Justyna Steczkowska is a Polish singer, songwriter, and actor whose career spanning over three decades achieved international attention through multiple Eurovision Song Contest appearances. Born in 1972 in Rzeszów, she emerged as a prominent figure in Polish popular music during the mid-1990s, evolving from early television success to a versatile performer capable of navigating jazz, pop, and electronic genres.
Early Musical Training
Born to Danuta and Stanisław Steczkowski, she spent her childhood in a family of nine children. Her father, a conductor and music teacher, provided a foundation that led her to attend the Ignacy Jan Paderewski State Music School in Stalowa Wola. Later, she attended a music high school in Rzeszów before briefly enrolling in a musical academy in Gdańsk, which she eventually left to pursue professional performance.
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Her professional trajectory shifted in 1994 when she won the television talent show Szansa na sukces. Her performance of the song Boskie Buenos established her profile, leading to the Karolinka award at the 31st National Festival of Polish Song. In 1995, she made her first Eurovision Song Contest appearance representing Poland with the song Sama, earning 18th place.
Studio Success and Evolution
Her 1996 debut solo album, Dziewczyna Szamana, recorded with Grzegorz Ciechowski, secured four Fryderyk awards in 1997. She subsequently explored diverse textures through albums like Dzień i noc, the collaborative Mów do mnie jeszcze, and Alkimja, which received an Ethno-Folk Fryderyk. Her career sustained momentum through projects like the trip-hop influenced XV and the experimental All Is One, released under the pseudonym Maria Magdalena.
Return to Eurovision
In 2025, she returned to the Eurovision Song Contest with the track Gaja, thirty years after her initial participation. Placing 14th with 156 points, she set a record for the longest gap between two contest entries. Following this, the song reached Spotify’s global Viral 50 chart. Her recent work includes the album Witch Tarohoro, which draws on themes of Slavic mythology and nature.
Fast facts
- Born: 1972, Rzeszów
- Citizenship: Poland
- Eurovision Appearances: 1995, 2025
- Gold Cross of Merit: 2009
- Bronze Medal for Merit to Culture – Gloria Artis: 2015
- Languages: Polish, English
Questions readers ask
Did Justyna Steczkowska win Eurovision?
No. She represented Poland in 1995, finishing 18th, and again in 2025, finishing 14th.
What genres does she perform?
Her discography spans pop, jazz, rock, electronic, trip-hop, and ethno-folk styles.
