ABOUT RADŮZA

(born on 16th March 1973 in Roosvelt street in Bubenč, Prague)
 
A singer, multiinstrumentalist and the writer of music and lyrics, she began by performing a mostly blues-coloured repertoire in the street, where she was discovered by the singer Zuzana Navarová in 1993. Only three days later she was introduced to a wider audience at Lucerna during the concert Konec české kultury – ne! (The End of Czech Culture – No!). In May of the same year she was standing again on the stage of the Prague concert hall Lucerna as the support act to the American pop star Suzanne Vega. After that a close cooperation with the band Nerez began and lasted almost two seasons. Its members invited Radůza to a recording of their Christmas CD Nerez v Betlémě (Nerez in Bethlehem) in 1993. She released MC at Black point company and in cooperation with the Krach Jiřího Korna agency she recorded a videoclip for Czech TV. In 1996 she performed as a guest of the legendary group Marsyas and in February1996 she worked with Michal Pavlíček and the band Abraxas on a recording of the TV programme Na kloboučku. Then, in summer 1999, she performed as the support act to Mike Oldfield.
 
Since January 1999 she has been performing in the programme Cabaret Václava Koubka (Cabaret of Václav Koubek) at the Jazzclub Železná. In 2001 she finished her studies at Prague conservatory where she graduated in composition studies with a spiritual cantata that was recorded by Czech Radio. In the same year her debut CD The Angels from Heaven was released by the Indies Records company. She is the composer of the scenic music to a performance Století touhy (The Century of Desire) at the Archa Theatre, Lišák a baron z Hopsapichu (Slyboots and Magnate from Hopsapich) at the Celetná Theatre – the Kašpar club, Tři sestry (Three sisters) at the Dejvické Theatre, Romeo a Jana (Romeo and Jane) at the Řeznická street Theatre and the Tanec na konci léta (the Dance at the End of Summer) at the Opava Theatre.
 
As a guest she took part in a recording of the Brno band Cymbelín Kolem osy (Round the Axis, in 2001), the cultic band Jablkoň (Cestující v noci – The Traveller at Night, in 2003) and she released her own CD ... při mně stůj (...Stand by Me) in the Indies records company in 2003. In January 2003 Brno TV showed her recital Sólo pro...(the Solo for...), in February of the same year she appeared with Zuzana Navarová in a programme Na plný pecky and she accepted an invitation to appear in a TV programme Noc s Andělem. In November 2003 her collaboration with the band Jablkoň culminated in the instrumentalisation of one of her own compositions for the project commemorating the 25th anniversary of the foundation of the band Symfonický Jablkoň (the Symphonic Jablkoň) , in which she sang in the Archa Theatre with a symphony orchestra.
 
Her music is partly influenced by chanson, but mostly she finds inspiration in folk music and the moods of tired-out city songs, which in her raw interpretation offer unexpected musical and lyrical expressions. Therefore she belongs to the youngest generation of the Czech alternative scene who is successful not only in our domestic music scene, but also abroad.
 
The year 2003 brought Radůza awards in the form of three figures of gold Angels that were granted by the Academy of popular music in categories of the Singer of the year, Newcomer of the year and Folk&Country.
 
Her album ...při mně stůj (...Stand by Me) had been at the top of the sales charts, so the award of a gold disk in June was no surprise.
 
In 2004 Radůza got an award in Golden Nightingale inquiry as the best improver of the year.
 
At the beginning of 2005 she went on tour to France where she performed tried out her new songs that she was to record in a studio soon after. So another CD called V hoře (In a Mountain) came out again breaking sales records without any media campaign promotion. It was very warmly received by the critics as well as the public, but Radůza didn’t stop going and only a few months later she enriched her concerts with a few new songs that had not been previously recorded . She again added to her repertoire songs accompanied by the piano and her performances were therefore enriched to an even greater extent..
 
In September 2005 she was invited to contribute to a new film of Jan Hřebejk Kráska v nesnázích (The Beauty in Difficulties). In the film there appeared songs from previous records, but also a brand new blues number written especially for this film with the lyrics of Robert Graves. She is accompanied by the members of the Koa band she had worked with on her previous albums, namely Omar Khaouaj and František Raba. Radůza played the solo on harmonica, the song was released on a soundtrack album and because Radůza doesn’t expect the song to be a part of any of her CDs, it has a certain flavour of exclusivity. It was the first time the singer ,avoiding too much attention from the media, had appeared in a film.
 
In autumn 2006 Radůza gave a concert which was recorded live in the Archa Theatre in Prague. In 2007 she released the recording on a CD Vše je jedním (All is One) and the DVD Půjdu kam chci (I’ll go where I want) directed by Olga Špátová. A part of the DVD is a sensitive documentary and a number of extra tracks. It was a truly successful project as Radůza is the strongest in live performances.
 
In the same year (2007) Radůza came to the studio again to record her CD V salonu barokních dam (In a Saloon of the Baroque Madammes). This time she invited more guests – Peter Binder, Miloš Dvořáček, Jan Jakubec, Vilém Veverka, Luboš Malina, Miroslav Hloucal and others. They make a contribution to the rich arrangements that enhances her accordion, Radůza’s typical instrument. At the time of recording this CD Radůza was expecting her first baby, so it is logical she devoted her next album to children.
 
A lovely double CD O Mourince a Lojzíkovi (2008) is the combination of spoken word – Radůza is reading a book for children of the same title (Brio Publishers 2007) and playful songs. As for the lyrics, Radůza let her imagination go wild, so the very unsusal and unique children songs came to life. Accompanied by the Dudácká domažlická muzika (Bagpipe Folk Band from Domažlice), her accordion or the Cimbálová muzika Stanislava Gabriela (the Dulcimer Band of Stanislav Gabriel) she tells children unusual, cool and very funny stories whilst entertaining adults as well.
 
In March 2009 Radůza gave birth to her second baby.
 
The year 2010 is crucial for Radůza. She established her own label Radůza records on which she released the CD Miluju vás (I Love You) that was on top of the charts IFPI for five weeks. It has been Radůza’s most accomplished cd and the record that received the best reviews from the critics as well as from the public. Radůza is also going to release other artists on her label – at the present time she is negotiating with the band Zrní from Kladno.