Biography

Like New Radicals once sang: "You've got the music in you...". Norway's multi-instrumentalist Ole Børud got it too, and an impressively genre-spanning discography - featuring soul, funk, gospel and death metal - as well as commendations from musicians like Jay Graydon to prove it. So the typically Norwegian name should not fool you, as he - in an era when legions of music lovers denounce pop music as mindless and conformed - has all the required talent and dedication to taking music back to its more inspiring roots.

In the international release set-up of his latest album, Keep On Movin (OBM Records, 2011), he benefits from the marketing power of Naxos. It was well received in Norway, where it went Top 30 (no. 27) and have so far spent six weeks on the album sales charts. In Sweden, it peaked at no. 16 and spent four weeks on the charts, and has also been a regular mainstay on Apple's iTunes charts. Perhaps needless to say, Børud paves his own road in the creation and business of music, something that has not gone unnoticed. As a contributing artist on the David Foster tribute album "Fly Away - the Songs of..." (Contante & Sonante, 2009), on which he covered "Through the Fire", he gained significant appreciation within the west coast music community. And earlier in his career, after recording and touring with his gospel-oriented family, he was a member of Norwegian metal bands Schaliach and Extol.

The Grammy Award-winning musician and producer Jay Graydon (Al Jarreau, George Benson, Steely Dan et cetera) commended him highly for his work: "This is the best West Coast Pop recording in quite some time! Clearly influenced by Pages, Steely Dan, Stevie Wonder, and - I humbly state - stuff Foster and I had done. The singer is outstanding, the band is good, and the arrangement is tasty. One very hip thing is the massive amount of chord changes are easily gotten away with since the melodies are memorable. Would it be sweet if this CD sold well!"

Børud, born Dec. 6, 1976, is based in the Norwegian south-east coast town of Stavern and developed his skills as a songwriter, vocalist and musician since he was a five-year-old and traveled Norway with his musically proficient family. In his late teens he got into death metal, first the band Schaliach, where he played guitar, bass and drums, and later Extol, whose music was released on labels including Century Media. Among Extol's other members were Emil Nikolaisen (Serena Maneesh). In 2004, Børud jumped the metal ship to return to his current sound. Four years later came "Shakin' the Ground" (OBM Records), his first self-penned solo album, which was released in Japan in 2009 by Village Again.

Børud's smart combination of soul, funk and west coast music is not something usually associated with the cold and climately challenged country of Norway. But then maybe Børud's music is an antidote for the weather. He revisits the sweeping 70's/80's soundscapes of musicians like Prince, Steely Dan, Pages, Bill Champlin, Airplay, and David Foster; with soulful singing, sophisticated arrangements, and surgically tight accompaniments. He is a mature songwriter who sounds stronger, better, harder and more irresistable than ever.