Anne Lilia Berge Strand (born 21 November 1977), known professionally as Annie, is a Norwegian singer, songwriter, record producer and DJ. She began her recording career in 1999 with the underground hit single "
The Greatest Hit" and gained international acclaim, particularly from music bloggers, for her debut album ''
Anniemal
''Anniemal'' is the debut album by Norwegian singer Annie. It was first released by 679 Recordings in September 2004. Annie began recording music in 1999 with her boyfriend, Tore Kroknes, who died in 2001. She returned to recording later that ...
'' (2004).
After completing secondary school, Annie started DJing in
Bergen
Bergen (), historically Bjørgvin, is a city and municipality in Vestland county on the west coast of Norway. , its population is roughly 285,900. Bergen is the second-largest city in Norway. The municipality covers and is on the peninsula of ...
, where she met house producer and soon-to-be boyfriend Tore Kroknes. In 1999, Annie and Kroknes released the single "The Greatest Hit", which sold out in two days and became popular in Norwegian and British nightclubs. Before Annie and Kroknes could release an album, Kroknes died from a congenital heart defect in 2001. Annie went on to sign a record deal with Britain's
679 Recordings
679 Artists (formally known as Sixsevenine and 679 Recordings) was a Warner Music Group-owned record label based in London, England.
It was started by Nick Worthington who after leaving XL Recordings in 2001, started the company with Warner M ...
in 2003, releasing her debut album ''Anniemal'' in 2004, for which she received widespread critical acclaim and several Norwegian music awards. She released her second studio album, ''
Don't Stop'', on the
Smalltown Supersound
Smalltown Supersound is an independent record label, founded in Flekkefjord in 1993 and now based in Oslo, Norway. It is dedicated to new forms of jazz, rock and electronic music.
Their catalog features albums by Kelly Lee Owens, Deathprod, Nene ...
label in 2009. Annie lives in Berlin.
Annie has been described as "a pop singer with credibility, an indie artist with one eye on the dancefloor"
and as "the Norwegian
Kylie".
Annie describes her music as "pop with strange edges".
Early life
Annie was born in
Trondheim
Trondheim ( , , ; sma, Tråante), historically Kaupangen, Nidaros and Trondhjem (), is a city and municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. As of 2020, it had a population of 205,332, was the third most populous municipality in Norway, and ...
, Norway, and was raised in the coastal town of
Kristiansand
Kristiansand is a seaside resort city and municipality in Agder county, Norway. The city is the fifth-largest and the municipality the sixth-largest in Norway, with a population of around 112,000 as of January 2020, following the incorporation ...
. Annie's father, a church organist, died of cancer when Annie was 7. After a series of moves, Annie and her mother, a teacher of English and religion, moved to Norway's second largest city
Bergen
Bergen (), historically Bjørgvin, is a city and municipality in Vestland county on the west coast of Norway. , its population is roughly 285,900. Bergen is the second-largest city in Norway. The municipality covers and is on the peninsula of ...
when Annie was 13.
By this time, Annie sang in choirs.
At age 16, Annie and a group of friends formed Suitcase, an
indie rock
Indie rock is a Music subgenre, subgenre of rock music that originated in the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand from the 1970s to the 1980s. Originally used to describe independent record labels, the term became associated with the mu ...
band. Suitcase only performed once, before a panel of judges for a music competition where they did not reach the finals. A few years after Suitcase's inception, Annie left the band because "the other members wanted to make
trip hop
Trip hop (sometimes used synonymously with "downtempo") is a musical genre that originated in the early 1990s in the United Kingdom, especially Bristol. It has been described as a psychedelic music, psychedelic fusion of hip hop music, hip hop ...
."
Annie attended
secondary school
A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' secondary education, lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) ...
until around 1997, when she began to DJ around Bergen, getting acquainted with members of the Bergen music scene. During this time she met producer Mikal Tellé, owner of the Bergen-based Tellé
record label
A record label, or record company, is a brand or trademark of music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a publishing company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the produ ...
, and Norwegian
house
A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air condi ...
producer Tore Andreas Kroknes, known professionally as DJ Erot.
Music career
1999–2002: "Greatest Hit"
Annie and Kroknes became romantically involved, and began to collaborate musically. Annie's talent for writing melodies and vocals worked well with Kroknes's production skills.
Annie launched her solo singing career in 1999 with the single "Greatest Hit". The song was recorded after Annie played
Madonna
Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...
