Kate Havnevik

All Music Guide:

London-based, Norwegian-born Kate Havnevik spent her formative years with the desire to become a guitarist in the jazz and classical worlds, but these plans were derailed after joining a punk band at the tender age of 14. Since then Havnevik has explored a wide breadth of styles before settling on three main instruments of choice: guitar, piano, and melodica. A demo of her was played on the widely influential Morning Becomes Eclectic program on L.A.'s KCRW-FM and won her a loyal fan base. More recently she collaborated with electronic music poster boys Moby, Röyksopp, and Tom Middleton, as well as penned the song "Grace" specifically for the second season finale of the popular television drama Grey's Anatomy, which aired in May 2006. Havnevik's full-length solo debut, Melankton, appeared in the fall of 2006 via her own Continentica Records and was reissued early the following year through Universal Republic.

Wikipedia:

Kate Havnevik (born October 27, 1975 in Oslo, Norway) is a Norwegian singer and songwriter. Her debut album, the critically acclaimed electronica-infused Melankton, was released in March 2006 on iTunes and April 2006 (on physical CD) in Norway only, before being licensed internationally later. Havnevik ran a successful PledgeMusic campaign in 2010 to fund the production of her second album, You, which was released in October 2011.

Early life [edit]

Havnevik can play the piano, the guitar, and the melodica amongst other instruments. Earlier in life, she aspired to be a classical and jazz musician, much like her parents, who are both classically-trained musicians. At 14, her goals shifted when she joined an all female punk rock band, rehearsing and playing at Oslo's illegally occupied club Blitz. The experience led her to pursue an interest in classical music mixed with modern electronica.

Music career [edit]

2005-07: Melankton [edit]

Havnevik set about working with producers to help hone her sound, the most famous of whom is Guy Sigsworth, part of Frou Frou, who has also worked with Imogen Heap, Madonna, Jem, Britney Spears, Björk and Alanis Morissette. Havnevik tracked down Sigsworth around five years ago, rang him and left phone messages, until one day he agreed to meet her. The pair have co-written and recorded many songs together, some of which have been featured on Melankton, including "Unlike Me", "Not Fair" and "You Again", and some of which will be included on Havnevik's second album 'You', including "Disobey", which Havnevik premiered on her official web site. She describes Melankton as "dramatic, beautiful and euphoric", and deemed it the perfect introduction to her music, which is why it is being released first. The album title is from a character in a Norwegian book Havnevik was reading, and also translates to "black rose", which she says is very fitting for the album. Melankton was mastered in Devon, partly mixed in Los Angeles, partly mixed and recorded in London, Bratislava, Oslo, Reykjavík and Los Angeles. The album was premiered online on Havnevik's official web site for 48hours from 11–12 March 2006, and was added to Apple Computer's iTunes music store on 27 March 2006. It was commercially released on CD on 3 April in Norway; a special UK edition, omitting "Someday", and instead including "Travel In Time", was released on 16 October 2006. The US edition, featuring a new song titled "Timeless", was released in the United States on 27 March 2007 exactly one year after its iTunes release.

In addition to Sigsworth, Havnevik has also collaborated with Marius De Vries, who has previously worked with Björk and David Gray and Yoad Nevo, famous for his work with Welsh singer Jem. For her future third album - an acoustic project - entitled Embla, which she started recording in May 2005, Havnevik worked with the harpist Rhodri Davies, vibraphonist Orphy Robinson and Lamb bassist Jon Thorne.

As well as her solo projects, Havnevik has also co-written and provided guest vocals on the tracks "Only This Moment" and "Circuit Breaker" by Röyksopp, both featured on the album The Understanding. Havnevik also contributes vocals to Röyksopp's live EP, Röyksopp's Night Out.

She co-wrote and provided vocals on the track "Crazy", featured on mono band's 2005 self-titled LP, a solo project of former Cranberries guitarist Noel Hogan. Working extensively with Guy Sigsworth, she also provided backing vocals, (as a favor), to a Britney Spears track he produced, which was released in late 2005, entitled "Someday (I Will Understand)."

On December 5, 2006 she made her first ever UK broadcast media appearance, on Janice Long's BBC Radio 2 show, performing "Unlike Me", "I Don't Know You" and "New Day."

A collaboration she recorded with Carmen Rizzo, "Travel In Time", featured on Rizzo's album, The Lost Art Of The Idle Moment. The track was remixed for the UK edition of Melankton and featured on a season 3 episode of the FOX teen drama series "The O.C." and an episode of NBC TV show "Windfall". In 2010, Havnevik again collaborated with Rizzo on the track "This Life" on his "Looking Through Leaves" album.

2008-present: You and side projects [edit]

Havnevik released a 5-track EP entitled "Me", in September 2008

In February 2012, Havnevik played live on Norwegian radio channel P3, performing "MYYM" from her album You.

Havnevik's vocals are featured on the songs "Don't Go" & " The Fire" from the album "Atemlos" by Schiller, released on March 12, 2010 on iTunes, Germany. Havnevik joined the German concert tour of Schiller in May 2010, which was filmed for the 2 DVD + 1 CD box set 'Lichtblick'. "Atemlos" was made available on USA iTunes and elsewhere over the summer, 2010. "Lichtblick" was released, November 2010, in Germany, and includes a new song "Ghost", recorded by Havnevik and Christopher von Deylen, especially for it.

In 2010, Havnevik joined the collective "The Dark Flowers" formed by musician/writer/producer Paul Statham who was inspired after reading the "Motel Chronicles" by Sam Shepard and whilst listening to a soundtrack by Bruce Langhorne, from the 70's western film, "The Hired Hand". Brian Eno's "Another Green World" has also played an influence. "The Dark Flowers" collective features, apart from Havnevik's "Fast Forest Rain", songs featuring vocalist's Jim Kerr, Dot Allison, Peter Murphy, Shelly Poole, Catherine A.D, Helicopter Girl and Remi Roughe. As of fall 2010, the project is currently seeking a record deal.