The TV show “Hver gang vi møtes” has highlighted famous artists and their stories, many of them with roots in Northern Norway. Enjoy our selected signature artists – your soundtrack through our region!
The program series “Hver gang vi møtes / Every Time We Meet” on TV2 takes its title from the song Friends, written by Halvdan Sivertsen, filmed at Kjerringøy. He was an important part of the singer/songwriter wave of Northern Norwegian artists in the 1970s and the Sound of the North until today. In the 2000s, we experienced a new wave of Northern Norwegian artists who broke through nationally and internationally, most often in English within genres such as electronica, rap and pop. In the last decade, most of them have brought out Norwegian lyrics, often in Northern Norwegian and Sami. Several of the Northern Norwegian and Sami artists became big internationally, and some of them have even dominated the playlists on Norwegian radio in recent years.
The cultural travel suitcase
This article is one of several as a follow-up to Bodø 2024 – European Capital of Culture.
Read your favorite book, listen to your favorite artist and experience your favorite piece of art on this journey through our region:
“There’s no place like home”
How are artists influenced by their origins and surroundings? We have selected the 33 most current and well-known artists from the North, who can represent a fine selection of the region’s artists and set you in the mood for your journey to the North. A tribute to the region, for both home coming and away victory! Not all of these artists have been on the aforementioned TV show yet, but all have strong roots in Northern Norway.
Here is our Northern Norwegian “playlist” with a shortcut to each selected artist:
Halvdan Sivertsen, Dagny, Mari Boine, Marcus & Martinus, Jarle Bernhoft, Moddi, Kråkesølv, Røyksopp, Ella Marie, Tungtvann, Sondre Justad, Bilal Saab, Christel Alsos, Lyse Netter, Kristian Kristensen, Regnvær, Ola, Kari & Lars, Maria Haukås Mittet, Bendik, Sivert Høyem, Bel Canto, Manna, Jørn & Steinar, Agnete Saba, Ida Marie, Hekla Stålstrenga, Keiino, Publiners, Marion Ravn, Violet Road, Vidar Vang, Herman & Simone and Moillrock.
Watch their videos here and enjoy the Sound of the North.
Halvdan Sivertsen (Bodø)
Halvdan was born in Tromsø, but grew up and lives in Bodø, with a holiday home on Kjerringøy. His career began in Bodø’s pop and rock scene in the 1960s, and he has been one of Norway’s most popular folk singers and entertainers for 40 years, including through the group Gitarkameratene. Kjærlighetsvisa from the album Nordaførr, was voted the summer song of all time in 2008, a true Northern Norwegian signature song. He has won six “Spellemann” prizes, two of them with Gitarkameratene, and he was inducted into the Rockheim Hall of Fame in 2020. The following year, Sivertsen was appointed commander of St. Olavs Orden for outstanding efforts as a performing artist.
Kjerringøy has also been the setting for the last seasons of the program series Every Time We Meet on TV2, with their strong and personal stories, meetings and performances of each other’s songs. In the spring of 2012, he appeared in the series with six other artists, including Øyvind Sauvik (Vinni). Here he performed Sivertsen’s Sommerfuggel i vinterland (Butterfly in Winterland), which immediately became a huge hit. Together they also performed the song during the memorial service in Oslo on July 22, 2012. Read more about him at https://halvdansivertsen.no.
Dagny (Tromsø / Oslo / London / Los Angeles)
Dagny Norvoll Sandvik, known as Dagny from Tromsø, is a Norwegian model and pop singer who became known for her debut single Backbeat. She got two big jobs as a warm-up artist: for Elton John during the Vinter-Døgnvill festival, and for Sting in Bangkok in 2012. At this time, Dagny had earned herself a status as a local newspaper celebrity in Tromsø. Dagny received new Spellemann nominations in Song of the Year for Wearing Nothing and Drink About in 2017 and 2018, the latter with the artist Seeb. She was also nominated for Spellemann as Songwriter of the Year in 2018, and in the category Pop Artist of the Year in 2023. Her song Somebody was the most played Norwegian song (and third most played of all songs) on Norwegian radio for two years in a row in both 2020 and 2021. The song was played 6189 times on Norwegian radio these two years.
To date, Dagny has performed at over 50 international summer festivals such as Isle of White, The Mighty Hoopla, Pinkpop, Sziget, Camp Bestival, The Great Escape and British Summer Time at Hyde Park. Dagny is known as an energetic live artist with infectious energy and uplifting performances on stage. She develops her live show both sonically and visually, constantly pushing boundaries and the experience for her fans. In addition to her success as a solo artist, Dagny is also a skilled songwriter who provides lyrics and melodies for other exciting and popular artists. She has written Katy Perry’s Never Really Over which reached over a billion plays globally. She has also written for artists such as Kygo, Ashnikko, Julie Bergan, Marcus & Martinus and others. Dagny won the prestigious P3 award in the fall of 2024. Read more about her at https://dagnymusic.com.
Mari Boine (Karasjok)
Mari Boine is a productive and innovative musician who works in the borderland between Sami and other folk music, rock and jazz. Her commitment to Sami culture and rebellion against oppression and Norwegianization policies have greatly influenced both Boine’s life and art. Boine has won numerous awards, and she has also been appointed a Knight of the First Class of the Order of St. Olav for her versatile artistic work. Read more about her at https://www.mariboine.no.
