Edda Karin Hjartardóttir Magnason (born 22 August 1984) is a Swedish singer-songwriter, musician and film actress of Icelandic descent. She has released three albums, '' Edda Magnason'' (2010), ''

Goods In economics, goods are anything that is good, usually in the sense that it provides welfare or utility to someone. Alan V. Deardorff, 2006. ''Terms Of Trade: Glossary of International Economics'', World Scientific. Online version: Deardorffs ...

'' (2011), and '' Woman Travels Alone'' (2014). She has also released a soundtrack album, '' Monica Z - Musiken från filmen'' (2013). She made her debut as an actress in the film '' Waltz for Monica'', playing the leading role of

Monica Zetterlund Monica Zetterlund (born Eva Monica Nilsson; 20 September 1937 – 12 May 2005) was a Swedish jazz singer and actress. She represented Sweden in the 1963 Eurovision Song Contest with the jazz ballad " En gång i Stockholm" ("Once Upon a T ...

Early life

Magnason grew up in Lövestad, a tiny village near

Ystad Ystad () is a town and the seat of Ystad Municipality, in Scania County, Sweden. Ystad had 18,350 inhabitants in 2010. The settlement dates from the 11th century and has become a busy ferryport, local administrative centre, and tourist attracti ...

, Sweden, but her father is, as her name suggests, from

Iceland Iceland is a Nordic countries, Nordic island country between the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between North America and Europe. It is culturally and politically linked with Europe and is the regi ...

. One of seven children, she began composing her own pieces on the piano early on in childhood, dreaming of becoming a classical concert pianist.Short biography ''Caprice Records''
/ref> When she was 16 she began writing electronic song-based pop music with English lyrics that she made into demo recordings. Some of these songs were used on the soundtrack of the 2002 Swedish film ''Hot Dog''. In 2004, she studied music composition in

Gotland Gotland (; ; ''Gutland'' in Gutnish), also historically spelled Gottland or Gothland (), is Sweden's largest island. It is also a Provinces of Sweden, province/Counties of Sweden, county (Swedish län), Municipalities of Sweden, municipality, a ...

, then moved back to

Malmö Malmö is the List of urban areas in Sweden by population, third-largest city in Sweden, after Stockholm and Gothenburg, and the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, sixth-largest city in Nordic countries, the Nordic region. Located on ...

to take an active part in the music scene there. She has developed a uniquely personal, eclectic music style which has been described as "a seamless blend of

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

, pop,

folk song Folk music is a music genre that includes #Traditional folk music, traditional folk music and the Contemporary folk music, contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be ca ...

and classical music," with a vocal style reminiscent of

Björk Björk Guðmundsdóttir ( , ; born 21 November 1965), known mononymously as Björk, is an Icelandic singer, songwriter, composer, record producer, and actress. Noted for her distinct voice, three-octave vocal range, and eccentric public per ...

Kate Bush Catherine Bush (born 30 July 1958) is an English singer, songwriter, record producer, and dancer. Bush began writing songs at age 11. She was signed to EMI Records after David Gilmour of Pink Floyd helped produce a demo tape. In 1978, at the ...

Music career

Solo albums

She released her self-titled debut album, ''Edda Magnason'' in January 2010 on the Caprice Records label. Produced by Jonas André and Edda Magnason, it was recorded at Nybrokajen, a classical music venue in

Stockholm Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...

, with piano and vocals by Magnason. She wrote all the music and made all the illustrations for the CD booklet. ''Edda Magnason'' was one of the best albums of 2010 according to Ingrid Strömdahl, a music critic at the national Swedish newspaper ''

Svenska Dagbladet (, "The Swedish Daily News"), abbreviated SvD, is a daily List of Swedish newspapers, newspaper published in Stockholm, Sweden. History and profile The first issue of appeared on 18 December 1884. During the beginning of the 1900s the pap ...

'':

"A stylish and quirky melting pot of
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...
,
folk Folk or Folks may refer to: Sociology *Nation *People * Folklore ** Folk art ** Folk dance ** Folk hero ** Folk horror ** Folk music *** Folk metal *** Folk punk *** Folk rock ** Folk religion * Folk taxonomy Arts, entertainment, and media * Fo ...
, pop. Edda Magnason emerges as a musical personality of great stature, intuitive, intelligent and poetic. Lyrics, composition, vocals, piano playing, arrangement – everything is at a high artistic level".

Magnason released her second album, ''Goods'', in March 2011, on the Adrian Recordings label. Produced by Christoffer Lundquist and Edda Magnason, it was recorded at Lundquist's own studio, the Aerosol Grey Machine studio (AGM) with Magnason on piano and keyboards. As well as writing, singing and performing all the music, Magnason designed the cover and made all the CD booklet illustrations herself. The second track, ''Blondie'', was released as a single in May 2011, together with a surrealistic music video directed by Jens Jansson. In 2013, Magnason signed contracts both with

Warner Music Warner Music Group Corp., commonly abbreviated as WMG, is an American multinational entertainment and record label conglomerate headquartered in New York City. It is one of the " big three" recording companies and the third-largest in the gl ...

and

Sony/ATV Music Publishing Sony Music Publishing LLC (formerly Sony/ATV Music Publishing) is an American music publisher. Responsible for publishing the largest quantity of music, with over five million songs owned or administered as of end March 2021, it is part of Sony ...

