Born in 1937, Marija Ahačič Pollak was destined for a career in music. She grew up in a musically inclined family in the town of Tržič below the Alps, and it soon became apparent that she was both a talented singer and pianist herself.

After completing music school, Pollak Ahačič joined the Slavko Avsenik Ensemble, which was beginning to enjoy huge popularity in Slovenia and beyond for its songs based on Slovenian folk music. She quickly became a high profile singer with the group and achieved fame for her rendition of the song “Tam, kjer murke cveto,” which became one of the ensemble’s most popular songs of all time.

It appeared as if Ahačič Pollak was at the top of the world, but her life was not as happy as it seemed. Her husband, Peter Pollak, had grown up in a wealthy family and was seen as unreliable by the Communist authorities. He had problems passing tests at university, and his future seemed dim. In 1960, the Pollaks decided to immigrate to Canada. Because the couple left the country illegally, Ahačič Pollak never told other members of the Avsenik Ensemble of her decision. The group suddenly found itself without its lead singer, and Slavko Avsenik, the leader of the ensemble, broke all ties with his onetime star.

Within a few years of her arrival in Canada, Ahačič Pollak began to sing Slovenian songs on Canadian television. She soon became a successful piano player and singer in her adoptive country, and was particularly well-known for introducing Slovenian music to new audiences. She also authored several new songs, some of which were featured on best-selling records.

Throughout her career, Ahačič Pollak remained dedicated to Canada’s Slovenian community. She hosted a Slovenian-language radio program and founded a Slovenian vocal group named Plamen. Her enthusiasm for Slovenian music even managed to attract many young Canadians who had no Slovenian heritage.

Now in her late seventies, Ahačič Pollak remains an active singer and a passionate promoter of Slovenian culture.