Homepage - Markéta Irglová

‘LILA’ – Available Now!

Released: August 19th, 2022
Covert art by Nahid Hagigat

LILA (2022) is the third in a trilogy of solo albums, presenting a dreamlike collection of songs on the theme of Love, in all its guises: False love. Vulnerable love. Imagined love. Filial love. Childlike love. Parental love. Sensual love. Young love. Past love. True love. Purest love. Confusing love. Romantic love. Unitive love. Eternal love.

“It gives me great joy to be able to release this body of work into the world after all this time of gathering life experiences, digging deeper, connecting to something higher and allowing for something beautiful to grow from the journey, which was not always an easy and comfortable one, but challenging and difficult one too. The alchemy of transmuting base matter into purer forms, is my favorite part of the kind of songwriting I try and perfect over time. Mio has done an excellent job translating my ideas into reality, and so I truly hope the result may resonate with you in one way or another. Thank you.”

– Markéta Irglová, 2022

Learn more about LILA here.

BUY ALBUM

LISTEN HERE

NEW SONGS

PEOPLE WE USED TO BE

By The Swell Season

“It’s a song about trying to reconcile with what feels like an end of an era and allowing one’s self to mourn the People We Used To Be while choosing to fight for the person we love and the life we built with them. It is a song of defiance and determination as much as heart aching nostalgia.” – Markéta

LISTEN HERE!

MONA LISA

By Markéta Irglová & Malinda

The inspiration for the song came from Markéta contemplating women’s position in society throughout history, combining two timelines, and bridging the gap of about 500 years between the present 21st century and the past age of Renaissance. It uses the renowned Mona Lisa painting as a window through which to transport the listener into a Florentine society of the early 16th century.

Markéta asked MALINDA to be the voice of Mona Lisa in this song, given her background in Musical Theatre and her experience in stepping into different characters. MALINDA played the role of GIRL in the Washington production of Once the Musical, and that is how the two became acquainted with one another.

LISTEN HERE

IF YOU WANT ME (SATISFY ME) | SI ME QUIERES

“If You Want Me – I wrote this song when I was 16. It is my second most popular song after Falling Slowly and is never missing from a live concert setlist. Whenever I hear the recording from Once, I hardly recognize myself anymore, my voice has changed so much over the years. I felt it was time to revisit this song. You guys ready?”

– Markéta

Listen to the new interprestation of the song on Bandcamp! Both the English version, as well as in Spanish.

LISTEN / BUY BOTH VERSIONS HERE!

Irglova is sharing the aptly titled new single, “Happy,” which also may serve as the theme song to fans anxiously awaiting more shows since last year.

HAPPY

“This song came to me in a dream, where I was singing the chorus. When I woke up, the melody and lyrics were still fresh in my mind.

The song is about being present and feeling joyful without forming an attachment to how long the feeling may last.

It is about a connection with others, without needing to analyze or name it, hoping only that the joy can be shared.

It is about celebrating that joy and that connection – the here and now – with song and dance, being together and feeling elevated.

Featuring the wonderful Eric Harper on guitars, Manu Barreto on drums and percussion, and Sturla Mio Thorisson on programming and production, it is truly a song that makes me want to dance. I hope it may do the same for you.”

– Markéta

LISTEN HERE

LILA SINGLES

GIRL FROM A MOVIE

“Many continue to perceive me as GIRL from Once even today, with much affection, granted, but nevertheless confusing a part of me with the whole of me. It has often made me pause to wonder if we ever really see anyone wholly. We fall in love with fantasies, we befriend illusions, we are fascinated by what we can not name and most importantly, we continue to form an idea of who we are based on the reflections of ourselves we catch in the world around us which constantly mirrors our every thought, and our every intention. To truly see and be seen is a thing to aspire to, in my opinion, for our imagination is limited and often blind to the marvels hiding in plain sight. We shall know one another by our heart, not our senses. The real you, and the real me. The heart is where love is. And love does not discriminate. Open your heart and see.”

– Markéta

THE SEASON

The song is inspired by Markéta’s classical piano training, as well the recent Netflix series called Bridgerton, a re-imagined period drama series from a time filled with letters, ballrooms, conversation and promenades, daydreaming about love and freedom, imagining all that could be while constricted by rules, society’s expectations and family obligations.

