Jahn Teigen Biography, Songs And Albums

Jahn Teigen Biography

Jahn Teigen (born 27 September 1949) is a Norwegian singer, musician and comedian. He represented Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest three times, in 1978, 1982 and 1983, and became known throughout Europe as a result of his 1978 performance in the contest, which won “nul points” (a zero score) for Norway. His given name was Jan; he added the silent H later. Since October 2006, he has resided in Sweden.

Jahn Teigen was born in Tønsberg. He started his career in the late 1960s, when he released a few singles and one album with Enemies. However, his commercial break-through did not come until the early 1970s as the lead singer of the six member rock band Popol Vuh.

They released three successful albums, the first self-titled in 1973. Their most popular album was released in 1976, called Stolen From Time, but this time under their new name Popol Ace, to avoid confusion with the German rock band with the same name that also was popular in the 1970s. Popol Vuh is actually a Maya Indian word in the Quiché language, meaning book of the community.

Popol Vuh/Popol Ace was actually a refinement of the even older eight member group Arman Sumpe Dur Express. During 1971 and first half of 1972, Arman Sumpe D.E. was on an ever-lasting concert tour throughout Norway playing more than 140 concerts. Jahn performed at one of Europe’s two largest music festivals, the Roskilde Festival, in 1972 he became one of the major attractions as part of Popol Vuh (credited as Arman Sumpe). He had previously performed in Roskilde at the Fjordvilla Club in 1968 with the band Red Squares.

Jahn Teigen Age

Jahn Teigen was born on 27 September 1949.

Jahn Teigen Eurovision Song Contest

In 1978 in Paris Jahn Teigen made his first appearance on the Eurovision stage, performing the song Mil etter mil (Mile after mile), which became famous for not receiving a single point from any of the participating nations. This was the first occurrence of zero points with the new, and current, voting system of the Eurovision Song Contest. Despite the obvious lack of international recognition, the song gained a huge audience back in Norway where his countrymen embraced it.

The single dominated the national singles chart for more than four months, being among the ten most-bought singles for no less than 19 consecutive weeks, for five of those also topping the chart for the most popular international hit of the nation. Still, having been in the nation’s spotlight for more than 30 years, this remains his most successful hit. Teigen’s runner-up single was called Jeg gi’kke opp, meaning I don’t give up, and his first album release the same year was just as self-ironic, as it was entitled This Year’s Loser.

Jahn Teigen returned to the Eurovision stage in 1982 in Harrogate, United Kingdom, where he sang Adieu in duet with Anita Skorgan (to whom he was married 1984-1988 and with whom he has a daughter) ending up at 12th place. In 1983, in Munich, Germany, he went solo again, with Anita Skorgan and three other women as backing vocals, with the melody Do re mi, composed together with Anita Skorgan, which rendered him his finest position, a respectable 9th place.

Jahn has taken part in the Norwegian national Eurovision final, called the Melodi Grand Prix, the most times, more precisely fourteen; 1974 (Hvor er du), 1975 (Kjærlighetens under), 1976 (Hastverk and Voodoo), 1978 (Mil etter mil), 1980 (Ja), 1982 (with Anita Skorgan Adieu), 1983 (Do Re Mi), 1988 (Glasnost), 1989 (Optimist), 1990 (Smil), 1993 (Jackpot), 1994 (Gi alt vi har), 1996 (as part of the duo To Tenorer with Ariel) and once again as late as in 2005 with My Heart Is My Home.

In addition to this, Teigen has been the host of Melodi Grand Prix and provided the interval act of the Melodi Grand Prix on a number of occasions. He has also acted as commentator for Norwegian television in 1991 in Rome, together with Jon Andreassen.

Jahn Teigen Melodi Grand Prix

No other artists have participated several times in the Melodi Grand Prix than Jahn Teigen. He has participated as an artist in all 14 finals, in addition he was the program director of the Melodi Grand Prix in 1992 , and he has been a puppeteer a number of times – in 1985 , 1986 , 2001 , 2008 and 2016 . In 1991, he also led the NRK program for fun only! , which replaced the canceled final in the Melodi Grand Prix in 1991 . Together, Teigen has participated in no less than 21 Norwegian finals in the period 1974-2017, corresponding to every other year. Teigen also commented on the Eurovision Song Contest in 1991 together with John Andreassen .

Jahn Teigen Albums

Jahn Teigen Songs

Jahn Teigen Awards And Honours

Throughout his long career, Jahn Teigen has become one of Norway’s most famous and folk-loving artists.  In the Norwegian pop and rock icon ( Vega Forlag , 2013), Teigen is referred to as follows: “We know Jahn as both the pop artist, the moroist, the guitar teacher, the musician and the actor. Behind the façade, however, is an artist with deep respect for the true, warm and close. Jahn is an indomitable optimist and he has his own ability to spread joy and laughter. ”

In the autumn of 2008 came the cinema Om Jahn Teigen by Morten Stensland. The book also had family and friends contributed. ​​The same year, Jahn Teigen’s space also opened in the hometown of Tønsberg.  In the city is also a statue of Jahn Teigen, made by Nina Nesje . Teigen unveiled the statue together with her daughter Sara summer 2012.

Teigen has received the honorary prize of the jury twice: in 1983 and in 2009, and in 2010 he was awarded a knight of the 1st grade of St. Olav’s order .  In 2010 he was depicted on a postage stamped by Norway Post on the occasion of the Eurovision Song Contest 2010 .  It was the people who voted which Melodi Grand Prix participant to embellish the stamp, and Teigen received 52 percent of the votes.

In 2012, Jahn Teigen was incorporated into the Rockheim Hall of Fame .  He also got his own show in Rockheim .  In 2017, Teigen was twice represented when Popol Ace also got a place in the Rockheim Hall of Fame.

In November and December 2016, TVNorge sent the program series A tribute to Jahn Teigen. In the program Teigen took against famous artists at home in Skåne, and then the artists performed their versions of Teigen songs. The program received medium criticism, and 372,000 saw the premiere program on November 19, 2016.  The seals, however, were halved over the six-season season.

Overview

• The 1978 Gamer Award as Best Male Artist For The Album This Year’s Loser
• The jury’s honorary prize under the Spellemann Prize 1983
• Gammleng Prize in the Class Pop in 1984
• Norwegian Artist Association Honorary Award in 2003
• Vestfold county church artist award in 2004
• Veteran Prize under the Gammleng Prize 2009
• The honors prize under Spellemannprisen 2009
• Knight of 1st grade of St. Olav’s Order in 2010
• Own postage stamped by Norway Post in 2010
• Incorporated in the Rockheim Hall of Fame in 2012
• Jahn Teigen’s space and own statue in Tønsberg 2012
• The Honorary Prize with Prima Vera during the Comedy Prize 2014

Jahn Teigen Photos

Jahn Teigen

Jahn Teigen Video