Unni Wilhelmsen is indisputably one of the country's greatest singer-songwriters. For 25 years, she has made the audience, as she says herself: - Laugh while I sing and laugh between the songs.
/ 12/01/2022 / Kristian DugstadIt's been a quarter of a century since Unni Wilhelmsen began her career as an artist and songwriter. Over the past 25 years, she has established herself as one of Norway's greatest singer-songwriters, releasing nine albums and playing 2500 concerts.
When the journey began, it was far from glamour and stardom.
– I showed up to every open mic and songwriter night in Oslo. I was a terrible amateur, and not exactly a charmer. But I continued to hang out almost notoriously at places like Smuget for a year.
See the video interview with Unni Wilhelmsen further down in the story.
Persistence paid off for Wilhelmsen.
– I guess someone heard something in the songs that people noticed. After hearing my music, Finn Bjelke gossiped to Ole The idol Evenrud, who had gotten a job in the record industry. I was invited to a meeting and was offered a contract on the spot, after playing a cassette with four songs, she says.
The breakthrough came already in 1996 with the debut album To Whom It May ConcernThe album sold gold and earned the new artist two Spellemann awards: Female Artist of the Year and Album of the Year.
– I remember I had to fight a bit to get the one I wanted as a producer. Not many people knew who Bugge Wesseltoft was. “But now I’ve decided on it,” I said. And that’s how it turned out. The rest is history.
Wilhelmsen has been a TONO member for as long as she has been an artist. In fact, since 1995. Songwriting is also at the core of her career.
– As a good songwriter, I believe that you should be able to express something that is universally valid in a new way. When I write, it should sound like every word could not be any other. At the same time, I am uncompromising when it comes to the message. I don't take any shortcuts.
Chords and notes have never played a major role in Wilhelmsen's compositional work. A good ear and emotional resonance are more important tools in her songwriting.
– I have a lot of sensitivity to which instrument I play. A chord progression can have a completely different expression on a new instrument. It's a bit flirtatious to say it like that, but I feel that it is often the instrument that determines how a song will turn out.
It's been a long journey and a lot of success between an open stage in Oslo in the 90s and Wilhelmsen's career today. But she has never sought glamour. With about 100 concerts a year, the music life is still hard work.
– I know the Norwegian audience quite well. Whether it's top executives or people in a tiny village, I know exactly what to do.
100 concerts a year for 25 years becomes 2500 throughout her career so far. She often stands alone on stage. Then one of her most important tasks is to create variety.
– If you play acoustic guitar and all your songs go at a certain tempo, with a certain energy, people are going to get impatient no matter how good you are. I vary between different guitars, piano, Norwegian and English, new and old original songs and cover songs.
– I also do something I know I'm very good at: Making people laugh while I sing, and laughing between songs.
