Espen
Lind
Espen Lind, (born 13 May 1971), is a Norwegian songwriter, producer,
singer, and multi-instrumentalist. He is one half of the production
team Espionage.
Espen Lind released his first solo album, Mmm...Prepare To Be Swayed, in 1995
under the moniker, 'Sway'. Only released in Norway, it received
mixed reviews and sold approximately 5,000 copies. His commercial
breakthrough came in 1997 with the single "When Susannah Cries" which was a hit in several European and Latin American countries, including
Norway where it was number one for six weeks. His second album
Red went on to sell more than 100,000 copies in Norway, and 350,000
copies worldwide, earning Lind three awards at the 1998 Norwegian
Grammy's (Spellemannprisen) including Artist of the Year.
2000 saw Lind releasing his third album, This
Is Pop Music, and the singles "Black Sunday" and "Life Is Good". The album also contains a duet, "Where the Lost Ones Go," with Norwegian singer Sissel Kyrkjebø. The album reached gold status in Norway
but was generally perceived to be a commercial disappointment compared
to its predecessor. After a four year break Lind released a new
single, "Unloved," in December 2004, followed by the album April, in January 2005.
In 2006 Lind, together with fellow Norwegian artists
Kurt Nilsen (World Idol winner), Alejandro Fuentes and Askil Holm
released the concert album Hallelujah Live, featuring songs from
the foursome's solo records as well as several songs by other artists,
most notably a cover version of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah".
Lind released a new single, "Scared
Of Heights," in May 2008. His fifth album titled Army Of One was released on the 23rd June
2008.
In January 2009 he received the award "Årets
Spelleman" (artist of the year) at the Norwegian Grammy Awards (Spellemannprisen).
[edit] Writing and producing
Espen Lind performing in Norway
During the past few years Espen Lind has done
a lot of writing and producing, most notably as co-writer of both "Irreplaceable" by Beyoncé and "Hey, Soul Sister" by Train. Together with writing partner Amund Bjørklund in the production team
Espionage he has also written and/or produced songs for artists
Lionel Richie, Ne-Yo, Chris Brown and Leona Lewis.
[edit] Selected songwriting credits
"Brick By Brick" -
Train
"Hey, Soul Sister" - Train
"Half Moon Bay" - Train
"Can't Stop the Rain" - Jennifer Hudson
"Pastime" - Lionel Richie - co-written
"My Little Secret" - Cavo
"Ghost" - Cavo
"I Need a Girl" - Trey Songz
"Irreplaceable" - Beyoncé - co-written
"With You" - Chris Brown - co-written
"Angel" - Leona Lewis - co-written
"Now You Tell Me" - Jordin Sparks - produced
and co-written
"Just For The Record" - Jordin Sparks
- co-written
"Go On Girl" - Ne-Yo - co-written
"One Word" - Elliott Yamin - co-produced and co-written
"I Don't Wanna Care" - Jessica Simpson
- co-written
"The One That Got Away" - Johnta
Austin - co-written
"Underdog" -Jonas Brothers - co-written
"I Will Be With You" - Sarah Brightman/Paul
Stanley - written
"The Last Goodbye" - Atomic Kitten - co-written
"Cry" - Kym Marsh - produced and written
"Come Back To Me" - David Cook - co-written
"Life On The Moon" - David Cook - co-written
"Lie" - David Cook - co-written
"It’s Gotta Be Love" - Lee DeWyze -
co-written with DeWyze & Bjørklund
"Stay Here" - Lee DeWyze - co-written with DeWyze & Bjørklund
[edit] Discography
The following is a discography of albums and singles
released by Norwegian music artist Espen Lind.
