be, Вострая Брама, lt, Ašmens vartai, russian: Острая брама) is a city gate in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, and one of ...
, the
city gate
A city gate is a gate which is, or was, set within a city wall. It is a type of fortified gateway.
Uses
City gates were traditionally built to provide a point of controlled access to and departure from a walled city for people, vehicles, goods ...
of Vilnius. Rodowicz studied at ''Liceum Ziemi Kujawskiej'' (Cuiavian Land High School) in
Włocławek
Włocławek (Polish pronunciation: ; german: Leslau) is a city located in central Poland along the Vistula (Wisła) River and is bordered by the Gostynin-Włocławek Landscape Park. As of December 2021, the population of the city is 106,928. Loc ...
and graduated from the ''Akademia Wychowania Fizycznego'' (Academy of Physical Education) in
Rumpe. In her youth, she was a keen participant in
athletics
Athletics may refer to:
Sports
* Sport of athletics, a collection of sporting events that involve competitive running, jumping, throwing, and walking
** Track and field, a sub-category of the above sport
* Athletics (physical culture), competi ...
among other things at
Kujawiak Włocławek
Kujawiak Włocławek was a Polish football and athletics club based in Włocławek, Poland.
Its claim to fame is that the famous Polish singer Maryla Rodowicz and international javelin thrower Zygmunt Jałoszyński used to actively train at t ...
.
Career
Her career began in 1967, after winning first prize at the ''Festiwal Piosenki i Piosenkarzy Studenckich'' (Student Songs and Singers' Festival) in
Kraków
Kraków (), or Cracow, is the second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city dates back to the seventh century. Kraków was the official capital of Poland until 1596 ...
. Two years later she recorded her first well-known song, "Mówiły mu" ("The girls told him", English version known as "Love Doesn't Grow On Trees"), and in 1970 - her first
longplay. In 1973, she gained popularity with the song "Małgośka" with lyrics by
Agnieszka Osiecka
Agnieszka Osiecka (Polish pronunciation: ; 9 October 1936 – 7 March 1997) was a Polish poet, writer, author of theatre and television screenplays, film director and journalist. She was a prominent Polish songwriter, having authored the lyrics to ...
. A year later, during the
World Cup
A world cup is a global sporting competition in which the participant entities – usually international teams or individuals representing their countries – compete for the title of world champion. The event most associated with the concept i ...
Opening Ceremony in
Munich
Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the States of Germany, German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the List of cities in Germany by popu ...
, she performed a song "Futbol" ("Football").
The singer's body of work comprises over 600 recorded songs, with over 20
Polish
Polish may refer to:
* Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe
* Polish language
* Poles
Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, w ...
albums as well as albums in
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
,
Czech
Czech may refer to:
* Anything from or related to the Czech Republic, a country in Europe
** Czech language
** Czechs, the people of the area
** Czech culture
** Czech cuisine
* One of three mythical brothers, Lech, Czech, and Rus'
Places
* Czech, ...
,
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
** Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
and
Russian
Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including:
*Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries
*Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and peo ...
. Apart from "Małgośka", the artist's most famous songs are "Niech żyje bal" ("Long live the ball"), "To już było" ("Done that"), "Wielka Woda" ("Great water"), "Rozmowa przez ocean" ("Talk over the ocean"), "Bossanova do poduszki" ("Bedside bossa nova"), "Łatwopalni" ("Inflammables") and her latest album's hits such as "Wszyscy chcą kochać" ("Everybody wants to love") and "Będzie co ma być" ("What is to be, will be"). In 2005 she recorded an album ''Kochać'' (''To love'') with lyrics by
Katarzyna Nosowska. On the occasion of
World Cup 2006
The 2006 FIFA World Cup, also branded as Germany 2006, was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international Association football, football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which had won ...
, she recorded a song "Za Janasa" ("For Janas") with Nosowska's lyrics.
Rodowicz has performed in concert worldwide: in Europe, America, Australia, and Asia. She has won awards for her singing. She has also participated in various festivals including outside the borders of Poland, for example in
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, a ...
,
Tulsa
Tulsa () is the second-largest city in the U.S. state, state of Oklahoma and List of United States cities by population, 47th-most populous city in the United States. The population was 413,066 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. ...
, and
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
, as well as in Poland including the ''Festiwal Piosenki i Piosenkarzy Studenckich'' (Student Songs and Singers' Festival) in Kraków and the
National Festival of Polish Song in
Opole
Opole (; german: Oppeln ; szl, Ôpole) ;
* Silesian:
** Silesian PLS alphabet: ''Ôpole''
** Steuer's Silesian alphabet: ''Uopole''
* Silesian German: ''Uppeln''
* Czech: ''Opolí''
* Latin: ''Oppelia'', ''Oppolia'', ''Opulia'' is a city loc ...
.
Rodowicz is also an actress who has performed in several movies and in musical entertainment. She regularly performs in a
Polsat
Polsat is a Polish free-to-air television channel that was launched on 5 December 1992 by Zygmunt Solorz-Żak. , it is the most watched television channel in Poland with a market share of 11.30%
Polsat belongs to Grupa Polsat Plus ( WSECPS, wh ...
