Up to 2003, the success of her four Universal albums had been mainly confined to Slovakia and the Czech Republic; she was singing (for the most part) in her mother language and playing to an audience who knew her, loved her and generally had the T-shirt.
This is where new album ‘Shine’ comes in; 11 songs that roll like liquid honey, all easy drift and rainy-day emotion, topped off by vocals – English vocals – that consistently favour the personal over the pat.
Set for release on Universal this summer, with the title track getting the nod as lead single/video, this is also the first album from Jana to be recorded & mixed outside of Slovakia, in an environment that sometimes loomed large in terms of language, weather & workload…
By the age of 21, Jana was one of Slovakia’s most noted performers, a genuine front-cover face, and within a couple of years, this appeal had extended to the Czech Republic, too – a country where those older and (supposedly) wiser had assured her that, for reasons of culture, she could never hope to break. It’s one thing to have a talent, the ability to grab a melody and a voice that naturally charms, but this kind of against-the-odds success pointed to someone with a sense of belief & responsibility far beyond their years; someone whose career could boast its fair share of awards (Newcomer Of The Year,Artist of the year,Album of the year,The best song,Producer of the year,Best lyrics....), high-profile appearances (Special Guesting with Elton John in Prague) and carefully-crafted songs shot through with atmosphere & grace. In short, someone pretty special.
JANA KIRSCHNER WAS born in the small town of Martin, about 300 km from Bratislava. It was here, aged just seven, that she took top place in a singing competition, setting her off down a creative path that – with the odd detour to take in a beauty pageant and contemporary dance – finally led to a record deal and a successful first single.
‘Don’t Cry’ was the track in question, a pure pop hit, but 17-year-old Jana wasn’t happy. Where was the substance? The soul? She was finding herself drawn in a different direction, and after joining forces with a like-minded manager, a guy used to working with ‘genuine’ artists, she was able to embark on a voyage of discovery – expanding her musical knowledge, playing with seasoned professionals and getting a feel for the performance side of things.
“I began to sense that I was involved with something bigger,” reflects the singer, who would soon add guitar playing to her burgeoning list of skills, “That I was part of a new family…” With her ‘mission’ now officially underway, Jana was offered a contract by Universal, and the resulting album" Jana Kirschner" (issued in 1997).
Two years later her album"In the foreign city"(issued in 1999) saw her winning support in both Slovakia and the Czech Republic, where ‘Modra’ (‘Blue’) became the breakthrough track at radio. The follow-up collections (2002/2003) served to sustain her momentum at home, and there were festival dates in Germany & Poland to keep the international flame a-flicker, but still no plans to turn that flicker into a blaze. It was clear that more dramatic moves were required, plus real discipline from Jana in respect of the material…
“I bought a computer so I could write a song every day, like a diary, and I came up with 30 to 40 numbers for the new album. I put some of them on a CD, which I called the ‘Pink CD’, then I gave this to my manager’s daughter as a Christmas present; I explained that the songs were just for her, but she couldn’t resist playing them to her father, who went mad when he heard them and so did Universal…” Mission still on track. Next stop: LONDON.
HAVING BUILT his reputation on records designed to ruffle the emotions, Ross Cullum had the perfect credentials to take on a project that had at last won its international spurs. What’s more, he and Jana hit it off straight away, spending hours, days & weeks locked in deep musical debate, batting names such as Bob Dylan & Bonnie Raitt back an’ forth across the net. Only after many such (extended) rallies did they mutually agree where the fourth Universal album should sit…
There was never any question that Jana would sing in English (“I find it easier to be brave with my lyrics in a language that isn’t my own!”), or that the music should have a flavour of her culture and her past; the hard part was deciding which of the vast choice of songs would make most sense to record… then finding the plain & simple truth in those. Which sounds straightforward enough, but once in process can squeeze the emotions like a vice, as album opener ‘Another Day’ – the only song written in London – documents in full (‘don’t let me give up this fight until I find the truth’). There’s no doubt, however, that the final results fully justify the effort…
Wonderfully constructed by a host of great players, including Robbie MacIntosh (guitar), Chris Hughes (percussion) and multiinstrumentalist Cullum himself, ‘Shine’ is an album that speaks from within; it doesn’t shout or raise its voice without reason, but there’s a gentle strength to the music plus a take-it-or-leave-it honesty to the lyrics that are hard not to succumb to – even for those whose vital organs have been left out in the cold…
Finally
Jana Kirschner Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And it fell down
I had a perfect plan
Until it went wrong, completely wrong
Al the dreams and schemes
And the big ideas I wanted to come true
They fell down
They went wrong
I can hear my angels
Callin´ down to me
Telling me how it could be
With you underneath the sky…
Finally I found my home
I found my key
Life just flows easily
With you underneath the sky
I can hear my angels
Callin´ down to me
Telling me how it could be
With you underneath the sky
Now we can walk together
Walk a million miles
Or we can just lay down and wait
Wait until the down
Wait until the down…
The lyrics of Jana Kirschner's song "Finally" are about finding peace and love after a series of failures and disappointments. The opening lines describe the singer's attempt to build a "great big home" or a perfect life, only to see it all crumble and "fall down." The failure of their "perfect plan" leaves them feeling broken and defeated. But the song offers hope by introducing the concept of angels, a spiritual force that can guide us through difficult times. The angels "call down" to the singer and offer a vision of a better life, one that is possible with a partner by their side.
The central refrain of the song is "Finally I found my home," which suggests that the singer has finally found a sense of belonging and contentment. This feeling is reinforced by the line "Life just flows easily / With you underneath the sky." The singer has found someone to share their journey with, and together they can "walk a million miles" or simply "lay down and wait." The message of the song is that we can find happiness and fulfillment if we are open to the guidance of our angels and the possibility of love.
Line by Line Meaning
I built a great big home
I invested in something significant and grand - my life was going to be perfect.
And it fell down
That thing I invested all my time and energy in crumbled and failed.
I had a perfect plan
I had everything worked out and under control - it was all going to be perfect.
Until it went wrong, completely wrong
Unfortunately, absolutely everything that could have went wrong, did go wrong - and I didn't know what to do.
All the dreams and schemes
The multitude of ideas and aspirations I had, the things I really wanted to achieve.
And the big ideas I wanted to come true
The grandiose plans I had for my life and the accomplishments I hoped to achieve.
They fell down
None of those things materialized or came to fruition.
They went wrong
Everything seemed to go wrong, the opposite of what I'd hoped for.
Left me broken on the ground
I was left feeling shattered and defeated, unsure of how to pick up the pieces and move forward.
I can hear my angels
There's some form of higher power or divine guidance I feel connected to.
Callin´ down to me
This divine presence is calling out to me, trying to get my attention and let me know something important.
Telling me how it could be
This guidance is offering me insight about how my life could potentially be different.
With you underneath the sky…
This new way of life involves someone special I care about - we're supposed to connect in a deeper way than before.
Finally I found my home
After all the turmoil and heartache, I finally have a sense of belonging and security where I am currently.
I found my key
I figured out exactly what I was missing and what I needed to find true happiness and fulfillment.
Life just flows easily
Now that I'm on the right path, everything seems to be simpler and more manageable.
Now we can walk together
I have someone who's on this journey with me, supporting me in a way that I never had before.
Walk a million miles
We're both in this for the long haul, no matter how hard it gets or how long it takes.
Or we can just lay down and wait
We can take things at our own pace and not rush through anything - sometimes it's necessary to slow down and enjoy the moment.
Wait until the down
There might be other setbacks or obstacles down the road, but with each other's support, we'll be able to handle them as they come.
Contributed by Mateo F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.