Ania (singer)
Encyclopedia
Ania '; called also with her birthname: Ania Dąbrowska, ') is a Polish
singer and composer
, born January 7, 1981 in Chełm, Poland
, performing a retro
-inspired blend of pop
and soul
music. Her inspiration is Polish music of the 1960s as well as music of France
. Ania rose to stardom in 2004 and most of her four albums got Platinum certification in Poland. She is one of the most popular Polish female singers and has sold more than 200,000 records in her home country.
. During high school she participated in numerous vocal competitions. Dąbrowska first appeared publicly in 2002, as a participant of the first season of Polish edition of a TV program Pop Idol
, in Poland called Idol
. She managed to reach the final top 10. While in eighth place, she left the show. In the same year, she collaborated with Polish singer Krzysztof Krawczyk on his hit album ...bo marzę i śnię.
In February 2004, Dąbrowska released her debut album, Samotność po zmierzchu
(eng. Solitude After Dusk). The record was a commercial success. Popular singles include: "Tego chciałam" (eng. That's What I Wanted), "Charlie, Charlie" (cover
of the song by A Camp
) and "Inna" (eng. Different) - a song about an alienated
girl. The same year she took part in National Festival of Polish Song
in Opole
with a song "Glory". Dąbrowska became one of the most popular Polish singers, winning several awards including the Eska Music Award
. In the fall of 2004 Samotność po zmierzchu achieved Gold certification and the overall sales exceeded 40,000 copies.
Dąbrowska released her second album Kilka historii na ten sam temat
(eng. A Few Stories on the Same Subject) in 2006. The songs referred to Polish popular music from the turn of the 1960s and the 1970s. Ania presented her retro-inspired image on the cover of the record as well as in the music video of the single "Trudno mi się przyznać" (eng. It's Hard to Admit). The album gained even greater success than the top-selling debut record (it sold in 50,000 copies) and was praised both by the critics and the public. The most popular single from the album was "Czekam..." (eng. I'm Waiting...). In the end the album became a Platinum Record.
Ania's third album, W spodniach czy w sukience?
(eng. In Trousers or in Dress?), was released in June 2008. The first single was "Nigdy więcej nie tańcz ze mną" (eng. Never Dance with Me Again) which enjoyed some success in Poland. The album reached number one in Polish album charts and very soon went Platinum. In the summer of 2008 the title song was released as the next single. In 2009, Ania collaborated with French band Nouvelle Vague
and recorded a cover of Robert Palmer's classic song "Johnny and Mary
" for their album 3. The song was a radio single in Poland. In the fall her next solo single was released, "Nigdy nie mów nigdy" (eng. Never Say Never), from the movie of the same name.
In April 2010 Dąbrowska released the fourth studio album, Ania Movie
, including interpretations of her favourite movie tracks. The record, announced as her last retro-album, debuted at number one in Polish album charts and remains her best-selling record to date. The first music video was shot for Cher
's "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)
". In July the same year her first child was born. Her promotional Ania Movie tour was postponed due to a number of reasons, including pregnancy and health problems but eventually turned out a great success later in 2010. As of 2011, Ania is working on her fifth album.
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
singer and composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, born January 7, 1981 in Chełm, 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...
, performing a retro
Retro
Retro is a culturally outdated or aged style, trend, mode, or fashion, from the overall postmodern past, that has since that time become functionally or superficially the norm once again. The use of "retro" style iconography and imagery interjected into post-modern art, advertising, mass media, etc...
-inspired blend of pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
and soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
music. Her inspiration is Polish music of the 1960s as well as music of France
Music of France
France has a wide variety of indigenous folk music, as well as styles played by immigrants from Africa, Latin America and Asia. In the field of classical music, France has produced a number of legendary composers, while modern pop music has seen the rise of popular French hip hop, techno/funk,...
. Ania rose to stardom in 2004 and most of her four albums got Platinum certification in Poland. She is one of the most popular Polish female singers and has sold more than 200,000 records in her home country.
