Anne Linnet

Anne Linnet (born 30 July 1953) is a Danish singer, guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter, composer and author. She has released a number of solo albums and has also been a member of the bands Tears, Shit & Chanel, Anne Linnet Band, Marquis de Sade and Bitch Boys. Anne Linnet is one of a small group of Danish musicians and songwriters consistently popular now for many years. She is, and has been for five decades, a distinctive figure on the Danish music scene and is valued as a songwriter and composer.
Anne Linnet is known for her well-written, honest lyrics, her explorations into a number of music styles, and a constant desire to try something new. She founded the record company Pladecompagniet at the turn of the year 1986/1987, and the company became successful in Denmark. In 2008, she received IFPI Denmark's prize of honour for her work of many years on the Danish music scene.
Career
Anne Linnet began her career in 1969 by performing folk music / folk rock, and she was in the Århus-based band Tears from 1971 to 1976. Linnet recorded the albums Sweet Thing (often regarded as her solo album) and Tears in My Ears, both with the band Tears that also included Holger Laumann. Anne Linnet also sang musical works by Holger Laumann with Radioens Big Band and others since 1971. In 1973, she was one of the founding members of the all-female band Shit & Chanel, which released four albums in their seven years together. One of their largest hits was the song "Smuk og dejlig", written by Anne Linnet. One of the reasons for the band's split was that the House of Chanel had won a lawsuit against them, regarding the use of the name Chanel. After that, the band members felt a need to move on and do something new.
Following the split, Anne Linnet formed Anne Linnet Band, which released two albums in 1981-1982. Two other singers and musicians in the band were Sanne Salomonsen and Lis Sørensen, both popular singers/musicians who have since had long and successful careers.
In 1983, Anne Linnet formed a new wave band named Marquis de Sade. The sound was harder and more electronic, inspired by other European, mid-eighties bands, such as Eurythmics, and was a change from the softer pop/folk sound that had characterised her music until then. The band released two albums, since the album from 1983 was merely titled Marquis de Sade and marketed as the artist name Anne Linnet. At the time, they created some controversy, and became known for some of their songs having sadomasochistic ("Marquis de Sade") and lesbian ("Hils din mor", "Venus") themes. They had large hits with songs such as "Glor på vinduer", "Nattog" and "Venus".
In 1986, Anne Linnet wrote the song "Barndommens gade" for the film of the same name, based on the novel by the Danish poet Tove Ditlevsen. She set a number of Tove Ditlevsen's poems to music, which was released on the album Barndommens gade. The poem/song "Barndommens gade" became a hit.
In 1988, she released the album Jeg er jo lige her (Danish for "I am right here"). The first single was the evergreen "Tusind stykker" (Danish for "thousand pieces"), which became a large hit, first in Anne Linnet's version, and later also in a Swedish version, performed by the Swedish singer and musician Björn Afzelius.
In 1989, she released the album Min sang in collaboration with the Danish priest, author and lecturer Johannes Møllehave. The album contains poems inspired by Christian faith. Linnet and Møllehave have later collaborated on a series of church concerts and lectures.
In 1994-'95, Linnet wrote a chamber opera named Thorvaldsen while being resident in Rome. The opera was released on CD in 1996 and is about the Danish, 19th-century sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen.
Anne Linnet has also authored some books: In 1983, she published a collection of poems named Glimt. In 1999, the first part of her autobiography Hvor kommer drømmene fra? In 2000, four short children's books about Ivan the dog. In 2012, her memoir Testamentet.
In 2006, she had a showing of her oil paintings in Rundetårn, Copenhagen.
In 2007, she released the critically acclaimed solo album Akvarium which became a success.
On 20 August 2012, it was announced that Linnet would replace Cutfather as a judge on X Factor for its sixth season, joining Thomas Blachman and fellow new judge Ida Corr (who replaced Pernille Rosendahl). She mentored the Groups category and came in third place with Wasteland. For unknown reasons, Linnet did not return as a judge for the seventh season and was replaced by original judge Remee.
