Lisa Ekdahl
Encyclopedia
Lisa Ekdahl is a Swedish
singer and song writer in popular music
. She has so far published 10 albums, most of them in the Swedish language
but some entirely in English
. Her voice has been described as "child-like" and "soft, supple and smooth". Her Swedish lyrics have also been praised.
with her self titled debut album and the #1 hit single "Vem Vet (Who Knows?)". The record sold almost 800,000 copies and she was awarded three Swedish music prizes, one of them as the nation's best artist of the year. She repeated the success in Denmark and Norway as well.
She signed with EMI Records, but later recorded two pop albums with RCA/BMG: "Med Kroppen Mot Jorden" and "Bortom Det Blå" in 1996 and 1997. In 1998, she recorded the English language album "When Did You Leave Heaven", which contained jazz standard
s. Ekdahl has been focusing on, with great success, Scandinavia
and Europe
(most noticeably France
), leaving little mark in other countries such as United States
. Her following album, "Back To Earth" (1999), was again full of jazz standards and, like her jazz debut, recorded with the Peter Nordahl Trio. In France alone, it sold over 40,000 copies. She received positive reviews for her live appearances in Great Britain
from The Daily Telegraph
and The Guardian
.
Lisa Ekdahl's sixth album, "Lisa Ekdahl sings Salvadore Poe" (2000), signaled a new direction and critical esteem. As the new album's title indicates, Ekdahl exclusively sings songs written by her husband, primarily in the bossa nova
style. Her fragile and childish voice seems to be made for this type of music. Their album was a smash in France and Scandinavia, where it sold over 120,000 copies by early 2001.
She has continued to record in both Swedish and English, most recently touring Scandinavia with an acoustic
tour. Her voice is variously compared to Blossom Dearie
, Diana Krall
, and perhaps most accurately, Astrud Gilberto
.
In 1999, she met American
composer
and guitar
ist Salvadore Poe on a flight to India
. They married in 2000, and they later collaborated on an album together. They are now divorced. For a time, she lived in New York City
and she has a son Milton (born December 23, 1994).
She currently lives in the Södermalm
district of Stockholm
.
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....
singer and song writer in popular music
Popular music
Popular music belongs to any of a number of musical genres "having wide appeal" and is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. It stands in contrast to both art music and traditional music, which are typically disseminated academically or orally to smaller, local...
. She has so far published 10 albums, most of them in the Swedish language
Swedish language
Swedish is a North Germanic language, spoken by approximately 10 million people, predominantly in Sweden and parts of Finland, especially along its coast and on the Åland islands. It is largely mutually intelligible with Norwegian and Danish...
but some entirely in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
. Her voice has been described as "child-like" and "soft, supple and smooth". Her Swedish lyrics have also been praised.
Career
In 1994, at the age of 23, Ekdahl became famous overnight in SwedenSweden
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....
with her self titled debut album and the #1 hit single "Vem Vet (Who Knows?)". The record sold almost 800,000 copies and she was awarded three Swedish music prizes, one of them as the nation's best artist of the year. She repeated the success in Denmark and Norway as well.
She signed with EMI Records, but later recorded two pop albums with RCA/BMG: "Med Kroppen Mot Jorden" and "Bortom Det Blå" in 1996 and 1997. In 1998, she recorded the English language album "When Did You Leave Heaven", which contained jazz standard
Jazz standard
Jazz standards are musical compositions which are an important part of the musical repertoire of jazz musicians, in that they are widely known, performed, and recorded by jazz musicians, and widely known by listeners. There is no definitive list of jazz standards, and the list of songs deemed to be...
s. Ekdahl has been focusing on, with great success, Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
(most noticeably France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
), leaving little mark in other countries such as United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Her following album, "Back To Earth" (1999), was again full of jazz standards and, like her jazz debut, recorded with the Peter Nordahl Trio. In France alone, it sold over 40,000 copies. She received positive reviews for her live appearances in Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
from The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
and The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
.
Lisa Ekdahl's sixth album, "Lisa Ekdahl sings Salvadore Poe" (2000), signaled a new direction and critical esteem. As the new album's title indicates, Ekdahl exclusively sings songs written by her husband, primarily in the bossa nova
Bossa nova
Bossa nova is a style of Brazilian music. Bossa nova acquired a large following in the 1960s, initially consisting of young musicians and college students...
style. Her fragile and childish voice seems to be made for this type of music. Their album was a smash in France and Scandinavia, where it sold over 120,000 copies by early 2001.
