Guðrun Sólja Jacobsen

Guðrun Sólja Jacobsen (2009)

Guðrun Sólja Jacobsen (born July 11, 1982 in Tórshavn , grew up in Tvøroyri , mostly just Guðrun or Gudrun in Denmark ) is a successful Faroese singer ( old voice ) who now lives and works in Denmark . On April 4, 2003, she was the winner of the important Danish TV talent competition Stjerne for en aften ("Star for an evening").

Guðrun together with classmates and a teacher at the 2003 celebration at their school in Vágur , shortly after she won the Danish TV contest Stjerne for en aften . (Middle, sitting to the right of the flag)

biography

Guðrun [ ˈguːɹʊn ] is the daughter of Gitte and Ási Jacobsen from Tvøroyri on Suðuroy . Her second name Sólja is the Faroese name for the national flower , the marsh marigold ( Caltha palustris ) - a common name for Faroese girls. Her older brother is called Eyðun Ásason and is also musically, although so far only appeared as an amateur.

She herself describes her musical baptism as the experience of Alanis Morissette's song Ironic 1995. For her there is a life before and one after . By then she had already had piano lessons for six years. Guðrun performed more often at school events such as graduation ceremonies, she also sang in a local gospel choir, the Suðuroyar Gospel Choir .

It was discovered in 2002 by an attentive Danish listener at a school ball in Hvalba . He suggested that she apply for the show Stjerne for en aften ("Star for an evening"). Guðrun didn't know the show at all. She told this surprising request at school, and under pressure from her teachers and classmates at the secondary school in Suðuroy, she had to apply for this song competition in distant Denmark. Completely surprising for her, she was asked to audition in Copenhagen that summer . She writes about this:

I got in touch to see how I compare to other singers. I loved (and love) to sing and had to find out if I was needed in the music industry!

Then one early August morning I met many other excited people at the Park Café! I was nervous, curious, and about to piss my pants when I was supposed to stand in front of the jury and sing. It turned out that it should mean my whole life to come! Shortly after I started singing, I was informed that I was part of the program! I quickly spread the word to my family and friends! I was overjoyed ...

She performed two songs by Celine Dion in the casting : I Surrender and Nature Boy from the album A New Day Has Come . Then she was shortlisted and asked to perform songs in English, German, French and Faroese to prove what she could do. She was supposed to wait six months in the Faroe Islands and watch the first four programs on television, until the actual TV competition started for her in the fifth program in 2003:

So after we all sang, we stood and waited for our positions! I felt all sorts of feelings that cannot be described! That was one of my greatest moments ever! I should move on to the semi-finals ... I should move on. I was good enough !! ??? !!

First a tour followed with three other candidates through Denmark. In the semifinals she was among the top three again and was able to qualify for the final on April 4th, in which six other artists should take part. Something completely unexpected happened to her:

I thought that they all deserved first place! But now my name has been called number one !!! I won Stjerne for en aften ! The people voted for me ... for me! I who come from the small country. I was so happy…

This award coincided with Guðrun's school leaving certificate, and she didn't know what to study until then. The reception in the Faroe Islands was triumphant. Thousands were waiting for them at Vágar Airport and in the state capital Tórshavn . On August 11, 2003, her debut album Quiet Storm was released , which has brought her two gold records in Denmark. All the tracks on the album are in English. There is also criticism of this CD, as many believe that the songs are not cut worthy of it. The new album Wake Up , which was released in January 2005, could possibly set a new standard in their work. She also complies with the request of her fans for a song in her mother tongue.

Discography

• August 11, 2003: Quiet Storm
• January 31, 2005: Wake Up (includes a piece in Faroese at the end and Imagine by John Lennon at the beginning )

Web links

Commons : Guðrun Sólja Jacobsen  - collection of images

• gudrun-jacobsen.com (Homepage in Danish) ( Memento from February 14, 2011 in the Internet Archive )