Rolf Løvland

Biography
Having studied at the Kristiansand Conservatory, Rolf Løvland eventually graduated with a degree from the Norwegian Institute of Music at Oslo University. In 1976, a first LP with his song was released. He wrote arrangements for many artists, including Tor Endresen and Jahn Teigen. In 1986, he was awarded with a prize at the World Popular Song Contest in Tokyo for writing the most outstanding song. In 1994, Løvland teamed up with violinist Fionnuala Sherry, who he had met when conducting for Norway in the 1993 Eurovision Song Contest in Millstreet, and formed Secret Garden. The duo’s most successful song is probably ‘You raise me up’ (2002, with lyrics by Brendan Graham), which was covered hundreds of times, e.g. by Josh Groban and Westlife.

Rolf Løvland composed his first entry for the Melodi Grand Prix, the Norwegian preselection, in 1982. In 1985, he won the ‘MGP’ with ‘La det swinge’, performed by Hanne Krogh and Elisabeth Andreasson, known as the Bobbysocks. They went on to win the Eurovision Song Contest for Norway – the first Norwegian victory ever. On stage in Gothenburg, Løvland played the piano, while the arrangement he had written in collaboration with Torgny Söderberg from Sweden, was conducted by Terje Fjærn. One year later, in ’86, Løvland wrote the orchestration to the Norwegian entry, Ketil Stokkan’s ‘Romeo’. In 1987, Løvland composed ‘Mitt live’, with which Kate Gulbrandsen represented Norway and landed a ninth spot. In 1990, Ketil Stokkan represented Norway for a second time – with ‘Brandenburger Tor’ – and again Løvland was asked to arrange the piece. In 1992 and 1993, Rolf Løvland was the musical director of the MGP, and on both occasions he joined the eventual winners on their way to the international final to conduct their entry: ‘Visjoner’ for Merethe Trøan in ’92 and ‘Alle mine tankar’ for Silje Vige in ’93. In 1994, Løvland composed ‘Duett’, aptly sung by two people: Elisabeth Andreasson and Jan Werner Danielsen; conducted by Pete Knutsen, they came sixth. In 1995, Norway won its second victory, for the second time with a Løvland composition: ‘Nocturne’, performed by Secret Garden – i.e. himself and Fionnuala Sherry. Thus, he composed four songs for the Eurovision Song Contest, of which two won the contest, while the two others finished with the first ten.

In due course, a more extensive biography of Rolf Løvland will be published on this website

Website(s):

www.secretgarden.no