WMM 2026 Day 31 — Hania Rani

Hania Rani: Tiny Desk Concert : NPRHania Rani, Credit: Photo: Elizabeth Gillis/NPR

If I were to describe music, I think for me it’s a mix of subconsciousness and something beyond human perception – an elusive, fleeting fabric that can move us through time. — from interview at Culture.PL

Hania Rani (nee Hanna Raniszewska) (b. 9/5/90) is a Polish pianist, composer and singer. She was born in Gdańsk to parents who are a doctor and an architect. She studied music at the Feliks Nowowiejski Music School in Gdańsk and the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw.

Trained as a classical pianist, Rani began incorporating jazz into her work during music school. In 2015, she collaborated with Dobrawa Czocher on the album Biala Flaga, featuring their arrangements of music by Grzegorz Ciechowski. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Rani started experimenting with improvisation and composing. She has blurred traditional distinctions between jazz, classical and house music.

In 2024, ITV, one of the UK’s leading broadcasters, commissioned a piece by Rani for the opening credits of their football coverage for the England national football team on ITV Sport.

Rani announced her first piano concerto, Non Fiction, composed partially in response to the discovery in 2020 of the compositions of a young music prodigy, Josima Feldschuh, written during the horrors of World War II in the Warsaw Ghetto. It was recorded in Abbey Road Studios and was released on Decca Records.

In 2026, Rani won the European Film Award for Best Composer, for her original score for the film Sentimental Value.

James Wilkinson has a decent biography on her at Allmusic.

Discography:
Albums = 8

artist’s official website

Source: wikipedia

Here we are, at the end of another Women Music March.  I hope you have enjoyed it as much as I have.  I’ve linked to each post this month, for your convenience:

1 Katrina Leskanich
2 Edith Piaf
3 Ethel Merman
4 Peggy Lee
5 Wendy Waldman
6 Fanny Mendelssohn (1805-47)
7 Yoko Sen
8 Basia Bulat
9 Feist
10 Melissa McLelland (who used to sing solo, but now with husband& called Whitehorse)
11 Ruth Crawford Seeger (1901-53)
12 Francesca Caccini (1587-c1641)
13 Bic Runga
14 Iraina Mancini
15 Amy Beach (1867-1944)
16 The Beths
17 Nnenna Freelon
18 Barbara Strozzi (1619-77)
19 Hazel Dickens
20 Connie Converse (special guest writer, Max Gower)
21 Madison McFerrin
22 Nora Brown
23 Carrie Jacobs-Bond (b. 8/11/1862 – d. 12/28/1946)
24 Laura Lee and Khruangbin
25 Madelline
26 Johnette Napolitano (from Concrete Blonde)
27 Karen Elson
28 Olivia Jean Markel White (Olivia Jean)
29 Thundermother (special guest writer, Christian Pflaumer)
30 Carly Rae Jepsen
31 Hania Rani

10 Comments Add yours

  1. Steve's avatar Steve says:

    Thanks for featuring Hania Rani, Lisa. A name I’ve seen in YouTube a fair bit but have not looked into before seeing her here today. Congratulations on an eclectic WMM 2026! I see several above that I missed and hope to get back to check out.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar Lisa or Li says:

      Thanks much, Steve. Glad you know Hania’s name and got a chance to listen to her. Thanks also on WMM 2026 :)

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Steve's avatar Steve says:

        My pleasure, Lisa. 😊

        Liked by 1 person

  2. memadtwo's avatar memadtwo says:

    I really like the etherealness of this.

    Thanks for another great group of women. I took Basia Bulat out of the library and like her a lot–she reminds me of Robin Holcomb. (K)

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar Lisa or Li says:

      Me too, K. Awesome on Basia Bulat. You are welcome on the 2026 covered women. Now tomorrow starts a month of other goddesses :)

      Liked by 1 person

      1. memadtwo's avatar memadtwo says:

        Looking forward.

        Liked by 1 person

  3. Congrats wrapping up yet another year of your great series, Lisa, and thanks again I could be a small part of it again. With Hania Rani, you picked an intriguing artist and once again someone I had not known. :-)

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar Lisa or Li says:

      Christian, it’s always a learning experience for me putting them together. So happy you volunteered to be a part of Women Music March again. Thank you. I agree on Hania being an intriguing artist.

      Liked by 1 person

  4. Thanks so much for doing this Lisa! I’ve learned a lot through this. I’ll be on the lookout for another artist to write about for next year if that will be ok…

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar Lisa or Li says:

      You are very welcome, Dear Max. Yes, Please!

      Liked by 1 person

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