Biography
Dąbrowska started her musical education as a teenager. Being in high school, she also attended music school where she learned to play contrabassDouble bass
The double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
. During high school she participated in numerous vocal competitions. Dąbrowska first appeared publicly in 2002, as a participant of the first season of Polish edition of a TV program Pop Idol
Pop Idol
Pop Idol is a British television series which debuted on ITV on 6 October 2001. The show was a talent contest to decide the best new young pop singer in the United Kingdom, based on viewer voting and participation. Two series were broadcast - one in 2001-02 and a second in 2003...
, in Poland called Idol
Idol (Polish TV series)
Idol is a television show on the Polish television network Polsat, based on the popular British show Pop Idol. The show is a contest to determine the best young singer in Poland. It is hosted by Maciej Rock....
. She managed to reach the final top 10. While in eighth place, she left the show. In the same year, she collaborated with Polish singer Krzysztof Krawczyk on his hit album ...bo marzę i śnię.
In February 2004, Dąbrowska released her debut album, Samotność po zmierzchu
Samotność po zmierzchu
Samotność po zmierzchu is the debut studio album by Polish singer Ania, released in 2004.- Background :The album's title translates Solitude After Dusk. Ania worked on it with acclaimed Polish producer, Bogdan Kondracki. Album presented wide range of styles: pop, soul, chillout, rhythm and blues...
(eng. Solitude After Dusk). The record was a commercial success. Popular singles include: "Tego chciałam" (eng. That's What I Wanted), "Charlie, Charlie" (cover
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of the song by A Camp
A Camp
A Camp is the solo side project of Nina Persson, vocalist for the Swedish Indie Pop band The Cardigans.Persson formed A Camp when The Cardigans took a break after several years of touring and the recording of their 1998 album Gran Turismo.-A Camp:...
) and "Inna" (eng. Different) - a song about an alienated
Social alienation
The term social alienation has many discipline-specific uses; Roberts notes how even within the social sciences, it “is used to refer both to a personal psychological state and to a type of social relationship”...
girl. The same year she took part in National Festival of Polish Song
National Festival of Polish Song in Opole
National Festival of Polish Song in Opole is a yearly music festival in Opole, Poland. Together with Sopot Festival it is the most important music festival in Poland. Opole Festival is meant as a summary of yearly season of achievements of Polish song writers and performers...
in Opole
Opole
Opole is a city in southern Poland on the Oder River . It has a population of 125,992 and is the capital of the Upper Silesia, Opole Voivodeship and, also the seat of Opole County...
with a song "Glory". Dąbrowska became one of the most popular Polish singers, winning several awards including the Eska Music Award
Eska Awards
Eska Music Awards is a major Polish awards ceremony for national and international music launched in 2002 by Radio Eska. The ceremony is held in Łódź, Poland and takes place in April every following year....
. In the fall of 2004 Samotność po zmierzchu achieved Gold certification and the overall sales exceeded 40,000 copies.
Dąbrowska released her second album Kilka historii na ten sam temat
Kilka historii na ten sam temat
Kilka historii na ten sam temat - the second studio album by Polish singer Ania, released in 2006.- Background :Kilka historii na ten sam temat, whose title translates A Few Stories on the Same Subject, was the first of Ania's albums to refer to Polish music history and fully exploit retro style...
(eng. A Few Stories on the Same Subject) in 2006. The songs referred to Polish popular music from the turn of the 1960s and the 1970s. Ania presented her retro-inspired image on the cover of the record as well as in the music video of the single "Trudno mi się przyznać" (eng. It's Hard to Admit). The album gained even greater success than the top-selling debut record (it sold in 50,000 copies) and was praised both by the critics and the public. The most popular single from the album was "Czekam..." (eng. I'm Waiting...). In the end the album became a Platinum Record.
Ania's third album, W spodniach czy w sukience?
W spodniach czy w sukience?
