Thomas Helmig
Encyclopedia
Thomas Helmig is a Danish
rock singer
and musician, and has been one of the most popular singers in Denmark since the middle of the 1980s.
. His parents divorced, when he was quite young, and the boy feeling uncomfortable with this took refuge to the piano
, learning to play by himself. At about 10 years old, he formed his first band called Heavy Oil, inspired by the popular band of the 1970s, Gasolin'
. The following years he also learned to play the guitar
and drum
s.
He entered the gymnasium
, but left during the first year to pursue his musical interests. This was approved by his parents. He left the country to be an exchange student in high school
in the USA, and here he discovered the Motown sound, which he played with some local soul
musicians in Detroit.
Returning after a year, he entered a local Aarhus-band called Kaksi Kuggas Band in 1981, and they played in different places in the area. Helmig joined the musical scene of Aarhus, which was rather narrow, and in 1983 he became the singer in a band called Elevatordrengene. This became a minor success and he toured the country for the next two years.
The following year, the album 2 was released in 1986, and now Helmig had formed his band, Thomas Helmig Band, which included some of the musicians from Elevatordrengene. The third album, Kære maskine, was more rocking than the two first, while the next album, Vejen væk, from 1988 was much more gloomy, reflecting his emotions after his divorce from Fenger. The album became his greatest success at the time, selling 160.000 copies, and it features hits like Nu hvor du har brændt mig af and Det er mig der står herude og banker på. Although divorced, he recorded some duets with Søs Fenger, and the song Den jeg elsker, elsker jeg released in support of the Danish AIDS
-foundation also became a big hit.
On his next album, Helmig returned to his soul roots as inspired by Marvin Gaye
and on the follow-up, he chose to sing in English. This opened for promoting Helmig abroad, and for a couple of years he stuck to this language. It did not diminish his popularity in his home country, and he had another huge hit with the song Stupid Man from the 1994-album of the same name, which also included another hit, Gotta Get Away From You, and the album sold 250.000 copies.
During the 1990s, he tried to make his name abroad without much success, but he has managed to maintain he position at the absolute top in Denmark for more than 20 years. He writes almost all his songs and he has made songs for other artists like Søs Fenger, Hanne Boel
, Sanne Salomonsen
, TV-2
, Malurt and many others. Besides that, he has produced many recordings for different artists.
He is the Danish artist with the largest collection of Danish Music Awards
, including several "Singer of the Year", "Hit of the Year" and "Album of the Year".
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
rock singer
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
and musician, and has been one of the most popular singers in Denmark since the middle of the 1980s.
Biography
Thomas Helmig grew up in the home of a medical doctor in Egå, a suburb of AarhusAarhus
Aarhus or Århus is the second-largest city in Denmark. The principal port of Denmark, Aarhus is on the east side of the peninsula of Jutland in the geographical center of Denmark...
. His parents divorced, when he was quite young, and the boy feeling uncomfortable with this took refuge to the piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, learning to play by himself. At about 10 years old, he formed his first band called Heavy Oil, inspired by the popular band of the 1970s, Gasolin'
Gasolin'
Gasolin was a Danish rock band from Christianshavn in Copenhagen formed by Kim Larsen, Franz Beckerlee and Wili Jønsson in 1969. Their first drummer was the late Bjørn Uglebjerg. He was replaced by Søren Berlev in 1971...
. The following years he also learned to play the guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
and drum
Drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s.
He entered the gymnasium
Gymnasium (school)
A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
, but left during the first year to pursue his musical interests. This was approved by his parents. He left the country to be an exchange student in high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
in the USA, and here he discovered the Motown sound, which he played with some local soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
musicians in Detroit.
Returning after a year, he entered a local Aarhus-band called Kaksi Kuggas Band in 1981, and they played in different places in the area. Helmig joined the musical scene of Aarhus, which was rather narrow, and in 1983 he became the singer in a band called Elevatordrengene. This became a minor success and he toured the country for the next two years.
Breakthrough
In 1985 Helmig was invited to contribute to the Danish Africa Aid song called Afrika. This meant, that he was discovered by the record company Genlyd, and they produced his first solo album, simply called Thomas. The album became a huge Danish success, and the singer, aged 19, was praised for his empathic expression. The same year, he married another popular Danish singer, Søs Fenger.The following year, the album 2 was released in 1986, and now Helmig had formed his band, Thomas Helmig Band, which included some of the musicians from Elevatordrengene. The third album, Kære maskine, was more rocking than the two first, while the next album, Vejen væk, from 1988 was much more gloomy, reflecting his emotions after his divorce from Fenger. The album became his greatest success at the time, selling 160.000 copies, and it features hits like Nu hvor du har brændt mig af and Det er mig der står herude og banker på. Although divorced, he recorded some duets with Søs Fenger, and the song Den jeg elsker, elsker jeg released in support of the Danish AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
-foundation also became a big hit.
On his next album, Helmig returned to his soul roots as inspired by Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
and on the follow-up, he chose to sing in English. This opened for promoting Helmig abroad, and for a couple of years he stuck to this language. It did not diminish his popularity in his home country, and he had another huge hit with the song Stupid Man from the 1994-album of the same name, which also included another hit, Gotta Get Away From You, and the album sold 250.000 copies.
During the 1990s, he tried to make his name abroad without much success, but he has managed to maintain he position at the absolute top in Denmark for more than 20 years. He writes almost all his songs and he has made songs for other artists like Søs Fenger, Hanne Boel
Hanne Boel
Hanne Boel is a successful Danish singer. She covers a range of styles including pop, soul, gospel, rock, and jazz. Boel has had great success on the Scandinavian charts. Although she performs in English, her work is not well known in the U.K...
, Sanne Salomonsen
Sanne Salomonsen
Sanne Salomonsen is a notable Danish singer. She has been performing since 1975, and various songs by her band Sneakers were on the charts continuously from 1979 to 1985...
, TV-2
TV-2 (band)
TV-2 , is a Danish pop rock band group formed in 1981 in Aarhus. The group is composed of Steffen Brandt , Hans Erik Lerchenfeld , Georg Olesen , and Sven Gaul...
, Malurt and many others. Besides that, he has produced many recordings for different artists.
He is the Danish artist with the largest collection of Danish Music Awards
Danish Music Awards
The Danish Music Awards is a Danish award show. The show has been arranged by IFPI since 1989, and was originally called IFPI-prisen until 1991, when it changed its name to Dansk Grammy . The current name was given in 2001, after the American Grammy Awards took copyright on the name Grammy....
, including several "Singer of the Year", "Hit of the Year" and "Album of the Year".
Private life
Thomas Helmig has been married three times:- 1985-1988: Singer Søs Fenger
- 1995-1997: Model Heidi Andersen
- 2000-: Renée Toft SimonsenRenee SimonsenRenée Toft Simonsen is a former model from Denmark, who currently works as a writer. Simonsen was one of the most successful models in the world during the 1980s.- Biography :...
, former modelModel (person)A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
, psychologist and writer
Albums
- Thomas (1985)
- 2 (1986)
- Kære Maskine (1987)
- Vejen Væk (1988)
- Løvens Hjerte (1990)
- Rhythm (1992)
- Say When (1993)
- Stupid Man (1994)
- Groovy Day (1996)
- Årene Går - De Største af de Første (1997) (Greatest Hits, only songs in Danish)
- Dream (1999)
- Wanted (2000) (Greatest Hits, only songs in English)
- IsItYouIsItMe (2001)
- El Camino (2004)
- Helmig Herfra (2006)
- Tommy Boy (2009)
- Thomas Helmig - Past Forward (2010) (Ultimate Best of issued on 3 CD set)