Markéta Irglová
Markéta Irglová (Czech pronunciation: [ˈmarkɛːta ˈɪrɡlovaː]) (born 28 February 1988) is a Czech-Icelandic singer-songwriter, musician and actress, who starred in the film Once, which earned her a number of major awards, including the Academy Award for Best Original Song for "Falling Slowly", with co-writer and co-star Glen Hansard.
Markéta Irglová
28 February 1988
- Czech Republic
- Iceland
Glen Hansard (2006–2009)
3
- Singer-songwriter
- actress
- Vocals
- piano
- guitar
- mandolin
2006–present
Career[edit]
Irglová is a member of the band The Swell Season with Glen Hansard. The band released its eponymous album on Overcoat Recordings in 2006. In 2007, Irglová co-starred in the indie film Once. Irglová co-wrote many of the songs for the film including "Falling Slowly", which received an Academy Award for Best Original Song. The film won the World Cinema Audience Award for a dramatic film at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival.[2] Irglová appeared on the 2007 I'm Not There soundtrack with the Swell Season's version of Bob Dylan's "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere".[3]
While accepting the Academy Award she and Hansard were played off before she could begin her acceptance speech. Later in the evening comedian Jon Stewart stopped the show to bring her back on stage to complete her speech. She ended it by wishing "fair play to those who dare to dream."[4]
The 2012 Broadway stage adaption of Once won eight Tony awards and the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album.[5][6]
In 2022, Irglová was announced as one of the participants in Söngvakeppnin 2022, the Icelandic national final for the Eurovision Song Contest 2022, where she competed with the song "Mögulegt" / "Possible".[7]
In March 2022, Irglová, as part of The Swell Season, embarked on a six-city US tour.
[8]
In 2023, Irglová was announced as one of the 5 participants in Eurovision Song CZ 2023, the Czech Republic's national final for the Eurovision Song Contest 2023.[9] She came in 4th place with 1,009 points.[10]
Also in 2023 it was announced that Irglová and Once co-star Glen Hansard would reunite for a more in depth world tour. This would be their largest tour together since the original hiatus of The Swell Season.[11]