, and in November 2014 they released her third album, ''Woman Travels Alone'', which she produced together with Johan Lindström. All three albums have received critical acclaim in Sweden.

Collaboration

Between 2005 and 2010, Edda Magnason collaborated with singer-songwriter, spoken word artist and film actor Emil Jensen, often taking part in his performances and recordings. In February 2012,

Naxos Records Naxos comprises numerous companies, divisions, imprints, and labels specializing in classical music but also audiobooks and other genres. The premier label is Naxos Records, which focuses on classical music. Naxos Musical Group encompasses about ...

released ''Steve Reich: Electric Counterpoint'', a compilation album by Mats Bergström and friends celebrating the influence of

Steve Reich Stephen Michael Reich ( ; born October 3, 1936) is an American composer best known as a pioneer of minimal music in the mid to late 1960s. Reich's work is marked by its use of repetitive figures, slow harmonic rhythm, and canons. Reich descr ...

on contemporary music. Magnason performs her tribute to

, a composition called "So Many Layers of Colours Become a Deep Purple Heart". In May 2012, Adrian Recordings released Magnason's ''Jona'', produced by

Familjen Johan Tommy Karlsson (born April 10, 1976 in Hässleholm) is a Swedish techno/electropop artist who uses the alias Familjen (, "The Family"). Biography Karlsson grew up in Hässleholm, Skåne (the same town as fellow electronica producers Andreas ...

, together with three

remix A remix, also sometimes called reorchestration or rework, is a piece of media which has been altered or contorted from its original state by adding, removing, or changing pieces of the item. A song, piece of artwork, book, poem, or photograph ca ...

es: a remix of Magnason's original version by Vidderna, a remix of Vidderna's version by Niva, and a remix of Niva's version by

Justus Köhncke Justus Köhncke (born 1966 in Gießen) is a German techno producer and pop musician from Cologne. Köhncke was a member of the house music, house trio Whirlpool Productions, along with Hans Nieswandt and Eric D. Clark. Together, they had a numb ...

. This was inspired by the children's game

Chinese whispers Telephone (American English and Canadian English), or Chinese whispers (some Commonwealth English), is an internationally popular children's game in which messages are whispered from person to person and then the original and final messages are ...

. A set of four music videos directed by Nisse Axman was also released.

Film career

Magnason plays the leading role of

, the legendary Swedish

singer, in the film '' Waltz for Monica'', which was released in September 2013. This was Magnason's first acting role, and she likens the experience to performing as a musician. The film follows Zetterlund's early career, moving from small-town Sweden to the jazz clubs of New York and

, rubbing shoulders with such celebrities as

Ella Fitzgerald Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April25, 1917June15, 1996) was an American singer, songwriter and composer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phra ...

and

Miles Davis Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th century music, 20th-century music. Davis ado ...

. Directed by

Per Fly Per Fly Plejdrup (born 14 January 1960) is a Danish film director, generally credited simply as Per Fly. He has made many films and television shows broadcast on Danish television. Per Fly's awards includes the Crown Prince Couple's Culture Prize ...

, with a film script by Peter Birro,

Sverrir Gudnason Sverre, Sverrir or Sverri is a Nordic name from the Old Norse ''Sverrir'', meaning "wild, swinging, spinning". It is a common name in Norway, Iceland and the Faroe Islands; it is less common in Denmark and Sweden. It can also be a surname. Sverre ma ...

and

Kjell Bergqvist Kjell Bertil Leonard Bergqvist (born 23 February 1953) is a Swedish actor. Bergqvist finished the Royal Dramatic Training Academy in 1973 and made his debut in '' En enkel melodi'' and ''Jack''. He has since cooperated for many years with scr ...

played supporting roles. The film was described in the Swedish media as an immediate critical and public success. It was seen by over 500,000 filmgoers in 2013, making it the year's most popular film in Sweden. It has been sold to 23 countries worldwide and numerous airlines. It was nominated for eleven

Guldbagge Award The Guldbagge Awards (, ) is an official and annual Sweden, Swedish film awards ceremony honoring achievements in the Swedish film industry. Winners are awarded a statuette depicting a Cetonia aurata, rose chafer, better known by the name Guldbagg ...

s, and won four. Magnason herself sings the full repertoire of Zetterlund's songs on the film soundtrack. A soundtrack album, ''Monica Z – Musiken från filmen'', produced and arranged by Peter Nordahl, was released by

Universal Music Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as Universal Music Group or Universal Music) is a Dutch– American multinational music corporation under Dutch law. UMG's corporate headquarters are located in Hilversum ...

. Over 20,000 records were sold by December 2013, making this into a Swedish Gold album. Magnason was signed by Paradigm Talent Agency, based in

Beverly Hills Beverly Hills is a city located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. A notable and historic suburb of Los Angeles, it is located just southwest of the Hollywood Hills, approximately northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Beverly Hil ...