TV channel series ''
Rodzina zastępcza
''Rodzina zastępcza'' (eng. ''Foster Family'') was a popular Polish primetime comedy series broadcast on Polsat from 23 February 1999 to 20 December 2009. In 2004 the title was changed to ''Rodzina zastępcza plus'' (''Foster Family plus'') and ...
'' (''Foster Family'').
In 1992 she released her
autobiography
An autobiography, sometimes informally called an autobio, is a self-written account of one's own life.
It is a form of biography.
Definition
The word "autobiography" was first used deprecatingly by William Taylor in 1797 in the English peri ...
under the title of ''Niech żyje bal''.
She was featured in a 2012 episode of the Polish ''
Name That Tune
''Name That Tune'' is an American television music game show. Originally created and produced by orchestra conductor Harry Salter and his wife Roberta Semple Salter, the series features contestants competing to correctly identify songs being p ...
'', known as ''
Jaka to Melodia
''Jaka to melodia?'' (meaning "What Melody Is It?") is the licensed Polish variation of the classic game show Name That Tune, running every year since 1997 on TVP1. It is licensed by Prestige Entertainment Group and Sandy Frank Film Syndication ...
'', in which she sang her rendition of the popular
Chór Czejanda number ''
Czerwony Autobus'' ("The Red Bus") after a celebrity contestant guessed the song.
On August 18, 2021, it was announced that she will appear in the third season of ''
The Voice Senior'' as a coach, replacing
Izabela Trojanowska
Izabela Ludwika Trojanowska (née Schütz; born 22 April 1955) is a Polish rock singer and actress performing in theatre, TV series and films. She is best known for her 1980 hits "Tyle samo prawd ile kłamstw" and "Wszystko czego dziś chcę", a ...
. Her life and music career was the subject of a
documentary film
A documentary film or documentary is a non-fictional film, motion-picture intended to "document reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction, education or maintaining a Recorded history, historical record". Bill Nichols (film critic), Bil ...
entitled ''Maryla. Tak kochałam'' aired by
TVP1
TVP1 (TVP Jeden, ''Program I Telewizji Polskiej'', ''"Jedynka"'') is the main public television channel of TVP (Telewizja Polska S.A.), Poland's national television broadcaster. It was the first Polish channel to be broadcast and remains one ...
channel in December the same year.
Songs
The notable ''Polish Madonna'' written by
Agnieszka Osiecka
Agnieszka Osiecka (Polish pronunciation: ; 9 October 1936 – 7 March 1997) was a Polish poet, writer, author of theatre and television screenplays, film director and journalist. She was a prominent Polish songwriter, having authored the lyrics to ...
(an emotional portrait of an average Polish woman trying to make ends meet) contains clear
Catholic
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
symbolism
Symbolism or symbolist may refer to:
Arts
* Symbolism (arts), a 19th-century movement rejecting Realism
** Symbolist movement in Romania, symbolist literature and visual arts in Romania during the late 19th and early 20th centuries
** Russian sy ...
and references to the social circumstances characteristic to Poland in the late eighties that marked the last years of the
communist
Communism (from Latin la, communis, lit=common, universal, label=none) is a far-left sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology and current within the socialist movement whose goal is the establishment of a communist society, a s ...
era in
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...
. In this song, the author questions whether the "Polish Madonna" (or, in other words, the Catholic
Holy Mary, usually portrayed as holding baby Jesus in her arms) has enough money to pay for rent, promising her that the child will get a welcome allowance to the public kindergarten. The old communist promises are never fulfilled for her, and her dreams of having a
lipstick
Lipstick is a cosmetic product used to apply coloration and texture to lips, often made of wax and oil. Different pigments are used to produce color, and minerals such as silica may be used to provide texture. The use of lipstick dates back to ...
"made in France" can only come true in her dreams. The song won the journalists' prize at the Opole festival in 1987.
Personal life
In mid-1970s, she was in a highly publicized relationship with actor
Daniel Olbrychski
Daniel Marcel Olbrychski (; born 27 February 1945) is a Polish film and theatre actor who is widely considered one of the greatest Polish actors of his generation. He appeared in 180 films and TV productions and is best known for leading roles ...
. She has three children, Jan Jasiński (born in 1979) and Katarzyna Jasińska (born in 1982) with her partner
Krzysztof Jasiński. She also has a son Jędrzej (born in 1987) with her (now divorced) husband Andrzej Dużyński.
Discography
Polish-language albums
German-language albums
Russian-language albums
Multilingual albums
Tribute albums
Christmas albums
Live albums
Compilation albums
See also
*
Music of Poland
The Music of Poland covers diverse aspects of music and musical traditions which have originated, and are practiced in Poland. Artists from Poland include world-famous classical composers like Frédéric Chopin, Karol Szymanowski, Witold Lutosł ...
*
List of Polish music artists
Notes
:a. Re-released as 2 CD set on October 23, 2012 under title ''Buty 2 1/2''.
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rodowicz, Maryla
1945 births
Living people
People from Zielona Góra
Polish actresses
Polish people of Lithuanian descent
Polish people of Russian descent
Polish women singers
Polish country singers
Polish folk singers
Polish pop singers
Polish rock singers
English-language singers from Poland