Kate Havnevik
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Kate Havnevik | ||
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| Background information | ||
| Birth name | Kate Havnevik | |
| Born | October 27, 1975 | |
| Origin | Oslo, Norway | |
| Genre(s) | Electronica/Alternative/Pop | |
| Label(s) | Continentica Records | |
| Website | KateHavnevik.com | |
Kate Havnevik is a Norwegian singer and songwriter from Oslo. Her debut album, the trip-hop and electronica infused Melankton, was released in March 2006 on iTunes and April 2006 (on physical CD) in Norway, before being licensed internationally later in the year. Havnevik has been working on three albums simultaneously - Melankton, an untitled project and an acoustic album entitled Embla. Kate is releasing her albums through her own record label, Continentica Records, which she runs with her husband.
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[edit] Growing Up
Kate can play the piano, the guitar, and the melodica amongst other instruments, and wanted to be a classical and jazz musician, up until the age of 14, when she joined an all female punk rock band rehearsing and playing at Oslo's illegally occupied club, Blitz. The experience changed her musical horizons, and led her to pursue an interest in classical music mixed with modern electronica. She says she became interested in songwriting at the age of 16 or 17, when she began to experiment with lyrics, as opposed to solely focusing on instrumentation. Her father (who is English) and mother are also both classically trained musicians, who play the flute. When she was 19, she decided to travel to England, and studied music and composition in Liverpool, before moving to London to further her career.
[edit] Writing & Recording
Havnevik set about working with producers to help hone her sound, the most famous of which is Guy Sigsworth, part of Frou Frou, who has also worked with Imogen Heap, Madonna, Jem, Britney Spears and Björk. Havnevik tracked down Sigsworth around five years ago, rang him and left phone messages, until one day he agreed to meet her. The pair have co-written and recorded many songs together, some of which will be featured on Melankton, including "Unlike Me", "Not Fair" and "You Again", and some of which will be included on the second, as yet untitled project, including "Disobey", which Havnevik premiered on her official web site. She describes Melankton as "dramatic, beautiful and euphoric", and deemed it the perfect introduction to her music, which is why it is being released first. The album title is from a character in a Norwegian book Havnevik was reading, and also translates to "black rose", which she says is very fitting for the album. Melankton was mastered in Devon, partly mixed in LA, partly mixed and recorded in London, Bratislava, Oslo, Reykjavík and LA. The album was premiered online on Havnevik's official web site for 48hours from 11th-12th March 2006, and was added to Apple Computer's iTunes music store on 27 March 2006. It was commercially released on CD on 3rd April in Norway; a special UK edition, omitting "Someday", and instead including "Travel In Time", was released on 16 October 2006. A special edition, featuring a new song entitled "Timeless," which was featured in season three of hit ABC hospital drama, "Grey's Anatomy," will be released in the United States on 27 March 2007 exactly one year after it's iTunes release. Havnevik is currently in America for a series of shows.
In addition to Sigsworth, Havnevik has also collaborated with Marius De Vries, who has previously worked with Björk and David Gray and Yoad Nevo, famous for his work with Welsh singer Jem. For her future third album - an acoustic project - entitled Embla, which she started recording in May 2005, Havnevik worked with the harpist Rhodri Davies, vibraphonist Orphy Robinson and Lamb bassist Jon Thorne.
[edit] "Grey's Anatomy"
In addition to "Timeless," in early 2006, a track from Melankton, "Unlike Me", was featured in an acapella form (available commercially on the UK "Unlike Me" single, which was released on 16 October 2006) in a season two episode of the show, and later on in the season, "Nowhere Warm" was also featured. A new song she composed exclusively for the season finale, entitled "Grace", was featured in May 2006 and features on the second "Grey's Anatomy" soundtrack CD. A further Havnevik track, entitled "So:Lo" featured in an episode of season three of the show, and has been made available as an iTunes] exclusive; whilst album tracks "Kaleidoscope" and "New Day" have also been used. A song called "Strangelove" was featured in an episode of "The West Wing", but is yet to be released. On December 5, 2006 she made her first ever UK broadcast media appearance, on Janice Long's BBC Radio 2 show, performing "Unlike Me", "I Don't Know You" and "New Day."
[edit] Other work
As well as her solo projects, Kate has also co-written and provided guest vocals on the tracks "Only This Moment" and "Circuit Breaker" by Röyksopp, both featured on the album The Understanding. Havnevik also contributes vocals to Röyksopp's recently released live EP, Röyksopp's Night Out.
A collaboration she recorded with Carmen Rizzo ("Travel In Time") featured on Rizzo's album, The Lost Art Of The Idle Moment. The track was remixed for the UK version of Melankton and featured on a season 3 episode of the FOX teen drama series "The O.C." and an episode of NBC TV show "Windfall".
She co-wrote and provided vocals on the track "Crazy", featured on Mono Band's self-titled LP, a solo project of former Cranberries guitarist Noel Hogan. Working extensively with Guy Sigsworth, she also provides backing vocals to a Britney Spears track he produced, which was released in late 2005, entitled "Someday (I Will Understand)."
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
- Melankton (March 2007: US edition includes "Travel In Time" and "Timeless" - "Someday" is removed · Continentica Records)
- Melankton (October 2006: UK edition includes "Travel In Time," whilst the song "Someday" is removed · Continentica Records)
- Melankton (April 2006: Norway edition includes "Someday" · Continentica Records)
[edit] CD Singles
- "Unlike Me" (October 2006 UK single includes a rare acappella version and a remix by Ost & Kjex · Continentica Records)