's song "
Everybody" for Kroknes, who was experiencing a creative block at the time. Kroknes sampled the song, and Annie started to sing a melody to it. They recorded and released the song under the ''Tellé'' label. The song saw a limited release of 500 7-inch singles, which sold out in two days. "Greatest Hit" became an underground club hit in Norway and the United Kingdom, and Annie received offers for record contracts. Annie reflects that she and Kroknes had recorded the song "for fun", but with the success of the single, Annie says, "I realized that I could actually make a living out of this."
Annie and Kroknes made plans to release an album and began recording "I Will Get On" in 2000. However, Kroknes, who was born with a degenerative heart condition, fell ill near the end of 2000 and was hospitalized repeatedly. In April 2001, Kroknes died of complications from his heart condition at the age of 23.
Annie told ''Clubbing Magazine'':
"After that, I was so depressed I just wasn't able to do anything. I stayed at home, away from everyone, completely in my own world. I wanted to make the album with Tore—that was the plan. After he died I just didn't think I had the heart. But then I thought, 'Right, you're really depressed now but you have to make this album. Tore would be quite pissed off if you just stopped doing anything.'"
After a hiatus from music, Annie returned to DJing and songwriting in late 2001, running a club night called Pop Till You Drop at the Agora nightclub in Bergen with DJ friend Fröken Blytt. Among the music acts booked for Pop Till You Drop were
Peaches
The peach (''Prunus persica'') is a deciduous tree first domesticated and cultivated in Zhejiang province of Eastern China. It bears edible juicy fruits with various characteristics, most called peaches and others (the glossy-skinned, non-fuz ...
, DJ Adam Mac, and Finnish DJ Timo Kaukolampi of
Op:l Bastards. Annie later DJed at Kaukolampi's own nightclub in
Helsinki
Helsinki ( or ; ; sv, Helsingfors, ) is the Capital city, capital, primate city, primate, and List of cities and towns in Finland, most populous city of Finland. Located on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, it is the seat of the region of U ...
and lent her vocals to some Op:l Bastards tracks.
2003–2005: ''Anniemal''
Annie was signed to British label
679 Recordings
679 Artists (formally known as Sixsevenine and 679 Recordings) was a Warner Music Group-owned record label based in London, England.
It was started by Nick Worthington who after leaving XL Recordings in 2001, started the company with Warner M ...
in March 2003. Annie recorded the track "Kiss Me" with Kaukolampi, and was approached by
Richard X
Richard Philips, better known by his stage name Richard X, is a British songwriter and music producer. Gaining attention as a pioneer of the bootleg craze, Richard X has earned success as a producer and remixer. He has helmed hit singles for arti ...
to record vocals for the track "Just Friends" on ''
Richard X Presents His X-Factor Vol. 1
''Richard X Presents His X-Factor Vol. 1'' is the debut compilation album by British pop producer Richard X. The album features 15 tracks all produced by Richard X, most of which feature guest vocals.
Track listing
# "Start" (Richard X)
# "Be ...
'', released in August 2003. In return, he and
Hannah Robinson
Hannah Robinson (born in Derbyshire) is a British songwriter. Her best-known compositions include Rachel Stevens's UK No. 2 hit "Some Girls", Ladyhawke's "My Delirium" and Annie's "Chewing Gum". Robinson began her career as a vocalist and in 2 ...
co-wrote "Chewing Gum" and "Me Plus One" for Annie. Annie and Richard X continued to work together, releasing the single "Chewing Gum" in Annie's name in September 2004. The track was named single of the week by ''
NME
''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...
'' soon after its release, and charted in the UK at number 25.
![AnnieTeatergarasjen1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/67/AnnieTeatergarasjen1.jpg)
Later that year, Annie released her debut CD ''
Anniemal
''Anniemal'' is the debut album by Norwegian singer Annie. It was first released by 679 Recordings in September 2004. Annie began recording music in 1999 with her boyfriend, Tore Kroknes, who died in 2001. She returned to recording later that ...
'', collaborating with Timo Kaukolampi, Richard X, and fellow Norwegians
Röyksopp
Röyksopp (), a Norwegian electronic music duo from Tromsø formed in 1998. The duo consists of Svein Berge and Torbjørn Brundtland.
Berge and Brundtland were introduced to each other through a mutual friend in Tromsø, Norway. They enjoye ...
. The album featured "The Greatest Hit", "Chewing Gum", and the album's second single "
Heartbeat". The song, produced by Röyksopp, was voted number one on ''
Pitchfork
A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves.
