Vikings, quirky traditions, beautiful landscapes, and quality architectural designs… These are probably the first things that come to mind about Denmark.
You would probably not think about the country’s music and artists. However, Denmark has some of the most renowned and talented people to walk the face of the earth.
You may be surprised to find that some of the singers you know are actually born in Denmark. In fact, you may be a huge fan of some of these artists but are oblivious to their Danish heritage.
Let’s look at 10 of the greatest and most famous Danish singers, their careers, and their catchy timeless songs. Have fun reading!
1. Kim Larsen
Born in 1945 in Copenhagen, Kim Larsen is perhaps the greatest Danish singer of all time. The rock and pop artist had a successful music career. It spanned over five decades, with over 5 million albums sold globally.
With a passion for rock and roll, Larsen started his music career journey in 1969. He formed the band Gasolin’ alongside Franz Beckerlee and Wili Jønsson. The band had a successful decade. It dominated the charts and filled arenas before dissolving in 1970.
Larsen created various bands and did intermittent solo stints, where he released iconic albums.
Larsen’s success in music is attributed to hypnotizing vocals, guitar skills, and incredible songwriting. He often composed protest songs advocating for everyone’s right to be themselves. Fortunately, this resonated with his audience. He died of prostate cancer in 2018, ending a long and influential career.
2. Lukas Forchhammer
One can describe Lukas Forchhammer as a multitalented singer, instrumentalist, songwriter, and former actor. He grew up in Freetown Christiania, in Copenhagen.
Like most artists, Forchhammer is not known by his real name. He is mainly recognized as the lead singer and instrumentalist for the Danish band Lukas Graham.
Forchhammer formed the band in 2011, and their first album, Then We Take The World, was released in 2012. It dominated the Danish charts, peaking at #1.
Lukas gained worldwide acclaim with his hit songs “Mama Said,” released in 2014, and “7 years,” released in 2015. The iconic songs put him on the map.
3. MØ
Born Karen Marie Aagaard Ørsted Andersen in Odense, Denmark, MØ is among the most popular Danish musicians today. With over a decade and a half career, she has several global hits to her name.
MØ started her music career as early as 2006. However, she came into the limelight in 2015 after collaborating with Major Lazer on the single “Lean On.” She co-wrote and provided vocals for the song, whose brilliance is undeniable.
The catchy tune showcased her unique vocals. It dominated several global charts and invited collaborations from international artists such as Justin Bieber.
With the newly found fame, MØ has released various solo singles, including “Final Song.” This is one of her best works yet.
4. Martin Jensen
Scandinavian artists are generally known for releasing great house and dance music. Martin Jensen represents the top Danish artists in this genre.
Born in Silkeborg, Denmark, Jensen started his music career in 2014 and has been active for almost a decade. He is best known for his hit single “Solo Dance.” This was produced and released in 2016 and became one of the most-played songs in the year. It had over a million streams a day on Spotify.
Over the years, Jensen has built a name for himself in house music and continues enjoying global success. He was ranked among the top fifty DJs in the world in 2019.
5. Jascha Richter
You can’t talk about pop and rock music without mentioning Jascha Richter. He is one of the field’s most influential singers and songwriters. Although born in New Hampshire, US, his family moved back to Denmark. Richter is both an American and Danish citizen.
Richter is best known as the lead vocalist and songwriter for the famous Danish rock band Michael Learns to Rock. He also plays the keyboard, cello, guitar, and flute for the band.
Jensen gained international recognition after his band released their second studio album, Colours. It included two of the greatest pop-rock hits that he wrote, “Sleeping Child” and “25 Minutes.”
6. Eivør
Multitalented singers are rare, but Denmark doesn’t have a shortage of them. Eivør Pálsdóttir, recognized as Eivør, is one of those renowned Danish singers with talents spreading across multiple fields.
The Syðrugøta-born singer has 17 albums and numerous music awards. This success can be attributed to the early launch of her music career.
Eivør started performing before a live audience at the age of 13. Over the years, she has expanded her music catalog over various genres, including art pop, electropop, folk rock, jazz, and classical. Eivør also has a successful acting career, appearing in films such as 111 Góðir Dagar.
7. Aura Dione
One of the best female Danish recording artists is Maria Louise Joensen. Born in Copenhagen, Joensen is better known by her stage name, Aura Dione. She has four studio recorded albums, several singles, and an enormous fan base accrued over her decade-and-a-half career.
Aura started her music career in 2007 with her first single, “Something from Nothing.” She released her first album, Columbine, the following year. This album paved the way for her international recognition.
Not only that. Columbine has won various Danish awards. The hit single “I Will Love You Monday (365)” gained over 80 million views and platinum certification.
8. Christopher Lund
The next singer on our list is Christopher Lund. He is a popular pop Danish artist born and raised in the Capital Region of Denmark. He has gained international popularity with his beautiful vocals.
Lund has been active in the music industry since 2011. He had received the New Thinker of the Year award from Spotify and won another award at the Danish Music Awards.
Since then, he has released five albums. His rise to fame is credited to his debut single, “Against the Odds,” which peaked at #23 on the Danish Singles Chart.
Lund’s subsequent releases were equally successful, propelling the artist to international platforms.
9. Michael Poulsen
Most popular Danish artists are famous for singing pop songs and other soft genres. However, Michael Poulsen is an exception. This musician is renowned for being the lead guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter for the metal band Volbeat.
Poulsen was born in Slagelse and grew up in Ringsted, Denmark. During his teen years, he enjoyed listening to metal bands such as Death, Black Sabbath, and Metallica. The bands greatly influenced his musical path.
At seventeen, Poulsen moved to the Danish capital and established his first band, Dominus, in 1994. The band lasted six years before Poulsen started Volbeat, shifting to a more rock and roll sound.
Volbeat’s debut album reached #18 on the Danish charts. At the same time, it propelled Poulsen to countrywide recognition. That was the first time a metal band got into the top 20 in two decades.
10. Agnes Obel
Famous singer and songwriter Agnes Obel was born in Gentofte, Copenhagen. She is based in Berlin, Germany, and boasts a music career spanning over three decades.
Born Agnes Caroline Thaarup Obel, she started her musical journey in childhood when she joined a small band. She offered vocals and played the bass guitar at just ten years.
This musical passion extended to her high school years, where she played music a lot. Consequently, she dropped out to focus on her music career.
Obel’s rise to fame came when she released her debut album Philharmonics in 2010. It won her five awards in the Danish Music Awards.
Summing Up Our List Of Great Danish Singers
While it may come as a surprise, the Danish have plenty of talent in the music industry. Denmark has truly blessed the world with multiple artists catering to different genres.
Some of these personalities may not be familiar to you. Even then, we hope that you have found some new favorite songs to listen to.
Once you check out their songs, you’ll agree with us about how talented these Danish singers are.
