Meet Magdalena Air | Vocalist, composer, arranger, music producer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Magdalena Air and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Magdalena, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I come from Nysa, a small town in Poland. I’ve always been passionate about music, therefore I began my education with keyboard lessons at the age of 8. At 11, I started my classical training in the local music school pursuing flute for 4 years and classical singing for another 4 years. At the age of 12, I performed a jazz standard at my primary school graduation, and since that day, my greatest dream was to become a jazz vocalist. However, my parents were strongly against pursuing music as a career. They would often say to “find a normal profession first” and then make music. It took several years to convince my family that music was the right path for me. Eventually, I received their approval and great support.

After applying for my dream Academy of Music in Katowice, Poland, I was shocked to discover that I hadn’t been accepted for the Jazz Voice program. Instead, I got into the Jazz Composition and Arranging major, for which I applied randomly, with no preparation or experience. No wonder the first months were extremely tough for me, trying to catch up to the small group of composers who have prepared for this opportunity for years. Still, I did not give up on my dream of singing and kept applying for the program until I was finally accepted at the 3rd trial. Surprisingly, I graduated from a Master’s program in both majors at the very same time. The studies were suddenly over and I had no idea what to do with my life. Not only did I not see any good career perspectives but also, after all the obstacles of the academic environment, I lost faith in my singing and performing capabilities.

Shortly after graduation, I met a Berklee College of Music team who encouraged me to apply. With God’s help, I was accepted and received a tremendous scholarship that enabled me to start this crazy adventure and move to Boston (MA) in 2019. I decided to study Contemporary Writing and Production with minors in Screen Scoring and Writing for TV and New Media. Berklee College of Music turned out to be a life-changing experience, with all the networking and learning opportunities in composition, arranging, music production, studio recording, mixing, creating music in all styles, and more. The greatest surprise was probably meeting professors who believed in me as a singer and performer more than I could ever believe in myself. I was encouraged to pursue jazz singing again and to consider a Master’s program in jazz performance. At that time, I already accepted giving up on singing publicly and I planned to move to LA and search for a job as a composer and music producer. However, the seed of hope was planted in my head.

In 2022, a year before graduation I visited Montreal in Canada for one day. By the end of that day, I had a weird feeling that I should move there. Then, I learned about the Jazz Performance program at McGill University. The perspective of turning all my plans upside down seemed crazy, however, I knew that was my last chance to make the “jazz vocalist dream” come true. Therefore, I applied and got accepted to the Master’s in Jazz Performance as a vocalist. This decision turned my whole life upside down. Currently, finishing the first year of the program, I’m astonished at the support, new opportunities, and positive response to my work.

I hope my story will inspire and encourage everyone not to give up on their dreams and ideas, even if it seems impossible or too big. If a girl from a small town in Poland (who started as the weakest in the group) could get to the United States and Canada, there is nothing impossible for everyone!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My music is impossible to place into one box. I love singing jazz and worship music. However, I’m excited to compose and produce music in any style and genre, from orchestral music to electronic. I have a wide arranging portfolio, including big showcases such as Tribute to Tina Turner, Tribute to Sting and The Police, and Tribute to Elton John at Berklee College of Music.
I’m excited to be finishing my second album recorded with amazing musicians from Berklee College of Music while preparing new compositions for a jazz album that will close my education at McGill University. Also, as a vocalist and pianist, I’m involved in worship music which is an important part of my life and who I am.
Currently, my goal is to make music that will bring peace, hope, and joy to the listener. I believe that music has a great power to help people and make life better, and for that reason, I’m grateful to pursue it as a career.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If I could invite a friend to visit me in Poland, we would go on an adventure to the Tatra Mountains area. These mountains are one of my favourite places on Earth. The trails are mainly long and challenging which allows to spend many hours in nature, enjoying extraordinary views, wildlife, and peace. The best part is taking a little break in a mountain shelter, which offers great local food and most importantly, coffee. In between hiking, we would enjoy the city of Zakopane which is full of folklore, including traditional dishes, folk music characteristic to the region, and traditionally dressed locals. We would obligatory try some oscypek – an authentic ship’s milk cheese with a cranberry sauce.
To enjoy the recovery from hiking, we will visit the Museum of Karol Szymanowski – an old villa where the famous Polish composer used to live and create. We would also visit some galleries to support local artists.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Every important decision and milestone in my life was thanks to the advice and support of incredible people I encountered.
Big thanks to my parents for believing and supporting me throughout the years.
Special thanks to Professor Elena Koleva from Berklee College of Music who restored my dream of singing.
Big thanks to Zilma Gonzalez Acaba who made Boston feel like home and told me about the jazz program at McGill University.
Shoutout to Professor Philip Lima, the Assistant Chair of the Voice Department at Berklee College of Music, for his support and faith in me.
I would also like to thank Agnieszka Niewiadomska, my voice teacher from the Music School in Nysa, Poland, who always supported me and pushed into the right direction.
And most of all, thanks to God for making the impossible possible, for help, and for every blessing on my way.

Website: https://magdalenaair.wixsite.com/music

Instagram: @magdalena.air

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/magdalenaair

Image Credits
@liliana__art
Bogdan Krężel
DaveGreenPhoto
Monika Zacharewicz