A mononym is a name composed of only one word. An individual who is known and addressed by a mononym is a mononymous person .
51-465: Barbara Stanisława " Basia " Trzetrzelewska ( Polish: [ˈbaɕa tʂɛtʂɛˈlɛfska] ; born 30 September 1954), better known mononymously as Basia , is a Polish singer-songwriter and recording artist noted for her Latin-inspired jazz-pop music. She began singing professionally in various Polish bands from the late 1960s throughout the 1970s, then relocated to the UK in 1981. She rose to fame as
102-594: A Latinized version (where "u" become "v", and "j" becomes "i") of his family surname , "Arouet, l[e] j[eune]" ("Arouet, the young"); it reversed the syllables of the name of the town his father came from, Airvault; and it has implications of speed and daring through similarity to French expressions such as voltige , volte-face and volatile . "Arouet" would not have served the purpose, given that name's associations with " roué " and with an expression that meant "for thrashing". The 19th-century French author Marie-Henri Beyle (1783–1842) used many pen names , most famously
153-661: A combination of two personal names typically given by a Buddhist monk. There are no inherited family names; instead, Bhutanese differentiate themselves with nicknames or prefixes. In the Near East 's Arab world, the Syrian poet Ali Ahmad Said Esber (born 1930) at age 17 adopted the mononym pseudonym, Adunis , sometimes also spelled "Adonis". A perennial contender for the Nobel Prize in Literature, he has been described as
204-506: A following in Asia. She took a lengthy hiatus due to personal tragedies, then made a comeback to regular recording and performing in the late 2000s. She currently releases her music through independent labels. Basia was born in Jaworzno , Poland in 1954. She had three siblings – two brothers and a sister – and her parents ran a popular ice cream parlor in the town's centre. Growing up in
255-621: A full show at Java Jazz Festival in Jakarta , Indonesia . Basia recorded duets with Polish artists Monika Lidke and the band Pectus for their respective albums, simultaneously working on the new solo album. In 2014, she was ordered with the Commander's Cross of Polonia Restituta for promoting Polish culture worldwide, and the following year, she received the Medal for Merit to Culture – Gloria Artis . Her fifth solo studio album, Butterflies ,
306-410: A given name and a surname. Some companies get around this by entering the mononym as both the given name and the surname. Smooth jazz Smooth jazz is a term used to describe commercially oriented crossover jazz music. Although often described as a "genre", it is a debatable and highly controversial subject in jazz music circles. As a radio format, however, it is clear that smooth jazz became
357-661: A lifetime. In European and American histories, prominent Native Americans are usually mononymous, using a name that was frequently garbled and simplified in translation. For example, the Aztec emperor whose name was preserved in Nahuatl documents as Motecuhzoma Xocoyotzin was called "Montezuma" in subsequent histories. In current histories he is often named Moctezuma II , using the European custom of assigning regnal numbers to hereditary heads of state. Some French authors have shown
408-444: A mononym, in some cases adopted legally. For some historical figures, a mononym is the only name that is still known today. The word mononym comes from English mono- ("one", "single") and -onym ("name", "word"), ultimately from Greek mónos (μόνος, "single"), and ónoma (ὄνομα, "name"). The structure of persons' names has varied across time and geography. In some societies, individuals have been mononymous, receiving only
459-527: A musical household, Basia enjoyed singing from an early age and had an extensive collection of vinyl records. Her mother played piano and gave her first music lessons. In 1969, Basia performed as a vocalist in local band Astry appearing with them at the National Festival of Beat Avangarde in Kalisz where they came first. Always good at exact sciences , Basia had intended to study mathematics at
510-467: A preference for mononyms. In the 17th century, the dramatist and actor Jean-Baptiste Poquelin (1622–73) took the mononym stage name Molière. In the 18th century, François-Marie Arouet (1694–1778) adopted the mononym Voltaire , for both literary and personal use, in 1718 after his imprisonment in Paris' Bastille , to mark a break with his past. The new name combined several features. It was an anagram for
