Natálie Kocábová

Natálie Kocábová (), also known as Natalie Kocab (born 16 May 1984) is a Czech poet, writer, and musician. She is the daughter of singer and political activist Michael Kocáb. She has released three solo studio albums, one extended play, four music videos, and featured on a number of other projects.

Early life Natálie Kocábová was born on 16 May 1984 in Prague, Czechoslovakia. Her father, Michael Kocáb, was a singer and political activist. Her mother is an American, of British ancestry.

Career

Kocábová received her first exposure at the age of eleven by providing vocals for low-budget albums by Dagmar Patrasová, Baby studio s Dádou (1995) and Vánoce s Dádou (1996), both designed for children. Shortly before her debut release, she was credited as a co-writer on a track entitled "Some People" that appeared on the album Velvet Revolution (1999), by Michael Kocáb, Petr Kolář and Tomáš Kympl. Her debut Fly Apple Pie was released on January 9, 2000, through Epic Records in partnership with Sony BMG. The album was the first full-length record issued by a Czech artist in the 2000s, and featured fifteen tracks mainly in English, all composed by her father Michael Kocáb, whose name also appeared on the cover. Her mother, Marsha, also supplied lyrics. Upon its release, the album was negatively received by critics, some of whom labelled it as a shallow marketing tactic from Kocáb and others accused his daughter of nepotism. Two music videos were produced, for the tracks "So Changes Go" and "Mayday", but the constant negative publicity hurt the album's sales.

In following years, Kocábová focused on writing poems and short novels. Her subsequent written works included Slyšíš mě? (2002), Monarcha Absint (2003), Schola Alternativa (2004) and Někdo je v domě (2005). She was cast in the musical theatre production Starci na chmelu (2001/02), and also contributed vocals to her father's album Za kyslík (2002). Her second studio album, Hummingbirds in Iceland, was released on 12 June 2006, again distributed via Sony BMG and supervised by Kocáb. Other songwriters and producers who worked on the album included Michal Pavlíček Jr, Michaela Poláková and Lukáš Máchal. The album was promoted by a video, for "Neverland", and received favorable reviews from journalists, who especially acknowledged its "progressive sound"; other critics repeated their previous criticisms.

Kocábová published a novel called Růže: Cesta za světlem... in 2007, and in 2008, she contributed the opening track "Tramtárie" to an all-female compilation Ohrožený druh by Michal Horáček, also on Sony BMG. From 2009 she began collecting material for her next studio album. However, Walking on the A-bomb, produced by Jiří Burian, was rejected by Sony. After Kocábová signed a distribution deal with music magazine Report, the record was released in a cardboard sleeve on 1 December 2010, and was followed by a small venue tour.

In January 2026, Kocáb, together with Czech journalist and hybrid propaganda expert Alexandra Alvarová, founded the bilingual media and journalistic project Radio Free America, inspired by Radio Free Europe. The project's stated aim was to build a bridge between European and American information spaces, explain U.S. politics to European audiences and vice versa, and combat disinformation and hybrid propaganda. Launched through a crowdfunding campaign, it focused primarily on strengthening transatlantic relations and democratic values amid growing polarization.

Discography

Kocábová's discography consists of three solo studio albums, one extended play, four music videos and a number of other appearances.For albums discography of Kocábová, use either her general or external links.

Albums

Studio albums YearAlbum detailsNotes2000Fly Apple Pie with Michael Kocáb Released: January 9, 2000 Label: Epic/Sony BMG (#EPC 496585 2) Format: CD Fifteen track album sung in English with exception of "ABC", "Kapka lásky and the final song "Duch Tarantina" that was in addition attached to Kocáb's double retrospective collection Best Of (2008), issued on Daranus.2006Hummingbirds in Iceland Released: June 12, 2006 Label: Sony BMG Format: CDFourteen track album sung exclusively in English.2010Walking on the A-bomb Released: December 1, 2010 Label: Biotech/Report Format: MC, CDThirteen track album, also sung exclusively in English.2016Ellis Island with Michaela Poláková Released: April 29, 2016 Label: WM Czech Republic Format: CDTen track album sung in English, with the exception of “Žádnej kód”. Nick McCabe and Fernando Saunders cooperated on the album. None of the studio albums charted on the Czech Albums Chart. A Credited as Natalie Kocábová and Michael Kocáb. B Credited as Natalie Kocab. C Credited as Natalie Kocab and Michaela Poláková.

