* En anglais uniquement
Easily one of the most respected and long-popular Czech pop stars,
Lucie Bílá (roughly translated: Lucy White) was born
Hana Zanáková on April 7, 1966, in Otvovice.
Bílá initially got her start in the pop music biz as a member of two groups, Rock-Automat and
Arakain, before being noticed in 1980 by promoter, producer, and songwriter Petr Hannig, who would provide her famous stage name (to avoid confusion with another
Hana Zanáková already performing at the time) and pen many of her early successes. Her solo debut full-length, Neposlusné Tenisky (Uncomfortable Tennis Shoes), was released in 1983, marking the start of a successful career that would peak in the 1990s, when
Bílá was consistently named favorite pop performer by fans and critics alike. In addition to being a popular recording star in her home nation,
Bílá also made a name for herself in a number of musical theater appearances, such as Dracula, Romeo and Juliet, and Excalibur. In 2006,
Bílá released the live album Koncert, and her 2007 album, Woman, hit the top of the charts. Two
Bílá albums -- Moja a Páv and the live Lucerna -- followed in 2008. ~ Chris True