Agata Karczewska

Agata Karczewska, a folk/country/punk singer/songwriter based in Warsaw, Poland, has won the SongwriterUniverse “Best Song Of The Month” Contest for January, for her song, “Fool.” This song is featured on her 11-song debut album, I’m Not Good at Having Fun, which she released independently in March 2019.

“Fool” is a fresh, original song that combines an acoustic/folk sound with an edgy, unique personality. The song starts off with an acoustic guitar intro, and then gradually builds intensity and emotion, leading to a full-band arrangement later in the song. “Fool” provides a fine showcase for Karczewska’s strong, expressive lead vocals, and this recording was expertly produced by Marcin Bors, a famous Polish producer/engineer & musician.

Karczewska was born and raised in Warsaw, and she was inspired by listening to such legendary songwriters as Bob Dylan, Dolly Parton and Elliott Smith. When she was 12, she learned how to play acoustic guitar, and soon after she began writing songs. Later on, she was influenced by such contemporary artists as Father John Misty and Jack White.

Karczewska’s music career took a big step forward when she appeared on the Idol talent show in Poland. Then after appearing on Idol, she started working with her manager, Alexandra Jablonska (of Offbeat Music Agency), which has been a successful collaboration for her.

It was in 2017 that Karczewska released her debut EP, called You’re Not So Special. This EP received a good response, and caught the attention of producer Marcin Bors. “Marcin heard the EP, and asked if I wanted to do something together,” she recalled. “I instantly thought he’s the right guy to push my music up to the next level.” Bors subsequently produced her album, I’m Not Good at Having Fun.

Here’s the video of Agata Karczewska’s song, “Fool.”

With her song “Fool,” Karczewska explained what inspired her to write it. “’Fool’ is about some dark period in my life. I got my heart broke and I’ve decided to work through it the best way I know, which is writing a song. Lyrically, it’s just an ironic afterthought about my love life.”

Currently, Karczewska is busy promoting her album, and her video of “Fool” has gotten 200,000 views on YouTube. She has also been performing live, touring in Poland and playing major Polish music festivals. In addition, she was named a promising breakthrough artist by prominent radio station, Trojka. - Songwriter Universe

Agata Karczewska sounds like she’s from the American southeast, but she’s actually from Poland. And she can sing her soul like few that we’ve heard in the past few years. The deep spirituality and evocative writing style on this album is enough to keep you coming back for multiple listens.

The featured track that won her the feature is “Envy is my sin,” a thoughtful reflection on the sin of envy. It’s a bit celebratory and confessional, all rolled into one. The thoughtfulness of the track sounds more like a diary than a sincere prayer, but either way it’s fascinating to be let into someone’s mind and heart like this. The simple acoustic guitar and vocal work keep production from getting in the way of good music.

The opening track is a song called “Prince Henry,” giving a throwback folk vibe from the start. There’s a country twang to it, but with an international flavor. The writing is impressive, with metaphorical turns and creative imagery.

“My Own Jolene” has a unique pacing. It’s a song about frustration. When the rhythm shifts after the introduction, it turns into a bluesy acoustic track. The core of the song seems to be about moving on, which is a great theme that we can support.

The following “People Who Kiss and Tell” sounds a bit distant in the recording. Maybe it’s more minimalist than the others. The vocal line is at the top of the lead vocal’s register, but it’s still emotional and interesting. The line “we were driving to express our loneliness” is worth the price of admission.

The last track “Don’t Destroy My World Today” reminds me of the Lilith Fair artists of the 90s. It’s angsty and full of all that vitriol. The structure is simple with acoustic chords and a repetitive melody, but it is a wonderful vehicle to deliver an urgent personal message.

All told it is an interesting record. The “Envy is my sin” track is by far the best on the album, giving Karczewska a benchmark for future projects. It will be interesting if she takes that modern folk angle or if she pulls back to more of an alt rock angsty singer songwriter vibe. In any event, she’s an artist to watch in 2018. - Ear to the ground

Speaking of brilliant, meet Polish singer-songwriter Agata Karczewska. In the spring, she released her debut EP, You’re Not So Special (it’s available on Bandcamp), which has five songs that are classic alt-country and alt-folk. There’s nothing fancy in her approach – it’s just her voice and her acoustic guitar. There aren’t any other bells and whistles, making Karczewska part of a dying breed of artists today. For now, however, we will embrace this gifted young woman and her immense talent that is best revealed on “Envy Is My Sin”.

Even though Karczewska plays alone, she creates a spellbinding sound. Through her gritty voice and the echo in her acoustic guitar, she produces a dark, haunting, and gripping soundscape. Her songwriting is fantastic, reminiscent of the brutally honest and introspective style of Ani DiFranco. Listen closely to what she has to say, and you, too, will be bowled over. What a talent. - The Revue