561-650: A singer in the British trio Matt Bianco . By 1986, Basia and her bandmate Danny White had left the group to focus on her solo career. She signed on with Epic Records and enjoyed a successful international career between 1987 and 1995, particularly in the US where her first two albums Time and Tide and London Warsaw New York both sold more than a million copies, her biggest hits being " Time and Tide ", " New Day for You ", " Promises ", " Baby You're Mine ", " Cruising for Bruising ", and " Drunk on Love ". She also developed
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#1732776367397612-472: A single name. Alulim , first king of Sumer , is one of the earliest names known; Narmer , an ancient Egyptian pharaoh , is another. In addition, Biblical names like Adam , Eve , Moses , or Abraham , were typically mononymous, as were names in the surrounding cultures of the Fertile Crescent . Ancient Greek names like Heracles , Homer , Plato , Socrates , and Aristotle , also follow
663-587: A soloist to no success. From 1977 to 1979, she performed in Polish rock band Perfect . Basia relocated to London with her partner in January 1981 and went on to record demo tracks for various artists. It was there that she met Danny White (brother of jazz guitarist Peter White ) and his collaborator Mark Reilly by answering their ad in Melody Maker . The trio performed in 1983 as Bronze, but later changed
714-767: A tradition of single names. In modern times, in countries that have long been part of the East Asian cultural sphere (Japan, the Koreas, Vietnam, and China), mononyms are rare. An exception pertains to the Emperor of Japan . Mononyms are common in Indonesia , especially in Javanese names . Single names still also occur in Tibet . Most Afghans also have no surname. In Bhutan , most people use either only one name or
765-636: Is noted for possessing a wide vocal range of approximately three octaves . Basia has always tried to incorporate Polish elements into her otherwise English-language songs. Her native language can be heard in "Half a Minute" from Matt Bianco 's debut album, "Wrong Side of the Street"; in "Copernicus" and "Reward" from London Warsaw New York ; and in the album Matt's Mood ; as well as "An Olive Tree" and "Yearning" from The Sweetest Illusion . The singer has also released two songs performed entirely in Polish:
816-729: The Jagiellonian University , but eventually took up physics . During her first year at university, the manager of the popular Polish all-female band Alibabki asked her to join the group. Basia accepted the offer, dropped out of university, and toured with them in 1972 in Poland and abroad, mostly in Eastern Bloc countries, until 1974. In 1976, Basia took part in the National Festival of Polish Song in Opole as
867-407: The "bland" sound of top-selling saxophonist Kenny G, whose popularity peaked with his 1992 album Breathless . Music reviewer George Graham argues that the "so-called 'smooth jazz' sound of people like Kenny G has none of the fire and creativity that marked the best of the fusion scene during its heyday in the 1970s". Digby Fairweather , before the start of UK jazz station theJazz , denounced
918-401: The 17th and 18th centuries, most Italian castrato singers used mononyms as stage names (e.g. Caffarelli , Farinelli ). The German writer, mining engineer, and philosopher Georg Friedrich Philipp Freiherr von Hardenberg (1772–1801) became famous as Novalis . The 18th-century Italian painter Bernardo Bellotto , who is now ranked as an important and original painter in his own right, traded on
969-523: The New York City leg of that tour. In 1996, Basia contributed vocals to Peter White 's song "Just Another Day" which was released as a single from his album Caravan of Dreams . A retrospective compilation album, Clear Horizon – The Best of Basia , was released in 1998, consisting of notable chart hits, non-single tracks, and new material, including a cover of " Waters of March ", written by Brazilian composer Antônio Carlos Jobim . The compilation
1020-454: The Two of Us ". Beginning with Taking Off by alto saxophonist David Sanborn , Warner Bros. Records became a viable and popular record label for smooth jazz. Smooth jazz grew in popularity in the 1980s as Anita Baker , Sade , Al Jarreau , Grover Washington Jr. and Kenny G released multiple hit songs. The smooth jazz genre experienced a backlash exemplified by critical complaints about
1071-472: The US charts and received gold certification from the RIAA for selling over half a million copies. In Japan it peaked in the top 10, receiving a platinum sales award, her greatest achievement there. To support The Sweetest Illusion , Basia again embarked on a long tour in the US, Japan and Europe, where she played her first ever solo concerts in Poland. She recorded a 16-song live album, Basia on Broadway during
