Quick Facts
Biography
Rolf Undsæt Løvland (born 19 April 1955) is a Norwegian composer and lyricist. Together with Fionnuala Sherry, he formed the Celtic-Nordic group Secret Garden, in which he was the composer, producer, and keyboardist. He began composing at an early age (he formed a band at the age of nine) and grew up studying at the Kristiansand Music Conservatory, later receiving his master's degree from the Norwegian Institute of Music in Oslo. He is maybe most recognised for composing the song "You Raise Me Up", which, according to Rolf Løvland in an interview with Radio Norge in February 2010, has been covered more than 500 times thus far.
Løvland has won the Eurovision Song Contest twice, composing the songs "La det swinge" in 1985 and "Nocturne" in 1995 alongside Secret Garden, resulting in Norway's first two titles. In 2006 he composed the music for The Mermaid Chair, a television movie.
Løvland was a foreign exchange student in Shawnee, Oklahoma for a year while in high school.
Awards
- Spellemannsprisen (Norwegian Grammy equivalent)
- Winner of the National radio chart "Song of the year-award"
- Grand Prix winner of the Eurovision Song Contest twice (1985 with "La det swinge" and 1995 with "Nocturne")
- Four times winner of the Norwegian selection for the Eurovision Song Contest, the Melodi Grand Prix.
Barbra Streisand asked Ann Hampton Callaway to write lyrics to a Rolf Løvland melody which she entitled "I've Dreamed of You", and sang to James Brolin at their wedding. The song was later recorded on her CD, "A Love Like Ours", released as a single and selected for the album, The Essential Barbra Streisand. Streisand performed this song on her live double CD, Timeless.