The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to th ...
s Top 50 Singles of 2004 list, before the song was officially released. "Chewing Gum" held the number-eleven spot on that same list. "Heartbeat" was remixed by Canadian electronic duo
MSTRKRFT in 2005.
In 2005, Annie won several awards for her work, including Best Pop Album and Best Newcomer at the Norwegian Alarm Awards. "Chewing Gum" had also been nominated for Song of the Year. In addition, Annie won the Best Newcomer award at the prestigious ''
Spellemannprisen
Spellemannprisen, often referred to as the Norwegian Grammy Awards in English, is a Norwegian music award presented to Norwegian musicians. The award was established by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), an organizati ...
''. Annie's 5 February performance at the Alarm Awards was one of the first live performances of her solo career.
Annie toured around the world in 2005 to promote ''Anniemal'', including a brief stint opening for
Saint Etienne, to whom she had sent a
demo tape
A demo (shortened from "demonstration") is a song or group of songs typically recorded for limited circulation or for reference use, rather than for general public release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas in a fixed for ...
while still in Suitcase in 1996. Annie performed at sold out club venues in the United States in 2005, and returned to the US later that year.
In 2005, Annie released a DJ mix album as part of
!K7's
DJ-Kicks series. Around this time, she began a record label called ''Totally'', with Timo Kaukolampi, and planned to release a 12-inch single with Datarock. She also provided vocals for the
Teddybears track "Yours to Keep" as well as the Ercola track "Follow Me", and re-recorded her songs "Chewing Gum" and "Heartbeat" in
Simlish
Simlish is a fictional language featured in EA's ''Sim'' series of games. It debuted in ''SimCopter'' (1996), and has been especially prominent in ''The Sims'' franchise, as well as in its spinoff ''MySims'' series. Simlish can also be heard ...
for ''
The Sims 2: Nightlife'' Danish and Norwegian versions.
2006–2010: ''Don't Stop''
In January 2007, Annie signed an international deal with
Island Records
Island Records is a multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It was founded in 1959 by Chris Blackwell, Graeme Goodall, and Leslie Kong in Jamaica, and was eventually sold to PolyGram in 1989. Island and A&M Records, anoth ...
, owned by
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as just Universal Music) is a Dutch– American multinational music corporation under Dutch law. UMG's corporate headquarters are located in Hilversum, Netherlands and its ...
. She had planned to release her second album, ''
Don't Stop'', in September 2008, preceded by the Richard X-produced single "
I Know UR Girlfriend Hates Me", after she finished touring on the Popjustice Wonky Pop Tour. In November 2008, Annie announced that due to internal problems within the label, she had decided to part ways with Island Records; in interviews following the eventual release of ''Don't Stop'', Annie explained that her original A&R agent at the label, Nick Gatfield, left to join EMI UK, and Annie left the label because her new agent was not enthusiastic about her work.
Although this left her second album's future uncertain, she retained legal control over the songs she recorded during her contracted period with the label. ''
Verdens Gang
''Verdens Gang'' ("The course of the world"), generally known under the abbreviation ''VG'', is a Norwegian tabloid newspaper. In 2016, circulation numbers stood at 93,883, having declined from a peak circulation of 390,510 in 2002. ''VG'' is n ...
'' suggested that the split with the label was precipitated by the poor chart performance of "I Know UR Girlfriend Hates Me",
which charted at number 54 in the UK. ''Don't Stop'' leaked in its original incarnation in 2008.
After her departure from Island Records, Annie released a new single, "
Anthonio", via producer Richard X's Pleasure Masters label in May 2009. The song tells the story of a holiday affair between Annie and the title character; Annie described the song as "the ultimate summer track".
In August 2009, Pitchfork announced that ''Don't Stop'' would be released via
independent label
An independent record label (or indie label) is a record label that operates without the funding or distribution of major record labels; they are a type of small- to medium-sized enterprise, or SME. The labels and artists are often represented ...
Smalltown Supersound
Smalltown Supersound is an independent record label, founded in Flekkefjord in 1993 and now based in Oslo, Norway. It is dedicated to new forms of jazz, rock and electronic music.
Their catalog features albums by Kelly Lee Owens, Deathprod, Nene ...
and Annie's own label Totally Records.
It came out in the UK on 19 October 2009 and in the US on 17 November.
