Anna Saba Lykke Oehlenschlæger (; born 11 August 1997), known simply as Saba (stylised in

all caps In typography, text or font in all caps (short for "all capitals") contains capital letters without any lowercase letters. For example: All-caps text can be seen in legal documents, advertisements, newspaper headlines, and the titles on book co ...

), is a Danish singer, actress and model. In 2024, she represented Denmark in the

Eurovision Song Contest The Eurovision Song Contest (), often known simply as Eurovision, is an international Music competition, song competition organised annually by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) among its members since 1956. Each participating broadcaster ...

, with the song "

Sand Sand is a granular material composed of finely divided mineral particles. Sand has various compositions but is usually defined by its grain size. Sand grains are smaller than gravel and coarser than silt. Sand can also refer to a textural ...

", performing in the second semi-final of the event.

Early life

Anna Saba (born Saba) Lykke Oehlenschlæger and her twin sister Andrea (born Sara) Lykke Oehlenschlæger were born on 11 August 1997 in

Addis Ababa Addis Ababa (; ,) is the capital city of Ethiopia, as well as the regional state of Oromia. With an estimated population of 2,739,551 inhabitants as of the 2007 census, it is the largest city in the country and the List of cities in Africa b ...

, Ethiopia. They were adopted at eight months old and were raised in Ringkøbing, Denmark, since 10 April 1998. During her youth, Oehlenschlæger played football at DBU Jutland.

Career

After dropping out of high school, Oehlenschlæger and her sister moved to

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...

, starting off as a model and entrepreneur in teeth whitening products, while her sister pursued a singing and musical acting career. On 23 February 2023, Oehlenschlæger replaced her pregnant sister in the role of Dionne for the premiere of the musical ''

Hair Hair is a protein filament that grows from follicles found in the dermis. Hair is one of the defining characteristics of mammals. The human body, apart from areas of glabrous skin, is covered in follicles which produce thick terminal and ...

'' at the , making her debut as a non-stunt stage actress. On 25 January 2024, Saba was announced as one of the participants of , the Danish national final for the

Eurovision Song Contest 2024 The Eurovision Song Contest 2024 was the 68th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. It took place in Malmö, Sweden, following the country's victory at the with the song "Tattoo (Loreen song), Tattoo" by Loreen. Organised by the European Br ...

, with the song "Sand". She went on to win the final on 17 February 2024, earning the right to represent Denmark in the upcoming contest. On 29 March 2024, several entrants, including Saba, released a joint statement calling for "an immediate and lasting ceasefire" in Gaza, as well as "the safe return of all hostages". Saba failed to qualify from the second semi-final on 9 May 2024, placing 12th out of 16 with 36 points.

Personal life

In 2018, Oehlenschlæger was diagnosed with bipolar I disorder and was hospitalised several times until 2020, as she explained in the 2020 DR documentary (). She also practiced

self-harm Self-harm refers to intentional behaviors that cause harm to oneself. This is most commonly regarded as direct injury of one's own skin tissues, usually without suicidal intention. Other terms such as cutting, self-abuse, self-injury, and s ...

during her teenage years. She is an ambassador for the Danish Depression Association. Oehlenschlæger was in a relationship with Lærke-Maria Schmidt from 2020 until latest 2023. At the Danish Melodi Grand Prix 2024, she revealed she had been in a relationship with Aviaja Larsen for 6 months.

Discography

Singles

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Saba 1997 births Living people 21st-century Danish businesswomen 21st-century Danish businesspeople 21st-century Danish LGBTQ people 21st-century Danish women singers Danish adoptees Danish female models Danish LGBTQ actors Danish LGBTQ models Danish LGBTQ singers Danish musical theatre actresses Danish people of Ethiopian descent Danish twins Dansk Melodi Grand Prix winners People from Ringkøbing-Skjern Municipality Musicians from the Central Denmark Region People with bipolar disorder Eurovision Song Contest entrants