Kapela Hanki Wójciak

Kapela Hanki Wójciak is a band creating folk music that delivers overwhelmingly positive emotions. Their sound reaches back to times when humanity had never heard of electronics. It’s the kind of music that could easily accompany a highlander-inspired version of the film The Peasants.

Who Is Hanka Wójciak?

Hanka Wójciak, born Anna Wójciak, comes from Olcza in Zakopane. She grew up in the countryside, in a traditionally highlander home, where she absorbed knowledge of folk traditions, dialect, and customs. She is deeply in love with Zakopane and its local dialect, which she has mastered perfectly. Although she spent fifteen years in Kraków, her attachment to her hometown never faded. She eventually returned to the mountains to raise her daughter there.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

Wójciak began writing her first songs at the age of eight. She wrote her first piece on the day of her grandmother’s funeral, when she was not yet ten years old. The artist later reflected on that moment:

“Years later I thought (…) that maybe Grandma sent me those little verses from above.” – from an interview for Dworek TV.

Listening to Wójciak’s music, one might indeed feel that her grandmother kept whispering verses to her in later projects as well—the songs are filled with profound love for music.

As a child, Wójciak learned singing and dancing in the Giewont ensemble. This was her first encounter with this type of music. Giewont was founded in 1981 by a parish priest from Zakopane. The ensemble performs folk music and has presented it abroad many times, including in Austria and France. Hanka’s father had previously been a member of Giewont. Being part of a group with such history and tradition undoubtedly taught her a great deal and provided invaluable experience. In addition to Giewont, Wójciak was also a member of the Akord ensemble during her childhood.

Things became more serious in her musical career when Wójciak won the 46th Student Song Festival. She performed the songs “Prayer” and “Artists,” which earned her first place and a cash prize of eight thousand złoty. That day—October 16, 2010—is considered the beginning of the band, when Wójciak began performing with a group then called Hanka Wójciak with Band. That was the moment it all began.

The band performs folk music strongly inspired by highlander culture. Their songs overflow with love for this musical tradition. As already mentioned, Wójciak cherishes heritage and transforms it into beautiful music.

The Album Znachorka

In 2014, the band released their debut album, Znachorka (“The Healer”). The record contains fourteen tracks presenting folk sounds while maintaining considerable diversity. There are more danceable pieces, such as “Śwarna,” which could easily soundtrack a wedding scene in The Peasants. At the same time, there are calmer, more melancholic songs that evoke winter moods.

In June 2016, the band made an unexpected move and released a special re-edition of their debut album. It was expanded with two new tracks—“Janicku mój” and “Krew nie woda”—and featured updated cover artwork.

The Album Zasłona

In 2017, the band released their second album, Zasłona (“The Veil”), consisting of eleven tracks. With this record, Wójciak demonstrated a high artistic standard. The album combines folklore and highlander elements with poetic influences. An especially interesting track is “Gody,” performed entirely in the highlander dialect. Music videos were created for the songs “Ja” (“I”) and “Niebo” (“Heaven”).

The Album LIVE Kraków

In 2024, the band released a new album titled LIVE Kraków. It is a recording of a concert held on October 10, 2020. The album brilliantly captures the atmosphere of the performance. You can hear the audience’s applause and the artist addressing them directly. At the same time, the recording quality is excellent—there are no sound disturbances, and nothing is too loud or too quiet. Listening to Wójciak speak to the audience in her characteristic dialect, the listener may feel as if they are sitting in the concert hall, laughing along with the crowd.

The album was released in four color editions. Each version contains slightly different additional materials, including annotated photographs that present Wójciak’s artistic journey. The physical release also includes special occasion cards, individually matched to each version.

Kapela Hanki Wójciak today

The band is currently fresh off the premiere of LIVE Kraków, which means Wójciak is busy promoting the new release. Kapela frequently performs at various festivals, offering audiences beautiful, heartfelt sounds.

Article written by Paweł Skarzyński
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