Carl-Henning William "Wille" Crafoord (born 8 February 1966) is a
Swedish
Swedish or ' may refer to:
Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically:
* Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland
** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...
composer, songwriter, singer and rap artist. He became known in the late 1980s for introducing
hip hop music in Sweden to a wider audience through his rap group Just D.
He was a member of the group between 1989 and 1995. He has released several solo albums, and in 1997 he was awarded the Karamelodiktstipendiet. Just D was awarded the music award
Rockbjörnen
Rockbjörnen (Swedish: ''the Rock Bear'') is a music prize in Sweden, divided into several categories, which is awarded annually by the newspaper ''Aftonbladet''. The prize was first awarded in 1979, and is mostly centered on pop and rock.
In 2 ...
in 1995. He has twice participated in
Melodifestivalen both as a performer and songwriter.
Early life
Crafoord is the son of
psychiatrist Clarence Crafoord and Margareta Crafoord.
His paternal grand mother, Elsa, née Kumlin, was a sister to the maternal grand father of English pop singer
Leona Naess
Leona Kristina Naess (or Næss) (born 31 July 1974) is an English singer and songwriter. She released her debut album, '' Comatised'', in March 2000, which produced the single "Charm Attack" (Adult Top 40 #29).
Biography Early life
Naess was ...
, making them second cousins.
Career
Along with Peder Ernerot and Gustave Lund he formed the hip hop group Just D and played in it between 1989 and 1996.
They were awarded several gold records,
Swedish Grammys and a Rockbjörnen award
for albums such as ''Svenska Ord'', ''Rock'n'Roll'', ''Tre Amigos'' and ''Plast''. Among their music singles were "Juligen", "Relalalaxa", "Hur E D Möjligt?", "Grannar", "Låt D goda rulla", "Vart tog den söta lilla flickan vägen?" and "Tre gringos".
After Just D, Crafoord released the solo albums ''Samma typ av annorlunda saker'', ''Den där skivan'', ''Om det så går under går det över'' and ''Live at Riddarhuset''. He has cooperated with musicians like
Bo Kaspers Orkester
Bo Kaspers Orkester is a Swedish pop-rock band with strong influences of jazz, formed in 1991. Consist of Bo Sundström, Fredrik Dahl, Michael Malmgren and Mats Schubert and won a Grammis award in 1998 for ''artist of the year''.
Discography Alb ...
,
Nanne Grönvall
Marianne Elisabeth Grönwall (, née ''Nordqvist''; born 18 May 1962), known by her stage name Nanne (), is a Swedish singer-songwriter.
Biography
Grönvall's musical career started in the 1980s group Sound of Music. The trio participated twice ...
and
Magnus Lindberg
Magnus Gustaf Adolf Lindberg (born 27 June 1958) is a Finnish composer and pianist. He was the New York Philharmonic's composer-in-residence from 2009 to 2012 and has been the London Philharmonic Orchestra's composer-in-residence since the beg ...
,
and has appeared in, written and directed several shows like ''Den Dära Showen'', ''Django & jag'' and ''Snurra min jord'' that were staged at
Vasateatern
Vasateatern or ''"Vasan"'' (English: ''Vasa Theatre'') is a private theatre in Stockholm, Sweden. It is located at Vasagatan 19–21 in central Stockholm.
History
The theater was designed by Fredrik Ekberg (1837- 1898) and inaugurated in 1886. ...
(The Vasa Theatre) between 2008 and 2009.
In 1997, he was awarded the Karamelodiktstipendiet which had been initiated by
Povel Ramel
Baron Povel Karl Henric Ramel (; 1 June 1922 – 5 June 2007) was a Swedish entertainer. Ramel was a singer, pianist, vaudeville artist, author and a novelty song composer. His style was characterized by imaginative wit, both verbal and musical ...
. That same year he participated in
Melodifestivalen 1997
Sweden was represented by Blond in the Eurovision Song Contest 1997 with the song "Bara hon älskar mig".
Before Eurovision
Melodifestivalen 1997
Melodifestivalen 1997 was the selection for the 37th song to represent Sweden at the Eurovision ...
performing the song "Missarna" and placing third with 65 points. He composed and performed the song "Adam & Eva" for
the film of the same name in 1997. In 1999, he won a Swedish Grammy award for Best Lyrics for the songs "Allround", "När träden slår ut" and "Vad gjorde du i de dära rummet?". He returned to
Melodifestivalen 2008
Melodifestivalen 2008 was the 47th Melodifestivalen, and the selection process for the 48th song to represent Sweden at the Eurovision Song Contest.
A new rule—''Lex Agnes''—went into effect in 2008 calling for each submitted entry to inclu ...
as a songwriter with the song "
Alla gamla X", which placed eighth, and last, in the first semifinal.