She is to be credited with ensuring that Sami music is no longer considered an ethnic curiosity, but rather a living part of the world’s musical heritage. Mari Boine’s music is among the finest that has been created in our part of the world in recent decades.
Anders Jahre’s Cultural Award in 2009
The homelands of Halvdan, Dagny and Mari:
Marcus and Martinus (Trofors)
Marcus & Martinus is a Norwegian dance-pop duo consisting of identical twins Marcus Gunnarsen and Martinus Gunnarsen, born in 2002 in Elverum and raised in Trofors on Helgeland. The duo broke through as winners of MGP jr. 2012 with the song To dråper vann (Two drops of water). Marcus and Martinus have, in parallel with music, always had a great interest in football. The duo plays for the 3rd division team Mosjøen IL. They are perhaps best known for the song Elektrisk in Norway.
Throughout their career, the duo has also achieved success outside of Norway. Towards the end of the 2010s, they sold out several concerts in a number of European countries, and the duo has won several awards, including Spellemann of the Year at the Spellemannprisen 2016. They participated in Eurovision 2024 for Sweden with the song Unforgettable. Read more about them at https://www.marcusandmartinus.com.
Jarle Bernhoft (Kjerringøy / Oslo)
Jarle Bernhoft is a vocalist, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who grew up in Nittedal. The high-profile artist, Årets Spellemann from 2011, spent every summer of his childhood at Kjerringøy outside Bodø, where his father comes from. He first became known as the vocalist in the band Span and then achieved great success as a solo artist, including a Grammy nomination. As a solo artist, he has used the name Bernhoft.
He participated in Hver gang vi møtes in 2021, and became a mentor on The Voice in 2023. On his debut album Ceramik City Chronicles (2008), Bernhoft emerged as a pop/soul/funk singer. His latest album was nominated for the Spellemannprisen in the pop category. Avenue of Loveless Hearts was released in the fall of 2023. Read more about him at https://www.bernhoft.org.
Moddi (Senja)
Pål Lue (formerly Pål Knutsen), known by the stage name Moddi, is a Norwegian musician, activist and author from Medby in Senja. He has released six studio albums, and is known for bringing his strong social commitment to music. In high school, he was the leader of the local branch of Natur og Ungdom. His international breakthrough came in 2013. With the single House by the Sea, Moddi turned towards more radio-friendly pop music, and toured in a number of countries around the world.
The first songs I wrote were simple attempts to give a voice to the voiceless nature.
Moddi about his motivation to start making music
In 2022, Moddi released the album Bråtebrann after moving back home to his childhood island of Senja, «A bittersweet loveletter to the life in the North». For the album, he received his second Spellemann Prize in the singer and singer-pop category during the Spellemann Prize 2022. Read more about him at https://www.moddi.no.
Kråkesølv (Bodø)
Kråkesølv is a rock band from Bodø, established in 2007. The band takes its name from a song by the hardcore band Hjertesorg, of which Fredrik William Olsen (vocals, guitar) and Thomas Litangen (drums) were members. Brothers Kristoffer Nohr Unstad (guitar, vocals) and Petter Waldemar Nohr Unstad (bass, vocals) make up the other half of the band. They are the sons of Terje Nohr from Kjerringøy (known for the song Kor e du? and has played with Halvdan Sivertsen, Terje Nilsen and Ola Bremnes, among others), and they are the cousins of Tonje Undstad from Evenes (she is best known for the song Æ ror aleina). In 2012, Jørgen Smådal Larsen (formerly played in Lukestar) replaced Litangen on drums.
Kråkesølv is based in their hometown, and the members have been connected to the environment around Kulturhuset Gimle and X Rockeklubb. The group received great attention during the music industry festival by:Larm in 2009, and debuted the same year with Trådnøsting. They play energetic pop rock with a melodic flair. Trådnøsting spent ten weeks on the VG-lista, and were later nominated in the categories pop group and newcomer of the year at the Spellemannprisen 2009. Their lyrics are playful and inventive, and they are performed on the dialect of Bodø. Hermann Rundberg known from Violet Road In 2015, he created the song Hjemmeseier, beautifully performed by Kråkesølv.
Røyksopp (Tromsø)
Röyksopp was officially formed in 1998. They play electronic music, and consist of the duo Svein Berge and Torbjørn Brundtland, both from Tromsø. The following year they debuted with the single So Easy, before releasing their debut album Melody A.M. They have won the Spellemann award six times, the Alarmprisen award four times (no one else has won more than them) and were inducted into the Rockheim Hall of Fame in 2024. They have also won and been nominated for several international awards. The duo has become notorious for their somewhat quirky music videos, but Røyksopp has also received much praise for their videos. The video for Remind Me won the MTV award for best music video in 2002.
The group has been a leading band in international electronic music, with success in the US, Asia and Europe. Their music has been used in commercials, video games and television. It has been used as the theme song for the Mac operating system, and a vignette for the news broadcasts on NRK. The band operates at the intersection of music, art and fashion, and is also known for remixes and collaborations with a wide range of international artists. The Inevitable End was announced in 2014 as their last album, but they returned with three albums in 2022. In addition, they are one of the greatest music exports in Norwegian popular music of all time. Read more about them at https://royksopp.com/live.
