Urszula Dudziak

Lore & Background

Urszula Dudziak was born in Straconka, now a neighbourhood of Bielsko-Biała, Poland. She studied piano but began singing in the late 1950s after hearing records by Ella Fitzgerald. Within a few years, she became one of the most popular jazz artists in Poland. She met and later married Michał Urbaniak, and in the late 1960s the couple began touring overseas, settling in New York City in the 1970s.

Dudziak customarily eschews words in favour of wordless vocalising that is far more adventurous than scat. Gifted with a five-octave vocal range, she employs electronic devices to extend the possibilities of her voice. She has worked with Krzysztof Komeda, Michał Urbaniak, Gil Evans, Archie Shepp, and Lester Bowie, and was a member of the Vocal Summit group with Jay Clayton, Jeanne Lee, Bobby McFerrin, Norma Winstone, and Lauren Newton.

In 2007, her 1970s song 'Papaya' gained widespread popularity in Asia and Latin America. The song had earlier been a success in Brazil in the 1970s as the theme of the telenovela Anjo Mau. The 'Papaya dance' was featured on MSNBC, Reuters, and ABC's Good Morning America. On 11 November 2009, Dudziak was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta by President Lech Kaczyński.

Reader's Guide

Urszula Dudziak's significance lies in her pioneering approach to jazz vocalisation, using wordless sounds and electronic effects to expand the expressive range of the human voice. Her 1970s song 'Papaya' unexpectedly became a global dance craze in 2007, demonstrating the enduring appeal of her work across generations and continents. She collaborated with leading jazz figures such as Gil Evans, Archie Shepp, and Lester Bowie, and was part of the Vocal Summit group, which included Bobby McFerrin and Sting. Her career spans from her early days in Poland to international acclaim, and she continues to perform and record. Her autobiography, Wyśpiewam wam wszystko, was released in 2011. Dudziak's legacy is that of a versatile and innovative artist who bridged Polish jazz with the international scene.

Did You Know?

• Urszula Dudziak has a five-octave vocal range and uses electronic devices to extend her voice.
• Her 1970s song 'Papaya' became a dance phenomenon in 2007, featured on Good Morning America.