Winta Efrem Negassi is a Norwegian

Norway

Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...

 R&B and soul musician from Haugerud

Haugerud

Haugerud is a Norwegian surname, derived from the Old Norse word haugr meaning hill, knoll, or mound. Related derivatives include the common Norwegian surnames Haugan, Hauge and Haugen. Haugerud can refer to:-People:...

, Oslo

Oslo

Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...

. She grew up in Oslo

Oslo

Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...

, Norway

Norway

Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...

. Both of her parents fled Eritrea

Eritrea

Eritrea , officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa. Eritrea derives it's name from the Greek word Erethria, meaning 'red land'. The capital is Asmara. It is bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south, and Djibouti in the southeast...

 after heightened civil strife erupted there and forced them to become refugee

Refugee

A refugee is a person who outside her country of origin or habitual residence because she has suffered persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or because she is a member of a persecuted 'social group'. Such a person may be referred to as an 'asylum seeker' until...

s. Winta has been interested in music since she was a child.

Winta's debut album was released May 2004. From 2002-2004 she made three music videos for the singles "Emotions", "Hot Romance (Rok With You)" and "I Want U", all directed by Norwegian video director Ray Kay

Ray Kay

Ray Kay is a Norwegian director and photographer, based in Los Angeles.He is one of the most sought-after music video & commercial directors in the world now, and has directed the most watched video on YouTube, Justin Bieber's "Baby" . All in all, his videos have been viewed more than 1 billion...

. Her 2004 hit single "Hot Romance (Rok With You)" was written by Taio Cruz

Taio Cruz

Taio Cruz is a British singer-songwriter, record producer, occasional rapper, and entrepreneur. In 2008, he released his debut album Departure, which Cruz wrote, arranged and produced himself. It achieved initial success in the UK and earned him a MOBO Award nomination...

.

Friday 9 September 2011 Winta will release her first album ("My Life") in seven years. The album includes the singles "Top of the World", "Nails on a Chalkboard", "My Life", "Heart On Fire (Merry-Go-Round)" and "Amazes Me".

Singles

• "Emotions" (daWorks, 2003)
• "Emotions" (daWorks, 2003) remix featuring Diaz
• "Trippin'" (daWorks, 2003) featuring Aphletik
• "Julekveldsvise" (daWorks, 2003) duet with Maria Arredondo
  Maria Arredondo
  Maria Arredondo is a Norwegian pop singer. The name Arredondo comes from her Chilean stepfather.-Career:Maria started her singing career early. By the age of 10, she had already participated in some local concerts in her home town Vennesla. After that, Maria spent some time developing her own style...
  
  , from the album Nå har vi vaske golvet - Sanger av Alf Prøysen
• "I Want U" (daWorks, 2004)
• "Hot Romance (Rok Wit You)" (daWorks, 2004) featuring Anton Gordon
• "Teaser" (daWorks, 2005)
• "Good Times (Hitesh Remix)" (daWorks, 2005)
• "Top Of The World" (daWorks, 2007)
• "Nails on a Chalkboard" (daWorks, 2010)
• "My Life" (daWorks, 2011)
• "Heart On Fire (Merry-Go-Round)" (daWorks, 2011)
• "Amazes Me" (daWorks, 2011)
• «Just For Tonight» daWorks, 2011

Reception

An Adressa reviewer said that her album First is good, too long, and that it is a hint of something great coming. Her single Emotions was a radio hit and her other single Trippin became a minor radio hit.