Ella Marie Hætta Isaksen / Isák (Tana)
Ella Marie Hætta Isaksen is a Sami-Norwegian musician, actress and social activist from Tana. Through various engagements, she has become a well-known public spokesperson for the Sami people and Sami culture. As a musician, Isaksen won Stjernekamp on NRK in 2018, and she was the leader of the band ISÁK. The band consisted of singer Ella Marie, producer Daniel Eriksen and drummer Aleksander Kostopoulos from Bodø. They are known for their energetic concerts with a strong stage presence. Inspired by both house and traditional music, they have modernized and pushed the boundaries of what Sami music is. This by combining traditional joik and urban synths with lyrics in both Northern Sami and English.
Their first album Ealán was released in 2019. ISÁK also appeared on Alan Walker’s Top 20 hit Are You Lonely and his single Sorry, which reached number eight in Norway in 2021. ISÁK’s second album Roasut was released in 2021. In March 2023, ISÁK released the EP Daughters of the Sun and played the concert Opprør i Operaen at the Norwegian Opera the same month. As an environmental and social activist, Isaksen was one of the leaders of the demonstrations in the Fosen case. In May 2023, the group ISÁK disbanded. In early 2024, Isaksen debuted as a solo artist with the song Sániid.
The homelands of Kråkesølv, Røyksopp and Ella Marie:
Tungtvann (Ørnes / Steigen / Harstad)
Tungtvann is a Norwegian hip hop group with roots in Nordland and Troms that existed from 1999 to 2007 and reunited around 2020. The group consists of vocalist Jørgen “Jørg-1” Nordeng from Ørnes/Bodø and DJ Lars “Poppa Lars” Sandness from Harstad. A third member was included at concerts and festivals, Håvard “Jan Steigen” Jenssen from Steigen. Tungtvann was among the first Norwegian groups to rap in dialect on albums. They were nominated for inclusion in Rockheim Hall of Fame in both 2023 and 2024. In 2022, Nordeng is also the vocalist in the punk/rock band Polardegos.
Jørgen Nordeng is also known by the stage names Jørg-1 and Joddski. In January 2010, Nordeng and his partner “Jan Steigen” appeared as choir directors in the TV 2 production “Det store korslaget” as Team Joddski.
Sondre Justad (Henningsvær)
Sondre Justad is an artist and songwriter from Henningsvær and Borg in Lofoten. He attended the music department at Bodø Upper Secondary School from 2006 to 2009, where he released his own music at the age of 16. In October 2015, he released his debut album Riv i hjertet. Sondre released his first single, Nu har du mæ, in 2014 and followed it up in 2015 with the singles Det e over and Tilbake. They played a lot on Norwegian radio rotations, and he went on to appear on TV programs such as VG-lista Topp 20 and Senkveld on TV 2. His debut album Riv i hjertet from 2015 remained on the VG-lista for over a year. He has made a special mark as a live artist, and has played at a number of major festivals.
He uses the nature, climate and seasons of northern Norway as an image for the changing emotions of man. The Midnight Sun is often his metaphor for how intense a young summer can be. Justad sings in his Lofoten/Bodø dialect, and he is known for his energetic stage shows. Sondre has been nominated for various Spellemann awards in 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2022! Read more about him at https://sondrejustad.no.
Bilal Saab / North Kid (Sørøya)
Bilal Alexander Saab from Hasvik in Finnmark is a Norwegian singer and musician, first known for being the frontman of the band NorthKid in Alta. His father is of Lebanese origin and his mother is from Finnmark. He studied music at Alta High School from 2015 to 2018. He is also known for winning the NRK competitions Stjernekamp in 2019 and Maskorama in 2022. He lives in his home municipality of Hasvik, where he works as a guide and handyman in the family business Big Fish Adventure. He also works as a musician, including with his own Christmas tour.
He won 71° north – Norway’s toughest celebrity in 2023 on TVNorge. The same year he was very involved in “Jakten på Monsterkveita” on NRK TV. The following year he was the main character in “Her lukter det fesk!” also on NRK TV. Here he also collaborated with Moillrock, a cult band from Honningsvåg that draws a lot of people to their concerts in Oslo, among other places.
Christel Alsos (Fauske / Kjerringøy / Oslo)
Christel Alsos Monsen grew up in Fauske near Bodø. She started singing and performing at an early age, with a singing-loving mother Alsos from Kjerringøy and a guitar-loving father Monsen. Today she is known as the great voice of the North. She made her debut in 2007, she was a breath of fresh air in the Norwegian music scene. The talented girl from the north managed to captivate the audience with her distinctive voice and melancholic melodies. Since then, Christel has made many achievements. Her first release was the single Come On in 2006. This was well received by Norwegian radio stations and entered Hit40. Her debut album Closing The Distance sold platinum, and she has been nominated for several Spellemann awards. You may have discovered her music through the series Vampire Diaries or other American feature films.
In 2018, Christel guested on the Norwegian TV show “Hver gang vi Møtes”. She received excellent reviews from her performances on the show and performed at the show’s 10th anniversary which was recorded in the summer of 2020. Every year, Christel takes pride in putting people in the right Christmas spirit with her popular Christmas tours, and has become one of Norway’s leading purveyors of Christmas music with both recorded and live music. She brings traditional songs together with her self-written songs to give you the ultimate Christmas feeling. Read more about her at https://www.christelalsos.no.
