Toronto, Ontario’s Polky was created by three courageous Polish women: singer Ewelina Ferenc, dancer Ala Stasiuk and multi-instrumentalist Marta Solek, who met out of a shared passion for Eastern European music’s enigmatic and upbeat style. The band revitalizes Eastern European traditions by adding a uniquely Canadian flavor. Prepare for a musical journey from Canada to Poland, the melting pot of Eastern and Central Europe, where you can hear Carpathian, Jewish, Gypsy, Ukrainian, Slovak and Hungarian influences.

Polky’s first full- length album, Songs From Home (2020), was described by Songlines Magazine as “energetic wilderness”. Exclaim praised it as “valiant and cheerful”. The title was chosen “because it speaks to our collective understanding of ‘home’, celebrating the multicultural city of Toronto, as well as our roots in Poland.” It was nominated for a 2022 Canadian Folk Music Award in three categories, and won ‘Traditional Singer of The Year’ for Ewelina Ferenc.

Interestingly, the first single off Songs from Home was the song “Rain,” which is a perfect choice for a band playing TD Sunfest since, as Polky remind us, “after every storm the sun shines and a rainbow appears.” Even more fitting is the song’s immigrant experience of “leaving home, creating a new one, and finding yourself along the way.” In that spirit, Polky dedicate their music to “the people who have made Canada their home, and the songs that bring us community and give us strength!”