Ralph Kaminski

Rafał Stanisław Kamiński (Polish pronunciation: [ˈrafaw kaˈmiɲskʲi]; born 8 November 1990), known professionally as Ralph Kaminski, is a Polish singer-songwriter, record producer and multi-instrumentalist.[1] His works are often characterized by experimentation with musical styles, including alternative pop and chamber music. He received two Fryderyk Awards at the 2022 Fryderyk Awards Gala as well as Best Polish Act at the 2022 MTV Europe Music Awards.

Ralph Kaminski
Kaminski in 2023
Born
Rafał Stanisław Kamiński

(1990-11-08)8 November 1990
Jasło, Poland
Alma materStanisław Moniuszko Academy of Music in Gdańsk,
Codarts University for the Arts
Occupations
  • Singer-songwriter
  • record producer
Years active2010–present
Musical career
Genres
Instrument(s)
  • Vocals
  • piano
  • violin
  • Hammond organ
LabelsFonobo
Websiteralphkaminski.com

Early life

He was born and raised in Jasło in southern Poland. His mother is a teacher. He has a younger brother, Wiktor. His cousin is a fellow singer Michał Szpak, Kaminski himself confirmed this on the Kuba Wojewódzki talk show.[2]

He developed an interest in music as a child. At the age of 11, Kaminski started attending vocal classes at the Jasło Cultural Centre. He studied art and music before embarking on a professional career as a musician in 2010. Kaminski graduated from the Jazz and Popular Music Department at the Stanisław Moniuszko Academy of Music in Gdańsk. He also studied at the Pop Department of Codarts University for the Arts in Rotterdam.[3][4] In 2010, he composed his first song entitled "The Hill". In 2011, he performed the song at the International Carpathia Festival and won the Grand Prix.[5] In 2012, he released his first single "Don't Know Why" and one year later started performing with his band consisting of seven members called My Best Band in the World.[5]

Career

Talent shows

In 2009, he appeared in one of the episodes of TVP2 programme Szansa na Sukces, performing a song by Perfect "Objazdowe nieme kino". In 2012 he took part in the second edition of the TVN talent show X Factor; he performed Norah Jones' song "Don't Know Why" during the auditions. He was eliminated at the bootcamp stage.[6]

Breakthrough
Kaminski performing with his band at the Pol'and'Rock Festival in 2019

On 6 June 2016, he performed at the "Alternative Stage" concert during the 53rd National Festival of Polish Songs in Opole. On 14 November, he released his debut studio album entitled "Morze". The album was promoted with the singles: "Podobno", "Zawsze", and "Meybick Song". In 2017, he performed at the Open'er Festival, and in June 2018, he performed at the Orange Warsaw Festival.[7]

In 2019, he won the final of the 40th Actor Song Review (Polish: Przegląd Piosenki Aktorskiej) in Wrocław, thanks to his "Welcome To Our Fairytale" performance from the musical based on Academy of Mr. Kleks, and "On the Corner" written by Agnieszka Osiecka.[8] In August that year, he performed at the Pol'and'Rock Festival. On 22 November, he released his second studio album entitled "Młodość" (Youth), which reached number 17 on the official sales list in Poland.[9] The album is seen as a nostalgic journey to the 1980s music and contains autobiographical and queer elements.[5] He also participated in the Talent Is Not A Crime project recording a song "Czy ty słyszysz mnie?" (Can You Hear Me?) with Daria Zawiałow, Michał Kush and Schafter.[5]

In 2020, he became a recipient of the Grzegorz Ciechowski Artistic Award of the City of Toruń.[10]

In 2021, he released his third solo album entitled Kora, which is a tribute to Olga Jackowska, the lead vocalist of Maanam rock band and an icon of Polish New Wave music who died in 2018.[5] The same year he won the Paszport Polityki conferred by the Polityka weekly news magazine in the Popular Music category.[11]

In 2022, he received two Fryderyk Awards for his 2021 album Kora. He won in the Artist of the Year and Sung Poetry categories.[12] The same year, he also won Best Polish Act at the 2022 MTV Europe Music Awards.[13]

Private life

In the spring of 2017, he fell ill with depression.[14] He talked about the illness and two years of psychotherapy in the song "D Club" from his album Młodość.[15] He is a vegetarian.[16]

He mentioned ABBA, Amy Winehouse, Culture Club, David Bowie, George Michael, Tom Odell, Diana Ross and MGMT among the artists whose music he values the most.[17] He also named Abel Korzeniowski and Zbigniew Preisner among his favourite film score composers.[18]

Discography
  • Morze (2016), ZPAV: Gold[19]
  • Młodość (2019), ZPAV: Gold[19]
  • Kora (2021), ZPAV: Gold[19]
  • Bal u Rafała (2022), ZPAV: Gold[19]

See also

References
  1. Artur Szklarczyk (26 November 2019). "Ralph Kaminski – "Młodość" (recenzja)". cgm.pl (in Polish). Archived from the original on 20 January 2023. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
  2. "Michał Szpak i Ralph Kaminski to rodzina! Kim są dla siebie znani wokaliści? EXCLUSIVE". www.gala.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  3. "Ralph Kaminski: Najważniejsze są emocje!". muzyka.interia.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  4. "Ralph Kamiński – biografia". muzyka.interia.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  5. Jacek Świąder. "Ralph Kaminski". culture.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  6. Mateusz (21 December 2013). "PODSŁUCHALNIA: "Młode pokolenie bez kompleksu Zachodu" – Ralph Kaminski (wywiad)". PODSŁUCHALNIA. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  7. "Taco Hemingway, Rasmentalism i Ralph Kaminski na Orange Warsaw Festival". www.wirtualnemedia.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  8. Wieliczko, Małgorzata. "40. Przegląd Piosenki Aktorskiej we Wrocławiu. Laureaci. Zloty Tukan". www.wroclaw.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  9. "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLIS – Official Retail Sales Chart". olis.onyx.pl. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  10. "Ralph Kaminski odebrał nagrodę im. Grzegorza Ciechowskiego". onet.pl (in Polish). 15 December 2019. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
  11. "Paszporty Polityki 2022 rozdane! Kto otrzymał nagrodę w kategorii Muzyka Popularna?". muzyka.interia.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  12. "Fryderyki 2022: Daria Zawiałow i Ralph Kaminski z najważniejszymi nagrodami wieczoru. Kto jeszcze triumfował w tym roku? Zobacz pełną listę zwycięzców". elle.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  13. "MTV EMA 2022: WINNERS". revolution935.com. 21 November 2022. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
  14. Kucińska, Angelika (8 December 2019). "Mroki młodości". Newsweek (in Polish). Retrieved 12 October 2022.
  15. "Posłuchaj podcastu: Zapis psychoterapii. Ralph Kaminski powraca z bardzo osobistą płytą "Młodość"". TOK FM (in Polish). Retrieved 12 October 2022.
  16. Polish Music Star Ralph Kaminski, retrieved 12 October 2022
  17. "#PrideWeekend: Playlista Ralpha Kaminskiego na Spotify". vogue.pl (in Polish). 7 June 2020. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  18. Marta Kubala. "Bliskie Spotkania z Ralphem Kaminskim - posłuchaj wywiadu z artystą!". rmfclassic.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  19. "OLiS - oficjalna lista wyróżnień" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 25 January 2023. Click "WYKONAWCA" and enter Ralph Kaminski in the search box.
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