Extended plays YearEP detailsNotes2010Walking on the A-bomb Released: May 21, 2010 Label: Biotech (party sale only) Format: MCSix track EP released exclusively on cassette, presenting material from the corresponding studio album of the same title. B Credited as Natalie Kocab.

Other appearances YearSong detailsRoleNotes1995"Aha, aha (Intro)"back vocalEarly compositions recorded for Baby studio s Dádou by Dagmar Patrasová, released on CD by Bonton. Apart from Orchestr Felixe Slováčka, "Aha, aha" and "My budeme cvičit" featured also her sister Jessica Kocábová. "Ten tvůj táta" included contributions by Bohumil Kulínský and Bambini di Praga."My budeme cvičit""Ten tvůj táta""Aha, aha (Outro)"1996"Kapka lásky"A song initially recorded for the Christmas set Vánoce s Dádou by Patrasová, featuring Orchestr Felixe Slováčka, Jessica, Kulínský and Bambini di Praga.1999"Some People"co-writerA song written by Kocábová and Tomáš Kympl for Velvet Revolution by Kocáb, Petr Kolář and Kympl, released on MC/CD by Popron.2002"Život je Nářez"back vocalFour tracks recorded during the Za kyslík album sessions for Kocáb, released on CD by Columbia. (In addition, "Urnovej háj" also appeared on second disc of the Kocáb's greatest hits compilation Best Of: Noční vyprávění o mé cestě od kostelní židle až k Pražskému výběru II (2008), issued on Daranus.)"Urnovej háj""Noční můra""Dj Makakaka"2008"Tramtárie"lead vocalThe opening track delivered for Michal Horáček's compilation Ohrožený druh, released on CD by Sony BMG. B Credited as Natalie Kocab. C Credited as Natálka Kocábová. D topped at number 1 on the Czech Albums Chart. The set became the most selling album of a music band in the Czech Republic with the sale of 22,766 copies. As of 2011, its total sale reached 35,000 units, while being certified with double platinum from ČNS IFPI. In addition, the work won the Anděl Award as the Album of the Year.

Videos

Music videos YearSongDirector(s)ProducerAlbum2000"Mayday"Fly Apple Pie"So Changes Go"2006"Neverland"David "Havran" SpáčilHummingbirds in Iceland2011 "Backyard"Walking on the A-bomb"The Pillow" by Republic of TwoJiří Burian, Mikoláš RůžičkaEliška NovákováRaising the Flag E The album won the Best New Artist category at the Anděl Awards in 2010. (The album charted at number 23.)

Bibliography YearTitleRelease detailsPublisherISBNNotes2002Slyšíš mě?Mladá frontapoems2003Monarcha Absintnovella2004Schola Alternativa2005Někdo je v doměpoems2007Růže: Cesta za světlem...novella2010The Dark Side of PragueVětrné mlýnypoemsTři maminky a tatínekBriochildren's book2011Na rohu světaDivadlo Puls—play2012Rabbit Run (in production)comedy2014Tohle byl můj pokojArgonovel2017Pohřeb až zítraplay2019Nepatrně smutná ženaListenfeuilletons, essay2020DomůCPressnovel Notes A The limited edition of the work, featuring 999 copies released in 2010, included graphics by her spouse Štěpán Vrána. B Credited as co-writer; along with Alena Ježková, Barbara Nesvadbová and Jaromír Švejdík (aka Jaromír 99).

Stageography 2002: Starci na chmelu (musical theatre; as Hanka)

Awards

Music polls Český slavík by Mattoni, Czech Republic YearNominated workCategoryResult2000HerselfFemale Singer20032004Žebřík by Report, Czech Republic YearNominated workCategoryResult2001HerselfFemale Singer → Domestic 2002

Natálie Kocábová

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