Bára Zemanová: “I’m Not Afraid to Start Over. This Time, I Know Exactly What I Want to Say”

Bára Zemanová first came to public attention as the energetic redhead from SuperStar, capable of unleashing a true rock storm on stage. Since then, however, she has travelled a long road. She has experienced a rapid rise to fame, collaborations with prominent figures on the Czech music scene, burnout, motherhood, and a comeback during which she had to rebuild certain parts of her career almost entirely from scratch.

Today, she stands before audiences as a more experienced and mature artist who is no longer afraid to reveal her vulnerability, sing in Czech about deeply personal subjects, or go against the current. In an open interview for Rebel Sound, she talks about life after SuperStar, the forbidden love hidden within the single "Mayday," the dynamics of having family members in the band, the respect women receive in the rock scene, and her forthcoming third album, which promises to be authentic, powerful, and free from unnecessary boundaries.

After your maternity leave, you say that you returned to the stage feeling as though you were starting almost from scratch. When did you first realise that you were no longer coming back as "Bára from SuperStar", but as a completely different, more experienced and mature artist?

I think "Bára from SuperStar" is still a part of me.  That wildness and energy are still there with me on stage. In the past, however, I often felt lost. I did not know which path to take and kept running into walls. Perhaps that is why I burned out for a while. But during maternity leave, I rediscovered that spark. I missed music, and a new group of people formed around me a band that began pulling together as one.

What do you see as the biggest difference between the young Bára who wanted to break through and the Bára of today, who already knows what she wants to say through her music?

When I was younger, I was not afraid of anything. I threw myself into things headfirst without thinking. I was constantly travelling for music, going to festivals and collecting experiences. But I was only seventeen when I moved to Prague, and I did not know how to swim in that enormous river. I had no anchor. I took every insult in online discussions deadly seriously. Today, I can say that I have matured a little and know what I want to do, what I can build, and what I can simply shrug off.

You have said that after SuperStar you skipped steps that other artists spend years building. Which step did you consciously have to go through again in order to feel firmly grounded?

I think the competition allowed me to get closer to my dreams much faster: recording an album with a major label, working with excellent musicians, singing with Karel Gott, performing in theatreband all of that only because I made it through SuperStar. For a girl from a village, it was a huge leap. But I did not know how to build everything around it: management, marketing, a community and a professional approach. At the time, I had no idea how important all of that was, and I only began creating it with the new line-up.

Do people still see you as "the girl from SuperStar", or do you feel that you have finally broken free from that label?

Some people still see me that way. They simply remember me as the little red-haired girl who sang Guano Apes. And you know what? I do not mind at all. That is still me.

What do you think is the biggest myth about instant fame? And when did you realise that reality worked completely differently from what you had imagined?

First of all, I did not enter SuperStar because I wanted fame. Everyone who knows me and went through that period with me can confirm it. My father, who is a musician and saw potential in me, persuaded me to enter the competition. I already had a band back then, but we did not have many opportunities to perform. I was terrified of television and nearly failed to make it through the first round because of stage fright. I was never a naturally confident daredevil, so it took me a long time to get used to the cameras. We all found out immediately after the competition how quickly SuperStar fame fades.

The Plzeň region has long had a strong hard-rock scene. What makes the local scene distinctive, and how much did the region shape the way you think about rock today?

Our region really is deeply rooted in hard rock. We have a huge number of bands, including an abundance of cover bands. The advantage was that I came into contact with a band when I was just fourteen and could start gaining live-performance experience. Our first concert was at a village fair nearby, and we were paid in cakes. More than the region itself, however, I was shaped by the music my parents and brother listened to. My brother introduced me to bands such as Kiss. I also loved Lucie and David Koller from an early age.

At just fifteen, you were already singing with a group of men a generation older than you. What did that era give you that you still use on stage and in the studio today?

It definitely helped me learn how to work with a microphone and maintain my intonation during live shows. It taught me to hear my own voice even without monitors and to adapt to every kind of rough-and-ready condition. I could sing practically anywhere in a garage, a small club or a field. The guys also taught me to understand male hard-rock humour. 

Guano Apes had a major influence on you as a teenager. What did you carry over from their energy into your own music, and where did you consciously choose to follow your own path?

Sandra inspired me not only through her music, lyrics and completely unique expression but that voice! I always wanted to have the same rasp as she did and look that cool. I was terribly hard on myself when I could not scream like her. Eventually, I realised that every voice is unique and that I would probably never be a full-on screamer. I also like being romantic sometimes. Back then, we copied a lot of Sandra's movements and clothes as well. I loved Guano Apes!

Which other artists or bands inspire you today? And where do you most often find ideas for your own music?

Lately, I have been returning to my old roots to the bands that inspired us when we were young. That includes personal favourites such as Foo Fighters, Jimmy Eat World, Black Stone Cherry, Paramore and Halestorm, or even real old-school acts such as P.O.D. and Rage Against the Machine.

The Czech rock and metal scene is often seen as a predominantly male world. As a frontwoman, did you ever have to work harder to earn respect, or did musicians treat you as an equal from the beginning?

There were several occasions when men acted condescendingly towards me. They laughed at me backstage, called me "little one", and did not take me seriously when I said something. Sometimes it came from a festival organiser, sometimes a sound engineer, and sometimes a member of another band on the bill. Taking "a woman's opinion" seriously in a professional field traditionally associated with men has really only become more common in recent years. But it was not something I faced every day. Most of the people I have met through music have been humble and wonderful, including the people around Rybičky 48.

Your husband, brother and brother-in-law are all in the band. What are the biggest advantages of such a family line-up, and where do you have to be careful not to let family dynamics take over the band?

