Kjell Fjalsett
Encyclopedia
Kjell Sigurd Fjalsett is a Norwegian singer and musician.
He made a name for himself in the Norwegian gospel
and Christian pop scene as a teenager in the choir Believe, covering the song "Oh Happy Day
" among other things. He later formed the gospel group Frisk Luft
together with Rune Larsen
, Ivar Skippervold
and Arnold Børud
. The group formed by coincidence in 1972, when Larsen and Børud, performing at Hedmarktoppen, spotted the already-known Fjalsett and Skippervold in the audience and invited them onto the stage. They released two LPs in the 1970s, and participated in a television show named Gospelkveld ('Gospel Evening'). It was said to be the first Christian
supergroup
in Norway. They made a public comeback in 1998, and released the record Lifetime Friends in 2000. In 2004 they followed with I'll Never Find Another You. The group performs live every now and then.
He has also cooperated with songwriter and composer Rolf Løvland
, among others on his solo debut record En dag (1976). The record was certified
as silver, as one of the few gospel records until then in Norway. Fjalsett emphasized the importance of song lyrics over music, but also stated that the songs needed a commercial appeal beyond the Christian listener segment. Fjalsett cited Andrae Crouch
, David Gates
and Bread
as inspirations. In 2007, Løvland was behind the single Reis meg opp, a cover version
of "You Raise Me Up
", which Fjalsett performed. The single charted on the list of Norwegian-language songs, Norsktoppen. In 1982 Fjalsett won the contest for the official FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 1982 song. The song, titled Gullfeber ('Gold Fever') was written by Tore Aas and Jan Linnsund, performed by Kjell Fjalsett and Anne Lise Gjøstøl, and selected by a jury of three. Gullfeber narrowly edged out VM på ski, performed by Hanne Krogh
.
In 2007 Fjalsett participated in the anti-piracy
campaign Piracy Kills Music. He resides at Jar
in Bærum, is married and has three children.
He made a name for himself in the Norwegian gospel
Gospel
A gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...
and Christian pop scene as a teenager in the choir Believe, covering the song "Oh Happy Day
Oh Happy Day
"Oh Happy Day" is a 1967 gospel music arrangement of an 18th century hymn. Recorded by the Edwin Hawkins Singers, it became an international hit in 1969, reaching US #4 and UK #2 on the pop charts...
" among other things. He later formed the gospel group Frisk Luft
Frisk Luft
Frisk Luft is a Norwegian gospel group.It was founded in 1972 as Frisk Luft . It consisted of Rune Larsen, Ivar Skippervold, Arnold Børud and Kjell Fjalsett, and since all are accomplished musicians outside of the group as well, Frisk Luft had been called the first Christian supergroup in...
together with Rune Larsen
Rune Larsen
Rune Larsen is a Norwegian journalist, singer, musician, record producer and television presenter.He was born in Bergen. He made his stage debut in 1957, and his television debut in 1964. By that time he had already played with two bands, The White Shirts and The Black Diamonds, and rejected a...
, Ivar Skippervold
Ivar Skippervold
Ivar Skippervold is a Norwegian singer and musician.He hails from Oslo, but moved to Lillesand as an adult. He took up music at an early age, and his first self-made music was protest songs. He became Christian out of a "religious yearning", and his protest songs got a Christian tinge. His first...
and Arnold Børud
Arnold Børud
Arnold Børud is a Norwegian singer, musician and record producer.He grew up in Askim, and has been a devout Christian since the age of 18, when a friend invited him to a Christian camp. Only two years later, he had learned the guitar and piano, and released his first record as a part of the duo...
. The group formed by coincidence in 1972, when Larsen and Børud, performing at Hedmarktoppen, spotted the already-known Fjalsett and Skippervold in the audience and invited them onto the stage. They released two LPs in the 1970s, and participated in a television show named Gospelkveld ('Gospel Evening'). It was said to be the first Christian
Christian music
Christian music is music that has been written to express either personal or a communal belief regarding Christian life and faith. Common themes of Christian music include praise, worship, penitence, and lament, and its forms vary widely across the world....
supergroup
Supergroup (music)
In the late 1960s, the term supergroup was coined to describe "a rock music group whose performers are already famous from having performed individually or in other groups"....
in Norway. They made a public comeback in 1998, and released the record Lifetime Friends in 2000. In 2004 they followed with I'll Never Find Another You. The group performs live every now and then.
He has also cooperated with songwriter and composer Rolf Løvland
Rolf Løvland
Rolf Løvland is a Norwegian composer. Together with Fionnuala Sherry, he formed the celtic group Secret Garden, where he played as the composer/producer/keyboardist...
, among others on his solo debut record En dag (1976). The record was certified
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
as silver, as one of the few gospel records until then in Norway. Fjalsett emphasized the importance of song lyrics over music, but also stated that the songs needed a commercial appeal beyond the Christian listener segment. Fjalsett cited Andrae Crouch
Andrae Crouch
Andraé Crouch is a seven-time Grammy Award-winning American gospel singer, songwriter, arranger, recording artist, record producer, and pastor.-Early years:Born Andraé Edward Crouch in San Francisco, California....
, David Gates
David Gates
David Gates is an American singer-songwriter, best known as the lead singer of the group Bread, which reached the tops of the musical charts in Europe and North America on several occasions in the 1970s. The band was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame...
and Bread
Bread (band)
Bread was a rock band from Los Angeles, California. They placed 13 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 chart between 1970 and 1977 and were a prime example of what later was labeled soft rock....
as inspirations. In 2007, Løvland was behind the single Reis meg opp, a cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of "You Raise Me Up
You Raise Me Up
"You Raise Me Up" was the debut single from Westlife's fifth studio album, Face To Face.This version is considered by many to be the most popular , of all the various versions of the same song. The single peaked at #1 on the UK Singles Chart, making it the band's 13th Number One. It was the first...
", which Fjalsett performed. The single charted on the list of Norwegian-language songs, Norsktoppen. In 1982 Fjalsett won the contest for the official FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 1982 song. The song, titled Gullfeber ('Gold Fever') was written by Tore Aas and Jan Linnsund, performed by Kjell Fjalsett and Anne Lise Gjøstøl, and selected by a jury of three. Gullfeber narrowly edged out VM på ski, performed by Hanne Krogh
Hanne Krogh
Hanne Krogh is a Norwegian singer and one half of the duo that won the Eurovision Song Contest 1985....
.
In 2007 Fjalsett participated in the anti-piracy
Anti-piracy
Anti-piracy is a term used to describe countermeasures against maritime piracy but moreoften by some to describe the attempt to prevent copyright infringement, counterfeiting, and other violations of intellectual-property rights....
campaign Piracy Kills Music. He resides at Jar
Jar, Norway
Jar is a district in the municipality of Bærum, Norway. Its population is 4,868.It is served by the Jar rail station on the Kolsås Line.-References:...
in Bærum, is married and has three children.