When I tell people about Norway, what do they think of? Fjords, outdoors, long dark winters etc… ( let alone when they are  mixing it up with Sweden or Finland). How about famous people or brands? …people blank out. The top two celebrities below had always been top of mind, then I had to dig a little bit to find another 3 internationally known Norwegian brands. Here we go:

1. a-ha

If you’re my generation and you’re a woman, you know a-ha. Take on me, Hunting High and Low, The sun always shine of TV, Scoundrel Days, Cry wolf, the Living Daylight… but most importantly the super cute lead singer Morten Harket with his dark hair and blue eyes (who then dated the lead singer from Aqua – Barbie girl)!

#TBT: a-ha was the very first concert I ever attended (with my sister and my mum!).

And look what I found last week end in Bergen’s Moods of Norway Super Duper store:

hmm… guess those guys are old now… let me quickly find out what they’ve become and how old they look on their official website… hey looks like they are still touring?

2. Kygo

If you’re a bit younger you probably know Kygo or even seen him on stage at on of the hot festivals this summer. Kygo is the new Norwegian international star. He’s from Bergen, 24 years old and he’s a DJ and producer with popular hits this year like Firestone and Steal the Show.

I have to boast that I discovered him way earlier, end of 2014 thanks to my dance teacher. Then I learnt how to play the piano acoustic version of Firestone but none of my friends knew them back in March 2015. Bonus, you can see my hubby in his underwear in the background plus me missing a couple of notes! teeheee

 

3. Stokke

Yes, Stokke, the high end children furniture brand who came up with the clever and stylish Tripp Trapp chair and the egg bed is Norwegian! They don’t communicate it and I think they should as Norway is also strongly associated with nature, ecology and is the # 1 parenting country.

 

 

4. Helly Hansen

Helly Hansen is an outdoors clothing brand specialised with sailing activities. I remember spending part of my first ever salary after graduation on a ski outfit from Helly Hansen. It was 2,000 French Francs (300 euros now) back in 2000. What a treat! And the outfit last me 15 years until I tried it on earlier this year in Switzerland and couldn’t button it anymore…

#TBT below, me skiing in 2005 in Steamboat Spring Colorado, USA with my Helly Hansen snowboard outfit (looks cooler than ski outfit)

5. Voss water

I discovered Voss water while traveling to San Jose, USA for eBay and staying at the Valencia Hotel in Santana Row. It’s artesian mineral water, just like Fiji water meaning this water is collected from an underground aquifer deep beneath the surface under layers of sand and gravel. Because the water is naturally filtered, it is free of contact with the air and other pollutants.

I had no idea it was Norwegian til recently… especially last week end on a magnificent trip from Bergen to Flåm when the train drove through Voss!

On purpose I’m not mentioning Anders Breivik who ran a terrorist attack against the Norwegian government and killed 71 people in 2011. Just want to keep things positive here.

 

Bonus #6…Cathy May 15

Cathy May 15 and her boom boom let me you say wey ho. Yup she is Norwegian. Nuff said, just watch and listen…

What are the famous Norwegians people or brands you know overseas?

 

11 Feb 2016 edit: 

1. Voss water does not come form Voss but from the southern part of Norway near Kristiansand where my current boss is from
2. Ylvis are Norwegian. Ylvis who? those who sing “What does the fox say!” (hati hati hati ho!)