Edyta Górniak was born on November 14th, 1972. She has been singing ever since she was a small child but her real debut took place in Zbigniew Gorny’s tv show „Spiewac Kazdy Moze” [Everybody can sing] in 1989. The same year she was asked to perform at „Debuts” concert – a part of Song festival in Opole. She was awarded for her performance of Lora Szafran’s song „Zly Chlopak” [Bad Boy]. Two weeks before the festival, in the apartament of her music teacher – Elzbieta Zapendowska, Edyta met Janusz Stoklosa. He invited her to take part in the casting for the very first Polish musical „Metro”. She was accepted right away.
The success of the musical, which premiered on January 31, 1991, rewarded the months „taken out of her life”. Edyta, who played one of the main characters, became very popular and subsequently a „star”.
For three years, she appeared in „Metro” and after 700 performances , including shows on Broadway, her beauty was noticed and was offered a job by „Ellite” model agency (New York), but Edyta rejected it preferring to continue her career as a singer.
In July ’93, Edyta was invited to take part in Baltic Countries Festival in Karlsham where she has won third prize.
Later that year in September she took part in Janusz Jozefowicz’s next show „Do grajacej szafy grosik wrzuc”. She sang „Kasztany” and „Malaguenia” – songs which were remembered by audience. Thanks to those songs Edyta won sympathy of older listeners.
At the end of the year Polish Television asked Edyta to represent Poland in the Eurovision Song Contest. It was very important as it was Poland’s first time in this contest. Edyta’s performance during ESC ’94 was start of her success. Her magnificent voice and thrilling interpretation of „To nie ja” (lyrics by J.Cygan / music by S.Syrewicz) gave her second place. That huge success made Edyta famous throughout Europe.
At the end of 1993 Edyta decided to leave „Buffo” and concentrate on her solo career.
Summer ’94. Edyta becomes the biggest star of Polish Song Festival in Opole (she won Karol Musiol’s Award) and International Song festival in Sopot.
The same year she started to collect songs for her first album.
EDYTA’S DEBUT
In 1994 POMATON EMI – one of the largest music companies released Edyta’s very first single called „once in a lifetime / to nie ja”. It included both Polish and English version of Edyta’s big hit. At the same time Polish Television (TVP) aired „once in a lifetime” music video.
A few months later, Edyta’s next single „Jestem kobieta” becomes a hit, and it was #1 in all possible music charts while a great music video for this song revealed Edyta’s dancing skills and unusual beauty.
Her third single entitled „Dotyk” (Touch) is released. And once again, the music video was a real masterpiece, beautiful and sensual at the same time. Of course it became a hit. It proved that Edyta’s amazing success wasn’t accidental.
The album „Dotyk” was released on May 8th, 1995. After only three days from the premiere it reached a Gold status, and after two months Platinum. About 250 000 CDs and cassettes were sold. Eleven songs on this album were performed in Polish, few of them were taken from the musicals : „Grosik”, „Brel” and „Metro”. Edyta Gorniak with her wonderful voice and original beauty simply became an idol of young people in Poland. Year 1995 was Edyta’s year. For her work she won many prizes and awards, for: The best Artist, The best Debut, The most wonderful song, The best Singer.
In Opole she was given a Karol’s Musiol prize, in Sopot – „Miss Obiektywu” awarded by photographers, „Wiktor’94” – a TV Prize, and from listeners of Radio Kolor a car – Ford Fiesta.
In 1995 Edyta gave her first concerts in many Polish cities. On the last concert in Sala Kongresowa, after exhausting work she said goodbye to all her fans and decided to take a years break from singing.
During the next few months she took it upon herself to learning English, which was necessary for her plans. She sold her nearly finished house in Poland and moved to London. She knew that if she wants to make her dream of being an international artist she would have to be nearer the people who could make that happen.
She started to make her new, international album. Her new producer was Christopher Neil – who had produced albums of Cher, Aha, Marylion, Mike and The Mechanics, Celine Dion and thanks to him, Edyta had the oppertunity to sing the songs of such well known composers as Billy Steinberg (composer of Madonna’s „Like a Virgin” and Dion’s „Falling into you”).
Thanks to Edyta’s talent, special songs and the production of Christopher Neil, her international album was finished. A huge music corporation – EMI decided to release this album. Also Sony, BMG, PolyGram and Warner were interested in releasing Edyta’s new album before it was finished. Negotiations with EMI brought a contract in 1997 with EMI – Virgin America, and Vigin decided to release Edyta’s album in many different countries of the world.
EDYTA’S COME BACK
On October the sixth world radio stations were given Edyta’s new single „When you come back to me”. As well as this song, on the single was also a special interview with Edyta. She was talking about her dreams, her work with new producer in London’s studio – Metropolis. Also on sixth of October the TV stations were given a video for the song – „When you come back to me”. It was created in Greenwich (London), in palace the home of the meridian.
