The voice behind Avicii's big hit live at Kongsberg
Aloe Blacc is the voice behind one of the biggest hits of the 2010s. On Friday, July 4th, he takes to the Kvarten stage with his soulful mix of soul, pop and social awareness – on the American Independence Day itself.
"So wake me up when it's all over..."
You've probably heard the voice. Perhaps without knowing that it belongs to Aloe Blacc – the American singer and songwriter who added soul to Swedish singer Avicii's global hit "Wake Me Up."
Now you can experience the voice behind one of the songs that defined the pop decade live in scenic surroundings by Lågen, on the new Kvarten stage during the Kongsberg Jazz Festival.
Proud soul tradition
Aloe Blacc's real name is Egbert Nathaniel Dawkins III. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated the musically valued ability to combine catchy melodies with deep and meaningful lyrics – in direct line from legends like Bill Withers, Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye. In other words, a proud soul tradition where the voice is used for more than just entertainment, with music that promises, comforts, ponders and punishes.
Some examples: "I Need a Dollar" became a kind of soundtrack to the aftermath of the financial crisis, while "Love Is the Answer" and "My Way" each reason in their own way about economic inequality and social justice.
Monster hit in one night
The story behind Aloe Blacc's perhaps most famous vocal performance says a lot about both his musicianship and his ability to communicate. In an interview, Avicii spoke about how "Wake Me Up" came about:
– None of us sang, and we had to get a demo version in place. The only person I knew who lived in Los Angeles was Aloe, so I called him. He was available. Lyrics come very easily to him, so he wrote it in a couple of hours, and we finished the song that night.
The result was a song that topped the charts in more than 100 countries. Not only that, but it's one of those songs that builds bridges between music for the masses and music for the discerning, between stadium-style electronic dance music and vintage soul.
Aloe Blacc also sang on "SOS," the first posthumously released Avicii song after his tragic death in 2018.
A voice that carries
It is on stage that Aloe Blacc's full range comes into its own. The audience at the Kongsberg Jazz Festival and the Kvarten stage can look forward to an artist who, with his warm radiance, creates intimate concert experiences no matter where you stand in the crowd.
The fact that this happens on the American national day perhaps takes on a little extra symbolic dimension these days, especially for an artist who has often thematized both the sun and the shadows of the American dream in his music.
Quarter Friday: Aloe Blacc and Sivert Høyem
Friday night at Kvarten 4. juli offers two big names, each with their own signature. In addition to Aloe Blacc, we also get Norwegian rock's vocal beacon Sivert Høyem. Høyem is known for his deep, characteristic voice and a catalog full of melancholic classics. Perfect double date in combination with Aloe Blacc's soulful vocal presence.
Here's how you can hear Aloe Blacc at Kongsberg Jazz Festival:
1) Buy tickets for Aloe Blacc and Sivert Høyem at Kvarten on Friday, July 4th here.
2) You can also save a little and catch Grace Jones and Fay Wildhagen on Saturday with discounted 2-day ticket.
3) Or how about a Friday pass, so you can catch everything that happens at the Kongsberg Jazz Festival on this program-wise strong and eventful day.
4) With Festival tickets you can take in everything you can during the entire Kongsberg Jazz Festival.
