Michał Szpak facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Michał Szpak |
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Szpak in 2023
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| Background information | |
| Also known as | Miszel, Miszanel, Majkel |
| Born | 26 November 1990 Jasło, Poland |
| Genres | Rock, pop, operatic pop, soul, jazz, electronic |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 2009–present |
| Labels | Universal Music Polska, Sony Music Entertainment Poland, Warner Music Poland |
| Associated acts | Whiplash |
Michał Szpak (born November 26, 1990) is a talented Polish singer. He became famous after appearing on the first season of the Polish TV show X Factor in 2011. In 2016, Michał Szpak proudly represented Poland at the Eurovision Song Contest 2016 in Stockholm, Sweden. His song for the contest was called "Color of Your Life".
Contents
Early Life and Music Beginnings
Michał Szpak was born in Jasło, a small town located in southern Poland. He grew up with his older sister, Marlena, who is an opera singer. He also has a brother, Damian, and a sister, Ewa. When Michał was ten, his parents separated, and his mother moved to Italy. The children stayed in Poland with their father and visited their mother during holidays. His brother Damian was a great support for young Michał, especially because of his unique personality.
From a young age, Michał was inspired by many famous musicians. Some of his favorite artists included Queen, Muse, David Bowie, and Michael Jackson. When he was in high school, Michał was part of a band called Whiplash with his friend, Kamil Czapla. They mostly played hard rock music. Michał has shared that, unlike his older sister, he never took formal music lessons. Today, Michał lives in Warsaw and is studying psychology at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities.
Michał Szpak's Music Career
Becoming Famous with X Factor
On March 6, 2011, Michał Szpak joined the very first season of The X Factor in Poland. He impressed everyone with his performance of "Dziwny jest ten świat" (Strange is the world), a classic song by Czesław Niemen. Michał made it all the way to the final round of the competition. On June 5, 2011, he even sang "Hallelujah" with Alexandra Burke, who won the British X Factor in 2008.
After X Factor, Michał performed at the Orange Warsaw Festival on June 17, 2011. He shared the stage with many international artists. Later that year, from September to November, Michał took part in Dancing with the Stars, the Polish version of the popular dance show. He and his dance partner, Paulina Biernat, reached fifth place. Michał released his first music collection, called XI, in December 2011.
In 2013, Michał won first prize at the Russian Song Festival in Zielona Góra. He performed the famous Russian song "Dark Eyes".
Byle być sobą Album Success
Byle być sobą (which means Only to be yourself in English) is Michał Szpak's first full studio album. It was released in Poland on November 13, 2015. The album has 12 songs, sung in both Polish and English. Michał dedicated this album to his mother, who had passed away. The album was very popular in Poland. His amazing performance of the song "Jesteś bohaterem" (meaning "Real Hero") won him first prize at the 2015 National Festival of Polish Song in Opole.
Representing Poland at Eurovision
Michał Szpak was chosen to represent Poland at the Eurovision Song Contest 2016 in Stockholm, Sweden. He sang his song "Color of Your Life". The Polish public voted for their favorite singer, and Michał won by a lot, getting 35.5% of the votes. He beat other well-known Polish singers like Margaret and Edyta Górniak.
Before Eurovision, Michał went on a concert tour to promote his song. He performed in cities like London, Tel Aviv, Amsterdam, and Portugal. On May 12, 2016, Michał performed in the second semi-final of Eurovision. He did great and made it to the Grand Final! In the final on May 14, he performed 12th. When all the votes were counted, Michał Szpak finished eighth overall. He received a lot of votes from the public, which helped him move up from a lower position with the jury votes.
Coaching on The Voice of Poland and Dreamer
After his success at Eurovision, Michał Szpak became a coach on The Voice of Poland, a popular singing competition show. In his very first season as a coach in 2017, his team member, Marta Gałuszewska, won the competition!
In 2018, Michał released his second studio album, called Dreamer. Many songs from this album became very popular online, getting millions of views on YouTube. In November 2018, he released the song "Dreamer (Thanks to You My Friend)". This song is about being strong and chasing your dreams with the help of your friends. Other songs from the album, like "King of the Season" and "Rainbow", also received millions of views.
New Music: Nadwiślański mrok
Nadwiślański mrok is Michał Szpak's third studio album. It was released on November 24, 2023. This album features pop-rock music. Some of the songs released from this album include "Hiob (Preludium)", "Bondage", "Warszawianka (mrok)", "Gaja", and "Smutek".
Michał Szpak's Albums
- XI (2011) - His first collection of songs.
- Byle być sobą (2015) - His first full studio album, which was very successful.
- Dreamer (2018) - His second studio album, with many popular songs.
- Nadwiślański mrok (2023) - His third studio album.
Michał Szpak's Tours
- XI Tour (2012)
- Color of Your Life Tour (2016–2017)
- Classica Tour (2018)
- Love is Love Tour (2023)
Awards and Achievements
- 2011: Second place in the Polish Edition of The X Factor.
- 2013: Won the Golden Samovar at the Russian Song Festival in Zielona Góra.
- 2015: Won first prize at the 52nd National Festival of Polish Song in Opole.
- 2016: Won the Polish national selection to represent Poland at the Eurovision Song Contest.
- 2016: Finished eighth at the Eurovision Song Contest 2016 in Stockholm.
- 2016: Received the "Personality of The Year" award.
- 2016: Won "Superartist" and "Grand Prix Opole 2016" awards at the 53rd National Festival of Polish Song in Opole.
Images for kids
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Szpak during X-Factor Poland concert tour in Port Łódź, June 24, 2011
See also
In Spanish: Michał Szpak para niños
