Wanda i Banda – Hi-Fi beyond just the name. The band’s story

In rural areas, there’s a game where a group of people hold hands, and one person touches an electric fence. The current flows through the chain, causing everyone to feel a mild shock. This always ends with laughter from the “shocked” participants. The music of Wanda i Banda is similar – like electricity, it transcends generations, uniting them with love for the band’s songs and generating smiles. How did they achieve this?

Wanda Kwietniewska

While Wanda i Banda is, as the name suggests, a collective, to understand the band’s success, we need to focus on its founder, Wanda Małgorzata Kwietniewska. Born on July 8, 1954, in Przywidz, the future star demonstrated the qualities needed to lead a band early on. Bold and a natural leader, she founded a cabaret group called Pszydafka in high school. The group won a cabaret competition, earning a monetary prize. However, her school’s headmaster demanded she hand the winnings over to the school’s parent committee. Outraged, Kwietniewska refused, eventually leading her to transfer schools. Such determination, even as a teenager, foreshadowed why Wanda i Banda thrived so well. After high school, she studied at the Vocal Department of the School of Performing Arts, where her passion for music blossomed.

Wanda and Banda’s concert at “Call for the militia” in Warsaw

Before founding Banda i Wanda, Kwietniewska gained experience that would contribute to her later success. In 1979, she co-founded the vocal group Vist in Poznań with fellow listeners. This group evolved into Skandal and later into the band Lombard in 1981. With Lombard, Kwietniewska recorded two albums: Śmierć dyskotece! and ’81–’91 Największe przeboje. However, her time with Lombard ended abruptly and harshly – while hospitalized, the band’s manager visited her to inform her she was being fired. This experience gave her a firsthand lesson in the harsh realities of show business.

These formative events prepared Kwietniewska for her greatest challenge: forming her own band. Just two months after her dismissal from Lombard, in 1982, she channeled her hunger for good music into founding Banda i Wanda.

Wanda i Banda – the band’s history

The newly formed band consisted of experienced musicians: Henryk Baran (bass guitar), Jacek Krzaklewski (guitar), Marek Raduli (guitar), and Andrzej Tylec (drums). In an interview with Televizornia, Kwietniewska recalled the difficulties of recruiting band members in an era without cell phones. The ambitious 25-year-old artist overcame these challenges through persistence, visiting various festivals for recruitment reasons.

The band’s debut album, Banda i Wanda, was released in 1984 and was a massive success, earning gold record status. It featured hits like Hi-Fi and Nie będę Julią. Fans appreciated the guitar work, rhythmic songs, and Kwietniewska’s vocals. In 1985, the band released their second album, Mamy czas, which included songs such as Kochaj mnie miły, Mamy czas, and Para goni parę. While well-received, it didn’t achieve the same level of success as the debut.

The team experienced several crises. It was dissolved twice – in 1986 and 1995. During this time, albums by the band and solo singers were created. They reactivated in 2000 under the changed name Wanda i Banda. Since then, they have been continuously playing together, creating new music and giving concerts.

The band today

Although the band is best known for their debut album, especially the song Hi-Fi, they’ve created plenty of great music and participated in various projects over the years. One notable collaboration was their track Przebój nocy with the band PRO8L3M, which has garnered over 38 million views on YouTube. Wanda i Banda continues to perform, giving fans what they love – high-quality music.

Current band members:

• Wanda Kwietniewska – vocals
• Waldemar Szoff – guitar
• Marek Tymkoff – guitar, backing vocals
• Dominik Samborski – bass guitar
• Damian Grodziński – drums

Opinion on the band

While Kwietniewska has tried creating music solo, her projects didn’t achieve widespread success. The band’s strength lies in the electrifying combination of Wanda’s voice and Banda’s skillful instrumentation. Together, they create music that transcends generations. Wanda i Banda is a high-caliber band that maintains a strong connection with its fans.

• Fun Facts

  • Kwietniewska is a member of the Skorpion motorcycle club.
  • She’s a volleyball fan.
  • The band recorded music for the TV series Siedem życzeń and appeared in one of its episodes.
  • None of the band members wanted to play the bride in the Para goni parę music video. A chance encounter with comedian Aleksander Gołębiowski solved the problem.
  • Wanda used to trade cars.
  • Kwietniewska holds multiple leadership roles in artistic organizations, including Vice Chair of Section B at ZAiKS, Vice Chair of SAWP, and Chair of the Polish Musicians’ Union.

Banda i Wanda discography/albums

1. Banda i Wanda (1984) – 11 tracks
2. Mamy Czas (1985) – 10 tracks
3. Wanda z Bandą i Bez Bandy (1992) – 17 tracks
4. Ballady Rockowe (1994) – 12 tracks
5. Platynowa Płyta (2003) – 15 tracks
6. Złota Kolekcja (2005) – 20 tracks
7. Z Miłości do Strun (2008) – 14 tracks
8. Piosenki z Serialu Siedem Życzeń (2009) – 10 tracks

Written by: Paweł Skarzyński
Photos by: Szymon Martysz

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