Júlia Kozáková – Manuša II (CPL-Music, 2025)
With Manuša II, Slovak singer Júlia Kozáková extends her Manuša project that centers on Romani (Gypsy) music from Slovakia and Central Europe. Described by Kozáková as an exploration of joy in its “simple, everyday, quiet, and wild” forms, the album shifts focus from the equality theme of her 2022 debut toward a more celebratory mood.
The word manuša means “people” in Romani, the language of the Roma people of central and Eastern Europe. Indeed, the project grew from Kozáková’s commitment to sharing traditional Romani repertoire with wider audiences. A fantastic cimbalom band of established Romani musicians accompanies her, delivering exceptional material grounded in world music and jazz-leaning sounds.
Her debut Manuša gathered traditional songs from Slovakia and the broader Central European region. The recording earned the Radio_Head Award 2022 for Best World Music Album, a Roma Spirit Award nomination for cultural contribution, and a spot on the UpBeat platform’s recommendations for the Best New Talent Award. Concerts and festival dates have taken the project to twelve European countries, including a showcase appearance at the influential world music conference WOMEX 2023.
Manuša II continues that trajectory with a balance of emotive tradition and skilled improvisation, designed as an intimate though collective conversation between past and present. Themes of love, longing, and gentle melancholy take a seat alongside the album’s stated focus on joy.
Kozáková, originally from Slovakia, studied jazz vocals and flamenco in London, Seville, and Brno. Her performance work includes roles in ensembles such as Čhavorenge, Manuša, SOLE, and O Gadže Bašaven. She currently pursues a Master’s degree in Contemporary Music Performance at Berklee College.
Author: JGurski