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#17327763673971122-547: The US, earning Basia her second American platinum certification. It also became Billboard ' s Contemporary Jazz Album of 1990. The album was a strong seller in Japan which at that point had become Basia's number two market. The LP was supported by an extensive tour spanning the US, Europe and Japan. On the back of Basia's continuing success, her label released Brave New Hope , a compilation consisting of remixes and rare tracks. Her third studio album, The Sweetest Illusion ,
1173-404: The album Matt's Mood in 2004 to critical acclaim and modest chart success. The positive response to Matt Bianco's reunion and pleas from her fans encouraged Basia to work on her next solo album. Having finished touring with the band in 2006, Basia and Danny began working on the new material together while Reilly continued with Matt Bianco. Her fourth solo studio album, It's That Girl Again ,
1224-618: The clan) – the nomen and cognomen were almost always hereditary. Mononyms in other ancient cultures include Hannibal , the Celtic queen Boudica , and the Numidian king Jugurtha . During the early Middle Ages , mononymity slowly declined, with northern and eastern Europe keeping the tradition longer than the south. The Dutch Renaissance scholar and theologian Erasmus is a late example of mononymity; though sometimes referred to as "Desiderius Erasmus" or "Erasmus of Rotterdam", he
1275-464: The concert album Basia on Broadway features a live recording of "Dzień się budzi" (English: "The Day Is Dawning"), and It's That Girl Again includes "Amelki śmiech" ("Amelka's Laughter"). Basia has one son, Mikołaj, born in the late 1970s. At that time, her partner was an Englishman named John, a social worker in Chicago whom she accompanied to the UK. In the second half of the 1980s, the singer
1326-686: The emperor and his family have no surname, only a given name, such as Hirohito , which in practice in Japanese is rarely used: out of respect and as a measure of politeness, Japanese prefer to say "the Emperor" or "the Crown Prince". Roman Catholic popes have traditionally adopted a single, regnal name upon their election . John Paul I broke with this tradition – adopting a double name honoring his two predecessors – and his successor John Paul II followed suit, but Benedict XVI reverted to
1377-518: The greatest living poet of the Arab world. In the West, mononymity, as well as its use by royals in conjunction with titles, has been primarily used or given to famous people such as prominent writers, artists , entertainers , musicians and athletes . The comedian and illusionist Teller , the silent half of the duo Penn & Teller , legally changed his original polynym, Raymond Joseph Teller, to
1428-460: The imposition of Western-style names, one of the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada was for all provinces and territories to waive fees to allow Indigenous people to legally assume traditional names, including mononyms. In Ontario , for example, it is now legally possible to change to a single name or register one at birth, for members of Indigenous nations which have
1479-430: The instrumental composition " Feels So Good " by flugelhorn player Chuck Mangione , in 1978, " What You Won't Do for Love " by Bobby Caldwell along with his debut album was released the same year, jazz fusion group Spyro Gyra 's instrumental " Morning Dance ", released in 1979 and in 1981, a collaboration between Grover Washington Jr. and Bill Withers was released as one of the most popular smooth jazz songs " Just
1530-607: The mid-1970s in the United States, it was known as "smooth radio"; the genre was not termed "smooth jazz" until the 1980s. The term itself seems to have been birthed directly out of radio marketing efforts. In an industry focus group in the late 1980s, one participant coined the phrase "smooth jazz" - and it stuck. The popularity of smooth jazz as a radio format gradually declined in the early 2000s. The mid- to late-1970s included songs " Breezin' " as performed by another smooth jazz pioneer, guitarist George Benson in 1976,
1581-451: The mononym "Teller" and possesses a United States passport issued in that single name. While some have chosen their own mononym, others have mononyms chosen for them by the public. Oprah Winfrey , American talk show host, is usually referred to by only her first name, Oprah. Elvis Presley , American singer, is usually referred to by only his first name, Elvis. Western computer systems do not always support monynyms, most still requiring
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1632-470: The mononym Stendhal, adapted from the name of the little Prussian town of Stendal , birthplace of the German art historian Johann Joachim Winckelmann , whom Stendhal admired. Nadar (Gaspard-Félix Tournachon, 1820–1910) was an early French photographer. In the 20th century, Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette (1873–1954, author of Gigi , 1945), used her actual surname as her mononym pen name, Colette. In
