Most people get to choose their calling in life while, for some, life just seems to make that decision for you. For 23-year old Academy Award winner, Marketa Irglova, the latter scenario seems to have been the case. In 2006 at the age of 18 she was chosen to act and write music for a small independent movie that would thrust her into a global spotlight on Hollywood’s biggest night. That moment and the subsequent success of her musical career as one half of The Swell Season were the furthest thing from her mind when she accepted the role of “girl” in the film Once. There was no plan in place, no career path, just a teenager enjoying an opportunity offered from a friend which led to a magical moment and the current of life sweeping her up and taking over.
“Fame and success are like a bird, the more you chase it the more it runs from
you. However when you stay in one place and do the work, there’s a chance that bird might just land on your shoulder bringing you everything you ever wanted. My life has been spent constantly in motion, but after I met Marketa and slowed down that the bird seemed to land right on my shoulder. I think it was her that it was drawn to, not me”
-Glen Hansard
It’s been over three years since Oscar host Jon Stewart called Irglova back out onto the stage at the Kodak Theater to let her finish her acceptance speech. The first time in the shows history actually, and a moment that vaulted her from fairly well known to Yahoo’s most searched person in only one day. The adage: “be careful what you wish for” could only be applied if Irglova had wished for any of it, but she never did. While she’d always intended to make music with the hopes of touring the world, being famous was the last thing she ever wanted or was in search of. In the days, months and years that have followed, she has remained busy with music -touring and recording with The Swell Season and as a vocalist in the band Iron and Wine. Along the way there have been a few opportunities too good to pass up, such as, loaning her voice to an episode of The Simpsons and giving early feedback on the upcoming musical version of Once, which is slated for Broadway in 2012. The two constants throughout have been the way she’s conducted herself as her life was turned upside down and that creating music was at the forefront of her desires.
During 2011 Marketa moved to New York City and established a new relationship with music, where most of her debut album ANAR was written. At an intimate art and performance room in Brooklyn called Zora Space, Marketa met an Iranian singer and daf player, Aida Shahghasemi, and under her influence was moved to share her solo material and experiment with new sounds. She began to craft songs with her solo effort in mind, inspired by this friendship and collaboration as well as other musicians and fans from varying cultures. ANAR became Marketa’s creative outlet in documenting and expressing the personal journey she had been on the previous year.
In the spring of 2012 she began recording her follow up album MUNA, in Iceland. She fell in love with the country and the people, and one person in particular. She is still there and is now the proud mother of a baby girl.
In a relatively short time Marketa has accomplished some incredible stuff, seen even more amazing things and walked through her fair share of fire. With each step she has strived to stay grounded and centered and learn from both the ups and the downs.
MUNA was released World Wide on Anti Records in September 2014.
