Sondre Lerche
| Sondre Lerche | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Sondre Lerche Vaular |
| Born |
5 September 1982 Bergen, Norway |
| Genres |
Pop Indie rock Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter |
| Instruments |
Vocals Guitar Bass Glockenspiel Keyboard Piano Percussion Hammond |
| Years active | 2001–present |
| Labels | EMI Music Norway Astralwerks Mona Records |
| Website | sondrelerche.com |
Sondre Lerche (Norwegian pronunciation: [ˈsondrə ˈlærkə]; born 5 September 1982 in Bergen, Norway) is a Norwegian singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, now based in New York City. He has released seven studio albums so far.
Growing up in Bergen suburb, Lerche was heavily influenced by the 1980s pop that emanated from his older siblings' rooms. Compelled by a defining fascination for bands such as The Beatles, A-ha, The Beach Boys and Prefab Sprout, Lerche began formal guitar instruction at age eight. Not being satisfied with classical lessons, Lerche's teacher introduced him to Brazilian music (such as Bossa Nova) and thus formed the foundation of Lerche's vast array of complex melodies and chords throughout his music today. At age fourteen, Lerche penned his first song titled, "Locust Girl." Lerche performed acoustic gigs at the club where his sister worked while he was still under age, and was ‘discovered' by Norwegian producer H.P. Gundersen. Under Gundersen's mentorship, Lerche was exposed to diverse music genres, including psychedelia, 1960s pop, and mainstream Brazilian music, broadening his appreciation for eclectic music styles. Around this time Lerche also met up with Oslo-based manager Tatiana Penzo, leading up to a deal with Virgin Norway. His popularity in his home country increased steadily, and in 2000 he recorded his debut album, Faces Down.
Faces Down was a hit in Norway and received critical praise in Norway and the United States — Rolling Stone Magazine placed it in their top 50 albums of 2002. He toured in America and Europe. The songs from Faces Down had been completed before winter 2000 but postponed for release until Lerche fulfilled several academic requirements. In the interim, he was named Best New Act at the Norwegian Grammys (Spellemannprisen) and performed locally in support of major acts such as Beth Orton. Faces Down was officially released in Norway in September 2001 and gradually throughout all of Europe. Lerche toured with various acts, including a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to share the stage with his long-time idols, a-ha, in Oslo. Autumn 2002 saw the release of Faces Down in America and Lerche's first major tour of the United States. He released the live/studio collection Don't Be Shallow EP the following year. In 2003, he toured with another one of his musical heroes, Elvis Costello (they toured together once again in 2005).
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