Tom Hugo

Tom Hugo Hermansen (born 29 October 1979 in Kristiansand^[1]), better known as simply Tom Hugo, is a Norwegian singer, songwriter and musician. He is currently living in Oslo.

Tom Hugo
Tom Hugo at Cologne Pride, 2018
Background information
Birth name	Tom Hugo Hermansen
Born	(1979-10-29) 29 October 1979 (age 45)[1] Kristiansand, Norway[2]
Genres	Indie pop dance-pop
Occupations	Singer songwriter
Instrument	Vocals
Years active	2007–present
Website	radiojam.no keiino.com

Career

Recording artist

In 2007, Hugo moved to Hamburg and started working with Káme Entertainment and All Access Entertainment.^[3] In 2009, I apologise EP was released on the indie-label BrilJant/Indigo. He released his debut-album Sundry Tales in Germany June 2012. The single "Open Up Your Eyes" released in summer 2011 peaked at #100 on German radio-charts.^[4]

Sundry Tales was also released in Norway on HW Records/Musikkoperatørene, and peaked at 23rd place on the Norwegian charts.^[5] The single "Open Up Your Eyes" peaked at #20 on the Norwegian radio-charts,^[6] and follow-up single "Million Doors" was A-listed 12 weeks at Norway's largest radio-station (NRK P1).^[7]

Hugo has played many live-shows in both his home-countries, including a support-tour for The Overtones^[8] and festivals like Palmesus 2012,^[9] Welt Astra Tag, Reeperbahn-festival and Quart 09. He has also played live on the TV shows ZDF MorgenMagazin^[10] and God Morgen Norge (TV2-Norway), and was in the prime-time TV show Beat for Beat in Norway on 23 September 2012.^[11]

Melodi Grand Prix

Hugo (center) performing at MGP 2018

In 2013, he participated for the first time in the Melodi Grand Prix with the song "Det er du" (It is You). However, he did not qualify for the Final. In 2018, he participated for the second time with the song "I Like I Like I Like". However, he did not qualify for the Gold Final. In 2019, he participated for the third time as part of the supergroup Keiino, who won and later represented Norway at Eurovision Song Contest 2019 with the song "Spirit in the Sky". He and Keiino would return again for Melodi Grand Prix 2021 with the song "Monument", placing second behind Tix and his song ''Fallen Angel''. Keiino took part in Melodi Grand Prix 2024 with the song "Damdiggida," placing second behind Gåte and their song "Ulveham".

Radiojam

As well as being an artist and songwriter, Hugo is one of the vocalists in the Norwegian band Radiojam.^[12]

Songwriting

Tom Hugo has co-written songs for artists in Europe and Asia. In Japan, Korean supergroup TVXQ released "Very Merry Xmas" on 27 November 2013, a song co-written by Tom and Chris Busek.^{[citation needed]} In summer 2013, Hugo co-wrote the B-side "Sunny Day Hero" taken from SHINee's gold-selling maxi-single "Boys Meet U".^{[citation needed]}

He has written 3 tracks^{[citation needed]} together with Y'akoto for her album Baby Blues, released by Warner Bros. Germany in 2012. The co-written single "Without You" did fairly well on radio. The album peaked at #20 in Germany, and was nominated for an Echo award in 2013.^[13] Together with Finnish songwriter Erik Nyholm, he wrote the single "Hard to Love You" performed by [Sebastian Wurth] which was released in 2011. The single peaked at #18 on the German charts.^[14] In 2010, Meg Pfeiffer recorded "Love is Easy" co-written by Tom Hugo, Tebey and Sebastian Kirchner for her album Bullrider (#63 on German charts).^{[citation needed]} Hugo was until recently signed by Universal Music Publishing in Germany.

Personal life

Hugo is openly gay.^[15] He married his partner, Alexander Nyborg Olsson, on 4 December 2018.^[16] The pair wrote "Spirit In The Sky" together, alongside Keiino's other members.

Discography

For Hugo's work with Keiino, see Keiino § Discography.

Studio albums

Title	Details	Peak chart positions
		NOR [17]
Sundry Tales	Released: 13 January 2012[18] Label: Kamè, Hugoworld Format: Physical, digital download, streaming	23
Eden	Released: 17 November 2023[19] Label: Mii AS Format: Physical, digital download, streaming	—
"—" denotes an album that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Extended plays

Title	Details
I Apologise	Released: 4 December 2009[20] Label: No Limits Format: Physical, digital download, streaming

Singles

As lead artist

Title	Year	Album or EP
"Open Up Your Eyes"	2011	Sundry Tales
"Det er du"	2013	Non-album singles
"It Is You"
"Nothing But the Best"	2014
"Hjertet tar'kke feil"	2015
"Better Than Me"	2017
"Without U" (featuring Polina Vita)
"Huske å gå hjem" (with Radiojam)
"I Like I Like I Like"	2018
"Family"
"Stolt"	2021
"I Was a Fool" (with Alexandra Rotan)		Eden
"Stuck in the Middle of Nowhere"	2023
"Royal"
"Fade Out"

Other appearances

Title	Year	Album or EP
"Kom ut kom fram" (with Lov)	2015	Nære deg - Sanger av Finn Kalvik