Teitur Lassen

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Teitur
Background information
Birth name	Teitur Lassen
Born	1977
Origin	Hoyvík, Faroe Islands
Genre(s)	Pop, Folk music, Rock music
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter
Years active	2003–present
Label(s)	Universal Records, Arlo & Betty Records, Equator Records, Tutl
Website	[1]

Teitur (born Teitur Lassen 1977) is a singer-songwriter from the Faroe Islands. On March 3, 2007, he was awarded Best Male Singer at the Danish Music Awards.

Known simply as Teitur (pronounced tie-tor), he started out in the Faroese pop/rock band "Mark No Limits" as its lead singer and songwriter. After quickly gaining a reputation at home, Teitur left the Faroe Islands for Copenhagen at 17, finding both his voice and a succession of helping hands all over Europe and North America. He dedicated himself to playing and writing music in English full-time, and soon caught the attention of former BMI executive Christian Ulf-Hansen at the Danish music festival, SPOT, who quickly signed on as manager.

1 Debut release
2 Industry support
3 Changing gears
4 Homecoming record
5 Discography
- 5.1 Albums
- 5.2 Guest appearances
6 References
7 External links

[edit] Debut release

After finding both a publishing deal and a record contract with Universal Records, the Faroe Islands awarded him its 2004 "Businessman of the Year". His first major album, Poetry & Aeroplanes, released in 2003, was recorded in Los Angeles and Spain and featured a number of prominent studio musicians and the production of Rupert Hine. Within months of its debut, the record found a following among many of popular music's inner circle. Industry buzz led to opening slots on tours with Suzanne Vega, Glen Phillips, Aimee Mann, and John Mayer.

Teitur was featured on MTV's You Heard it First program. While not picked-up by mainstream radio, several of the songs on Poetry & Aeroplanes found airplay on major television and motion picture soundtracks, most recently in the 2006 films Aquamarine, and My Super Ex-Girlfriend.

[edit] Industry support

In spite of the album's critical acclaim and growing grassroots popularity, Teitur failed to receive any significant industry support, leading to limited sales and growing frustration among his fans. Armed with a limited budget, and a small but devoted fan-base, Teitur played over 300 shows in the year following his debut. In a September 2004 article in Esquire, the now megastar Mayer came to Teitur's defense, stating that "the problem with watching it get smaller and smaller in my rear-view mirror is that it may be one of the best albums to come around in the last five years." Mayer concluded that the "record company's complete lack of vision for his career, has contributed to his warming the bench at Universal Records." Yet while his record sat unplayed in most American radio stations, word of mouth fan support allowed Teitur to continue touring through 2005.

[edit] Changing gears

On April 20, 2006, Teitur's management issued a statement that he had dropped Universal as his record label following months of legal problems and creative differences. His second studio record Stay Under the Stars, produced by Martin Terefe, was released in May 2006 in Scandinavia on the indie label Playground Music. After spending several months in the Danish Top-40, the album was released in the U.S. and Canada on September 5, 2006 on the newly formed Equator Records, and on iTunes on September 8, 2006. The rhythm section on Stay Under the Stars consists of Derek Murphy, drums, and Mikael Blak, bass.

[edit] Homecoming record

According to an October 12, 2006 article in the Faroese newspaper Sosialurin, Teitur's next record will be in the Faroese language, and will be released only in the Faroe Islands and Iceland. It is planned that Teitur will tour each corner of his tiny motherland in its support. ^[1].

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

Album	Information
Stay Under the Stars	Studio album. Released: September 5, 2006 iTunes Release: September 8, 2006 Label: Equator Records Producer: Martin Terefe
Poetry & Aeroplanes	Released: July 2003. iTunes Release: September 2003. Label: Universal Music Producer: Rupert Hine
Aquamarine Soundtrack	Aquamarine (movie) Soundtrack Released: February 21, 2006 Track on Album: One and Only (Poetry & Aeroplanes)
My Super Ex-Girlfriend	My Super Ex-Girlfriend (movie) Soundtrack. Released: August 1, 2006 Track on Album: One and Only (Poetry & Aeroplanes)
Corinne Bailey Rae	Co-writer of song Choux Pastry Heart. Album 2X Platinum in UK. Released: February 21, 2006