Monika Borzym

Monika Borzym (Polish: [mɔˈnika ˈbɔʐɨm]; born 1990) is a Polish jazz singer, currently living in Los Angeles where she studied at LA Music Academy. Her debut album Girl Talk, released in 2011, received critical acclaim from music critics and was certified Platinum in Poland. It was followed by the release of My Place in October 2013. In 2016 she has released new album called Back to the garden

Early life and education (1998–2008)

Monika Borzym began her musical education in 1998, when she started attending music school in Warsaw and playing the piano. From August 2005 to June 2006, she was living in the U.S., where she attended John Hersey High School in Arlington Heights, Illinois and started learning jazz improvisation from Gail Bisesi in Chicago.

After her return to Poland, she continued her education in Fryderyk Chopin Public Secondary School of Music in Warsaw in the class of Jazz Vocal (also attended by another Polish jazz vocalist, Aga Zaryan, several years earlier). In 2008, Borzym received a scholarship to study at University of Miami Frost School of Music, where she studied in classes of jazz musicians, such as Lisanne Lyons, Dante Luciani, Chuck Bergeron, Larry Lapin and Greg Gisbert.

Break-through, Girl Talk and My Place (2009–present)

During the 2009 edition of the Jazz Jamboree festival, she was the only Polish artist and the only female artist invited by Michał Urbaniak to perform in the Congress Hall in Palace of Culture and Science.

In 2010, Borzym signed a contract with Sony Music Poland. Her debut album Girl Talk, recorded in the U.S. and produced by Matt Pierson, was released on 3 October 2011. It contained fresh interpretations (arranged by Gil Goldstein) of songs originally recorded by female jazz, soul and pop artists, such as Joni Mitchell, Björk, Erykah Badu and Amy Winehouse, among others. The album has received critical acclaim and was certified Platinum in Poland.

On 15 October 2013, Borzym released her sophomore album, My Place, consisting of original material and three covers.

In 2010, Borzym married Makary Janowski, son of Polish singer and TV presenter Robert Janowski. The couple lives in Los Angeles.

Studio albums

Singles