She has continued to record in both Swedish and English, most recently touring Scandinavia with an acoustic
Acoustic music
Acoustic music comprises music that solely or primarily uses instruments which produce sound through entirely acoustic means, as opposed to electric or electronic means...
tour. Her voice is variously compared to Blossom Dearie
Blossom Dearie
Blossom Dearie was an American jazz singer and pianist, often performing in the bebop genre and remembered for her girlish voice.-Early career:...
, Diana Krall
Diana Krall
Diana Jean Krall, OC, OBC is a Canadian jazz pianist and singer, known for her contralto vocals. She has sold more than 6 million albums in the US and over 15 million worldwide; altogether, she has sold more albums than any other female jazz artist during the 1990s and 2000s...
, and perhaps most accurately, Astrud Gilberto
Astrud Gilberto
Astrud Gilberto is a Brazilian samba and bossa nova singer. She is well known for the Grammy Award-winning song "The Girl from Ipanema".-Biography:...
.
Personal life
She was born in Hägersten, Sweden to her parents who were a nuclear physicist and kindergarten teacher. She was raised just outside of Mariefred, Sweden. She has two sisters and attended school at the Tälje Musikgymnasium. Her music is published by her self named company Lisa Ekdahl AB.In 1999, she met American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
ist Salvadore Poe on a flight to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. They married in 2000, and they later collaborated on an album together. They are now divorced. For a time, she lived in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and she has a son Milton (born December 23, 1994).
She currently lives in the Södermalm
Södermalm
Södermalm, often shortened to "Söder", is a district in central Stockholm. It covers the large island formerly called "Åsön". With a population of 99,685, it is one of the most densely populated districts of Scandinavia...
district of Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
.
Awards
- Rockbjörn-- "Best Female Artist" 1994
- Swedish Grammys—1994
- Artist of the year, Female Pop
- Rock artist of the Year
- Album of the Year
- The Ulla Billquist scholarship
Solo albums
- 1994, Lisa Ekdahl
- 1996, Med kroppen mot jorden
- 1997, Bortom det blåBortom det blåBortom det blå is an album by the Swedish singer Lisa Ekdahl. It is entirely in the Swedish language.-Tracks:#Bortom det blå#Gå dit ifall du minns#Två lyckliga dårar#Jag behöver inget mer#Vi tillhör varann#Sakta sakta#Jag vill bara vara...
- 2000, Sings Salvadore PoeSings Salvadore PoeSings Salvadore Poe is an album by Swedish singer Lisa Ekdahl, released in 2001. The music on the album is a mixture of latin jazz, easy listening and bossa nova.There are several releases of this album, all from BMG, some with bonus tracks....
- 2002, Heaven Earth & BeyondHeaven Earth & BeyondHeaven, Earth & Beyond is an album by the Swedish singer Lisa Ekdahl, released in 2002.-Track listing:# "Rivers Of Love" # "Open Door" # "Deep Inside Your Dreams"...
- 2003, En samling sångerEn samling sångerEn samling sånger is a best-of album by the Swedish singer Lisa Ekdahl. It is entirely in the Swedish language.-Track listing:# "Nästa dag"# "Öppna upp ditt fönster"# "Med kroppen mot jorden"# "Vem vet"# "Bortom det blå"# "Sanningen i vitögat"...
(Best-of-compilation) - 2004, Olyckssyster
- 2006, Pärlor av glas
- 2009, Give Me That Slow Knowing Smile
- 2011, "At the olympia Paris"
Collaborations
- 1995, When Did You Leave HeavenWhen Did You Leave HeavenWhen Did You Leave Heaven is an album by the Swedish singer Lisa Ekdahl. It was released in 1997 by RCA records, and a special edition was released on Phantom Records.-Track listing :# "When Did You Leave Heaven"# "But Not For Me"# "Cry Me A River"...
(with the Peter Nordahl trio) - 1998, Back to Earth (with the Peter Nordahl trio)
- 2001, Kiss & Hug: From a happy boy (duet with Danish singer Lars H.U.G. in the song Backwards)
- 2003, Duet with Rod StewartRod StewartRoderick David "Rod" Stewart, CBE is a British singer-songwriter and musician, born and raised in North London, England and currently residing in Epping. He is of Scottish and English ancestry....
in the song Where or WhenWhere or When"Where or When" is a show tune from the 1937 Rodgers and Hart musical Babes In Arms. It was first performed by Ray Heatherton and Mitzi Green. That same year, Hal Kemp recorded a popular version. It also appeared in the movie of the same title two years later...
on his album As Time Goes By: the Great American Songbook 2As Time Goes By: the Great American Songbook 2As Time Goes By: the Great American Songbook 2, released in 2003, is Rod Stewart's second album of Pop standards. On the US charts, As Time Goes By fared better than its predecessor, It Had to Be You: the Great American Songbook, reaching a peak of number two, and being certified 2× Platinum. In...