Secret Garden

Biography

Secret Garden is an Irish-Norwegian band specialised in new-age music, led by the duo consisting of Irish violinist and singer Fionnuala Sherry and Norwegian composer, arranger and pianist Rolf Løvland.
The group came to fame when they won the Eurovision Song Contest 1995, representing Norway with the composition "Nocturne×Nocturne1995 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Nocturne (English version)3:152Nocturne (Norwegian version)3:133Pastorale3:48". In the course of a partnership lasting over 25 years, they have sold millions of albums worldwide, many of which went platinum in numerous countries.

Eurovision Song Contest

The group won the Eurovision Song Contest for Norway's second time in 1995 with the composition "Nocturne×Nocturne1995 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Nocturne (English version)3:152Nocturne (Norwegian version)3:133Pastorale3:48". It was the only time that a predominantly instrumental piece has won the Eurovision Song Contest, although a few Norwegian lyrics, written by screenwriter Petter Skavlan, were included to ensure that the entry adhered to the contest's rules. Norwegian singer Gunnhild Tvinnereim sang the song in the Eurovision Song Contest, with Hans Fredrik Jacobsen on penny whistle and Swedish nyckelharpist Åsa Jinder guesting on the occasion, although none of them are regular members of the group. Ten years earlier, Rolf Løvland wrote the song "La det swinge" (Let it swing) that secured Norway its first Eurovision Song Contest victory in 1985.

Debut album

Their success at Eurovision spearheaded the success of their first album Songs from a Secret Garden×Songs From a Secret Garden1995 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Atlantia2:592Adagio2:553Nocturne3:134The Rap2:345Sigma3:086Song from a Secret Garden3:357Heartstrings3:258Chaconne3:289Papillon3:2610Cantoluna3:3211Serenade to Spring3:1512Pastorale3:5113Ode to Simplicity3:53. It sold a million copies around the world going platinum in Norway and Korea, gold in Ireland, Hong Kong and New Zealand and spending two years in the Billboard new-age charts in 1996 and 1997. Barbra Streisand adapted "Heartstrings" from this album as the song "I've Dreamed of You" on her A Love Like Ours album. She also used "Heartstrings" in her wedding to James Brolin.
A remastered version of the album was released in 2025 to mark the album's 30th anniversary.

Further albums

Their sophomore album White Stones×White Stones15 April 1997 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Steps4:032Poéme5:013Hymn To Hope4:214Moving3:235First Day of Spring4:466Passacaglia3:487Reflection3:028Windancer3:449Appassionata4:2710Escape3:3711Sanctuary4:2212Celebration3:5913Home3:2614Illumination4:16 followed in 1997, and also made the top ten on Billboard New Age charts. Dawn of a New Century was released in 1999 as their third studio album, and again featured lyrics by Norway's Petter Skavlan. Their 2001 studio album Once in a Red Moon×Once in a Red Moon2001 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Awakening3:562You Raise Me Up5:043Silent Wings3:424Greenwaves4:455Invitation3:596Duo3:587Belonging3:598Gates of Dawn4:299The Promise3:2110Fairytale3:2811Once in a Red Moon5:0212Elegie5:34 also enjoyed success around the world, including reaching Billboard's new-age top ten.
A compilation album, Dreamcatcher×Dreamcatcher2000 · Album · CompilationSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 18 tracks1Nocturne3:172Prayer4:383Moving3:254Dreamcatcher4:405Sigma3:086Song From a Secret Garden3:357Sona4:258Passacaglia3:499Elan3:1510In Our Tears4:4211Celebration3:5912Heartstrings3:2513Steps4:0414Adagio2:5515The Rap2:3516Hymn to Hope4:2417Lore of the Loom3:2518Dawn of a New Century6:16, was released in 2000. Secret Garden released a Dreamcatcher: Best Of album for its tour through Australia and New Zealand in 2004, and this reached the top of the Australian New Age charts and the ARIA top 50 album charts.
After several other albums, they released their tenth album, Storyteller×Storyteller26 April 2019 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1The Pilot4:042Beyond The Blue3:423Beautiful3:524Flow3:305Song To A Child3:346Nostalgia4:247Open Doors3:218Sunshine4:189One More Chance3:3410Fantasia4:4011The Voyage4:2412Strength4:1413End Of A Journey4:18, in 2019.

Notable songs

Secret Garden's most famous song "You Raise Me Up×You Raise Me Up2000 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1You Raise Me Up5:04", originally performed by Johnny Logan and Brian Kennedy, has been recorded by more than a hundred other artists including Josh Groban, Russell Watson, Westlife, Sissel Kyrkjebø, Becky Taylor, Celtic Woman, Lena Park, Robert Tremlett, Il Divo, Rhydian, and Sergio Dalma.
"Nocturne×Nocturne1995 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Nocturne (English version)3:152Nocturne (Norwegian version)3:133Pastorale3:48" won the Eurovision Song Contest 1995. Their piece "Adagio", with a cor anglais solo, was used in the Wong Kar-wai film 2046 which was released in 2004.

Autobiographical book

In 2015, Secret Garden published a book titled You Raise Me Up: The Story of Secret Garden co-written by Rolf Løvland with Fionnuala Sherry. The book tells their story of their triumphs as well as the trials and tribulations they endured along two decades.