W spodniach czy w sukience? - the third studio album by Polish singer Ania, released in 2008.- Background :The album continued the retro-inspired theme from Ania's previous record, with sleeve photos reminiscenting 1950's and 1960's style. The arrangements again referred to that period's Polish...
(eng. In Trousers or in Dress?), was released in June 2008. The first single was "Nigdy więcej nie tańcz ze mną" (eng. Never Dance with Me Again) which enjoyed some success in Poland. The album reached number one in Polish album charts and very soon went Platinum. In the summer of 2008 the title song was released as the next single. In 2009, Ania collaborated with French band Nouvelle Vague
Nouvelle Vague (band)
Nouvelle Vague is a French musical collective led by musicians Marc Collin and Olivier Libaux. Their name is a play on words, meaning "new wave" in French, and "bossa nova" in Portuguese...
and recorded a cover of Robert Palmer's classic song "Johnny and Mary
Johnny and Mary
"Johnny and Mary" is a song written by Robert Palmer and was recorded in 1980 at Compass Point Studios, New Providence, in the Bahamas. The song was featured on Palmer's album Clues . "Johnny and Mary" only went to #44 on the UK Singles Chart, but did reach #18 on Billboard's Club Play Singles chart...
" for their album 3. The song was a radio single in Poland. In the fall her next solo single was released, "Nigdy nie mów nigdy" (eng. Never Say Never), from the movie of the same name.
In April 2010 Dąbrowska released the fourth studio album, Ania Movie
Ania Movie
Ania Movie - the fourth studio album by Polish singer Ania, released in 2010.- Background :The album consists of cover versions of Ania's favourite movie and TV series themes, including music from MASH, About a Boy, Across 110th Street or Deep Throat II...
, including interpretations of her favourite movie tracks. The record, announced as her last retro-album, debuted at number one in Polish album charts and remains her best-selling record to date. The first music video was shot for Cher
Cher
Cher is an American recording artist, television personality, actress, director, record producer and philanthropist. Referred to as the Goddess of Pop, she has won an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, an Emmy Award, three Golden Globes and a Cannes Film Festival Award among others for her work in...
's "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)
Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)
"Bang Bang " is the second single by singer-actress Cher from her second studio album The Sonny Side of Chér. The song was written by Sonny Bono and released in 1966. The song reached number three in the UK Singles Chart and number two on the Billboard Hot 100...
". In July the same year her first child was born. Her promotional Ania Movie tour was postponed due to a number of reasons, including pregnancy and health problems but eventually turned out a great success later in 2010. As of 2011, Ania is working on her fifth album.
Discography
- 2004: Samotność po zmierzchuSamotność po zmierzchuSamotność po zmierzchu is the debut studio album by Polish singer Ania, released in 2004.- Background :The album's title translates Solitude After Dusk. Ania worked on it with acclaimed Polish producer, Bogdan Kondracki. Album presented wide range of styles: pop, soul, chillout, rhythm and blues...
- 2006: Kilka historii na ten sam tematKilka historii na ten sam tematKilka historii na ten sam temat - the second studio album by Polish singer Ania, released in 2006.- Background :Kilka historii na ten sam temat, whose title translates A Few Stories on the Same Subject, was the first of Ania's albums to refer to Polish music history and fully exploit retro style...
- 2008: W spodniach czy w sukience?W spodniach czy w sukience?W spodniach czy w sukience? - the third studio album by Polish singer Ania, released in 2008.- Background :The album continued the retro-inspired theme from Ania's previous record, with sleeve photos reminiscenting 1950's and 1960's style. The arrangements again referred to that period's Polish...
- 2010: Ania MovieAnia MovieAnia Movie - the fourth studio album by Polish singer Ania, released in 2010.- Background :The album consists of cover versions of Ania's favourite movie and TV series themes, including music from MASH, About a Boy, Across 110th Street or Deep Throat II...
External links
- Official website (in Polish)
- Ania at YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
- Ania at MySpaceMySpaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....