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Sigrid Solbakk Raabe (born 5 September 1996), known professionally as Sigrid, is a Norwegian singer and songwriter. She has released two studio albums, Sucker Punch (2019) and How to Let Go (2022), both of which reached the top of the charts in Norway as well as reaching the top 10 in the United Kingdom. She has also released three EPs.

Quick Facts Born, Occupations ...
Sigrid
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Sigrid performing at Oslo Spektrum in 2022
Born
Sigrid Solbakk Raabe

(1996-09-05) 5 September 1996 (age 28)
Ålesund, Norway
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
Years active2013–present
RelativesTellef Raabe (brother)
Musical career
Genres
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • piano
  • guitar
Labels
Websitethisissigrid.com
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Early life

Sigrid Solbakk Raabe was born in Ålesund to Håkon Raabe and Anette Sølberg Solbakk on 5 September 1996. She has two older siblings, a brother, Tellef, who is also a musician, and a sister, Johanne.[1] At her first performance, in kindergarten, she had to be pulled off the stage after crying.[2] She began playing the piano at age 7 and began singing at age 13.[3][4] When she was 13, she performed a version of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit".[2] In her early youth, she planned to become a teacher or lawyer or journalist, thinking a career in music would be too uncertain.[4][2][5]

In her first year of high school, she realized that music was more than just a hobby.[4] When she was 17, she and her sister Johanne started a band called Sala Says Mhyp, which was named after their late cat, Sala.[6] After finishing high school in Ålesund, Sigrid moved to Bergen for its indie music scene, living in a shared flat with her brother and friends.[6][3] She began studying comparative politics at university, but soon dropped out to pursue her music career.[7]

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Career

At the age of 16 she wrote her first song, "Sun", after her brother, Tellef Raabe, who is also a musician, told her to stop performing cover versions of Adele songs at performances and challenged her to write a song that she could perform at one of his gigs.[3][2] In 2013, she released "Sun" as her debut single.[8] The song received airplay on Norwegian radio stations.[3] She signed to Petroleum Records the following year and performed at festivals such as Øyafestivalen.[9]

In 2016, in partnership with Martin Sjølie, she wrote "Don't Kill My Vibe", inspired by an incident where a producer belittled and patronized her in a songwriting session.[3] After executives at Island Records heard the song, they immediately signed her to a recording contract.[3] On 5 May 2017 she released her debut EP which was named after the song.[3][10] The EP charted in Norway, Australia, and the United Kingdom.[11][12][13][14] In the spring and summer of 2017, Sigrid performed at The Great Escape Festival, Roskilde Festival, Glastonbury Festival, Latitude Festival, and the Reading and Leeds Festivals. She was also a part of The Sims 4: Parenthood soundtrack with the Simlish version of her song, "Don't Kill My Vibe".[15] She is also featured on the 2017 Justice League soundtrack, performing a cover of Leonard Cohen's 1988 classic "Everybody Knows".[16]

In January 2018, Sigrid was announced as the winner of BBC Music Sound of 2018.[17] On 10 February 2018, she was a guest presenter for an episode of The Playlist for CBBC.[18] In the same month, Sigrid won the Newcomer of the Year award at Spellemannprisen. On 11 July 2018, Raw, her second EP, which features 5 tracks was released.[19]

On 8 March 2019, Sigrid's debut album, Sucker Punch, was released.[20][21] The album consists of 12 tracks, including five songs released prior to the album.[22] In 2019, Sigrid toured with Maroon 5 for the Red Pill Blues Tour in Europe, was the support act for George Ezra's tour across the United Kingdom, and headlined a tour in North America and Europe.[23][24][25] Sigrid contributed a song, "Home to You" for The Aeronauts soundtrack.[26] She was listed in Forbes "30 under 30" for European Entertainment in 2019.[27]

In 2020, Sigrid was one of many artists that took part in a BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge cover of the Foo Fighters song "Times Like These" that was organised to raise funds for the COVID-19 pandemic.[28][29][30][31]

In November 2021, Sigrid performed in Dingle, Ireland as part of the twentieth series of the live music series Other Voices.[32]

Sigrid's second album, the 12-track How to Let Go, was released on 6 May 2022.

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Artistry

Sigrid's songs are underpinned by anger, melancholia, and disappointment; she says that it is easier to write about frustration than about having a nice time.[2] For her love songs Sigrid cites Bonnie Raitt, Coldplay, Adele, Lykke Li, and Robyn as influences.[3]

Personal life

Sigrid is a brand ambassador for Gore-Tex.[33]

Discography

Studio albums

EPs

Tours

Headlining

  • UK & Ireland Tour (2018)
  • European Tour (November 2018)
  • The Sucker Punch Tour (US 2019)
  • UK & EU Tour (2019)
  • How To Let Go Tour (2022–2023)
  • Norway Club Tour (2023)
  • Latin America Tour (2024)

Supporting

Awards and nominations

More information Award, Year ...
Award Year Nominee(s) Category Result Ref.
BBC Sound of... 2018 Herself Sound of 2018 Won [34]
Denmark GAFFA Awards 2019 Herself Best Foreign New Act Nominated [35]
European Border Breakers Awards 2018 Don't Kill My Vibe Emerging Artists – Norway Won [36]
Houston Film Critics Society 2020 "Home to You" Best Original Song Nominated [37]
MTV Brand New 2018 Herself Brand New for 2018 Nominated [38]
MTV Europe Music Awards 2018 Herself Best Push Act Nominated [39]
Best Norwegian Act Nominated [40]
2019 Won [41]
2021 Best Nordic Act Nominated [42]
2022 Won [43]
MTV Video Music Awards 2018 Herself Push Artist of the Year Nominated [44]
Music Week Awards 2019 Herself Music & Brand Partnership Nominated [45]
NME Awards 2018 Herself Best New Artist Nominated [46]
2022 "Head on Fire" (with Griff) Best Collaboration Won [47]
Norway GAFFA Awards 2017 Herself Best Nordic Solo Act Won [48]
"Don't Kill My Vibe" Best Nordic Hit Won
2018 "High Five" Nominated
Herself Best Nordic Solo Act Nominated
P3 Gull 2017 Herself Best Newcomer Won [49]
Best Live Artist Nominated [50]
"Don't Kill My Vibe" Song of the Year Nominated
2018 "Strangers" Won [51]
Herself Best Live Artist Nominated
2019 "Don't Feel Like Crying" Song of the Year Nominated [52]
2021 "Mirror" Nominated [53]
Spellemannprisen 2018 Herself Newcomer of the Year Won [54]
Pop Artist of the Year Nominated [55]
"Don't Kill My Vibe" Song of the Year Nominated [56]
2019 "Strangers" Nominated [57]
"Sucker Punch" Music Video of the Year Nominated
Herself International Success Nominated [58]
Pop Artist of the Year Nominated
2020 Won [59]
Spellemann of the Year Won [60]
Songwriter of the Year Nominated [61]
Sucker Punch Album of the Year Nominated [62]
"Don't Feel Like Crying" Song of the Year Nominated [63]
2023 Herself International Success Nominated [64]
Sweden GAFFA Awards 2018 Herself Best Foreign New Act Nominated [65]
2019 Best Foreign Solo Act Nominated [66]
UK Music Video Awards 2018 Herself Best Artist Nominated [67]
"Focus" Best Animation in a Video Nominated
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References

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