Agata Kulis - Liberty & Identity

Liberty & Identity is the latest album by vocalist, composer, and songwriter Agata Kulis—an artist who moves effortlessly between jazz, soul, R&B, and contemporary singer-songwriter music. It is a deeply personal musical journey exploring two values that have shaped both her life and artistic path: freedom and identity.

The album was inspired by Agata's experiences of living between Poland and the United States. Her time abroad allowed her to rediscover her roots, cultural heritage, and the values she grew up with, while strengthening her desire for artistic independence, courage, and authenticity. An important milestone in this journey was her education at Berklee College of Music, one of the world's most prestigious music institutions.

The album features nine original compositions where contemporary jazz meets soul, R&B, contemporary pop, and subtle influences drawn from Polish musical traditions. Alongside English-language songs, the record includes more Polish lyrics than before, further emphasizing its central theme of searching for personal identity and artistic roots.

The album was produced and arranged by acclaimed pianist, arranger, and producer Adam Jarzmik, leading an outstanding ensemble of musicians. Every detail has been crafted with exceptional care while preserving the music's natural spontaneity, warmth, and organic energy.

Liberty & Identity is an album rich in emotion, reflection, and artistic maturity. It is a story about finding one's place between tradition and modernity, between where we come from and where we are headed.

Production

Producer & Arranger: Adam Jarzmik

Personnel

Agata Kulis – vocals
Adam Jarzmik – piano, keyboards, backing vocals
Maciej Nieć – bass guitar
Filip Mozul – drums
Jakub Łępa – saxophone
Michał Zwierniak – guitar

About the Artist

Agata Kulis is a vocalist, composer, and pianist. She is a graduate of Berklee College of Music in Boston and the recipient of the prestigious Berklee European Scholarship and Berklee International Grant.

She is the creator of the albums Come a Little Closer and Liberty & Identity. Her original music has been produced and recorded in collaboration with acclaimed engineers and producers, including multiple Grammy Award winners Alex Venguer and Oscar Zambrano.

She is also a recipient of grants from the Adam Mickiewicz Institute, the City of Kraków, and the Roberto Cimetta Fund. Performing her original repertoire, she has toured throughout the United States and across numerous European countries, including Italy, France, Austria, Sweden, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Malta, Cyprus, and the Canary Islands.

Agata represented Poland at the WOMEX international music expo and performed as a featured soloist during the world premiere of Wojciech Kilar's score for Dracula, conducted by Don Davis.

Her music blends contemporary jazz, soul, and classic R&B, drawing equally from American and European musical traditions while maintaining a distinctive artistic voice.

Reviews

"The vocalist possesses an extraordinary ability to paint with her voice and create magnetic relationships with sound, moving effortlessly across her range with emotional depth, remarkable sensitivity, and precision. (...) The warmth present in her interpretations attracts, intrigues, and at times even hypnotizes, while leaving space for the listener's own interpretation of the musical narrative."

"Agata Kulis' Liberty & Identity is not an album that reveals everything at once or seeks attention with a single dramatic gesture. Its strength unfolds gradually—in its narrative, its command of musical tension, and its deliberate embrace of subtlety. It rewards attentive listening with something increasingly rare today: music that lingers long after the final note has faded."

— Łukasz Dębowski (Polska Płyta / Polska Muzyka)

"The album features nine songs—four in Polish and five in English. Agata moves freely through the upper register, delivering elegant jazz-soul phrasing without affectation. Her impeccable diction makes every lyric effortlessly understandable. Alongside traditional singing, the album includes vocalises and layered harmonies. The music is highly enjoyable, blending jazz, soul, fusion, and the popular jazz styles of the 1970s, with subtle references to Polish folk music."

— Marek Demidowicz

"Liberty & Identity is a fully realized jazz album with a clearly defined artistic identity, while still embracing elements of soul and R&B. It may not be as immediately accessible as Agata's debut, but it offers far greater rewards with repeated listening. Be warned—it draws you in. (...) Rather than chasing attention with simple melodies, this is an album that invites careful listening. That is precisely what makes it Agata Kulis' most significant artistic achievement to date. The outstanding ensemble, performing with beautifully organic acoustic textures, takes the listener on a captivating musical journey."

— Piotr Iwicki

"Agata Kulis has created an intensely personal story about two values that have shaped her life and artistic vision: freedom and identity. The result is an album that defies simple categorization. Contemporary jazz forms its foundation, enriched by soul, R&B, and sophisticated singer-songwriter traditions. These influences come together in a coherent artistic statement, free from stylistic calculation and devoted entirely to storytelling through music. Liberty & Identity does not rely on flashy virtuosity or superficial surprises—its strength lies in honesty, artistic maturity, authenticity, and unwavering creative integrity."

— Dionizy Piątkowski (Era Jazzu)

"Agata Kulis possesses a voice that is exceptionally well suited to soul-influenced and jazz-inspired music. Thanks to her remarkable versatility, she effortlessly incorporates elements of rhythm and blues, traditional blues, and folk into her performances. These qualities have the potential to open many doors for her."

— Sebastian Chosiński (Esensja.pl)

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