Who was the brightest shining star at this year’s Fryderyki Awards Night? It was no doubt Monika Brodka, probably one of Poland’s youngest and most talented pop singers, who was nominated for nine awards and left with three, including Female Vocalist of the Year.
The Fryderyki Awards, which are the Polish equivalent of the American Grammy Awards, are presented annually by the Polish Phonographic Academy to recognise outstanding achievement in the Polish music industry. The statuettes are awarded in a number of categories at a televised ceremony. The charge at this year’s Fryderyki Awards was led by Monika Brodka with nine nominations – most of them for her latest album, Granda.
Monika Brodka was born in a small village in the south of Poland into a traditional family of folk musicians with her grandfather playing the trumpet, her mother – the violin, her brother – the bull-fiddle, and her father… pretty much every instrument there is. She took up violin lessons at the age of six and it soon became clear that she too has a natural talent for music. Brodka first won the hearts of millions of Poles when she came first in season three of the Polish Pop Idol in 2004, even though – at only seventeen, she was the youngest ever finalist of the contest. This success rocked her world upside down as she got fast-tracked into the glittering world of show-business. She conquered the radio charts with songs from her debut album called Album (2004), which soon achieved gold status and earned her a number of awards. Her second album, Moje piosenki, was released in 2006, and it was well-received too even though it certainly had a more mellow feel to it. Some critics would even say that with her talent and charisma she should venture more outside the comfort zone of slick urban pop songs. At this point Brodka decided to take a break to give herself time to grow up and to search within to find her true artistic self. Giving up show-business while at the height of fame? Bold move.
She resurfaced again last year but what a come-back! She is more confident, more stylish and even more uncompromising than ever before and this change suits her just fine. Her third album, Granda, which came out in September 2010, is a clear statement from Brodka: this is who I am, take it or leave it. The album is all about eclecticism, energy and fun: she plays with words, she plays with music styles from folk to hard rock, she plays with her voice as well as her image. The result is surprising, captivating and powerful, which is probably why it caught so much attention at the Fryderyki Awards 2011 and earned Monika Brodka three statuettes – for Female Vocalist of the Year, Album of the Year and Music Production of the Year. This is an amazing success for 24-year-old Brodka, even if it forces her out of mainstream pop and into the alternative. Brilliant move.