Lyse Netter (Svolvær / Oslo)
Lyse Netter is a kind of modern indie boy band from Lofoten. Since their debut in 2017, the radio favorites have thrilled the audience, both with their energetic live performances and sticky radio hits such as Vi lar aldri sola gå ned, Bærre vi, Julia and Prøva igjen. Since their debut, the band has had a total of nine songs playlisted on national radio, and created unique concert experiences all over the country. Musically, they move through a modern pop landscape, with a clear thing for newer dance floor bangers and at the same time with a clear musical inclination towards the happy 80s. Although the musical landscape can often feel international, the close northern Norwegian text universe keeps us well placed on earth, within our northern latitudes.
Lyse Netter released their long-awaited debut album From Disco Lights to Midnight Sun in 2022. The album thematizes the contrasts between the band’s upbringing and their relationship to small-town life between the fjords and mountains in Lofoten, and their more urban metropolitan existence in Oslo. The band explores the play between the present and the nostalgic, the digital and the acoustic, between dance and nature, the rhythmic and tight and the grand and open – both in terms of sound and theme. Read more about them at https://lysenetter.no.
Kristian Kristensen (Harstad)
Kristian Kristensen from Harstad has established himself as one of the truly great voices and songwriters in this country. He first became known as a participant in the Norwegian TV program “The Voice – Norway’s best voice” in 2013. The songs have become a live favorite with many and he has toured all over the country both solo and with a band. With the hit songs Kan du lære mæ, Du ga mæ viljestyrke and Gressholmen, Kristian has captured a big place with the Norwegian people, both on streaming and live.
For the song Kan du lære meg? he received the Music Publisher’s Award in the category of work of the year, popular music in 2017. He was also nominated for the Spellemannprisen 2016 in the category Song of the Year for the same song. He was featured in the TV-2 program “Hver gang vi møtes” (Every Time We Meet) in 2023. His interpretations of other people’s songs such as Bjørn Eidsvåg’s Eg Ser have been appreciated by both critics and fans. Read more about him at https://kreativenord.no/actor/kristian-kristensen.
Regnvær (Bodø)
Since their inception in 2015, the childhood friends from Bodø have captured many hearts and created a solid fan base with their music. The band’s main genre is pop music, but the band’s music also has elements of modern R&B, alternative rock and electronic music. The members are Kristian Steffensen (vocals), Ruben Skorstad (vocals), Øyvind Mentzoni Skjervold (guitar), Jonas Lind (drums) and Joachim Schmidt (bass). Songs like Skyfri, Danser and For mye resulted in several radio listings on NRK P1 and P3, and millions of streams on Spotify, as well as sold-out concerts and festivals around the country.
Their debut album Tårer i en Blomstereng from the summer of 2024 has already reached just under a million streams on Spotify. With energetic songs you can dance to and ballads you can cry to, Regnvær is a band you should see when they tour Norway. The band has gained a good reputation especially live, and the group of friends create band music with themes of love and finding yourself as a human being. Read more about them at https://www.regnvaer.com,
Ola, Kari and Lars Bremnes (Kabelvåg / Oslo / Harstad)
Ola Martin Bremnes is the eldest of the musical siblings, son of poet Ole Bremnes and father of songwriter Inge Bremnes. Ola is a musician, author and folk singer, raised in Svolvær and living in Kabelvåg in Lofoten. He has worked with Petter Dass‘ poetry, including in the production of Vær hilset! in 1995 and is perhaps best known for his iconic song Har du fyr?
Kari Bremnes is also a musician, songwriter and lyricist, as well as an actress. She has been characterized as one of the country’s foremost female singers, lyricists and melody creators. She was inducted into the Rockheim Hall of Fame in 2018. Kari debuted as a recording artist with the release Folk i husan in 1980, together with her brother Ola Bremnes. She also participated in the Melodi Grand Prix in 1982, and she also worked as a cultural journalist. The big breakthrough came in 1987 with her first solo album Mitt ville hjerte. For it, she received the Spellemannprisen the same year. After this, Kari decided to focus fully on music. The next album, Blå krukke, came in 1989. She had written the lyrics for this album herself.
Lars Inge Bremnes is a saxophonist, guitarist, vocalist and songwriter. His band was nominated for the Spellemannprisen for the release Stjernesukkertøy in 1994. Melodies such as Fiolinan and Å kunne æ skrive made him really famous. Together with his siblings Kari and Ola, he received the Spellemannprisen 2000 for the album Soløye. For the album Hjertekaptein med egnene melodier he won the Spellemannprisen 2006. Together with his brother Ola he received the Prøysenprisen 2009.
The concert Christmas with Bremnes on NRK TV, Ola, Kari and Lars offer their own Christmas memories from our region, and intertwine it with a number of new and old song treasures. Highly recommended!
Maria Haukås Mittet (Senja / Oslo)
Maria Haukaas Mittet (formerly Storeng) is a pop singer and actress from Senja, best known for having done well in the “Eurovision Song Contest”. Twelve-year-old Maria Haukaas Storeng got the title role in the musical Annie at the Bryggeteateret in Oslo in 1991. She participated in Idol in 2004 and soon became a favorite with her strong, soulful voice. Maria made her solo debut in 2004 with the single Breathing, which reached fifth place on the VG-lista. The follow-up Should’ve (2005) and the debut album Breathing (2005). She had her big breakthrough with Hold On Be Strong, which was written by Mira Craig and won the Melodi Grand Prix in 2008. The song ended up in 5th place in the international final, and the soul-inspired album with the same title also became a hit in Norway, Sweden and Denmark.