, in February 2014.

Musical theatre

In 2013, Magnason made her debut on the musical theatre stage, performing as a soloist with the choir and orchestra from Malmö Opera in ''The Feeling of Going'', a dance and music production by Skånes Dansteater at

Malmö Opera and Music Theatre Malmö is the third-largest city in Sweden, after Stockholm and Gothenburg, and the sixth-largest city in the Nordic region. Located on the Öresund strait on the southwestern coast of Sweden, it is the largest city in Scania, with a munici ...

. This is a visionary work by the British choreographer Ben Wright, based on the album '' Go'' by

Jónsi Jón Þór "Jónsi" Birgisson (; born 23 April 1975) is an Icelandic musician; he is the vocalist and multi-instrumentalist for the Icelandic post-rock band Sigur Rós. He is known for his use of a cello bow on guitar and his falsetto or count ...

, the Icelandic pop artist and lead singer in

Sigur Rós Sigur Rós () is an Icelandic post-rock band that formed in 1994 in Reykjavík. It comprises lead vocalist and guitarist Jónsi, Jón Þór "Jónsi" Birgisson, bassist Georg Hólm, and keyboardist Kjartan Sveinsson. Known for their ethereal soun ...

Awards and prizes

Magnason was awarded the

Culture Prize in 2003, and was appointed as an ambassador for the Ystad Sweden Jazz Festival in 2013. In 2013, Magnason received Spelmannen, a Swedish culture prize established by the evening newspaper ''

Expressen (''The Express'') is one of two nationwide evening newspapers in Sweden. Describing itself as independent liberal, was founded in 1944; its symbol is a wasp and its slogans are "it stings" or " to your rescue". The newspaper awards the cultu ...

'', previously awarded to such artists as

ABBA ABBA ( ) were a Swedish pop group formed in Stockholm in 1972 by Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. They are one of the most popular and successful musical groups of all time, and are one of the List ...

(1982),

Anne Sofie von Otter Anne Sofie von Otter (born 9 May 1955) is a Swedish mezzo-soprano. Her repertoire encompasses lieder, operas, oratorios and also rock and pop songs. Early life Von Otter was born in Stockholm, Sweden. Her father was Göran von Otter, a Swedi ...

(1997) and Georg Riedel (2003). Magnason was nominated for a

Grammis The Grammis (sometimes referred to as the Swedish Grammy Awards) are music awards presented annually to musicians and songwriters in Sweden. The oldest Swedish music awards were instituted as a local equivalent of the Grammy Awards given in t ...

(jazz), the Swedish equivalent of a

Grammy The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious a ...

, for ''Monica Z – Musiken från filmen'', the soundtrack album to the film ''Waltz for Monica''. She received a

in the category Best Actress in a Leading Role from the

Swedish Film Institute The Swedish Film Institute () (SFI) is a statutory body located in Stockholm, Sweden that supports the Swedish film industry. Founded in 1963, the institute is responsible for administering the annual Guldbagge Awards, and for managing the Swed ...

for her portrayal of Monica Zetterlund. In December 2013, it was announced that she had been chosen as one of ten young European actors to win a

Shooting Stars Award The Shooting Stars Awards are presented annually by the pan-European network organization European Film Promotion (EFP) to emerging actors from Europe. "Shooting Stars" is an initiative of the EFP for the international promotion and networking of ...

at the

Berlin Film Festival The Berlin International Film Festival (), usually called the Berlinale (), is an annual film festival held in Berlin, Germany. Founded in 1951 and originally run in June, the festival has been held every February since 1978 and is one of Europ ...

in 2014. Selected from a short list of 24 nominating European member countries, the stars were presented to the world's media and influential film industry experts at the Berlin International Film Festival 2014.Interview of Edda Magnason – Shooting Stars 2014 – Sweden
/ref>

Discography

;Albums ;Soundtrack album ;Compilation EP *2012: ''Jona'' ;Others / joint albums *2012: ''Steve Reich: Electric Counterpoint'' (with Mats Bergstrom, Steve Reich, Magnus Persson, Johan Liljedahl, Svante Henryson, Jonas Ostholm & Edda Magnason) (compilation) ;Singles *2011: "Handsome" *2011: "Blondie" *2013: "Sakta vi gå genom stan" *2015: "So Meny Layers of Colours Become a Deep Purple Heart" *2015: "Cocoamber (Neeco Delaf Remix)"

References

External links

*
Official Facebook page

Edda Magnason at MySpace Music

Music video: ''Blondie''

Teaser: ''So many layers of colours become a deep purple heart''

Official Trailer: ''Monica Z'' (''Waltz for Monica'') (in both Swedish and English)

Official trailer: ''the feeling of going''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Magnason, Edda 1984 births People from Ystad Municipality Actresses from Skåne County Musicians from Skåne County Living people Best Actress Guldbagge Award winners Swedish actresses Swedish women musicians Swedish people of Icelandic descent 21st-century Swedish singers 21st-century Swedish women singers Warner Music Sweden artists