Marit & Marion
A singer, songwriter and musician from Lørenskog, Norway, Marit has been performing for most of her life. Born on July 1st, 1983, she was just 14 when she recorded her very first album along-side her childhood friend Marion Ravn. Marit & Marion ...synger kjente barnesanger was released by EMI Norsk in 1996. Recorded entirely in Norwegian, this 12 track album featured Marit and Marion singing popular children's songs. This album is quite difficult to find and is highly sought after by fans. Auction prices for this album usually close at around $75.
M2M
In 1999, Marit and Marion gained international fame after being featured on the soundtrack of the hit movie Pokemon with their first hit single Don't Say You Love Me. Their first album, Shades of Purple debuted at the top of the charts in Norway and several other countries in 2000, followed by a second album The Big Room in 2002. This album was somewhat unique as most of the songs on the album were recorded differently for Asia and for North America. Great news for fans as this meant 2 albums! This album was followed by a TV appearance on the 100th episode of Dawson's Creek and an international tour with Jewel. In the midst of that tour, Atlantic records decided that they were dropping M2M from the label, citing lack of album sales. In September of 2002, M2M officially separated.
Under the Surface
After a short break, Marit started performing again in Norway as time permitted. In 2004, she played a set of new original songs live on NRK Radio followed by an appearance at by:Larm in 2005. In fall of 2005, her first solo album Under the Surface was released. The album was eagerly anticipated and well received in Norway, with her first single Don't Save Me climbing to the #1 spot on the Norwegian singles chart. The album was certified gold after only 3 weeks of sales and has since reached platinum status.
The Chase
In 2008, Marit released her second album The Chase. Once again her first single If A Song Could Get Me You shot straight to the #1 spot on the Norwegian charts. The album was also a success in Germany (#1), Austria (#1) and Switzerland (#2) which became a prime market for Marit; so much that in 2009 she embarked on a tour of several cities in Germany and nearby. While on tour, Norwegian newspaper Verdens Gang named Under the Surface as the best song of the decade (2000-2009) with the album taking 2nd place on the albums list. Her other singles from this album include I've Heard Your Love Songs and Steal My Heart, the last of which was featured in the Norwegian movie I et speil, i en gåte (Through a Glass, Darkly).
Today
Recently, Marit performed a Norwegian song named Vår Beste Dag (Our Best Day), a cover of the Erik Bye original, on NRK Radio. She has also appeared at SXSW (where she seems to be a regular since going solo) and her Twitter feed has been mentioning several places including New York city. Hopefully that indicates that her next album is progressing well and on its way. Most of the recent news about Marit seems to be coming out of Norway and Germany at the moment, so watch their national media for the latest scoops.