She had great success with her collaboration with the Oslo Gospel Choirs En stjerne skinner i natt, her albums Lys imot mørketida and Heim, where she sang in Northern Norwegian. The last two mini-albums Øyliv (2021) are about growing up on Senja, and Byliv (2022) about growing up in Oslo. Read more about her at https://www.mariahaukaasmittet.no.
Bendik (Kjerringøy / Bergen)
Silje Halstensen (Bendik) studied music at Bodø Upper Secondary School (2006–2009) and earned a bachelor’s degree in music technology at NTNU in Trondheim (2009–2012). She is the daughter of musicians Atle Halstensen (Bergen) and Ragnhild Strauman (Kjerringøy). Silje often spends her holidays on the beautiful peninsula of Kjerringøy north of Bodø.
Bendik has been nominated for the Spellemannprisen several times, both in the indie category for the album No går det over in 2014 and for best pop soloist for the albums Fortid in 2016 and Det går bra in 2019. She has also been nominated for Live Artist of the Year at P3 Gull in 2013 and 2015. Read more about her at https://www.bendikofficial.no.
Sivert Høyem / Madrugada (Stokmarknes)
Sivert Høyem has been a vocalist in the rock band Madrugada from the start in 1995 to 2008 and again from 2018. Høyem grew up in the village of Kleiva outside Sortland and in the 1990s started his first rock group and began his career at “Rock mot rus” on Andøya in Vesterålen. The band has later become known as Madrugada. Høyem released his third solo album, Moon Landing in 2009, where he wrote all the songs himself. For the album, he won the male artist category at the Spellemannprisen 2009. He was nominated for the Spellemannprisen 2011 for his next album, Long Slow Distance, and the year’s music video for Under Administration. In 2014, Høyem released the album Endless Love for which he was nominated for the Spellemannprisen 2014 in the rock category. The use of his song Prisoner of the Road in the TV series Exit was awarded the Musikkforleggerprisen 2024 in the category of synchronization of the year. Read more about him at https://siverthoyem.com.
Nyksund has nine permanent residents, and was once one of the largest fishing villages in Vesterålen. The place was depopulated in the 1960s because the harbor was not deep enough for modern trawlers. Sivert Høyem grew up a 45-minute drive from here. They went to Nyksund to see a real ghost town and to see a stranded whale. Gradually, the place was revitalized, and in the summertime the place can be quite lively now. September is something different and the northern lights are starting to flicker. Recently, we moved into the Zoar parish house to record. The surroundings are spectacular. The Great Sea is right in front of you. In the background is the Dronningruta and the rugged panorama.
Sivert Høyem
Bel Canto (Tromsø)
Bel Canto comes from Tromsø and was started in 1985 by Nils Johansen, Anneli Drecker and Geir Jenssen. The group went out of the country to get a record deal and got a job with a Belgian company. They were one of the first in Norway to get a contract with a record company outside Norway, and were one of the first in Norway to use computers as a main element in the music, both in the studio and at concerts. Bel Canto’s genre-crossing music and Anneli Drecker’s vocals were quickly noticed in the wider world.
The band’s latest album, Radiant Green, was released on April 26, 2024, marking their first album release since Dorothy’s Victory, 22 years earlier. The band was inducted into the Rockheim Hall of Fame in 2024, having previously been nominated in 2017 and 2023. Read more about them athttps://belcanto.no.
Manna (Bodø)
Manna is a reggae band from Bodø, and consists of Ronnie Dread, Vegard Leite, Even Høgseth, John Veding, Vegard Hetty, Per Willy Larsen (known as a program presenter in NRK Nordland) and Kim Lie (known as the frontman of the Bodø band Elsk). The members are all seasoned old rockers with backgrounds from bands such as Hjertesvikt A/S and Snowcats. Most of these guys started their reggae career in Irie Darlings in the early 90s, who released a couple of 7-inches in Jamaica and worked with many legends there!
Manna replaced Jamaican patois with rich Northern Norwegian, and the rock elements from Irie Darlings were replaced with old-fashioned reggae. In their lyrics they sing about Rastafari and the fall of the consumer society Babylon. They are also known for their collaborations both live and on record with Tungtvann and Terje Nilsen, as well as pop artist Magnus Eliassen and cathedral cantor Bjørn Andor Drage. Founder Bjørn Jervås died in 2015, but Manna continued its journey of peace. Today, the Manna collective works on many projects, all within the reggae/rap genre. Read more about them at https://mannafari.com.
Jørn Hoel and Steinar Albrigtsen (Tromsø)
The old boys from Tromsø are still going strong and have a full concert schedule well beyond 2015! Their distinctive voices, self-irony, immortal songs, stories and performances for decades, the beloved artists have become two real northern Norwegian classics. Jørn Hoel and Steinar Albrigtsen are two childhood friends, who went from a razor-sharp singing duo in their youth to unique solo careers later on, each their own. Both had a background in blues and roots.