Along with
Johan Johansson,
Strindbergs and , in 2003 he formed the rap group Griniga Gamla Gubbar, and started rapping in Swedish again. In 2004 he wrote the titular music to the series ''Om Stig Petrés hemlighet'', and in 2006 he wrote the music and lyrics and performed the song for the children's TV show ''Nicke Nyfiken''. Crafoord has also worked in television, presenting ''Grammisgalan'' in 2005, and ''Knesset'' on
ZTV in 1995.
In 2008, Crafoord launched the Hovturnén, an annual concert tour where the singers and performers travel by horseback between gigs in
Skåne.
Among the singers who have participated in the project are:
Dogge Doggelito,
Bengan Janson,
Rickard Söderberg,
Tina Ahlin
Katrina "Tina" Ahlin, (born 6 July 1967) is a Swedish composer, pianist and singer. She was born in Tyresö and got her education at Stockholms Musikgymnasium, Adolf Fredrik's School of Music and Kommunala musikinstitutet. She has collaborated ...
,
Arja Saijonmaa Mikael Samuelson
Mikael Gustaf Lennart Samuelson (born 9 March 1951) is a Swedish baritone opera singer, actor, and composer.
Samuelson, born in Njutånger in Hälsingland, central Sweden, is the son of the musician and music arranger . Mikael Samuelson has ...
, Monica Silverstrand,
Lill Lindfors
Maj Lillemor "Lill" Lindfors (born 12 May 1940) is a Swedish singer who has performed in Scandinavia since the 1960s.
Career
She was born in Helsinki, Finland, and made her debut as a revue actress in Uddevalla in 1960. The following year s ...
,
Staffan Hellstrand
Staffan Hellstrand, ''Mats Eric Staffan Hellstrand'', born 13 May 1956 in Stockholm, Sweden is a Swedish singer, rock musician (guitar, harmonica, keyboard instrument, keyboard), songwriter and record producer. He has scored record successes at the ...
,
Anna Bergendahl
Anna Henrietta Bergendahl (born 11 December 1991) is a Swedish singer and songwriter. She took part in Swedish TV4 music program ''Super Troupers'' in 2004, and in '' Idol 2008'' where she reached the Final 5 before being eliminated.
In 2009, ...
, Mikael Ramel,
Gunhild Carling
Gunhild Carling (born 7 May 1975) is a Swedish jazz musician and multi-instrumentalist. She is well known for playing trombone.
Career
Carling became known for her performance at Allsång på Skansen on 20 July 2010. The same year, she became a ...
,
Linda Bengtzing
Linda Birgitta Bengtzing (born 13 March 1974) is a Swedish pop singer famous for her participation in the fourth season of ''Fame Factory'' in Sweden and for her entries at Melodifestivalen 2005, 2006, 2008, 2011, 2014, 2016, 2020 and 2022.
...
,
Christer Sandelin
Christer Eric Sandelin (born 5 November 1961) is a Swedish singer, songwriter and musician. He has been a part of two groups. In 1978, he was in the Swedish group Freestyle with Tommy Ekman, Joakim Hagleitner, Gigi Hamilton, Diane Söderholm an ...
,
Gunhild Carling
Gunhild Carling (born 7 May 1975) is a Swedish jazz musician and multi-instrumentalist. She is well known for playing trombone.
Career
Carling became known for her performance at Allsång på Skansen on 20 July 2010. The same year, she became a ...
, Marika Willstedt, Jonas Sjöblom, Olle Lindner,
Dan Hylander
Dan Owe Michael Hylander known as Dan Hylander (born 21 June 1954 in Malmö, Sweden) is a Swedish songwriter, pop and rock singer and guitarist. He has collaborated prominently with Py Bäckman and the band Raj Montana Band, which served as a ba ...
,
Nanne Grönvall
Marianne Elisabeth Grönwall (, née ''Nordqvist''; born 18 May 1962), known by her stage name Nanne (), is a Swedish singer-songwriter.
Biography
Grönvall's musical career started in the 1980s group Sound of Music. The trio participated twice ...
and
Gunhild Carling
Gunhild Carling (born 7 May 1975) is a Swedish jazz musician and multi-instrumentalist. She is well known for playing trombone.
Career
Carling became known for her performance at Allsång på Skansen on 20 July 2010. The same year, she became a ...
.
Personal life
Crafoord is married to lawyer Karin Crafoord with whom he has two sons. He also has a son from his previous marriage to television personality
Josefin Crafoord, and a daughter from his marriage with
Sanna Lundell.
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Crafoord, Wille
Swedish male singers
Living people
1966 births
Musicians from Stockholm