''Don't Stop'' includes collaborations with former collaborators Richard X and Timo Kaukolampi, as well as British producers
Xenomania
Xenomania is an English songwriting and production team founded by Brian Higgins and based in Kent, England. Formed by Higgins with his Creative Director Miranda Cooper and Business Director Sarah Stennett of First Access Entertainment, Xenoman ...
and
Paul Epworth
Paul Richard Epworth (born 25 July 1974) is an English record producer, songwriter, musician, and remixer. He has worked with artists including Adele, Florence and the Machine, Rihanna, and Maxïmo Park, among many others. He is a member o ...
. The album's release was preceded by two digital singles: "
Songs Remind Me of You", a Richard X production, and "
My Love Is Better
''Don't Stop'' is the second studio album by Norwegian singer Annie. Originally intended for a 2008 release on UK-based label Island Records, the planned release date was pushed back. Annie left Island for Norwegian independent label Smalltown S ...
", which was produced by Xenomania and features guitar from
Alex Kapranos
Alexander Paul Kapranos Huntley (born 20 March 1972) is a Scottish musician, singer, songwriter, record producer and author. He is best known as the lead singer and guitarist of Scottish rock band Franz Ferdinand. He has also been a part of the ...
of
Franz Ferdinand
Archduke Franz Ferdinand Carl Ludwig Joseph Maria of Austria, (18 December 1863 – 28 June 1914) was the heir presumptive to the throne of Austria-Hungary. His assassination in Sarajevo was the most immediate cause of World War I.
F ...
. The latter initially featured backing vocals by British pop group
Girls Aloud
Girls Aloud were an pop girl group that was created through the ITV talent show '' Popstars: The Rivals'' in 2002. The group comprised singers Cheryl, Nadine Coyle, Sarah Harding, Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh. The group achieved a str ...
, but their record label intervened.
Annie co-wrote
Mini Viva
Mini Viva were an English pop duo formed in 2008 by British songwriting and production team Xenomania. They were managed by 19 Entertainment and signed to Geffen Records, Geffen and Polydor Records. Consisting of Frankee Connolly and Britt Love ...
's debut single "
Left My Heart in Tokyo
"Left My Heart in Tokyo" is a song by British girl group Mini Viva, co-written by Norwegian singer Annie and French remixer Fred Falke and produced by Brian Higgins and his production team Xenomania. The song was released as Mini Viva's debut ...
", released in September 2009 and produced by Xenomania.
2010–2020: ''The A&R EP'' / ''Endless Vacation EP''
In October 2010, Xenomania's News Blog reported that Annie was back in the studio recording her follow-up to 2009's "Don't Stop". Annie started recording in August 2010 with
Brian Higgins
Brian Michael Higgins (born October 6, 1959) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for , serving since 2005. The district, numbered as the 27th district from 2005 to 2013 but as the 26th since 2013, includes Buffalo and Ni ...
at Xenomania's studios in
Kent
Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...
, England. During 2010, she also contributed vocals to the song "Crazy for You" by New York electro duo Designer Drugs (who remixed her track "Anthonio") for their debut album ''Hardcore/Softcore'', released in February 2011 and to "Alien Summer" by French producer The Toxic Avenger, for their album ''Angst'' released on 18 May 2011. By the second half of 2011, Annie began working on ''The Night Within Us!'', an EP that was slated for an early 2012 release. The
Skatebård-produced title track and soon-to-be single "The Night Within", is the theme song for an homonymous short film by Hildegunn Waerness and part of an interdisciplinary project by Norwegian artist
Bjarne Melgaard
Bjarne Melgaard (born 9 September 1967) is a Norwegians, Norwegian artist based in New York City. He has been described as "one of Norway's most important artists" and, following the 2014 publicity about his sculpture ''Chair'', "the most famous No ...
. The installation and set of paintings, exhibited on the Guido W. Baudach gallery in Berlin from 26 November 2011 to 25 February 2012, are based on the lyrics and theme of the song, which "deal with love and loss", and capture "the existential need for human tenderness, trust and partnership on one hand, and the painful realisation of lies, deceit and abandonment", all of which have been somewhat present on Melgaard's work. A video has been done for the song, based almost entirely on the exhibition.
Annie released the single "Tubestops and Lonely Hearts" on 26 April 2013. The track is a "song for the dance floor", and is "inspired by the rave scene in Bergen".
''
The A&R EP'' was released on 29 July 2013, and features the single "Back Together".
On 7 February 2014, Annie released "Russian Kiss", a song with Bjarne Melgaard and Richard X, which condemns Russia's
anti-gay laws.
On 20 and 21 August 2014, Annie was a guest member of the jury on ''
Idol Norway''.