Jørn Hoel first broke through with beautiful and intimate songs in Norwegian; Har en drøm, Elske i sneen, and Ei hand å holde i in the 1980s. Later came Lost in the tango, and more Latin and soul music. As a singer and songwriter he released his first album Ubarbert in 1982. Four years later he participated in the Melodi Grand Prix with Inkululeko. The big breakthrough came in 1987 with Varme ut av is, many songs with music by Svein Gundersen and lyrics by Trygve Hoff. Har en drøm was also used as film music for the film Drømmeslottet in 1986. For the album he was named Årets spellemann at the Spellemannprisen 1987.
His husky voice and his love songs throughout the 1990s made him a kind of Tromsø icon. Then his career took off together with Steinar again, and together they released Two Rivers One Road in 2009. In recent years, he has cultivated his passion for cooking and his own restaurant, and has also appeared in several TV programs such as Stjernekamp, 4-stjernes middag, 16-ukers helvete and Hver gang vi møtes. Read more about him at https://jornhoel.no/.
Steinar Albrigtsen broke through in the late 1980s with his country-inspired albums. His debut album Alone Too Long sold 180,000 copies and for this album he was awarded the Spellemann Prize in 1990. Norwegian-American Erik Moll was behind many of the songs on the album. Songwriter Jonas Fjeld also contributed with Till The Morning Comes. The album also contained the radio favorite In Rosa’s Heart. Over the decade came the albums Bound to Wander (1992) and Big Storm Comin (1993), both in collaboration with Tom Pacheco from the USA, Life is Good (1996) and Get together (1997), the latter with Jørn Hoel.
His warm voice also gave him what is perhaps his biggest hit, She belongs to the wind (1994), also in collaboration with Pacheco. Beyond the new millennium came Moment of Peace (2007), Bilda fra ei anna tid (2011), Sjelevenn (2014) and The Sailor (2015). Several of his albums have been nominated for the Spellemannprisen. He has also collaborated with the Salvation Army through the project Julemusikantene. Hear more from him at https://open.spotify.com/artist/2qRjrCuBQJqlU8Nwb92kao.
Agnete Saba (Nesseby)
Agnete Johnsen Saba is a Northern Sami musician and vocalist from the village of Reahpen in Nesseby municipality, Finnmark. She was the frontwoman of the group The BlackSheeps, and they won the Norwegian and Nordic finals of Melodi Grand Prix junior 2008 with the Sami-Norwegian song Oro jaska beana. Agnete was a participant in the second season of Stjernekamp on NRK1 and came in second. In 2014 she became the youngest winner to date of the TV2 program Skal vi danse sammen med dance partner Egor Filipenko.
Agnete represented Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest 2016 with the song Icebreaker. She was awarded the 2016 Åpenhetsprisen with the reason “Agnete Johnsen shows courage by being open about her mental challenges and talking about what hurts while it hurts”. She made a strong comeback in 2020 with a new song and video (see above), and in 2022 she was again on TV in the program Skal vi danse: all stars. Read more about her at https://allthingslive.no/artist/agnete-saba.
Ida Marie (Nesna)
Ida Maria Børli Sivertsen, known by her stage name Ida Maria, is a rock vocalist and guitarist, and a politician for the Green Party. She started her musical career at Kongshaug Musikkgymnasium on the outskirts of Os municipality. She was one of the winners of Zoom Urørt in 2006 and participated in a subsequent nationwide Zoom tour in the spring of 2007. She also won in 2007 with the song Oh My God. She also played at by:Larm, at Øyafestivalen and Quartfestivalen in 2007. At the Alarmprisen 2007 she was named newcomer of the year. She and the band toured mostly in England, Scotland, Ireland and Norway, but also Sweden, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, Australia and the USA in 2007 and 2008. She also won the award for newcomer of the year at Spellemannprisen 2008.
In 2009, she released a new version of Oh, My God where she sang a duet with Iggy Pop. She has collaborated with a number of international artists and songwriters. Many of her songs have been used in international TV series and films. Ida Maria was in Skal vi danse in 2015 and Hver gang vi møtes på TV2 året in 2016, both on TV2. In 2017, she was in Stjernekamp, in 2021 she was the host of the program De neste and a guest artist on Her lukter det fesk! in 2024, all three on NRK. Her fourth album, Scandalize My Name, was released in 2016. She released the EP, Dirty Money in 2021. Read more about her at https://idamariamusic.com.
Hekla Stålstrenga (Nordland / Troms)
Hekla Stålstrenga is a folk rock band based on traditional northern Norwegian music. They consist of Trond-Viggo Solås (bass) from Brønnøysund, Ragnhild Furebotten (fiddle and songwriter) from Saltdal, Anne Nymo Trulsen (vocals, tree organ and songwriter) from Målselv, Tore Bruvoll (guitars and songwriter) and Ole-Jakob Larsen (drums) from Tromsø. When Ragnhild and Tore met at Kongsbakken High School in Tromsø and started playing slåtter together in the 1990s, it was in many ways when Hekla’s career began. Here they developed a collaboration that is still strongly recognizable in Lyden av Hekla. When the three remaining musicians finally came on board in 2005, the musical compass was finely calibrated. Since then, Hekla has released 81 songs and slåtter. Everything from pure folk music and Christmas carols to their own compositions with their own lyrics and cover songs. They have been nominated and/or won the Spellemannsprisen in 2008, 2011, 2013, 2016 and 2019!