1683-644: The mononymous pseudonym Witkacy, a conflation of his surname ( Witkiewicz ) and middle name ( Ignacy ). Monarchs and other royalty , for example Napoleon , have traditionally availed themselves of the privilege of using a mononym, modified when necessary by an ordinal or epithet (e.g., Queen Elizabeth II or Charles the Great ). This is not always the case: King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden has two names. While many European royals have formally sported long chains of names, in practice they have tended to use only one or two and not to use surnames . In Japan,
1734-537: The mononymous pseudonym of his uncle and teacher, Antonio Canal ( Canaletto ), in those countries—Poland and Germany—where his famous uncle was not active, calling himself likewise "Canaletto". Bellotto remains commonly known as "Canaletto" in those countries to this day. The 19th-century Dutch writer Eduard Douwes Dekker (1820–87), better known by his mononymous pen name Multatuli (from the Latin multa tuli , "I have suffered [or borne ] many things"), became famous for
1785-402: The name to Matt Bianco . Their debut album Whose Side Are You On? was released in 1984 and turned out a hit across Europe. It spawned Matt Bianco's UK Top 40 singles " Get Out of Your Lazy Bed " and "Half a Minute". Despite the success, Basia and Danny White left Matt Bianco in 1985 to focus on Basia's solo career, marking the beginning of a long-term collaboration. Their first release was
1836-565: The name. A departure from this custom occurred, for example, among the Romans , who by the Republican period and throughout the Imperial period used multiple names : a male citizen's name comprised three parts (this was mostly typical of the upper class, while others would usually have only two names): praenomen (given name), nomen (clan name) and cognomen (family line within
1887-499: The pattern, with epithets (similar to second names) only used subsequently by historians to distinguish between individuals with the same name, as in the case of Zeno the Stoic and Zeno of Elea ; likewise, patronymics or other biographic details (such as city of origin, or another place name or occupation the individual was associated with) were used to specify whom one was talking about, but these details were not considered part of
1938-521: The person's only name, given to them at birth. This was routine in most ancient societies, and remains common in modern societies such as in Afghanistan , Bhutan , Indonesia (especially by the Javanese ), Myanmar , Mongolia , Tibet , and South India . In other cases, a person may select a single name from their polynym or adopt a mononym as a chosen name, pen name , stage name , or regnal name . A popular nickname may effectively become
1989-493: The satirical novel, Max Havelaar (1860), in which he denounced the abuses of colonialism in the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia ). The 20th-century British author Hector Hugh Munro (1870–1916) became known by his pen name , Saki. In 20th-century Poland, the theater-of-the-absurd playwright , novelist, painter , photographer, and philosopher Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz (1885–1939) after 1925 often used
2040-483: The single " Prime Time TV " in 1986, a minor success in the UK and Germany. Basia's first solo album, Time and Tide , was released in 1987, selling well in France but performing poorly in the rest of Europe. Accompanying singles " New Day for You " and " Promises " were also only modest successes. The album fared much better in the US where it found popularity on the smooth jazz radio stations. The song " Time and Tide "
2091-504: The successor to easy listening music on radio station programming in the mid-1970s to the early 1990s. Smooth jazz may be thought of as commercially-oriented, crossover jazz which came to prominence in the 1980s, displacing the more venturesome jazz fusion from which it emerged. It avoids the improvisational "risk-taking" of jazz fusion, emphasizing melodic form, and much of the music was initially "a combination of jazz with easy-listening pop music and lightweight R&B ." During
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2142-451: The use of a single name. Surnames were introduced in Turkey only after World War I , by the country's first president, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk , as part of his Westernization and modernization programs. Some North American Indigenous people continue their nations' traditional naming practices, which may include the use of single names. In Canada , where government policy often included
