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.
Wiekszy Apetyt
Kayah Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Jestem maym patkiem niegu
Ktry z nieba spad
Eby stopnie na twoim konierzu
Nie zostanie lad
Nieyc przez sto lat mogabym by
Dla taty i mamy
Bo wyjtkowi i bezcenni
Lecz ja mam wiekszy apetyt
Od ycia wiecej chce
Zostawiam ciebie niestety
Co do mnie mylie sie
Bo jeli ja nie jestem burz nie chce by
Nawet cieniem drzewa ktre ronie przy
Twojej drodze ktr chciaam z tob i
Wszystko albo nic
Mylisz
Cho mylenie nie jest wcale
Najmocniejsz z twoich stron
Jestem ziarnkiem piasku pod sandaem
Kiedy robisz krok
Pustyni przez sto lat mogabym by
Dla taty i mamy
Bo wyjtkowi i bezcenni
Jestemy tylko dla nich
Lecz ja mam wiekszy apetyt
Od ycia wiecej chce
Zostawiam ciebie niestety
Co do mnie mylie sie
Bo jeli ja nie jestem burz nie chce by
Nawet cieniem drzewa ktre ronie przy
Twojej drodze ktr chciaam z tob i
Wszystko albo nic
The lyrics of Kayah's "Wiekszy Apetyt" reflect the conflict between the desire for personal growth and the pressure to conform to societal expectations. The opening lines, "Mylisz / Jestem małym płatkiem śniegu / Który z nieba spadł / Eby śladu na twoim koniu / Nie zostawił" (You think / I am a small snowflake / That fell from the sky / So as not to leave a trace on your horse), suggest that the singer feels insignificant and invisible, existing only to cater to someone else's needs. This sentiment is echoed in the line "Bo wyjątkowi i bezcenni / Jestemy tylko dla nich" (Because we are exceptional and valuable / We exist only for them), emphasizing the selflessness expected of individuals in some communities.
However, the singer reveals that she has a bigger appetite than just subservience and self-sacrifice, saying "Lecz ja mam większy apetyt / Od życia więcej chcę" (But I have a bigger appetite / I want more from life). She asserts her individuality and desire for personal fulfillment and growth, even if it means leaving behind those who cannot understand or support her aspirations. The final lines, "Bo jeśli ja nie jestem burzą nie chcę być / Nawet cieniem drzewa, które rośnie przy / Twojej drodze, którą chciałam z tobą i / Wszystko albo nic" (Because if I am not a storm I don't want to be / Not even a shadow of a tree that grows near / The path you wanted to take with me / Everything or nothing), express her resolve to pursue her dreams, even if it means going against the expectations of others.
Overall, "Wiekszy Apetyt" is a powerful anthem of individuality and self-determination, encouraging listeners to embrace their own desires and pursue their dreams, even if it means going against the norms of society.
Line by Line Meaning
Mylisz
You think
Jestem maym patkiem niegu
I am a small snowflake
Ktry z nieba spad
That fell from the sky
Eby stopnie na twoim konierzu
To land on your horse's mane
Nie zostanie lad
Leaving no trace
Nieyc przez sto lat mogabym by
I could live for a hundred years
Dla taty i mamy
For my dad and mom
Bo wyjtkowi i bezcenni
Because they are exceptional and priceless
Jestemy tylko dla nich
We are only for them
Lecz ja mam wiekszy apetyt
But I have a bigger appetite
Od ycia wiecej chce
I want more than life
Zostawiam ciebie niestety
Sadly, I leave you
Co do mnie mylie sie
You are mistaken about me
Bo jeli ja nie jestem burz nie chce by
Because if I'm not a storm, I don't want to be
Nawet cieniem drzewa ktre ronie przy
Not even the shadow of a tree that grows by
Twojej drodze ktr chciaam z tob i
Your path that I wanted to walk with you
Wszystko albo nic
All or nothing
Cho mylenie nie jest wcale
Even though thinking isn't
Najmocniejsz z twoich stron
Your strongest trait
Jestem ziarnkiem piasku pod sandaem
I am a grain of sand under a sandal
Kiedy robisz krok
When you take a step
Pustyni przez sto lat mogabym by
I could be a desert for a hundred years
Dla taty i mamy
For my dad and mom
Bo wyjtkowi i bezcenni
Because they are exceptional and priceless
Jestemy tylko dla nich
We are only for them
Lecz ja mam wiekszy apetyt
But I have a bigger appetite
Od ycia wiecej chce
I want more than life
Zostawiam ciebie niestety
Sadly, I leave you
Co do mnie mylie sie
You are mistaken about me
Bo jeli ja nie jestem burz nie chce by
Because if I'm not a storm, I don't want to be
Nawet cieniem drzewa ktre ronie przy
Not even the shadow of a tree that grows by
Twojej drodze ktr chciaam z tob i
Your path that I wanted to walk with you
Wszystko albo nic
All or nothing
Contributed by Brody W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@maciekwr
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