Attempting to make it as a singer/song writer has never been easy. With the genre flooded with a host of talented artists, and more strumming away in their bedrooms waiting to take the stage, it’s difficult enough to even get a gig, let alone sell records. What it takes is a truly powerful talent and the ability to sound different to everyone else. It takes an original voice and lyrics that actually say something. Fortunately for Teitur, he has all of this in spades, and as his popularity grows, he’s moving from strength to strength.
Moving to Copenhagen as a teenager from the Faroe Islands, Teitur soon found work as a songwriter for a prominent LA-based publishing house. No small feat in itself, his work as a songwriter led to his first album, Poetry and Aeroplanes, which was released in the summer of 2003. Universally acclaimed and hailed as one of the most emotionally engaging albums of that year, he soon attracted the attention of American artist John Mayer, who became a vocal supporter of his music. The tour that followed had him play over 300 shows and open for the likes of Rufus Wainwright and Aimee Mann.
After a messy break-up with his former label, Teitur released his second album, Stay Under the Stars, in 2006. More layered and featuring wider instrumentation, the album went gold in Denmark and was played on both US and Canadian radio. In the year that followed, Teitur released his third album, Káta Hornið. Written in his native language, the record saw him proudly acknowledge his Faroese background.
Teitur isn’t just your average acoustic guitar man. He possesses a soulfulness rarely seen in modern musicians, and his songs can be at once uplifting and brimful of sorrow. His music seems to harbour a dark secret: one that he tries to confess through the soft harmonies and melodies of his songs. He is, without a doubt, real. It’s easy to see that he feels what he’s singing about.
Teitur’s fourth album was recorded in 2008 and saw him move in a different direction. Dark, moody and often experimental, The Singer was recorded on the small Island of Gotland at the summerhouse of a former Swedish princess. The location was aptly chosen, and the album has a sparse coldness that reflects the environment. Above all, the album proved that Teitur is willing to go down paths that differ from his most popular songs − a trait that’s seen him transform time and time again.
There are very few people who can say they’ve shared a beer with legendary blues artist Chris Whitley, but Teitur is among them. Considering both artists’ interest in simple, emotional songs, it’s easy to see how they got along. Their meeting was the inspiration for Teitur’s song ‘Legendary Afterparty’ − chance encounters like these often worm their way into his writing.
Teitur’s most recent album was released in 2010, and he’ll more than likely have more up his sleeve. Expect to hear a mixture of his old classics as well as new material. With tickets going for as little as 150kr, this will be one of the better shows you’ll see this month.
Teitur
Temple, Jernbanevej 16, Kongens Lyngby
Friday 21.00
150kr, www.billetlugen.dk
