Ane Brun on Tour

Ane Brun

In the August 2011 issue of Viking, we highlighted talented musician Ane Brun. The singer-songwriter hails from Molde, Norway. Since 2003, she recorded eight albums and runs her own label, Balloon Ranger Recordings. Who are some of Brun’s musical influences? Chopin, Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald, Jeff Buckley, Arcade Fire, Price and Beethoven.

Recently, Brun’s song, “Don’t Leave,” caught the world’s attention when it was featured in a 2014 Super Bowl commercial for Chevrolet and The American Cancer Society, celebrating cancer survivors in a dedication to World Cancer day. Watch it here.

This spring and summer, Brun is on tour in Europe promoting her latest album, “Rarities.” Says Brunk, “’Rarities’ is a compilation of songs and recordings that have either not been released, or have been released on other compilations or as singles. This is a way to empty our cupboards of recordings that have been lying around, and another way to mark my ten year anniversary as an artist."

For the latest on Ane Brun, follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Anya Britzius is associate managing editor of Viking magazine. She lives in Minneapolis, Minn., and enjoys baking, reading and keeping up on modern Norwegian trends.

The Name Game

Statistics Norway revealed its annual list of most popular names for newborn babies born in Norway. Nora and Lucas topped the list in 2012. Here’s a look at the 2013 list.

Top 10 boys’ names in Norway 2013:
1. Filip
2. William
3. Lucas
4. Mathias
5. Jacob
6. Oscar
7. Oliver
8. Alexander
9. Magnus
10. Isaac

Top 10 girls’ names in Norway 2013:
1. Emma
2. Sarah
3. Sophie
4. Ingrid
5. Nora
6. Maja
7. Linnea
8. Thea
9. Sophia
10. Emilie

Anya Britzius is associate managing editor of Viking magazine. She lives in Minneapolis, Minn., and enjoys baking, reading and keeping up on modern Norwegian trends.

Susanna Tours the U.S.

Susanna Wallumrød began singing and playing piano as a child. In 2000, she started her duo, Susanna and the Magical Orchestra with Morten Qvenild. They released their own album in 2004 and began touring the world. This year, Susanna celebrates 10 years in the music industry and won her first Norwegian Grammy Award.

This month, the singer-songwriter-pianist will be touring the United States before returning to Norway in April. Here’s where you can catch her performances:

Upcoming dates:
March 25, International House, Philadelphia
March 26, Constellation, Chicago
March, 27, The Green Building, Louisville
March 28-29, Big Ears Festival, Knoxville
March 31, Joe’s Pub, New York

Check out this video of Susanna and the Magical Orchestra performing “Love Will Tear Us Apart.”

Anya Britzius is associate managing editor of Viking magazine. She lives in Minneapolis, Minn., and enjoys baking, reading and keeping up on modern Norwegian trends.

March 8: International Women's Day

Gina Krog, advocate for women's suffrage.
Photo: National Library of Norway

Women and men around the world paused yesterday to celebrate International Women's Day. In Norway, names like Camilla Collett, Gina Krog and Gro Harlem Brundtland are just a few in the pantheon of Norwegian women whose work and ideals have helped shape modern Norway into a progressive society with policies that protect and support all women.

Gro Harlem Brundtland, former prime
minister of Norway. Photo: UN Foundation

Last June, Norway celebrated 100 years of women’s suffrage. If you missed Viking’s feature “The Good Fight: Why Was Norway the First Independent Nation to Give Women the Vote,” or if you’re new to Viking, check it out in the digital edition of the June 2013 issue online. Coming this spring, Viking explores the policies and social climate that consistently earn Norway one of the top rankings in Save the Children’s annual State of the World’s Mothers report. Watch for our upcoming feature in the May issue of Viking.

Ann Pedersen is editor of Viking magazine. She lives with her family in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Stylish in the Sky

Photo: Ole Musken

If you’ve taken a long-haul flight recently on Norwegian Air Shuttle, you may have noticed the cabin crew and pilots looking extra stylish. Norwegian design trio Moods of Norway teamed up with Norwegian to create uniforms that harken back to the 1960s golden era of aviation and Pan Am glamour. The navy, red, white and light blue color palette reflects Norwegian’s Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft interior.

Known for making “Happy Clothes for Happy People, ” Moods of Norway incorporated its signature style, with playful winks of humor throughout the design. Female flight attendants have scarves and jacket linings with illustrations of hills and farm animals.

Photo: Ole Musken

Socks for men are printed with travel tips, such as “remember: toothbrush, be on time, buckle up, know your exits, enjoy the flight, have fun.” Jackets have “coffee” or “tea” embroidered on the sleeves.

Anya Britzius is associate managing editor of Viking magazine. She lives in Minneapolis, Minn., and enjoys baking, reading and keeping up on modern Norwegian trends.

Sochi in Review

Number 2 Marit Bjørgen out in front
at Sochi. Photo: Nancie Battaglia

Three days into the 2014 Winter Olympics, the online edition of People Magazine posted an article titled “Six Reasons to Root for Norway at the Olympics (When the U.S. Is Out of Contention).” Citing Norway as having a “quirky, fun-loving style” that has entertained Olympic fans for decades, the article offered six slightly irreverent reasons to root for the other red, white and blue.

A seventh (reverent) reason? Norway is the most successful nation in Winter Olympic history, both in total medals and gold medals won. When Viking ran its Winter Olympics preview in the February issue, we featured four Norwegian athletes expected to be strong medal contenders. Now that the games are over and the tallies are in, here are just a few post-view statistics and highlights.

Finishing third overall in medal count behind Russia and the U.S., the 134 Norwegian athletes took home 11 gold, 5 silver and 10 bronze medals for a total of 26. By sport, they took home 11 medals in cross-country skiing, 6 in biathlon, 4 in Nordic combined, 3 in alpine skiing and 1 each in snowboard and ski jumping.

Of the 11 medals in cross-country skiing, 9 were won by the women’s cross-country ski team. Thirty-three-year-old Marit Bjørgen became the most decorated female Winter Olympian ever, with a sixth career gold in Sochi. In the mass start event, she was joined on the medal podium with her teammates Therese Johaug winning silver and Kristin Størmer Steira winning bronze.

In biathlon, Ole Einar Bjørndalen won two golds and became the most medaled Olympian in the history of the Winter Games with 13 medals, edging past Norwegian cross-country skier Bjørn Dæhlie’s record 12 medals. At 40 years old, he has competed in six Winter Olympics, beginning in 1994 in Lillehammer.

Visit Team Norway's page at sochi2014.com for links to more Norwegian Olympic athlete and team statistics. And watch for an upcoming post on Norwegian Olympic speed skater and four-time gold medalist Johann Olav Koss, who takes "quirky and fun-loving" to a new level in his work with children through the nonprofit Right to Play.

Ann Pedersen is editor of Viking magazine. She lives with her family in St. Paul, Minnesota.