2193-686: Was Basia's first hit on Billboard Hot 100 , peaking at no. 26 in 1988, followed by "New Day for You" and "Promises", both reaching the top 10 on the Adult Contemporary chart in 1989. The album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America in November 1989 for selling one million copies in the US alone. Worldwide, it sold almost two million copies. The second album, London Warsaw New York , recorded in 1989 and released in early 1990,
2244-676: Was Basia's last release for Sony and was a minor success, only in Japan, largely due to lack of promotion from the label. Basia withdrew from the music industry when her mother, to whom she was very close, died in December 2000. Not long after that, her cousin died in a car accident which was followed by the passing of other close friends. The singer struggled with depression , lost motivation to work and thought she would never return to singing. After some persistent efforts from Danny White and Mark Reilly, who had started working together again, she agreed to join reformed Matt Bianco. The band released
2295-518: Was christened only as "Erasmus", after the martyr Erasmus of Formiae . Composers in the ars nova and ars subtilior styles of late medieval music were often known mononymously—potentially because their names were sobriquets —such as Borlet , Egardus , Egidius , Grimace , Solage , and Trebor . Naming practices of indigenous peoples of the Americas are highly variable, with one individual often bearing more than one name over
2346-749: Was finally released in spring 2009 by independent label Koch Records . It was promoted by the ballad "A Gift" on the Polish radio while " Blame It on the Summer " served as the lead single on the American market. The album met with critical as well as commercial success, placing in the top 10 of the US Jazz Albums chart and the top 5 in her native Poland where it was certified platinum. Basia toured extensively in Europe, East Asia and North America to promote It's That Girl Again . A 2011 concert in Łódź , Poland
2397-593: Was in a relationship with her musical collaborator Danny White . Since 1991, Basia's partner has been musician Kevin Robinson, a member of Simply Red , with whom she resides in London 's suburbs. Basia also maintains a house in her Polish hometown Jaworzno and divides her time between the two countries. She holds dual Polish and British citizenship. Basia is an avid lover of architecture which she has called her "unfulfilled passion". Mononym A mononym may be
2448-506: Was promoted by the popular singles " Baby You're Mine " and " Cruising for Bruising ". The latter peaked in the top 40 on both US and Canadian singles chart. The album also included the cover of Stevie Wonder -penned track " Until You Come Back to Me ", a minor hit on the Adult Contemporary chart. London Warsaw New York was another commercial success, selling in over two million units worldwide, including more than one million in
2499-581: Was recorded for her second live album, From Newport to London: Greatest Hits Live ... and More , released in autumn that year. The album additionally featured three studio recordings, including the title song, released as the lead single, and "Wandering", a duet with Polish singer Mietek Szcześniak. They recorded one more song together, a cover of Vanessa Williams ' hit " Save the Best for Last ", produced by its original co-writer Wendy Waldman , this time for Szcześniak's album Signs . In March 2013, Basia performed
2550-1063: Was released in May 2018, preceded by the single " Matteo ". It received positive reviews and charted in the top 5 on the Jazz Albums chart in the US, and the top 20 in Poland. The accompanying concert tour spanned the US, Poland and East Asia. In November 2019, Basia was honored with the Kosciuszko Foundation Pioneer Award. In 2021, she featured on the single "Fire & Ice" by The Clarisse Sisters. Basia's success has derived primarily from eclecticism rather than originality. Her biggest influence has always been American music , particularly soul and jazz . Her songs are also inspired by Latin American music , especially Brazilian , and such genres as bossa nova and samba . She has cited Aretha Franklin , Stevie Wonder , Burt Bacharach , Astrud Gilberto and Antônio Carlos Jobim as some of her musical influences. The singer
2601-480: Was released in spring 1994. Mixed by David Bascombe, the project marked the end of a ten-year working relationship with mixmaster Phil Harding . The Sweetest Illusion included a number-one hit on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart, " Drunk on Love ", and the moderately successful song " Third Time Lucky ". Although less successful than Basia's two previous albums, it reached the top 40 on
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