Markéta Irglová
Markéta Irglová seen from profile wearing a dark blue dress and playing a piano on a darkened stage, looking sideways and grinning, face close to a microphone
Irglová performing in 2014
Born (1988-02-28) 28 February 1988 (age 38)
Valašské Meziříčí, Czechoslovakia
Citizenship
  • Czech Republic
  • Iceland
Spouses
Tim Iseler
​
​
(m. 2011; div. 2012)​
Sturla Míó Þórisson
​
(m. 2019)​
Partner Glen Hansard (2006–2009)
Children 3
Musical career
Genres
  • Folk rock
  • folk
  • indie pop
  • acoustic rock
Occupations
  • Singer-songwriter
  • actress
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • piano
  • guitar
  • mandolin
Years active 2006–present
Label ANTI-
Member of The Swell Season
Website marketairglovamusic.com

Markéta Irglová ( Czech pronunciation: [ˈmarkɛːta ˈɪrɡlovaː]) (born 28 February 1988) is a Czech-Icelandic singer-songwriter, musician, and actress, who starred in the 2007 film Once, which earned her a number of major awards, including the Academy Award for Best Original Song for "Falling Slowly", with co-writer and co-star Glen Hansard. She is one half of the duo the Swell Season, with whom she has released three studio albums. She has also published four solo records.

Career

The Swell Season

Irglová is one half of the duo the Swell Season, with Glen Hansard, which they formed in 2005. They released their eponymous debut album on Overcoat Recordings in 2006. In 2007, they co-starred in the indie film Once, for which they also composed the soundtrack. One of the songs, "Falling Slowly", received an Academy Award for Best Original Song,[1] making Irglová the first Czech person to win that award[2] and the youngest-ever Oscar winner in a non-acting capacity.[3]

The Swell Season released their second album, Strict Joy, in 2009, and two years later, they went on an extended hiatus. In 2011, a stage adaptation of Once was created by John Carney and Enda Walsh, incorporating Irglová and Hansard's songs. It went on to win eight Tony Awards and the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album.[4][5]

In 2022, the Swell Season regrouped, and a year later, they embarked on their largest world tour since 2011.[6] In 2025, they issued their third record, Forward.

Solo work

In 2011, Irglová released her debut solo album, Anar. She followed it with Muna in 2014. In 2022, she issued Lila. That year, she was announced as one of the participants in Söngvakeppnin 2022, the Icelandic national final for the Eurovision Song Contest, where she competed with the song "Mögulegt" / "Possible".[7]

In 2023, she was announced as one of five participants in Eurovision Song CZ 2023, the Czechia's national final for the Eurovision Song Contest.[8] She came in fourth place, with 1,009 points.[9]

In 2024, she released the EP Where You Belong.

Personal life

Irglová with Hansard performing in Derry, Northern Ireland, in 2006

Irglová began taking piano lessons at age seven and started playing guitar when she was eight.[10] Her parents organized a music festival in Czechia and booked the Frames, Glen Hansard's band, which is how she first met him, in 2004, at the age of 16.[11][12] Hansard played a large part not only in her development as an artist and songwriter but also in launching her career. They began a romantic relationship during the filming of Once[13][14] and broke up in 2009.[15] The aftermath of both Once and their relationship is caught in the 2011 documentary film The Swell Season.

Irglová was married to Tim Iseler from 2011 to 2012.[16]

In 2012, she moved to Reykjavík, Iceland, where she met music producer Sturla Míó Þórisson while recording Anar. They later married and have three children together.[17] Irglová speaks fluent Icelandic and is a dual citizen of Czechia and Iceland.[18][19]

Discography

with the Swell Season

  • The Swell Season (2006)
  • Once (soundtrack) (2007)
  • Strict Joy (2009)
  • Forward (2025)

Solo

  • Anar (2011)
  • Muna (2014)
  • Home Is Here film soundtrack, with Sturla Míó Þórisson (2016)
  • Lila (2022)
  • Where You Belong (EP, 2024)

Filmography

Film

  • Once (2007)
  • The Swell Season (2011)

Television

  • Live from the Artists Den: The Swell Season (season 1, episode 8, 2008)[20]
  • The Simpsons episode "In the Name of the Grandfather" (2009)

Awards and nominations

Awards

  • 80th Academy Awards: Best Original Song – "Falling Slowly" from Once (2008)
  • 13th Critics' Choice Awards: Best Original Song – "Falling Slowly" from Once (2008)
  • 2007 Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards: Best Music Score – Once

Nominations

  • 50th Grammy Awards: Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media – Once (2008)
  • 50th Grammy Awards: Best Song Written for Visual Media – "Falling Slowly" (2008)

References

  1. ^ "The 80th Academy Awards; 2008". oscars.org. 7 October 2014. Retrieved 15 September 2025.
  2. ^ "Oscar dream comes true for young Czech musician Markéta Irglová". english.radio.cz. 25 February 2008. Retrieved 15 September 2025.
  3. ^ "Markéta Irglová's first love: Jesus Christ Superstar". acousticlivenytsa.com. Retrieved 15 September 2025.
  4. ^ "Once Tony Awards Info". broadwayworld.com. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  5. ^ "steve-kazee/3769". grammy.com. Archived from the original on 16 August 2022.
  6. ^ "Once Duo Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova Returning to the Road – SPIN". 17 January 2023. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  7. ^ "Iceland: 'Söngvakeppnin' 2022 songs revealed 🇮🇸". Eurovision.tv. European Broadcasting Union (EBU). 5 February 2022. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  8. ^ "Czech Republic: ESCZ 2023 lineup revealed". eurovision.tv. EBU. 16 January 2023. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
  9. ^ Farren, Neil (7 February 2023). "Czech Republic: Vesna to Eurovision 2023". Eurovoix. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  10. ^ "About Marketa Irglova". Archived from the original on 12 November 2014. Retrieved 29 November 2014.
  11. ^ Jamie diamond (24 February 2008). "Life Imitating Film". The New York Times. Retrieved 17 September 2012.
  12. ^ "Markéta Irglová and Marek Irgl: Daughter and father on her Oscar success and much more". Radio Prague. 26 December 2011. Retrieved 16 September 2012.
  13. ^ "'Once' a Hero". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 15 April 2011.{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  14. ^ Jamie diamond (24 February 2008). "Life imitating art". The New York Times. Retrieved 24 February 2008.
  15. ^ Bray, Allison (26 January 2009). "falling slowly ... out of love". Irish Independent. Retrieved 15 April 2011.
  16. ^ Ouzounian, Richard (22 November 2013). "Once the musical: Love found, lost and found again". Toronto Star. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
  17. ^ "Markéta Irglová porodila na Islandu holčičku, jméno neprozradila" [Markéta Irglová gave birth to a baby girl in Iceland but did not reveal her name]. iDnes.cz. 3 November 2013. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  18. ^ Hallur Már Hallsson (10 February 2020). "Hinn íslenski Óskarshafinn" [The Icelandic Oscar winner]. Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  19. ^ Kristjáns, Kristin (5 February 2022). "Iceland: Söngvakeppnin 2022 artists and songs revealed". Wiwibloggs. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  20. ^ "The Swell Season". imdb.com. Retrieved 15 September 2025.
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