Hera Björk
Hera Björk | |
|---|---|
 Hera Björk in Oslo in 2010 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Hera Björk Þórhallsdóttir |
| Born | 29 March 1972 Reykjavík, Iceland |
| Genres |
|
| Occupation(s) |
|
| Years active | 1986–present |
| Labels | HandsUpMusic |
| Website | www |
Hera Björk Þórhallsdóttir (born 29 March 1972) is an Icelandic singer/Songwriter & CVT Coach. She is known outside Iceland for representing Iceland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2010 with the song "Je ne sais quoi" and her participation at Viña del Mar International Song Festival 2013, in Chile. She represented Iceland in the International Competition and she won in the Best Song category.[1]
Biography[]
Hera Björk was born in Reykjavík, Iceland on March 29, 1972. Music runs in the family as her mother is a well-known singer; Hera Björk herself started performing at a young age - she had already recorded some children's songs and appeared in television commercials before her twelfth birthday. She won her first singing competition in 1988 aged just sixteen, and was the second runner-up in the 1991 nationwide College Singing Competition. This led to her being offered roles in various musicals, including The Rocky Horror Show, Evita, Little Shop of Horrors and Kiss Me Kate. She participated in the ‘Sirkus Skara Skrípó’ (‘Skari’s Comedy Circus’) variety show in 1996-1997, and joined a number of ephemeral groups, namely Orgill, Sweetý and 17 Vélar, before releasing two acclaimed albums ‘Ilmur af jólum’ (‘The Scent of Christmas’) in 2000 and her eponymous album‘Hera Björk’ in 2006. Her 3rd album “Je Ne Sais Quoi” was released in 2010 to coincide with the Oslo Eurovision Song Contest. In 2013 Hera Björk participated in the South American Song Contest “Festival Vina del Mar” with her song “Because you can”. She won 1st place in the Competition and was rewarded with the much renowned price “La Gaviota”. She released her 4th album ‘Ilmur af jólum II’ (‘The Scent of Christmas II’) that same year. Hera Björk lived and worked in Chile in 2014 & 2015.
Hera Björk became a household name in Iceland when she co-hosted the variety TV show ‘Stutt í spunann’ (a version of ‘Whose Line Is It Anyway?’) during the winter of 1999-2000. She has been a regular star of various radio and television shows ever since, and is famous for her extraordinary vocal range as well as her seemingly effortless ability to glide from one vocal style to another.
Hera Björk began studying vocal techniques at the Reykjavík Academy of Singing and Vocal Arts in 1989 under the tutelage of Rut Magnússon, Bergþór Pálsson, Elín Ósk Óskarsdóttir and Erna Guðmundsdóttir, among others. She relocated to Copenhagen in 2004 to study advanced singing technique at the Complete Vocal Institute (CVI), pioneered by the institute's founder Cathrine Sadolin. The process is designed to develop technical and artistic skills and solve vocal problems; it restores overworked vocal cords and tackles voice coaching and production. After graduating as a certified CVI teacher she gave masterclasses and delivered courses all over Europe as well as working as a vocal coach for television and stage. She also found time to contribute vocals to Björk's magnificent, and entirely a cappella 2004 album ‘Medúlla’ and toured with Björk in Europe with the Medúlla project. From 2007-2013 Hera Björk has been one of the Icelandic Frostroses, bringing the holiday spirit to audience all over Iceland with Christmas songs and hymns. Every year since 2013 Hera Björk has hosted a Grand Christmas Concert in Reykjavík.
Hera Björk competed in the Icelandic Eurovision preselection contest in 2007, was a vocal coach and backing vocalist for the Icelandic Eurovision entries in 2008, 2009 and 2015. She participated in Dansk Melodi Grand Prix 2009 with the fan favourite"Someday", placing second, and won the OGAE Second Chance Contest 2009. She represented Iceland at Eurovision Song Contest 2010 with the song "Je ne sais quoi".[2] which became very popular all over Europe, a huge hit among the fans and is still among the fans favorite ESC songs. In 2019 she participated again in the Icelandic pre-selection with the co-written powerballad "Moving On".
She has toured with Björk and Sigur Rós.
Discography[]
Albums[]
- 1999: "Litla Hryllingsbúðin (Little shop of Horror)", "Alltaf í Boltanum - Áfram Ísland", "Principium -Schola Cantorum"
- 2000: "Ilmur af Jólum / The Scent of Christmas", " Disneylögin"
- 2001: "Landslag Bylgjunnar - Engum nema þér", "Audi Creator Coeli"
- 2002: "Svarta Platan", "Á Jólunum"
- 2003: "Í faðmi þínum"
- 2004: "Við gefum von"
- 2006: Hera Björk solo album
- 2007: "Montagne Azzurre - Leone Tinganelli"
- 2008: The Frostroses - Live in Concert",
- 2009: "The Frostroses - Heyr himnasmiður", "Ást og Tregi - Heimir Sindrason", "Húm (söngvar um ástina og lífið) -Stefán Hilmarsson"
- 2010: Je Ne Sais Quoi
- 2013: Because You Can, "Ilmur af jólum 2"
Singles[]
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Album | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ICE | BEL | FIN | SWE | |||
| 2009 | "Someday" | — | — | — | — | |
| 2010 | "Je ne sais quoi" | 1 | 27 | 8 | 49 | Je ne sais quoi |
| 2011 | "Finnum Astina" | — | — | — | — | |
| 2013 | "Because You Can" | 21 | — | — | — | Because You Can |
References[]
- ^ "Viña 2013". Archived from the original on 5 March 2013. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
- ^ "Hera Björk to Oslo!". EBU. 2010-02-06.
External links[]
Media related to Hera Björk at Wikimedia Commons
| show Authority control  |
|---|
- 1972 births
- Living people
- Eurovision Song Contest entrants of 2010
- Dansk Melodi Grand Prix contestants
- Dansk Melodi Grand Prix winners
- Musicians from Reykjavík
- 21st-century Icelandic women singers