1989–2008: Early life and career beginnings Marina Łuczenko was born in
Vinnytsia, Ukraine (then the
Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic). At age two, she moved with her parents and brother to Poland, where her grandparents were originally from before they moved to Ukraine during the
Second World War. The family settled in
Stalowa Wola, a city located in southeastern Poland in the
Subcarpathian Voivodeship. Her talent for singing was discovered by her father, who was a musician himself. As a child, she participated in numerous singing contests and television music competitions, winning on many occasions. She began her professional career in 2000, appearing in
Waldemar Krzysteks
television play Ballada o zabójcach. In 2004, she played the lead role of
Juliet in Studio Buffo Theatres adaptation of
Romeo and Juliet directed by
Janusz Józefowicz. In 2007, she took part in the music competition
New Wave, and finished third. She was awarded $20,000, and was offered a record deal with
Universal Music Germany, which she rejected as she did not agree with its terms. She also received a special prize of $50,000 from one of the organisers,
Alla Pugacheva.
2009–2012: Breakthrough: 39 i pół, "Glam Pop" and Hardbeat In 2009, Marina was cast as Amanda, the daughter of the main character (played by
Tomasz Karolak), in the Polish television series
39 i pół. That year, she received the
Eska Music Award for Best Debut. After parting ways with her manager
Maja Sablewska in 2011, she began recording new material for her debut studio album. The album titled
Hardbeat, which she released independently in November 2011, received positive reviews from music critics. It was preceded by the single "Electric Bass", released a month earlier. Marina was nominated for
VIVA Comet Awards in 2011 and 2012, receiving a total of six nominations, including Female Artist of the Year and Album of the Year (
Hardbeat). In 2012, she became
Levi's autumn-winter 2012/2013 ambassador in Poland.
2013–present: Hiatus, On My Way, 39 i pół tygodnia and Warstwy In October 2013, while working on new music in a recording studio in London, Marina experienced singing difficulties which proved to be caused by a
polyp on her left vocal cord. As a result, she was forced to put her career on hold, and in May 2014 underwent laser microsurgery performed by
Steven M. Zeitels to remove the polyp. Marina's comeback single and the lead single from her second studio album, "On My Way", was released in April 2016. The song was co-written by
Arrow Benjamin and produced by Pete Boxta. That year, she also featured on
James Arthurs song "Let Me Love the Lonely" from his second studio album
Back from the Edge (2016). Released as a single in Poland, it was certified gold by the
Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry (ZPAV). "Takin' Ya Rock Out" and "Hiding in the Water" served as the album's second and third singles, respectively. Its fourth and final single, "Complete", was released in August 2018. Marina reprised her
39 i pół role in the show's revival called
39 i pół tygodnia in September 2019. She released her third studio album,
Warstwy, in December 2020. The record debuted and peaked at number 50 in the
Polish charts, The first two singles were certified Gold and Platinum by ZPAV, respectively. In 2022, she recorded the song "This Is the Moment" in support of
Poland at the
2022 FIFA World Cup. ==Personal life==