Katarzyna Niemyćko : I have nothing to hide

‘I used to bare a grudge, for there weren’t any Polish candidate in “Lietuvos balsas”. I always encourage all the Poles to be more active instead of staying at home and complaining’ – said to zw.lt Katarzyna Niemyćko, a well known Lithuanian singer of Polish origin.

Antoni Radczenko: You used to be a singer judged by everyone, now you’re a jury member of “Lietuvos balsas”. How do you feel about it? Isn’t it some sort of discomfort to you?

Katarzyna Niemyćko: To tell you the truth I’m quite self-critical person. After the first few programs I felt I was at the wrong place and that I was not good enough or had achieved too little in life so far to hold such position. Whereas the teachers who sit next to me have never made me feel any discomfort. They have never made fun of me. Just quite the contrary. They have always supported me. I can assume one thing, my pedagogical education serves me well.

Is outer criticism important for an artist?

It’s very important.

But artists are often very emotional and so are their reactions to criticism.

Earlier, criticism was more painful for me. My friends and my family know that I am emotional person and that I always take criticism to heart. In the course of time I’ve changed my attitude. Now I always try to keep calm. I’m sure there is no such person who likes being criticized. I always try to listen to what a particular person is saying. One time I accept it and the other not. First of all, I want to be certain that I’m at the right place and feel comfortable. If I feel comfortable the audience will feel it too. From the perspective of time I can see that I made the right decisions. I also made lots of mistakes, of course. But I think it’ll always be like that.

A stage or show business it’s not just singing but also photo sessions or rumors about personal life. What is your attitude towards all these things?

At the beginning of my career I was told there would be more dirty than positive things. I do understand it. I am interested in other stars’ lives too but rather in things which are interesting for every woman, such as clothes, make up, style or what is stylish. So it’s normal that people are interested in my private life. I always try to remain that ordinary Kasia. I’ve never had anything to hide. If there’s a thing I don’t want to talk about, I just don’t do it. For now I have nothing to hide. I am happy to have my beloved one (Deividas Zvonkus). Thank God my parents live and are quite healthy. I have also lots of friends who support me. And there are still more and more of them. Hence I think it’s the right way. My friends ask me sometimes similar questions: Why are you so open and tell everything? I always answer that I have nothing to hide. Neither did I kill anyone nor steal anything. If people want to know if I am happy, I just say it. Of course, you cannot give yourself entirely, you always have to keep a part of you just for yourself.

What would be your advice then for beginning artists? What should they say when the press starts asking them inconvenient questions?

I have an experience of talking too much. Sometimes you say a foolish thing or you got carried away so it’s always good to think over the things you are going to tell. You shouldn’t say foolish things. You should become mature and get used to such questions. For, sometimes a question is asked in such a way that makes you feel free to tell anything. And, later on, they would write about you unfavourably. When it comes to me, I haven’t changed, I’m still as honest and open as I was before.

You mean it’s worth to be honest?

Absolutely. Sometimes you pay for your honesty and you think it’s all over. You come home, given up, and you think about changing the job. However, I have my own motto: it’s a brand new day tomorrow. So, I get up, the weather is beautiful and positive energy fills me up again. We just shouldn’t pay attention to negative things.

You’ve been successful on the Lithuanian stage for several years but you haven’t forgotten your roots. You often give concerts in Poland, recently in Miedniki. Don’t your producers tell you it’s not your audience and you’re wasting time?

It’s exactly the other way round. They support me. Some are even jealous of what I’ve achieved. I’ve talked to the producer of “Lietuvos balsas” recently. He told me how he heard about me. Several years ago a friend told him there was a Polish girl with thousands of people at her concerts. None of the Lithuanian stars is able to do that. Within several years Katarzyna Niemyćko have appeared on the stage. That friend of the producer told him that’s the girl he was talking about. You should be thankful to those who support you. And who are they if not Poles? Some people accuse me of not being thankful enough but I am not able to come and sing every time and everywhere I would like to. I’d like to visit as many places as possible, not for money necessarily. Currently, everyone thinks that I sing for money only, that my fees are as high as five or ten thousand litas.  But it’s not true. I accepted the invitation from Miedniki very willingly since it’s my homeland. What is more, thanks to this invitation I got another one from Białystok.