MY ROOTS GO DEEP

“This song is a summary of the growth and maturation that has taken place within me in the past few years. Realizing that holding peace and grace is a wiser goal than chasing happiness. For while we can’t avoid the pendulum of our lives constantly swinging from one side to the other, between joy and sorrow, light and dark, we can practice holding peace in any circumstance. Growing roots and becoming our own centre, attracting all that is in our highest good to come to us. Understanding, in our wisdom, that all that happens does so to teach us, to help us grow, and to deepen our sense of compassion and solidarity towards one another.”

– Markéta

LONG-FORM SINGLES

MOTHER

<a href=”https://marketa-irglova.bandcamp.com/album/mother”>Mother by Markéta Irglová and The Webb Sisters ( feat. Marja Gaynor, Patrick Dexter, Manuel Barreto and Mio )</a>

Mother, Marketa’s third single following Quintessence and Among The Living, is available now via Bandcamp and here at all streaming platforms.

“I wanted to write a tribute to my mother’s service to me. And in so doing, to write a tribute to all women who give of themselves in this way, selflessly and without expectation of any thanks or reward beyond that of raising a decent human being instilled with a capacity for compassion, tolerance and kindness…”

– Markéta

AMONG THE LIVING

Among The Living, Marketa’s second single following the summer solstice release of Quintessence, is available now via all streaming platforms.

“I am hoping this song can spread some healing to people who are in pain. To help them feel a little better. To be reminded that they are not alone.”

– Markéta

QUINTESSENCE

Quintessence is available now through Marketa’s Bandcamp & via other streaming platforms here. Please find more about the song here and enjoy.

“May this song be a vessel to you and carry you on its wings. Lay down, close your eyes, listen, and give yourself permission to let go and lift off.”

– Markéta

LATEST NEWS

Markéta & Glen USA March 2022

Nov 8, 2021

Markéta & Glen will be performing their first shows together in over a decade in March 2022 to coincide with the 15th anniversary of the film ONCE. These select dates will highlight songs from The Swell Season and Once as well as their individual careers.

New Song: Among The Living

Dec 3, 2020

Marketa Irglova has released Among the Living, an epic and powerful song she carefully regards as a compassionate elegy for 2020, available via all major streaming platforms.

American Songwriter

Jul 20, 2020

Thank you so much to American Songwriter for premiering our video for “Quintessence”. You can read the story here.

New Song: Quintessence

Jul 17, 2020

Marketa’s new song Quintessence is available now at Bandcamp & via other streaming platforms here.

We Are Good

Jan 4, 2016

I want to use this opportunity to share with you a video made back in 2012 in Argentina by my friend Alejandro Rojas to a song of mine called We Are Good.

A Connection Was Made (How I found my way to Iceland and met Sturla Mio Thorisson)

May 21, 2015

When touring around the world was my main occupation, I had the fortune and privilege of being in a position to meet many wonderful people. This is how I found my way to Iceland and met Sturla Mio Thorisson.

The Leading Bird Nominated

May 18, 2015

The Leading Bird video is nominated in the Nordic Music Video Awards, in the audience’s favorite category: The Gaffa Audience Award. What an honor! Thank you and congratulations to all other nominees.

Song of the Sea

Mar 25, 2015

Hey guys – I am just back in Iceland for a few days before we head out to Czech Republic for a show in Plzeň (March 29th), or Pilsen as it would be more known. I was asked to sing the Czech version of the title track of a beautiful Irish animated movie called Song of the Sea, originally sung by Lisa Hannigan. This was a very fun project for me and I wanted to share with you the trailer made for Czech cinemas where Song of the Sea premiered this month. Czech it out 🙂

Supporting Damien Rice in April

Mar 12, 2015

We are pleased to announce that Marketa will be joining Damien Rice for four of his US tourdates in April! Mar will be performing solo on these dates. She and Damien have shared the stage together before so this will be a special night of music. You can hear Mar on Damien’s new record, My Favourite Faded Fantasy on the song “Long Long Way”.