This single quickly became a hit. In Asia it was on the third place (only Madonna and Spice girls were better) on MTV’s top list, in other Asian countries it was always in the top five. In Portugal „When you come back to me” was in the top ten on their music charts for over half of the year!
This song was so popular that it was even played in a popular TV series. And probably the popularity of that series also contributed to the success of Edyta’s new album. It became a PLATINUM ALBUM in Portugal. In Switzerland another single „One & One” took third place, after so well known artists like Cher (1) and Roxette (2).
All the singles: „When you come back to me”, „Anything” and „One & One” were very popular, all appearing in the top twenty, some at number one. Album „Edyta Gorniak” – world premiere on seventh of November 1997. The big promotion is on. Edyta, before Japanese premiere was invited to Tokyo, where she spent a week meeting with the promoters from the whole of Asia. She gave interviews for many Asian well known newspapers (read by about 10 million people!),for Japanese MTV, and for many radio stations.
She also sang in the special promotional concert, made by Toshiba – EMI where the Japanese could listen to Edyta’s newest song on the Internet.
The album „Edyta Gorniak” also was a big success in Scandinavia. In Norway it went Gold. In Poland it went gold after one week and platinum after one month.
OTHER MUSIC EVENTS
Edyta always was lucky to perform in many special occasions and with many wonderful artists. Her 1994 performance in Eurovision Song Contest in Dublin will be remembered by many people in our country for a long time. Not only because it was a big success, but also because Edyta was the first singer from Poland to represent our country in that contest. Two years later in 1996, Polish Olympic Foundation asked her to perform the beautiful anthem of XXVI Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta – „To Atlanta”.
The big surprise was also that Walt Disney’s Corporation engaged her two (!) times to perform songs for their animated films. It happens very rarely that Disney wants to have songs performed by the same artist. After wonderful singing of the song from „Pocahontas” Edyta was engaged for „Mulan”. To both of these songs, beautiful videos were made. In each Edyta showed that she was also a good actress.
Edyta’s songs started to be included on compilation albums along side musics top performers including Mariah Carey and Lionel Richie. In Great Britain her song „When you come back to me” was released on a prestige charity CD – „Wicked Women”. It was Edyta’s debut in Great Britain.
Another honour was that she was asked to sing on a charity concert for children with cancer. On December twenty second she sang with Jose Carreras – a world famous tenor. He choose Edyta after listening to over 70 Polish artists. They performed four songs together, including the well known „Hope for us”. This song was recorded in three countries: in Poland the choir and the Orchestra was recorded, in Great Britain the guitar and in the USA the voices of both vocalists.
In the beginning of 1998 Edyta went back to London for few days. In the middle of January she flew to the South Africa. From there she flew to Asia. Year 1998 is the year of no ending promotions and concerts all over the world.
On December ’98 Edyta performed a song with Mietek Szcześniak for Polish film – „Ogniem i mieczem”. The song – „Dumka na dwa serca” (music by Krzesimir Dębski , lirycs by Jacek Cygan).
In Spring ’99 a huge concerts in all big cities in Poland took place. It has been first Edyta’s tour in Poland since 1997. Two concerts: in Krakow and Warsaw were recorded and released on CD. Album „Live’ 99” had its premiere on twenty-fifth September 1999.
In year 2000 Edyta won the first prize for the best Eurovision song of the last decade. The celebration took place in Spain and was live on Spanish Television – TVE. Edyta was the only artist, who sang live.
She rested for few months and after a short break started to record songs for her new album. She was given the oppertunity to work with the British Producers „Absolute” who had previously had success wth the likes of The Spice Girl, Boyzone, Gary Barlow, Geri Halliwell, Tina Turner, and Atomic Kitten. They also wrote many of the songs on the album specifically for her, which no one had ever done before. In the 2001 the album was finished and had its premiere on March 2002. It’s called „Perla” (Pearl) and has 13 songs in English (and 7 in Polish for the Polish version of the album). Edyta sang also in Spanish, French and Italian and these songs will be released on local versions of the album. Edyta presented her new material in Rome on July 2001.
In December 2001 Edyta sang in another charity concert in Sala Kongresowa. She presented a new song called „Nie prosze o wiecej”. It is a ballad written by another Polish singer – Edyta Bartosiewicz. In January 2002 her new single had its premiere. It’s called „Jak najdalej” and it was written by Piotr Siejka (music) and Ryszard Kunce (lyrics). After only a week after the official premiere it went to number one on many Polish airplay charts.
On 9th March 2002, her fourth album, „Perla”,was released. In a month it went Gold. The Gold Status of the album was officialy announced during Edyta’s performance at the Song Festival in Opole.
The promotion of the album continues… After „Jak Najdalej”, „Nie prosze…” and „Slowa jak motyle” another single was released – „Perla”.
In the meantime Edyta is getting ready to the international promotion.
(original text: EMI Music Poland, translated by: Jarda Hainzel from factorytop40.cz)
