Thirty years ago, Justyna Steczkowska was the opening act in Eurovision 1995, which took place in Dublin, Ireland. Singing the song “Sama”, an experimental dirge featuring atonal flutes and Justyna’s signature high notes, it ended up placing in eighteenth in a field of twenty-three. Despite this, it would chart in Poland, and provide a glimpse of the blossoming talent. That would further amplify the following year, in which she released the album Dziewczyna Szamana, of which the title track remains a Polish classic.
However, the passage of time was not the only reason why Justyna accepted the challenge of representing her country again at Eurovision. “It was also because I just released my new album Witch Tarohoro..and I wanted to show it to the world!” If the name was familiar, it’s because the title track was submitted to the Polish internal selection in 2024, which ended up losing out by one point.
“Gaja”, a song invoking the Greek personification of the Earth, is part of that album, in which she wanted to “send a message to the universe…maybe my story will be an inspiration for others.”
Yet Justyna is more than her connections to Eurovision. Notable for her four-octave vocal range, she practices to keep her vocal chords intact over the 3,000 concerts she has performed in. “If you have a really good voice,” she said, “and you want it to be there for many many years, you must be careful. A voice like my voice…is very sensitive.” As a result, Justyna maintains a nun-like habit beyond her career, refraining from the vices which singers would indulge in such as partying and drinking. Therefore, she uses her experience to coach on The Voice of Poland for six seasons.
Just as much as she enjoys keeping her voice, Justyna enjoys fashion and dressing well. Being a proud woman, she “loves the feminine energy…[I] like tight things on my body”. Yet when performing, Justyna transforms to a more mystical figure, of which “Gaja” shows her rising above the stage!
Poland will perform second on the first semi-final on 13 May. You can find Justyna on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.