On 16 October 2015, Annie released an EP entitled ''Endless Vacation''.
2020–present: ''Dark Hearts'' and ''Neon Nights''
On 19 June 2020, Annie announced her third studio album and first new LP in 11 years, ''
Dark Hearts''. Describing the ambiance of the album, Annie said the LP is "the soundtrack to a film that doesn't exist." The first single from the album, "American Cars", was released on the same day. ''Dark Hearts'' was produced by Stefan Storm of the Swedish
synth-pop
Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a subgenre of new wave music that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s ...
duo
the Sound of Arrows
The Sound of Arrows are a Swedish electronic music duo originally from Gävle, and now based in Stockholm. The duo, consisting of Oskar Gullstrand and Stefan Storm, have remixed tracks for artists such as Lady Gaga, Alphabeat, The Naked and Fa ...
, and was self-released through Annie's Anniemelody label on 16 October 2020. The second single from the album, "The Bomb", was released on 17 July 2020.
In July 2021, Annie announced the release of the EP ''Neon Nights'' featuring the already released titled track and a cover of
the Jesus and Mary Chain
The Jesus and Mary Chain are a Scottish alternative rock band formed in East Kilbride in 1983. The band revolves around the songwriting partnership of brothers Jim and William Reid. After signing to independent label Creation Records, they rele ...
's song "
Just Like Honey
"Just Like Honey" is a song by the Scottish alternative rock band The Jesus and Mary Chain from their 1985 debut album '' Psychocandy''. The track was released as the third single from the record through Blanco y Negro Records in September 1985. ...
".
Personal life
Annie lives in Berlin, where she moved after being evicted from the apartment in Bergen she was living in because it was going to be turned into a hotel. She owned a cat named Joey, whom she named after both
Joey Ramone
Jeffrey Ross Hyman (May 19, 1951 – April 15, 2001), known professionally as Joey Ramone, was an American musician, best known as the lead singer and a founding member of the punk rock band Ramones. His image, voice, and his tenure with the R ...
and
Joey McIntyre
Joseph Mulrey McIntyre (born December 31, 1972) is an American singer-songwriter and actor. He is best known as the youngest member of the pioneering boy band, New Kids on the Block. He has sold over one million records worldwide as a solo a ...
of
New Kids on the Block
New Kids on the Block (also initialized as NKOTB) is an American boy band from Dorchester, Massachusetts. The band consists of brothers Jonathan and Jordan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, and Danny Wood. New Kids on the Block enjoy ...
.
Joey died on 29 January 2010. Annie is an avid reader and follows global politics. She is friends with musician
Peaches
The peach (''Prunus persica'') is a deciduous tree first domesticated and cultivated in Zhejiang province of Eastern China. It bears edible juicy fruits with various characteristics, most called peaches and others (the glossy-skinned, non-fuz ...
. Her musical influences include
Madonna
Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...
,
Saint Etienne, the
Pet Shop Boys
The Pet Shop Boys are an English synth-pop duo formed in London in 1981. Consisting of primary vocalist Neil Tennant and keyboardist Chris Lowe, they have sold more than 50 million records worldwide, and were listed as the most successful duo i ...
, and
Kate Bush
Catherine Bush (born 30 July 1958) is an English singer, songwriter, record producer and dancer. In 1978, at the age of 19, she topped the UK Singles Chart for four weeks with her debut single "Wuthering Heights (song), Wuthering Heights", ...
.
She has a green belt in karate.
Discography
* ''
Anniemal
''Anniemal'' is the debut album by Norwegian singer Annie. It was first released by 679 Recordings in September 2004. Annie began recording music in 1999 with her boyfriend, Tore Kroknes, who died in 2001. She returned to recording later that ...
'' (2004)
* ''
Don't Stop'' (2009)
* ''
Dark Hearts'' (2020)
References
External links
*
*
Annie interview with ''Anthem'' magazine
{{DEFAULTSORT:Annie
1977 births
Women DJs
Living people
Musicians from Bergen
Musicians from Kristiansand
Musicians from Trondheim
Norwegian dance musicians
Norwegian DJs
Norwegian expatriates in Germany
Norwegian female karateka
Norwegian pop singers
Norwegian record producers
Women record producers
Norwegian singer-songwriters
Spellemannprisen winners
Synth-pop singers
679 Artists artists
Island Records artists
Smalltown Supersound artists
20th-century Norwegian women singers
Electronic dance music DJs
21st-century Norwegian women singers
21st-century Norwegian singers
Norwegian women in electronic music