Their version of Har du fyr? and Nordnorsk julesalme have been playing on Spotify and Norwegian radio for many years. Also songs like Folketonen, Vise ved Vintersolkverv and Siste Sang are music many people have a relationship with. Their newest single, Å signa natt came in the fall of 2024. Read more about them at https://www.heklastalstrenga.no.
Keiino (Kautokeino / Kristiansand)
KEiiNO is a Norwegian music group consisting of Sami songwriter, rapper and yoiker Fred Buljo, singer Alexandra Rotan and singer-songwriter Tom Hugo Hermansen. They were formed in August 2018 in connection with the group’s participation in Melodi Grand Prix 2019. None of the three band members knew each other beforehand, and the Norwegian final with the song Spirit in the Sky. During the Eurovision Song Contest in 2019, the group finished in 6th place, but they received the most telephone votes in the final and became a kind of moral winner anyway! The song topped the VG-lista and was nominated for a Spellemannpris in the song of the year category.
The band name KEiiNO is inspired by the last syllable in Buljo’s hometown Kautokeino (Northern Sami: Guovdageaidnu). The last syllable geaidnu is the Northern Sami word for road. It represents the road that has brought the three of us together
Fred Buljo in an interview with TV2.
Keiino also won two awards at the Sami Music Awards in the open category and for producer of the year. Since the Eurovision Song Contest, the group has released several singles and an album of indigenous music from around the world. Read more about them at https://www.keiino.com.
The homelands of Ida Marie, Hekla and Keiino
Publiners (Brønnøysund / Bodø)
Publiners is a band that originated in Brønnøysund, and is currently divided into six members, three of whom are in Brønnøysund, and three in Bodø. The band had its first official gig in 1997. The band started as a pure cover band that played Irish folk music. During that period, we toured Norway to great acclaim, and created a good atmosphere every single place we performed. Publiners made their debut with the English-language album Folk’n roll in 2003. After the band announced their transition to Norwegian with Heim (2005), their career took a new direction, and in recent years Publiners has established itself as a band to be reckoned with within the happily increasing wave of Norwegian-language music. The subsequent albums Driv (2008), Herlig (2010), Kontroll (2012), VI (2015), the EP Desemberdryss (2016) and Fri (2020) have garnered many fives on the newspapers’ dice and many good words.
The band is perhaps best known for their participation in the 2009 Melodi Grand Prix with the songs Te stein and Lyden av slått on NRK1 in the fall of 2007. With the song Maja they have been A-listed on NRK P1, and have also been at the top of Norsktoppen. With the single Toft (2008) they take us to a “carefree” childhood and upbringing in Toft outside Brønnøysund. Read more about them at https://www.publiners.no/.
Marion Ravn (Bø i Vesterålen)
The artist with Vesterålen blood in her veins, and says it’s good to come to the north to gain strength. Both parents come from the area, her father from Bø, and her mother from Lødingen. As a little girl, she visited Vesterålen regularly. It all started at the age of ten when she released an album of children’s songs on EMI Norge together with her friend Marit Larsen. The album even ended up being nominated for a Norwegian Grammy. At the age of 14, Marion and Marit, under the name M2M, signed with Atlantic Records and had great success in the US, Asia, South America and Scandinavia. They released two albums that sold over 2 million copies. Marion Ravn released her first solo album in 2005 in the US, with success in countries such as Japan where her song Break You was number 1 for several weeks. In the summer of 2006, Meat Loaf released the song It’s All Coming Back To Me Now from the album Bat out of Hell 3, where Marion was his duet partner. She toured with both Meat Loaf and Pink around the world in 2007.
Since my dad is from Bø in Vesterålen, I’ve been there many times in the summer. It’s good to come there to recharge between artist life.
Just got back from the best summer vacation I’ve ever had! Bø is heaven on earth for me. See the beautiful pictures from my trip there this summer, and hear me tell you about my relationship with my father’s childhood home
Marion Ravn
Marion was one of the judges on the Norwegian X Factor in 2010, and in 2011 she appeared as a judge on the Norwegian Idol. She was one of the artists on the popular TV show Hver gang vi møtes in 2013. Her performances on the show received rave reviews, and she was invited to the 10th anniversary in 2020. In April 2013, Marion released her second solo album Songs from a Blackbird. The album went to number 3 on the Norwegian sales chart, the two singles The Minute and Driving rocked radio stations for months and Marion toured Norway on her first solo tour. In 2014-2015, Marion released the double album Scandal Vol 1 and Vol 2 with a subsequent tour throughout Norway. She also released the international version of Songs from a Blackbird in Germany and went on tour throughout Europe with Lionel Richie. In the fall of 2016, Marion was one of the artist developers in the new reality show The Stream.
In late 2019, Marion Ravn released her sixth solo album. She made a change and released her first Norwegian album Mellom Disse 4 Vegger. Norwegian music critics and journalists praised the language transition, saying “this should have happened a long time ago”. In addition to spending time in the studio writing and recording new Norwegian music, Marion Ravn is still active as a live artist and tours nationwide annually. She is also back on the musical stage in the musical Chess at the Folketeateret in Oslo. Read more about her at https://www.marionravn.no.
