Gåte

Biography

Gåte (pronounced [ˈɡôːtə]; Norwegian for 'riddle') is a band from Trøndelag, Norway playing Norwegian folk music bred with metal and electronica. Their style has been referred to as progressive folk-rock. The band was put together by Sveinung Sundli (violin, keyboards) in 2000 and originally consisted of his younger sister Gunnhild Sundli (vocals), Gjermund Landrø (bass, backing vocals), Martin Langlie (drums) and Magnus Børmark (guitar, keyboards). Langlie was replaced by Kenneth Kapstad in 2004. They represented Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 with the song "Ulveham×Ulveham3 May 2024 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracks1Ulveham3:002Hamløypar3:093Førnesbrunen5:324Skarvane4:425Svarteboka4:006Huldra3:367Solfager og Ormekongen4:548Kjærleik (Acoustic Live Version)7:31".

History

The band released their first EP, Gåte EP×Gåte EP2002 · EPSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Grusomme skjebne4:442Følgje3:433Liti Kjersti4:254Storås3:24 in 2000, and rapidly gained popularity. A second EP, also self-titled, was released in 2002. Their first album, Jygri×Jygri16 September 2002 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Bendik og Årolilja4:412Snåle mi jente4:363Til deg3:364Springleik3:165Stengd dør4:336Kara tu omna3:467Jygri0:568Bruremarsj frå Jämtland5:419Skrømt4:0710Inga Litimor4:2311Margit Hjukse8:5512Solbønn3:06, released the same year, proved to be their commercial breakthrough both in Norway and abroad, particularly in Scandinavia and Germany. They also gained a lot of media attention, particularly the distinctive voice of Gunnhild Sundli caught the interest of music journalists, who immediately started to speculate on her departure in order to establish a solo career. After the release of another EP, Statt opp (Maggeduliadei)×Statt opp (Maggeduliadei)13 June 2003 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Statt opp (Maggeduliadei)4:202Til Deg2:203Bendik Og Årolilja5:374Litle fuglen5:29 in 2003, and their second album, Iselilja×Iselilja18 October 2004 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Fredlysning2:572Sjå attende3:493Knut liten og Sylvelin5:504Du som er ung4:055Jomfruva Ingebjør5:166Sjåaren4:357Rike Rodenigår3:188Ola I2:429Kjærleik5:3210Gjendines bånsull11:21 in 2004, the band announced that they were taking a break. In their press release, issued September 6, one of the reasons cited was that Gunnhild wanted to devote time to other pursuits. Nevertheless, their record company Warner Music Norway issued a live album, titled Liva, in 2006 which had been recorded at the Rockefeller Music Hall the previous year, and with bonus material from their concert at the Roskilde Festival in 2003. Gåte made a comeback in 2017 with the EP Attersyn×Attersyn3 November 2017 · EPSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Stolt Solvår3:372Rideboll og Gullborg4:293Draumefanga5:404Venelite4:52, followed by the album Svevn×Svevn2 November 2018 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Kom no Disjka3:402Bannlyst3:313Tonen4:234Åsmund Frægdegjæva7:465Isdalskvinnen3:436Fanitullen4:327Horpa3:378Svevn7:309Draumeslagjè3:4810Alvorsleiken4:02 in 2018.
During the first part of their career they toured extensively and played almost every popular music festival in Norway, as well as the major international festival Roskilde Festival in Denmark. The band reunited for one concert in 2009, but then decided to follow this up with a mini-tour of Norway consisting of five concerts in 2010. The fifth concert was held at the roof of the Oslo Opera House, and the band stated that this would be their final farewell. In 2018, they started touring Norway again.
In August 2023, Gåte announced that Sveinung was temporarily leaving the band and would not participate in the upcoming tour.
The band took part in Melodi Grand Prix 2024, the Norwegian selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2024, with the song "Ulveham×Ulveham3 May 2024 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracks1Ulveham3:002Hamløypar3:093Førnesbrunen5:324Skarvane4:425Svarteboka4:006Huldra3:367Solfager og Ormekongen4:548Kjærleik (Acoustic Live Version)7:31". They qualified from their semi-final on 20 January 2024 and ultimately won the final on 3 February 2024.
At Eurovision 2024, Gåte finished 10th in the second semifinal on 9 May, qualifying them for the Grand Final on 11 May, where they finished 25th.

Song origins

Many of Gåte's songs are rearranged versions of traditional Norwegian folk tunes, such as "Sjå Attende×Sjå Attende2004 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Sjå Attende3:552Kysja Roa1:35" (the title translates to "Look Back"), and "Knut Liten og Sylvelin" ("Little-Knut and Sylvelin"). Another main source of Gåte songs are poems by the Norwegian poet Astrid Krog Halse with added music by Sveinung Sundli, such as "Følgje" ("Company") and "Stengd Dør" ("Closed Door"). Some of their songs were written in Nynorsk/Landsmål and performed in a broad Trøndersk dialect.
On "Svevn×Svevn2 November 2018 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Kom no Disjka3:402Bannlyst3:313Tonen4:234Åsmund Frægdegjæva7:465Isdalskvinnen3:436Fanitullen4:327Horpa3:378Svevn7:309Draumeslagjè3:4810Alvorsleiken4:02", several songs have lyrics by veteran folk musician Knut Buen, who also wrote the lyrics to "Kjærleik" on "Iselilja×Iselilja18 October 2004 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Fredlysning2:572Sjå attende3:493Knut liten og Sylvelin5:504Du som er ung4:055Jomfruva Ingebjør5:166Sjåaren4:357Rike Rodenigår3:188Ola I2:429Kjærleik5:3210Gjendines bånsull11:21".

Gunnhild Sundli – Lead vocals

Gunnhild (born 2 July 1985) is the band's lead vocalist and joined the band in 1999. She was born and grew up in Orkdal Municipality, and currently resides in Trondheim Municipality. She began to sing when she was 9 years old, and has since been singing in both classical and jazz music. She studied singing at Heimdal Upper Secondary School.

Magnus Børmark – Guitars

Børmark (born 21 November 1982) is from Trondheim. He learned to play guitar and piano from his older brother. He has played in popular rock bands, such as Torch, before joining Gåte in December 2000. He plays a Fender Telecaster, Robotcaster and Les Robot, the last two being made by Frank Stavem. He also plays guitar in the band 22.

Jon Even Schärer – Drums & Backing vocals

Schärer (born 27 September 1990) is from Kvikne. He is the band drummer and collaborates with Norwegian artists as a lyricist to promote folk music. He is also an educational manager in a kindergarten and finished his bachelor's thesis in kindergarten education.

Mats Paulsen – Bass & Backing vocals

Paulsen (born 1 March 1983) is a bass player from Trondheim. Together with Børmark, they formed the Norwegian band 22. He also became a finalist in the Norwegian version of MasterChef in 2010.

John Stenersen – Nyckelharpa, Keyboards & Backing vocals (Live)

Stenersen is a musician and composer from Risør Municipality. He plays ancient Nordic instruments such as the nyckelharpa, moraharpa, and hurdy-gurdy.