L8R (band)
Encyclopedia
L8R was a Norwegian
band
, most notably Norway's first boyband. The quartet
consisted of teenagers Ray David
(Raymond David Henriksen), Erik Kinn (Knut Eirik Kokkin), Kif Flinder
(Christopher Flinder Petersen) and Chris Jensen (Christoffer Jensen).
who was looking to build a group around young Henriksen whom they knew from several stage performances. In January 2002 an audition was made in the regions around Oslo
, looking for boys who could sing but with an emphasis on dancing abilities. Out of several hundred hopefuls Kokkin, Petersen and Jensen was chosen. Many months of hard work followed, grooming the boys into what would become Norway's first boyband, with Henriksen as the main vocalist.
The origin of the band name came from the boys themselves. From the beginning they would often keep in touch through text messages
, and used to end their messages with "c u l8r" (see you later), and thus the band name was born.
L8R described itself as "metal pop
" and their music and style was tougher than what one normally expected from boybands. This became evident with their debut single in 2003, Back in Black, a cover of the classic AC/DC
-song. Debuting at #4 on VG-lista, Norway's official music chart, it quickly sold to gold. Extensive touring and promoting followed, as well as two more singles; World of Pain and most notably In Da House. The latter produced by Swedish
industrial rap metal group Clawfinger
and based on their old hit The Truth. It reached #2 on the Norwegian charts and it too sold gold.
October 27, 2003, saw the release of their first and only album, Enter the Dragon.
L8R's tough image seemed to work well with kids around their own age, especially with girls in their early teens. The boys were also given credit for their well-rehearsed stage shows and continued to perform around Norway well into 2004. In July of that same year group member Petersen, an aspiring dancer, got into a prominent dance academy in Oslo and decided to leave the band. With the friendship being very tight-knit in the group, the other boys would not continue without their fourth member and they chose to split up.
Today Petersen concentrates on his dancing, but the other three boys still keep in touch.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
band
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
, most notably Norway's first boyband. The quartet
Quartet
In music, a quartet is a method of instrumentation , used to perform a musical composition, and consisting of four parts.-Western art music:...
consisted of teenagers Ray David
Raymond David Henriksen
Raymond David Henriksen is a Norwegian actor, singer and former member of the boyband L8R. He grew up and still lives in Ellingsrudåsen, Oslo. He's now a member of the rap-duo "KeSera". They had a success with the song "Si Yeah"....
(Raymond David Henriksen), Erik Kinn (Knut Eirik Kokkin), Kif Flinder
Christopher Flinder Petersen
Christopher Flinder Pedersen , is a Norwegian dancer, model and former member of the boyband L8R. At 13 he finished 7th in the world championships in freestyle dancing and two years later he became a member of the band L8R...
(Christopher Flinder Petersen) and Chris Jensen (Christoffer Jensen).
History
Originally put together by the label Tribe Records (NO)Tribe Records (NO)
Tribe Records was a Norwegian record label founded in 1998. The company became one of the biggest contributors to the Norwegian record chart VG-Lista Topp 20 the following years. Tribe fast became a commercial label focusing on dance, trance and pop....
who was looking to build a group around young Henriksen whom they knew from several stage performances. In January 2002 an audition was made in the regions around Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, looking for boys who could sing but with an emphasis on dancing abilities. Out of several hundred hopefuls Kokkin, Petersen and Jensen was chosen. Many months of hard work followed, grooming the boys into what would become Norway's first boyband, with Henriksen as the main vocalist.
The origin of the band name came from the boys themselves. From the beginning they would often keep in touch through text messages
Short message service
Short Message Service is a text messaging service component of phone, web, or mobile communication systems, using standardized communications protocols that allow the exchange of short text messages between fixed line or mobile phone devices...
, and used to end their messages with "c u l8r" (see you later), and thus the band name was born.
L8R described itself as "metal pop
Glam metal
Glam metal is a subgenre of hard rock and heavy metal that arose in the late 1970s and early 1980s in the United States, particularly on the Los Angeles Sunset Strip music scene...
" and their music and style was tougher than what one normally expected from boybands. This became evident with their debut single in 2003, Back in Black, a cover of the classic AC/DC
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
-song. Debuting at #4 on VG-lista, Norway's official music chart, it quickly sold to gold. Extensive touring and promoting followed, as well as two more singles; World of Pain and most notably In Da House. The latter produced by Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
industrial rap metal group Clawfinger
Clawfinger
Clawfinger is a rap metal band from Sweden and was one of the earliest bands to adopt this sound. Clawfinger is known for aggressive but melodic music and tackling political and anti-racist themes in their songs.-Band history:...
and based on their old hit The Truth. It reached #2 on the Norwegian charts and it too sold gold.
October 27, 2003, saw the release of their first and only album, Enter the Dragon.
L8R's tough image seemed to work well with kids around their own age, especially with girls in their early teens. The boys were also given credit for their well-rehearsed stage shows and continued to perform around Norway well into 2004. In July of that same year group member Petersen, an aspiring dancer, got into a prominent dance academy in Oslo and decided to leave the band. With the friendship being very tight-knit in the group, the other boys would not continue without their fourth member and they chose to split up.
Today Petersen concentrates on his dancing, but the other three boys still keep in touch.