Michał Szpak facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Michał Szpak |
|
|---|---|
Szpak in 2023
|
|
| 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 singer from Poland. He became famous after appearing on the first season of the Polish TV show X Factor in 2011. In 2016, Michał Szpak represented Poland at the Eurovision Song Contest 2016 in Stockholm, Sweden. He sang the song "Color of Your Life" at the contest.
Contents
Early Life and Music Beginnings
Michał was born in Jasło, a small town in southern Poland. He has an older sister, Marlena, who is an opera singer. Michał also has a brother, Damian, and a sister, Ewa. When Michał was 10, his parents separated. His mother moved to Italy for a job, and the children stayed in Poland with their father. They visited their mother during holidays.
Michał's brother Damian was a big supporter of his early music interests. Michał was inspired by bands like Queen and Muse, and artists such as David Bowie and Michael Jackson. When he was in high school, Michał was part of a hard rock band called Whiplash with his friend Kamil Czapla. Unlike his older sister, Michał never took formal music lessons. He lives in Warsaw and has studied psychology at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities.
Michał Szpak's Music Career
Starting Out with X Factor
On March 6, 2011, Michał Szpak joined the first season of The X Factor in Poland. He sang a classic Polish song called "Dziwny jest ten świat" (Strange is the world). He made it all the way to the final of the competition. On June 5, 2011, Michał sang "Hallelujah" with British singer Alexandra Burke during the final show.
Later that month, on June 17, 2011, he performed at the Orange Warsaw Festival. This big music event also featured international artists like Moby and My Chemical Romance.
From September to November 2011, Michał took part in the Polish version of Dancing with the Stars, called Taniec z gwiazdami. He danced with professional dancer Paulina Biernat. They finished in 5th place. Michał's first music collection, an EP called XI, was released in December 2011 by Universal Music Poland. He also performed as a guest on the finale of the Polish TV show Top Model. Zostań modelką.
In 2013, Michał won first prize at the Russian Song Festival in Zielona Gora. He performed the famous Russian song "Dark Eyes".
First Album: Byle być sobą
Michał Szpak's first full studio album was called Byle być sobą. This means Only to be yourself in English. It was released on November 13, 2015, by Sony Music Entertainment Poland. The album had 12 songs, some in Polish and some in English. Michał dedicated the album to his mother, who had passed away.
The album was very popular in Poland. One of its songs, "Jesteś bohaterem" (English: "Real Hero"), helped him win first prize at the 2015 National Festival of Polish Song in Opole.
Eurovision Song Contest Experience
Michał Szpak represented Poland at the Eurovision Song Contest 2016 in Stockholm, Sweden. His song was "Color of Your Life". He was chosen by public vote in Poland, getting 35.5% of the votes. He beat other famous Polish singers like Margaret and Edyta Górniak. This was the first time Poland held a public competition to pick its Eurovision entry since 2014. The selection show happened on March 5, 2016, in Warsaw.
To promote his song, Michał went on a Eurovision Concert Tour. He performed in London, Tel Aviv, Amsterdam, and Portugal.
On May 12, Michał performed in the second Eurovision semi-final. His performance of "Color of Your Life" helped him qualify for the Grand Final. On May 14, he performed 12th in the final. He was between the contestants from France and Australia.
In the end, Michał Szpak finished 3rd in the public vote. Thanks to a new voting system, he moved from near the bottom with the jury votes to 8th place overall when the public votes were added. He received 229 points from the public.
Being a Judge and Releasing Dreamer
After his success at Eurovision, Michał Szpak became a coach on The Voice of Poland. He replaced Natalia Kukulska. In 2017, he won in his first season as a coach. 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 on YouTube, getting over a million views each. In November 2018, he released a new song called "Dreamer (Thanks to You My Friend)". This song is about being strong and chasing your dreams with help from friends and family. Other songs from the album, "King of the Season" and "Rainbow", also had millions of views on YouTube.
Third Album: Nadwiślański mrok
Nadwiślański mrok is Michał Szpak's third studio album. It was released on November 24, 2023, by Warner Music Poland. The album features pop-rock music. It includes singles like "Hiob (Preludium)", "Warszawianka (mrok)", "Gaja", and "Smutek".
Michał Szpak's Music Releases
Studio Albums
| Title | Details | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| POL |
||||
| Byle być sobą |
|
1 |
|
|
| Dreamer |
|
1 |
|
|
| Nadwiślański mrok |
|
35 |
Extended Plays (EPs)
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| XI |
|
| Dreamer EP |
|
Singles
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Sales | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POL |
AUT |
FRA |
|||||
| "Po niebo" | 2011 | — | — | — | XI | ||
| "Rewolucja" | — | — | — | ||||
| "Jesteś bohaterem/Real Hero" | 2015 | — | — | — |
|
|
Byle być sobą |
| "Byle być sobą" | — | — | — | ||||
| "Such Is Life" | — | — | — | ||||
| "Color of Your Life" | 2016 | 34 | 66 | 156 |
|
|
|
| "Rosanna" | — | — | — | ||||
| "Tic Tac Clock" | 2017 | — | — | — | |||
| "Don't Poison Your Heart" | 35 | — | — | Dreamer | |||
| "King of the Season" | 2018 | — | — | — | |||
| "Rainbow" | — | — | — | ||||
| "Dreamer (Thanks To You My Friends)" | — | — | — | ||||
| "Polska to kobieta" (with Swiernalis) |
2020 | — | — | — | Non-album single | ||
| "Hiob" | 2021 | — | — | — | Nadwiślański mrok | ||
| "Halo wodospad" | 2022 | — | — | — | Non-album single | ||
| "24na7" | — | — | — | ||||
| "Warszawianka (mrok)" | — | — | — | Nadwiślański mrok | |||
| "We Need a Coco" | 2023 | — | — | — | |||
| "Smutek (a może mniej)" | — | — | — | ||||
| "..." | 2024 | — | — | — | |||
| "—" means the song did not chart or was not released. | |||||||
As a Featured Artist
| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "Zanim" (Barbara Wrońska featuring Michał Szpak) |
2020 | Music 4 Queers & Queens |
| "Żegnam cię mój świecie wesoły" (Polskie Znaki featuring Michał Szpak) |
2021 | Rzeczy ostatnie |
| "Opio" (Koza and Molehead featuring Michał Szpak and Adi Nowak) |
2024 | Kusz |
Promotional Singles
| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "Gaja" | 2023 | Nadwiślański mrok |
Concert Tours
- XI Tour (2012)
- Color of Your Life Tour (2016–2017)
- Classica Tour (2018)
- Love is Love Tour (2023)
Awards and Recognitions
- 2011: Second place in the Polish Edition of The X Factor
- 2011: Poland Style & Design Awards for Creative Performance & Achievement Emerging Talent
- 2013: Golden Samovar – Russian Song Festival 2013 in Zielona Góra
- 2015: Super Premieres – 1st Prize at the 52. National Festival of Polish Song in Opole
- 2016: Winner of the Polish national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest
- 2016: Eighth place at the Eurovision Song Contest 2016 in Stockholm
- 2016: Personality of The Year – grand gala "Plejady Gwiazd"
- 2016: Superartist and Grand Prix Opole 2016 Award at the 53. National Festival of Polish Song in Opole
See also
In Spanish: Michał Szpak para niños
