Jan Werner

Jan Werner Danielsen entered the world on April 10, 1976, in Nord-Odal, Norway, and quickly established himself as a vocalist of exceptional range and adaptability whose recordings spanned classical crossover, stage musicals, mainstream pop, gospel, and seasonal fare. His abrupt passing at thirty in 2006 left behind a reputation as one of the country’s most gifted singers at the close of the twentieth century. He first appeared on disc in 1989, issuing the single “My Prayer” while still thirteen; afterward he stepped away from professional work for several years to allow his instrument, later reported to cover four octaves, to develop fully. Five years after that initial release he captured the televised competition Talentiaden NRK, which led directly to his selection as Norway’s entrant at the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest. Paired with Elisabeth “Bettan” Andreassen, he performed the duet “Duett” and finished sixth. A contract with Universal Music followed, and in 1995 he issued his first solo long-player, All by Myself, which climbed to number three on the Norwegian albums chart. Subsequent efforts Inner Secrets (1997) and the theatrical anthology Music of the Night (1999) each reached the Top 20 yet did not match the debut’s commercial impact. Werner rejoined Andreassen for a run of holiday concerts that same year, documented on the seasonal disc Bettan & Jan Werners Jul. His next solo outing, Singer of Songs, arrived in 2003 and proved his strongest seller to that point, moving roughly 100,000 copies and peaking at number two. In the months preceding the release of Stronger (2006), he died in Oslo on September 29; the album, issued shortly afterward, topped the national chart.