Polish audience usually wait for the well-known songs, for instance those of Maryla Rodowicz. Doesn’t it bring discredit onto you?

People wait for the well-known songs to sing together. I’ve always dreamt that people listen to my own songs. I haven’t given up. I’m working on my own repertoire. I’d like to spend more time on my solo career. Unfortunately, I hadn’t much time to do it thoroughly.  I was busy with one or another project and when I do a particular thing I dedicate myself entirely to it. Currently, I’ve got several months, till Christmas, to record something or learn things better. There will surely be more of my own songs.

Going back to your pedagogical work, are you interested in the contestants’ further lives? For instance, your student, Greta Buzarewicz, wants to take part in the Eurovision song contest eliminations…

Unfortunately, we don’t meet very often. These are some excuses, of course, but I don’t really have much time. However, we stay in touch. I don’t see Greta very often but still. She always says something pleasant to me, so do I to her. I’m very glad she takes part in the Eurovision contest. She has her goal and to tell you the truth, I can see myself from a couple years ago in her. I support my other student, Joasia Sadowska, too. I have only one regret that there weren’t any Poles in “Lietuvos balsas”. When I got interested in the reasons I found out they are ashamed and afraid. They are afraid of looking stupid or being criticized, but it’s important. It’s a very good experience. You can draw conclusions and don’t make the same mistakes in the future. The jury members don’t want to defame anybody but help the participants. I am always ready to give my advice.  Nobody shall be afraid. We always invite people for filming so people are able to see what it looks like from the inside. I encourage all the Poles to be more active. Don’t be afraid to look stupid, even if you don’t know everything. Sometimes it seems to me we aren’t self-confident enough. It is important to participate in every contest instead of sitting at home and complaining.

I would like to bring up one more issue which distinguishes you between other Lithuanian stars. You always stresses that you try to attend a Mass every Sunday …

I do try. For I must say that I was often working at the weekends in summer but I’m trying to make up for it.

Is faith something important for you?

Yes, it’s very important. I was brought up this way, in a Christian family, in faith, with God. I always ask God for help.  In the morning and evening prayer I ask for support. People are usually surprised, they ask: ‘So you pray in the evenings, too?’ Yes, what’s strange in it. I believe God leads me the right way. And if I’m lost I apologize and ask for advice.

Now the question which bothers the audience most. You said that you have your beloved one. When are you getting married then?

If only I knew… It may sound stupid when a 33-year old woman says that her time will come because she’s not in a hurry. But it’s true. I don’t want to do anything in a hurry. I want to finish one project and then take care of my private life. I think God will give me a sign that the right time has come.

When you already decide to get married what the wedding will be like? A traditional Vilnius or more intimate?

Some call it chaos. I call it indecisiveness. I’ve always changed styles, I sing in different languages. Similar situation is in my private life. Today I may want a traditional wedding for 200 guests, with ‘bitter vodka’ and matchmaking. But that may change tomorrow and I will decide on an intimate ceremony, for us and our closest friends. Maybe not in Lithuania necessarily but somewhere abroad where there’s a warm climate.. We’ll decide together. One thing I am sure of it’s that I’d like it to be funny and nice.

Source: http://zw.lt/kultura/katarzyna-niemycko-nie-mam-nic-ukrycia/

Tłumaczenie by Elżbieta Szafarz w ramach praktyk w Europejskiej Fundacji Praw Człowieka, www.efhr.eu. Translated by Elżbieta Szafarz within the framework of a traineeship programme of the European Foundation of Human Rights, www.efhr.eu.