Kayah is a pseudonym of Katarzyna Rooijens (b. Katarzyna Szczot, 5 Nov 1967… Read Full Bio ↴Kayah is a pseudonym of Katarzyna Rooijens (b. Katarzyna Szczot, 5 Nov 1967, in Białystok, Poland), a successful female Polish singer-songwriter. She has released several albums & won numerous awards. At the start of her career, Kayah sang in choirs and with many bands (such as Tilt and Atrakcyjny Kazimierz). She made her solo debut with the song Daughter in 1988 at the Sopot Festival.

She released her first, self-produced solo album, Kamien (Stone), in 1996. It was a great success, consisting of melancholy pop songs. In the same year, she was voted ‘Vocalist of the Year’ by the Polish music industry and received a Fryderyk in recognition of her achievements.

In 1997, she received another Fryderyk, this time for the album Zebra, in the category of ‘Composer of the Year’. With Zebra she changed her style, moving in the direction of American soul music.

In 1999, she recorded one of the most popular Polish albums ever, with the Balkan composer Goran Bregović, entitled Kayah & Bregović: it is a blend of old Slavic songs and modern rhythms. Most of the music was composed by Bregović for the band Bijelo Dugme (White Button), which he had been a part of and movie soundtracks that he had worked on. The lyrics are both translations of the original text and inspired. In the same year she was awarded a Wiktor and another Fryderyk, in the category ‘Vocalist of the Year’.

In 2000, she released the album Jaka Ja Kayah which featured pop, jazz, and techno-influenced songs. She also released the single "Aniol Wiedzial" ("The Angel Knew") from the album, duetted with Cesaria Evora in Portuguese, and recorded English-language versions of some of her songs.

She was twice cast in advertisements for Polish mobile phone's Web - Orange POP (formerly Idea POP).

Sites: En.Wikipedia.

Transoriental
Kayah Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Ana bekoach
G'dulat yemincha, tatir tz'rura

Kabel rinat amcha sagveinu
Tahareinu nora

Na gibor
Dorshei yichudcha

K'vavat shamrem

Barchem taharem, rachamei tzidkatcha
Tamid gamlem

Chasin kadosh berov tuvcha
Nahel adatecha

Yachid ge'eh le'amcha p'neh
Zochrei k'dushatecha

Shavateinu kabel ushma tza'akateinu
Yode'a ta'alumot

(Baruch shem k'vod malchuto
Le'olam va'ed)

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Kayah's song Transoriental contain lines from an ancient Jewish prayer called Ana Bekoach. The prayer is said to be a plea for spiritual strength and inspiration. The opening lines translate to "Please, with the strength of your right hand, release the captive." The prayer is significant in Jewish culture as it is believed to have the ability to transcend time and space and connect the individual to the divine.

Throughout the song, Kayah is asking for guidance and protection. In the line, "Bless us and purify us, with your righteous kindness," she is asking for spiritual enlightenment and forgiveness. Kayah's use of the prayer highlights the idea that music can transcend religion and cultural boundaries, bringing people together in a shared experience of spirituality and emotion.

Overall, Kayah's use of Ana Bekoach in Transoriental highlights the universal nature of spirituality and the power of music to connect people of different cultures and religions.

Line by Line Meaning

Ana bekoach
I implore You with the strength and might of Your limitless power

G'dulat yemincha, tatir tz'rura
May Your towering right hand release those in bondage

Kabel rinat amcha sagveinu
Accept Your people’s cries and elevate us

Tahareinu nora
Cleanse us with awe and reverence

Na gibor
Please, mighty one,

Dorshei yichudcha
those who seek a connection with You

K'vavat shamrem
protect like the pupil of an eye

Barchem taharem, rachamei tzidkatcha
Bless us with purity and grace from Your infinite compassion

Tamid gamlem
constantly lavish upon us

Chasin kadosh berov tuvcha
Your holy nation with Your abundance

Nahel adatecha
guide Your flock