Donkeyboy

Biography

Donkeyboy (occasionally stylised as donkeyboy) is a synthpop band from Drammen, Norway, formed in 2005. The band consists of Cato Sundberg (vocals, rhythm guitar), Kent Sundberg (synth, vocals), Peter Michelsen (guitar, backing vocals) and Thomas Drabløs (drums)

History

Donkeyboy were signed to Warner Music after an employee came across their music on MySpace. Their debut single, "Ambitions×Ambitions30 March 2009 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Ambitions3:08" was released on 26 March 2009 and was put into heavy rotation by NRK P3. The song's chorus is built around a bassline similar to those used on Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" and some of Madonna's 1980s songs. The song features guest vocals by Linnea Dale. "Ambitions" debuted on the Norwegian singles chart at number seven on 6 April 2009, and reached the number one spot on 29 June, after 13 weeks on the charts. "Ambitions" remained at the number one spot for 12 consecutive weeks, before being replaced by the band's second single "Sometimes×Sometimes11 September 2009 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Sometimes3:12" on September 22. This was the first time ever for a Norwegian artist to occupy the top two spots on the singles chart. Guitarist Peter Michelsen described the situation as "completely absurd".
Donkeyboy's debut album Caught in a Life×Caught in a Life19 October 2009 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Stereolife3:072Ambitions3:083Awake2:574Broke My Eyes5:035Sleep in Silence4:186Blade Running3:357Sometimes3:118Promise Kept3:209We Can’t Hide3:5810Caught in a Life4:04 was released on 19 October 2009. It was produced by Simen & Espen at Livingroom Studios in Oslo. Sven Ove Bakke of Dagbladet gave the album four out of six, and described it as "revolving around its already established hits with a combination of self-assured conviction and uneasy duteousness." He concluded that the album was overshadowed by its hit single. The band supported fellow Norwegians a-ha in the UK and Oslo legs of their Foot of the Mountain tour in November 2009, and in 2011 Donkeyboy won a European Border Breakers Award for their international success.
Donkeyboy's second album Silver Moon×Silver Moon2 March 2012 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Silver Moon3:422City Boy3:253Drive4:064Get Up3:575Out of Control3:266No More Movies3:097Pull of the Eye3:038On Fire3:349All Up to You3:2710Darkest Night3:5911We Can Be Friends3:1812Stay3:50 was released on March 2, 2012, and in 2013 they released the single "Triggerfinger×Triggerfinger23 August 2013 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Triggerfinger3:11" featuring vocals by Kiesza.

Honours

2009: Three times Spellemannprisen in the categories this year's Hit song, Newcomer and Musical video, for the album Caught in a Life×Caught in a Life19 October 2009 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Stereolife3:072Ambitions3:083Awake2:574Broke My Eyes5:035Sleep in Silence4:186Blade Running3:357Sometimes3:118Promise Kept3:209We Can’t Hide3:5810Caught in a Life4:04 and the tune/video "Ambitions×Ambitions30 March 2009 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Ambitions3:08"