Ingrid Bjørnov

Singer

«Det som likevel har imponert … mest med Bjørnov er kvalitetskravet hennes – hun har konsekvent lagt lista skyhøyt og hun har alltid gått over.»

Tor Hammerø, Nettavisen

Biography

Imagine that a girl from Oppsal, Norway could make Angela Merkel’s stone face crack a smile. At the opening of the Opera House in 2008, Ingrid gurgled “O mio babbino caro” (while playing the piano!!), and all the world’s leaders burst out laughing. After all, she has been quoted that she wants to be remembered as a jester.

But jokes and pranks, on the level Ingrid consistently delivers, are something almost only she masters in Norway. It is a delight to follow her on various social media channels because it is evident that she observes us all better than we do ourselves. She is also smart enough and has the finesse to wrap it in small gifts of performances. That is why this year she received the Anders Jahre Cultural Prize and was appointed Commander of the Order of St. Olav.

In all the laughs, it is easy to forget that she is, of course, also a musical prodigy. Did you know, for example, that she, together with Benedicte Adrian, is the youngest winner of a Spellemann Award, at 16 years old? They won it in 1980. This means she has been at the very top for over 40 years, and the fact that she is such a close friend of Risør and our artistic director Tine makes us both grateful and humble. Welcome back, Ingrid!