[edit] Albums
Statistics Singles
Mmm... Prepare To Be Swayed
Released as Sway
Released: 1995
Peak chart positions:[1]
# 29 NOR
Label: MCA Records
"Yum Yum Gimme Some"
Red
Released as Sway
Released: May 20, 1997
Peak chart positions:
didn't chart
Label: Universal
"American Love"
"Baby You're So Cool"
"When Susannah Cries"
Red
Re-release of the second Sway album
Released: 1997
Peak chart positions:[2][3]
# 3 NOR
# 15 SWI
# 19 GER
# 25 AUT
# 31 BEL (VL)
# 50 NL
Label: Universal
"When Susannah Cries"
"Lucky For You"
"American Love"
This Is Pop Music
Released: 2001
Peak chart positions:[4]
# 3 NOR
Label: Universal
"Black Sunday"
"Where the Lost Ones Go" (duet with
Sissel Kyrkjebø)
"Life Is Good"
April
Released: 2005
Peak chart positions:[4]
# 3 NOR
Label: Universal
"Unloved"
"Look Like Her"
"Million Miles Away"
Hallelujah - Live
with Kurt Nilsen, Askil Holm and Alejandro Fuentes)
Released: June 12, 2006
Peak chart positions:[4]
# 1 NOR
Label: SonyBMG/Universal
"Hallelujah"
"The Boys Of Summer"
"Norsk Medley"
Army of One
Released: 2008
Peak chart positions:[4]
# 1 NOR
Label: Universal
"Scared of Heights"
"Sweet Love"
Hallelujah - Live Volume 2
with Kurt Nilsen, Askil Holm and Alejandro Fuentes)
Released: 2009
Peak chart positions:[4]
# 1 NOR
Label: SonyBMG/Universal
"With or Without You"
[edit] Singles
Year Title Chart positions Album
NOR
[1][4] AUT
[5] BEL (VL)
[5] BEL (WA)
[5] FRA
[5] GER
[6] NL
[7] SWE
[5] SWI
[5] UK
[8]
1995 "Yum Yum Gimme Some" (as
Sway) [disambiguation needed ] 17 — — — — — — — — — Mmm... Prepare
To Be Swayed
"
American Love" (as Sway)
— — — — — — — — — — Red
1997 "Baby You're So Cool" (as
Sway) — — — — — — — — — —
"
When Susannah Cries" (as
Sway) — — — — — — — — — —
"
When Susannah Cries" [new
release] 1 10 2 21 41 9 10 34 5 185 Red [new version]
"
Lucky For You" — — — — —
82 — — — —
1998 "American Love" —
— — — — — — — — —
2000 "Black Sunday" 4
— — — — — — — — — This Is Pop Music
2001 "Where the Lost Ones Go" (with
Sissel Kyrkjebø) — — — — — — 90 — — —
2002 "Life Is Good" —
— — — — 99 — — — —
2004 "Unloved" 1
— — — — — — — — — April
2005 "Look Like Her" —
— — — — — — — — —
"
Million Miles Away" —
— — — — — — — — —
2006 "Hallelujah" (with
Kurt Nilsen, Askil Holm and Alejandro Fuentes) 1 — — — — — — —
— — Hallelujah - Live
"
The Boys Of Summer" (with
Kurt Nilsen, Askil Holm and Alejandro Fuentes) 12 — — — — — — —
— —
2008 "Scared of Heights" 1
— — — — — — — — — Army of One
"
Sweet Love" — — — — — — — —
— —
2009 "With or Without You" (with
Kurt Nilsen, Askil Holm and Alejandro Fuentes) 1 — — — — — — —
— — Hallelujah - Live Volume 2
[edit] #1 Hits
Preceded by
"
Hit 'Em High (The Monstars' Anthem)" by
B-Real, Busta Rhymes, Coolio, LL Cool J, and Method Man Norwegian
VG-lista number-one single: "When Susannah Cries"
16 April 1997 – 28 May 1997 Succeeded by
"
Barbie Girl" by Aqua
Preceded by
"
Call On Me" by Eric Prydz (second
run) Norwegian VG-lista number-one single: "Unloved"
19 January 2005 – 2 February 2005 Succeeded by
"
Sommerflørt" by Philip og
Sandra (first run)
and
Max 500 by Kent
Preceded by
"
Floden" by Bjørn Eidsvåg Norwegian
VG-lista number-one single: Hallelujah (with Kurt Nilsen, Alejandro
Fuentes and Askil Holm)
10 January 2007 – 17 January 2007 (37 weeks on the chart) Succeeded
by
"
Smack That" by Akon featuring
Eminem
Preceded by
"
4 Minutes" by Madonna (second
run) Norwegian VG-lista number-one single: "Scared Of Heights"
20 May 2008 - 27 May 2008 Succeeded by
"
Lost" by Erlend Bratland
Preceded by
"
Fairytale" by Alexander Rybak
Norwegian VG-lista number-one single: With Or Without You (with
Kurt Nilsen, Alejandro Fuentes and Askil Holm)
15 April 2009 – 29 April 2009 Succeeded by
"
Halo" by Beyoncé