Violet Road (Kåfjord / Andøy)
Violet Road from Kåfjord, consisting of the brother trio Håkon, Hogne and Halvard Rundberg from Kåfjord, as well as Kjetil Solberg from Andøya. Drummer Herman Rundberg left in 2017, was replaced by Espen Høgmo, who previously played with Hogne in Englebarn. Violet Road released their first music album, Letters, in 2008. The album Violet Road came out in 2011. The single Can you hear the morning singing and the band’s first music video, directed by Nils Gaup, became a megahit.
They released their third album Peter Every and His Marching Band in 2013 and their fourth album Back to the Roadshow in 2014. The album’s single Face of the Moon also became a major radio hit. They have since released five more albums, the latest in 2024. Read more about them at https://www.violetroad.no.
From away win to home win
This was a selection of the region’s artists who have made a name for themselves on the road around the country and in the wider world. We conclude with three artists and collaborative projects who have also had great success at home and with stories about their hometowns and coming back home to the North.
Vidar Vang (Bjerkvik / Oslo)
Vang released the self-financed album Blue, recorded in his hometown of Bjerkvik in 1998 and sold at concerts in Northern Norway. He recorded his first demo with a band at Hønsehuset studio in Bodø in 1999. The demo gave him and his band entry at by:Larm in Bergen in 2000, and on the talent stage at Norwegian Wood the same year.
Early morning. Pitch black coffee, icy cold body. Easier to give in than to say stop. In November, the days are long and the nights are short. It’s probably best to hold the fort. And soon it’s Christmas far to the North. Some will have a sister, some a brother. Some stay home like last year.
“Tidlig mårra” by Vidar Vang
Since then, it has been a whirlwind. Vidar Vang’s official debut album Rodeo was released in 2022 and was nominated for the Spellemann Prize in 2023. The single Under Six Strings has become one of his signature songs. To date, the discography of him and the band from Bjerkvik counts eight albums. Read more about the Bjerkvikings at https://www.vidarvang.com.
Herman Rundberg / Simone Grøtte (Kåfjord / Lakselv)
Herman Rundberg is best known as the former drummer in Violet Road, but he also composes music, plays keyboards and sings. Together with his wife and choreographer Simone Grøtte, he released the album Northern Soul, in collaboration with, among others,NordNorsk Symfoniorkester, Kråkesølv og Mari Boine.
Homeownership is a journey into fragile thoughts of identity and belonging. A heartfelt longing to venture out, but a fear of what might be lost. What do we carry with us no matter how far we roam? Homeownership is the love of home. A wonder at one’s roots, and a search for peace and harmony within oneself.
Herman Rundberg, previous Violet Road
The two singles Hjemmeseier (Kråkesølv) and Fillii Fillii (Mari Boine) were both listed on NRK. They were also invited to perform excerpts with dance and music during the TV campaign in 2015. Read more about the project at https://simonegrotte.no/work/northern-soul.
Moillrock (Honningsvåg)
Moillrock’s concerts have been sold out both in the capital and in the north. The fans are loyal and growing. Many of them prefer to wear white sailor hats with things like “lasaron” or “pappa si pia” written on them. Others sing “We are Moillrock – we are from Honningsvåg”. They have become a cult in northern Norway, quite simply. The gang of friends from the fishing village fry fish burgers on stage and throw them out to the audience. Vocalist Simen Fosse likes to sing about life on the periphery, such as Her lukte det fesk!
For many years we have traveled over land and sea. Met many nice people, docks make us happy. We don’t intend to stop there. We can’t let docks sit and thirst.
We are Moillrock, we are from Honningsvåg
A lot has happened since the band was formed in 2007. They have become famous in their own town, Honningsvåg, with a population of just over two thousand. They also fill concert stages to the brim in Oslo. They create pride in the residents of their hometown. It can almost be compared to supporters of a football club. The band always gives their supporters home wins, even in the south! Read more about them at https://www.moillrock.no.
Old legends and new shooting stars
Of course, old legends and pop stars like 1-2-6, Terje Nilsen og Sirkus Eliassen (Bodø), Zoo og Banana Airlines (Stokmarknes) Pussycats, Espen Lind, Lene Marlin (Tromsø), Unit Five (Hammerfest) and even Anni-Frid from ABBA (Narvik) been among the Northern Norwegian artist gallery of all time, but we’ll leave that to the music historians this time.
Maybe this playlist was too traditional, or perhaps not rocking enough for your taste? We’ve received a number of new tips about newer stars in the northern artist sky who should have been on this top list. Feel free to check out the great tips from our followers under our Facebook post What is the Sound of the North?, and expand your northern Norwegian soundtrack even further!
For example, have you heard Min Trio and Elsk (Bodø), Groms Plass (Narvik), Dull Boy Jack (Nordkalotten), A Million Pineapples and Hollow Hearts (Tromsø), Emil Karlsen (Storfjord), Rolffa or Kaisa Balto (Karasjok)?
Then it is fitting to end where we started, with precisely Halvdan Sivertsen (Bodø) and his song Nordaførr. Here performed by Bilal Saab (Sørøya) with RSP & Thomax (Harstad/Bodø)’s DJ, rap and star battle version. We can call it a real fusion of Nordland, Troms and Finnmark in this nice tribute to Northern Norway!
We hope that all these wonderful artists have given you inspiration, insight and the desire to visit and experience our northern part of the country. Welcome to the North!
Sources: Wikipedia, Det norske leksikon, Rockheim, NRK, TV2 and the artists own webpages.