The advantages? Definitely trust, communication and shared plans outside the stage and rehearsal room as well. Because we are family, we see each other more often than a group of friends who meet once a week for rehearsal. We talk about music and make plans a lot. And even though Ted is not related to us by blood, we all treat him as family. We are basically the Kelly Family. 

Your duet with Rybičky 48 remains one of your best-known songs. Do you see it primarily as an important milestone, or as something you now want to surpass with your own music? How did the collaboration come about? If you had to choose one thing you learned from Rybičky 48, what would it be?

"Zamilovaný/Nešťastná" was an absolute smash, and I am delighted that listeners embraced it and that it is still played today. Of course, we also include it in our own setlist, and every now and then I am very happy to join Rybičky 48 at one of their concerts and sing it with the full band.  Kuba wrote the song. At the time, we frequently crossed paths with R48 at the same festivals and events, and there were plenty of wild parties. When Kuba called me one day and played me the idea for the song, I was immediately all in. I am glad they chose me for it. The making of the music video alone could fill an entire book.

The single "Mayday" was originally written in English, but it eventually received Czech lyrics. What changed inside you when you first sang that story in Czech and it suddenly became much more personal? "Mayday" explores the theme of forbidden love. What do you find most attractive and at the same time most destructive—about relationships like that?

I used to experiment with singing in English because it gave me more freedom to play with my voice, and English is generally very melodic in rock music. A few years ago, however, I decided that I wanted to sing for a Czech audience and give priority to our native language. I can express my feelings more clearly; the songs are no longer just melodies without meaning. That is what I want to go deeper. That is exactly the case with the forbidden love story in "Mayday", which is based on something from my own life. That kind of love can be incredibly powerful, and it is very difficult to leave behind. Even when you force yourself to forget the person, they remain somewhere inside you forever. The space setting of the video symbolises that the infinity of something you once felt so intensely.

In the "Single Lady" video, you are a party queen, although the song is about a friend. What makes you most nostalgic about that period—the freedom, the chaos, or the fact that you did not have to worry about anything?

On one level, "Single Lady" is completely about me, because I am a well-known party lover. I wanted to look back on the years when life was one big party, when we were constantly playing with the band and did not care what the next day would bring. Those really were wonderful times! We live differently now, but in the video we tried to "turn back time", which is also why we filmed it at the House of Blues club. We got up to a lot of mischief there when we were younger. Lyrically, the story is about my friend, who at one point gave up on men and fully embraced the single life. She described it so vividly that I simply had to write a song about it.

Are you planning any further musical collaborations? Is there anyone you would particularly like to sing or create something with?

At the moment, my biggest struggle is finding enough time for our own music. Parenthood makes that a little complicated. There are more responsibilities, more work and very little time left. In addition to booking, managing the band, creating social-media content and rehearsing, we all have regular jobs. Our current priority is writing material for the new album. That said, I have recently met many interesting bands with whom I could definitely imagine collaborating. They will know who they are. The feeling was mutual.

You are working on your third studio album. Which themes and emotions are reflected most strongly this time? And is there anything on it that might surprise your fans?

I may be repeating myself, but the album's main elements will be a return to our roots, authentic energy and no boundaries. There are five of us in the band, and I want to give those five elements room to blend together and create something unique something that contains a piece of every one of us. I want the album to have a real edge. The lyrics deal with the current situation in the world, inner traumas and demons, as well as memories of our childhood.

You experienced a time when success was measured by CD sales and autograph sessions. Today, streams and social media dominate. How do you view that shift, and do you enjoy operating in today's digital world?

At first, I was not very enthusiastic if you did not have Instagram, it was as though you did not exist. I disliked feeling pressured into it by society. Then more and more platforms appeared, and I realised that we simply had to adapt in some way. I do not need a profile everywhere, only on the platforms that suit me. In the end, I started enjoying filming and editing videos. Most of our content comes from backstage or consists of humorous concert invitations. I enjoy inventing scripts and parodies; I have always been a master of silliness.

If you could give your fans just one message to take away from both your music and your life story, what would it be?

Do not be afraid to stand your ground, and never be ashamed of being different. Do not be afraid to try new things or to say out loud that you love someone. Forgive others, live fully and love fully. And do not sit at home go out and have fun. We are only young once, and Netflix will still be there in retirement. 

And if a little girl came to you today and said that she wanted to become a singer like you one day, what advice would you give her so that music would strengthen her rather than overwhelm her?

I would tell her to sing every day, to find a community of people who share the same passion, and not to be afraid of going against the current. She should always try to remain authentic and not be afraid of having her own style, even if some people criticise her. She should also try not to read hateful comments on social media. And I would advise her parents to expose her to as much culture and as many live concerts as possible. 

I would tell her parents to take her to live concerts, the theatre and cultural events as often as possible. I would advise her not to be afraid of having her own style and her own intonation, and not to be afraid to express herself.

Finally, what would you like to say to Rebel Sound readers and to the fans who support you on your musical journey?

Dear readers and listeners, thank you so much for your passion for music it is like fuel for me. It supports our band while we create, motivates us to work hard and helps us provide you with the best musical experiences possible. Thank you for coming to our concerts, engaging with us on social media and supporting Czech rock music. 

Today, Bára Zemanová no longer feels the need to run away from her past or shake off the label of the girl from SuperStar. She sees it as part of the story that gradually led her towards a much stronger and more authentic musical identity. The wild teenager who once threw herself headfirst into everything has become a singer, songwriter, mother, and frontwoman who knows exactly why she wants to stand on stage and what she wants to communicate through her songs.

The next chapter of her journey is only just beginning. Her forthcoming album is set to combine the energy of all five band members, a return to their rock roots, and themes that are not always simple or comfortable. One thing, however, remains unchanged: Bára's desire to live, love, and create to the fullest. Because, as she herself reminds us, we are only young once and there will be plenty of time for Netflix in retirement.