Dodaj wydarzenie
Kalendarz
Moje konto
Gutta cavat lapidem non vi, sed saepe cadendo, sic homo doctus fit non vi sed saepe studendo. A drop drills a rock not through force, but by falling many times, so does a human learn not through force, but by frequent study.
Tola Szlagowska – nativitas
Tola Klara Szlagowska was born in 1993 in Warsaw. Music was a big part of her family, as her dad, Jarosław Szlagowski, was a famous drummer, who had played with bands such as Lady Pank, Oddział Zamknięty, and Maanam. Her mom was also connected to the music industry – she worked at Universal Music Polska. Because of that music has played a part in Tola’s life ever since she was a little girl.
When she was three years old, she met Alicja Boratyn through a family friend. It’s worth mentioning, as Alicja played a key role in Szlagowska’s later life. There’s also one other important person – her brother, Jan, who became Blog 27’s drummer.
Blog 27 – adulescentia
Blog 27 was a band formed by two friends – Tola and Alicja, when they were only thirteen year old. This in itself is admirable, though is nothing compared to the fact that in that same year the teenagers released their first album, titled <LOL>. Before that, however, they released two songs – a cover of Uh la la la by Alexia and Hey Boy (Get Your Ass Up). Both were greatly received – many people talked about them and listened to them, and the singers had already made some noise. Their following record, Before I’ll Die, was equally popular. It received a double platinum certification and placed second on the OLiS chart. Since it was made by two thirteen-year-olds, it was quite a phenomenon. Their songs were in English, thanks to which they gained popularity in the west – their album was the 27th best selling record in Germany, 12th in Hungary, and 7th in Austria.
The girls stood out due to their age and their unique style. These young singers, especially Tola, were part of the emo subculture. It was both controversial and original, which caused an outburst of hate. The teenagers had to face many negative comments, some incredibly vulgar, devoid of today’s rules which moderate online speech. It might have been the most criticized band in the country. Despite that, the girls did not give up and they continued to create music.
In 2006 Alicja Boratyn announced her departure from Blog 27 due to artistic differences between her and Tola. Boratyn launched her solo career, while Szlagowska invited new musicians into the group: her brother Jan Szlagowski, Paweł Rosiak, and brothers Adam and Aleksander Milwiw-Baron. At that point Tola was the most important member of Blog. It seemed that the singer would handle it – after all she was much cooler and bolder than Alicja.
On 18th of April 2008 the group released their second album titled Before I’ll Die…, the music and lyrics to all songs on the record were written by Tola. The album was the third best-selling CD in Poland and was certified gold.
It’s important to mention that Blog 27 has received many awards and nominations in various competitions. Although their music was created by incredibly young people, it was of the highest quality.
Po Blogu 27 – adulta aetas
Blog 27 disbanded in 2008. It came as a shock to their fans as the band, despite its decline in popularity in comparison to their debut album, was very popular and created a lot of buzz. Tola Szlagowska decided to focus on her education. She moved to the United States where she attended Alexander Hamilton High School and Los Angeles College of Music. That’s how Szlagowska started a new chapter of her life. She cut ties with her previous reality – full of fame, but also hate. In the U.S. she was just an ordinary girl. Other students had no idea about her past, as she did not talk about it. In college she returned to art. She fell in love with music in a different way, she started to treat it as something more artistic, not commercial. She released a series of singles called Mental Detox, which shows what she was going through.
In 2013 the show Dzień dobry TVN aired a short piece about Tola’s current life. The viewers could see a huge change in her. Szlagowska was no longer the same emo girl, but rather a serious college student with a real love for music. She collaborated with an artistic collective during the production of her music videos, which was clearly visible in the released material. Back then Szlagowska did not earn money through her music – she worked as a nanny. She did not mind that, however, as she was no longer interested in making commercial music, which was a huge part of Blog 27. The singer came off as much calmer and gentler. She said that she was ready to wait for the fruits of her work, even if it would take many years. Szlagowska had clearly changed – she was humbler and more mature.
“It’s all about cleansing. Leaving behind everything that is toxic, false, and troubling and moving into the light and more positive things” – that’s how Tola Szlagowska described her work.
Tola Szlagowska today – maturitas
In 2021 Szlagowska released a new album titled Subtitles. It did not repeat the high numbers gained by Blog 27, but maybe this record was her greatest success. It was polished and contained high-quality music. Szlagowska’s beautiful voice glides through the music, which holds no resemblance to her teenage self. Her music has matured, Tola herself has matured, and her outlook on life has matured. Her songs are no longer lively and poppy, created to shock the audience, but they became calmer, containing thoughtful lyrics and a deeper meaning.
“I’m generally allergic to marketing, which I see as manipulation and toying with one’s emotions. Making someone believe that they need something to feel better” – Szlagowska said in an interview for All about music.
Finally, the singer no longer has to deal with hateful comments. People have recognized her work and noted the huge change in her image. All that happened at the sacrifice of the number of views, but Szlagowska didn’t mind that. She said this about the album:
“The record isn’t really promoted in any way. I didn’t want to ask people to buy it. If someone wants to and can afford it, great, if not, it will be on streaming platforms”.
Summary
Tola Szlagowska’s history is a fascinating tale about fame gained at a young age, its consequences, and change. If we look at three shows about Tola, we can see how much she’s grown. In 2006 during an interview for 5-10-15 she was very nonchalant. She was aware of her fame and when asked about her biggest dream she answered: for Blog and the newest record to be successful. It’s difficult to blame her for her confidence – not every thirteen-year-old achieves such goals. In 2012 Szlagowska was calmer, more humble. She was studying art and learning to be patient, understanding that not everything comes as easy as Blog. In 2018 in Dzień dobry TVN was visibly calm and composed. She talked about her newest album being the result of many experiences (often difficult ones) and her gained knowledge. She wanted to reach people with her message, not to make money. All that made her music better than ever before.
In 2024 Tola didn’t release any music. On her social media we can see that she’s living a rather peaceful life. She’s enjoying art and she likes to share it with her followers. It seems that she is happy while staying true to her principles. Her story proves that, sometimes, less is more.
Article: Paweł Skarzyński
Photos: Tola’s official facebook page , @richgreens
Translation: Matylda Widawska
Read also: Roksana Węgiel – A Young Star Of The Polish Music Scene
Read also: Irena Santor the amber of polish stage
Read also: bryska – a colourful bird
Read also: Kayah – strong voice and good music
Read also: Luna – a Polish singer who is winning the hearts of listeners
Read also: Edyta Gorniak life and work of the singer
