List of X Factor finalists (Poland series 4)

The fourth Polish series of X Factor began on TVN on 1 March 2014 and will end on 31 May 2014. The live shows started on 26 April 2014. The twelve chosen finalists were Artem Furman, Jakub Jonkisz, Kuba Jurzyk, Magdalena Bal, Marta Bijan, Daria Zawiałow, Karolina Duszkiewicz, Joao de Sousa, Anna Tacikowska, Cała Góra Barwinków, Hatbreakers, Trzynasta w Samo Południe.

Czesław Mozil mentored the boys (Furman, Jonkisz, Jurzyk), Ewa Farna mentored the girls (Bal, Bijan, Zawiałow), Tatiana Okupnik mentored the over 25s (Duszkiewicz, de Sousa, Tacikowska) and Kuba Wojewódzki mentored the groups and bands (Cała Góra Barwinków, Hatbreakers, Trzynasta W Samo Południe).

The three finalists are Bijan, Furman and Tacikowska.

Boys

The 'Boys' category was mentored by Czesław Mozil. Contestants in this category are male soloists aged between 16-24. The five candidates at judges' houses were: Artem Furman, Kacper Gołda, Jakub Jonkisz, Kuba Jurzyk, and Aleksander Kamiński. Mozil chose:

Artem Furman

Artem Furman is a 23-year-old from Ukraine. As a child, he used to attend violin and piano lessons. He also learned to play the guitar thanks to YouTube videos. Then, he played cover songs in local pubs. Furman has also supported Zakopower and Oddział Zamknięty. His main inspirations are Pop and Rock.^[1]

Jakub Jonkisz

Jakub Jonkisz is a 23-year-old from Rzeszów. He is a student of Cultural studies. He began singing as a high school student. Jonkisz performs at the Rzeszów Vocal Fest every year. For past one and a half year, he has been a part of duo Jonkisz and Jodła, where he plays his own songs.^[2]

Kuba Jurzyk

Kuba Jurzyk is a 23-year-old from Grodzisk Mazowiecki. He is a student of music school in Warsaw. He can also play saxophone and has graduated from music high school. Jurzyk started singing at the age of two. At high school he was a member of school choir, and in 2012, he played Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar musical in Palladium theatre. He names Lenny Kravitz and John Legend as his main inspirations.^[3]

Girls

The 'Girls' category was mentored by Ewa Farna. Contestants in this category were female soloists aged between 16-24. The five candidates at judges' houses were: Magdalena Bal, Marta Bijan, Agata Dziarmagowska, Beata Spychalska, and Daria Zawiałow. Farna chose:

Magdalena Bal

Magdalena Bal is an 18-year-old from Radoszowa, but currently living in Opole. She is a student of second form of a catholic high school. She also attends saxophone lessons in a music school. At primary school, Bal used to perform in school choir. In the future, she plans to become a student of Music Academy.^[4]

Marta Bijan

Marta Bijan is a 17-year-old student from Sosnowiec. She started taking part in vocal competitions at the age of four. She was a member of a school band Mini-Babki and took piano lessons. Bijan also writes poems and her own songs, which are later published on her YouTube account.^[5]

Daria Zawiałow

Daria Zawiałow is a 21-year-old from Koszalin. At the age of seven, she appeared on television talent show Od przedszkola do Opola. Later, she took singing lessons. By the age of fifteen, Zawiałow have succeeded in many Polish and international competitions. In 2009, she performed in the Debiuty part of the Opole Festival. In 2010, she was a member of Maryla Rodowicz's choir. Zawiałow was also a semi-finalist of the fourth series of Poland's Got Talent.^[6]

Over 25s

The 'Over 25s' category was mentored by Tatiana Okupnik. Contestants in this category are soloists aged 25 and over. The five candidates at judges' houses were: Karolina Duszkiewicz, Małgorzata Markowska, Joao de Sousa, Anna Tacikowska, and Małgorzata Uściłowska. Okupnik chose:

Karolina Duszkiewicz

Karolina Duszkiewicz is 31-year-old currently living in Kraków. As a child, she used to attend vocal and dance lessons. Later, she took flute lessons in a music school. For the past ten years, Duszkiewicz has been a lead singer and songwriter in a band called CF98. She names Paramore as one of her main inspirations. Her favourite bands, recently, have become an Australian group Tonight the Live and City & Color, playing acoustic music. Duszkiewicz plans to follow their directions in her future career.^[7]

Joao de Sousa

Joao de Sousa is a 32-year-old from Porto in Portugal. At the age of twelve, he took guitar lessons and four years later, he created his first band. He participated in numerous musical projects including Pensao Listopad, Joao de Sousa & Fado Polaco and Tango Quartet. He also collaborated with Andrzej Smolik and Micromusic.^[8]

Anna Tacikowska

Anna Tacikowska is a singer from Warsaw. She began legal studies, but plans to launch her singing career. Being just 10 years old, Tacikowska sang in a church choir. Then, she attended vocal lessons. She was also the lead singer in a cover band Channel One. Now she participates in a new project Biało Czarni. She looks for her isnpirations in numerous genres including Pop, Soul, R'n'B and Musical.^[9]

Groups and Bands

The 'Groups and Bands' category was mentored by Kuba Wojewódzki. Contestants in this category are either duos, vocal harmony groups or vocal-instrumental bands, all aged 16 and over. The five candidates at judges' houses were: Cała Góra Barwinków, Hatbreakers, Pop It Up, Poprzytula, and Trzynasta w Samo Południe. Wojewódzki chose:

Cała Góra Barwinków

Cała Góra Barwinków is a band created in 1998 and consisting of: Maciek Kulej, Artur Wilk, Karol Ryś, Daniel Michoń, Kuba Kaczmarek, Tomek Kaczmarek, Paweł Tyrała, Kuba Syguda. They have released four albums and collaborated with Habakuk, Alianas and Dubska.^[10]

Hatbreakers

Hatbreakers is a band consisting of: Paweł Bergel - singer, Andrzej Pudlik - guitarist, Sebastian Steć - saxophone player, Michał 'Mamut' Sarapata - bass player and Mateusz 'Majster' Sarapata - percussion player. They play concerts in Kraków as well as other Polish cities. They also performed at Off Plus Camera in 2013 and are the finalists of Bałtyk Festival of 2012.^[11]

Trzynasta w Samo Południe

Trzynasta w Samo Południe is a band created in 2009. The members are: 'Pocheć' - singer, guitarist, 'Młody' - guitarist, 'Krootky' - harmonica player, 'Katz' - bass player and 'Bandaż' - percussion player. They all met at high school. In 2010, they recorded demo "The Big One". By 2013, they had released two EPs. Now they play concerts and prepare their debut album.^[12]

References