Barbara Haščáková

Barbara Haščáková (11 December 1979 – 22 November 2023) was a Slovak singer of pop music. She won the Best Female Singer prize at the Slávik Awards in 1998.

Early life
Barbara Haščáková was born on 11 December 1979 in Košice. Her father was the illustrator Jozef Haščák.

Music career
Haščáková started her career as a 14-year-old in the band Maduar after the manager of the group Ladislav Matyinko convinced her parents that Maduar would be a successful band and they consented to her becoming a member. Nonetheless, she did not remain a Maduar member for long. After the very successful first album of Maduar—I Feel Good with platinum record status and Song of the Year and Album of the Year prizes—she continued as a part of the duo act MC Erik & Barbara with fellow former Maduar member Erik Aresta.

In the late 1990s, Haščáková reached the height of her popularity. Following her 1998 win at the Slávik Awards, she received nominations also for 1999 and 2000 when the award went to Jana Kirschner. Nonetheless, in 1999 she moved to the United States in order to escape from the pressures of fame. In the US she got married and lived first in the state of Wyoming and later in Florida.

In spite of recording several albums in Slovak and in English, she failed to reach any success. Her only notable production after emigration is the 2016 duet Nepozerám with Miroslav Jaroš.

Death
Haščáková died from a stroke in Sarasota, Florida, on 22 November 2023, at the age of 43. Following a funeral in Sarasota her body was transported to Slovakia for burial in her native town of Košice.

Studio albums

 * 1997: Barbara
 * 1999: Ver, Že Ja
 * 2003: Secrets of Happiness
 * 2006: Me & My Music