Biography
Elisabeth Andreassen ranked among Scandinavia’s foremost vocalists of her generation, attaining widespread recognition at the outset of the 1980s and sustaining her audience well into subsequent decades. Across her career she explored an eclectic range of idioms—country, pop, musical theater, and schlager—while participating four times in the Eurovision Song Contest and capturing the 1985 title on behalf of Norway.
She entered the world on March 28, 1958, in Gothenburg, Sweden, to parents of Swedish-Norwegian descent. Although she ultimately made her home just beyond Oslo, Norway, her professional path began in Sweden after she transferred from Gothenburg to Stockholm in 1980. Her first solo album, the country-pop set Angel of the Morning (1981), appeared the next year under the guidance of Swedish composer Lasse Holm and introduced the hit single “Då Lyser en Sol.” She had already worked with Holm on Mats Rådberg’s I’m the Singer, You’re the Song (1980).
Around the same period she joined the Holm-produced group Chips and featured on their album Having a Party (1982). Selected to represent Sweden at the 1982 Eurovision Song Contest—her initial appearance there—Chips finished eighth with “Dag Efter Dag,” a Top Five single in both Sweden and Norway. Andreassen followed with the pop solo albums I’m a Woman (1983) and Elisabeth (1985), then formed the duo Bobbysocks with Hanne Krogh in 1983. Their debut Bobbysocks (1984) led to major success the next year when “Let It Swing” topped the Norwegian chart and registered elsewhere.
Chosen to represent Norway at the 1985 Eurovision Song Contest, Bobbysocks won with “Let It Swing.” The ensuing album and single Waiting for the Morning (1986) also reached number one in Norway. After issuing the final Bobbysocks project Walkin’ on Air (1987), Andreassen resumed her solo output with Älskar, Älskar Ej (1988) and relocated from Sweden to Norway.
During the 1990s she appeared in multiple stage musicals, maintained a stylistically broad solo discography, and occasionally returned to the Top Ten, notably with the compilation Bettans Beste 1981-1995 (1995). She returned to Eurovision twice more, performing “Duett” with Jan Werner in 1994 and “I Evighet” in 1996.
After 2000 she united with Swedish vocalists Kikki Danielsson, formerly of Chips, and Lotta Engberg in the supergroup Kikki, Bettan & Lotta, which entered the 2002 Melodifestivalen with “Vem É Dé Du Vill Ha.” Solo releases continued with Kjaerlighetsviser (2001), A Couple of Days in Larsville (2004), Short Stories (2005), and Spellemann (2009).
She entered the world on March 28, 1958, in Gothenburg, Sweden, to parents of Swedish-Norwegian descent. Although she ultimately made her home just beyond Oslo, Norway, her professional path began in Sweden after she transferred from Gothenburg to Stockholm in 1980. Her first solo album, the country-pop set Angel of the Morning (1981), appeared the next year under the guidance of Swedish composer Lasse Holm and introduced the hit single “Då Lyser en Sol.” She had already worked with Holm on Mats Rådberg’s I’m the Singer, You’re the Song (1980).
Around the same period she joined the Holm-produced group Chips and featured on their album Having a Party (1982). Selected to represent Sweden at the 1982 Eurovision Song Contest—her initial appearance there—Chips finished eighth with “Dag Efter Dag,” a Top Five single in both Sweden and Norway. Andreassen followed with the pop solo albums I’m a Woman (1983) and Elisabeth (1985), then formed the duo Bobbysocks with Hanne Krogh in 1983. Their debut Bobbysocks (1984) led to major success the next year when “Let It Swing” topped the Norwegian chart and registered elsewhere.
Chosen to represent Norway at the 1985 Eurovision Song Contest, Bobbysocks won with “Let It Swing.” The ensuing album and single Waiting for the Morning (1986) also reached number one in Norway. After issuing the final Bobbysocks project Walkin’ on Air (1987), Andreassen resumed her solo output with Älskar, Älskar Ej (1988) and relocated from Sweden to Norway.
During the 1990s she appeared in multiple stage musicals, maintained a stylistically broad solo discography, and occasionally returned to the Top Ten, notably with the compilation Bettans Beste 1981-1995 (1995). She returned to Eurovision twice more, performing “Duett” with Jan Werner in 1994 and “I Evighet” in 1996.
After 2000 she united with Swedish vocalists Kikki Danielsson, formerly of Chips, and Lotta Engberg in the supergroup Kikki, Bettan & Lotta, which entered the 2002 Melodifestivalen with “Vem É Dé Du Vill Ha.” Solo releases continued with Kjaerlighetsviser (2001), A Couple of Days in Larsville (2004), Short Stories (2005), and Spellemann (2009).
Albums
Kärleken & Livet
2012
Spellemann
2009
Julenatt
2009
Bettan Country
2007
Short Stories
2005
Kjærlighetsviser
2001
Over The Rainbow and Other Musical Highlights
2000
Bettan & Jan Werners Jul
1999
Singles