Personal life
Anne Linnet passed her Studentereksamen (A levels equivalent) at Århus Statsgymnasium and went on to obtain a degree from the Royal Academy of Music, Århus.
From 1974 to 1985, she was married to the jazz musician Holger Laumann, with whom she has two children; Eva (Evamaria) and Jan Martin (Sean), now named Marcus.
She is also the mother of Alexander Theo Linnet, whom she had with Mads Buhl Nielsen. Alexander followed a musical life like his mother and is known as Xander and his single "Det burde ikk være sådan her" topped the Danish Singles Charts in 2011.
Linnet also has two adopted Rumanian-born children, Peter and Maria.
She is a bisexual and has been in a romantic relationship with both males and females.
On 6 June 2010, BT reported that Anne Linnet had signed a partnership and awaited children with 23-year-old Tessa Franck. On 31 July 2010, Tessa Franck Linnet gave birth to a daughter named Isolde Elisabeth Franck Linnet. On 19 April 2013, Tessa gave birth to a boy named Nemo. In December 2013, Anne Linnet announced that the couple had separated.
Discography
Studio albums
Sweet Thing (Artist, 1973)
Anne Linnet (Abra Cadabra Production, 1975)
Kvindesind (Exlibris, 1977)
You're Crazy (Better Day Records, 1980)
Go' sønda' morn''' (Better Day Records, 1980)
Roserne bryder ud (CBS Records, 1981)
Marquis de Sade (CBS Records, 1983)
Linnet/Salomonsen (CBS Records, 1984)
Hvid magi (CBS Records, 1985)
En elsker (CBS Records, 1986)
Barndommens gade (CBS Records, 1986)
Jeg er jo lige her (Pladecompagniet, 1988)
Min sang (Pladecompagniet, 1989)
Spring Capricious (Pladecompagniet, 1989)
Krig og kærlighed (Pladecompagniet/Virgin, 1990)
Det' så dansk (Pladecompagniet, 1992)
Tal til mig (Pladecompagniet, 1993)
Pige træd varsomt (Pladecompagniet, 1995)
Thorvaldsen: En kammeropera af Anne Linnet (Mega Records, 1996)
Jeg og du (Circle Records, 2001)
Over mig under mig (Circle Records / Universal Music, 2002)
Relax No. 1 (Circle Records, 2003)
Her hos mig (Universal Music, 2005)
Akvarium (Columbia / Sony BMG Music Entertainment, 2007)
Anne Linnet (Columbia / Sony BMG Music Entertainment, 2008)
Linnet's jul (Columbia / Sony Music, 2010)
Kalder længsel (Columbia / Sony Music, 2012)
Alle mine drømme til dig (ArtPeople, 2015)
Sange til livet (Sony Music, 2022)
Singles and EPs
Lyset (Artist, 1971)
Venner (CBS Records, 1985)
Hunter and Dear (Universal Music, 2019)
Vi synger julen ind (Sony Music, 2020)
Danmark (Sony Music, 2022)
Compilations
Univers (CBS Records, 1990)
Nattog til Venus (Pladecompagniet, 1999)
Boksen (Sony Music, 2009)
De bedste (Columbia / Sony Music, 2011)
Bibliography
Go’ sønda’ morn’ (songbook), 1980
Glimt (poetry collection), 1983
Hvor kommer drømmene fra? (memoir), 1999
Ivan som baby (children's book), 2000
Ivan i skoven (children's book), 2000
Ivan på stranden (children's book), 2000
Ivan & Alexander (children's book), 2000
Sangbog (songbook), 2011
Testamentet (memoir), 2012
Fucked'' (novel), 2019
Notes
External links
Anne Linnet's webpage
Official timeline
Den Store Danske
Dansk kvindebiografisk leksikon
1953 births
20th-century Danish women singers
Living people
Bisexual composers
Danish LGBT singers
Danish LGBT composers
Bisexual singers
Bisexual women musicians
Danish bisexual people
Singers from Aarhus
21st-century Danish women singers
Danish women composers
20th-century Danish composers
21st-century Danish composers
20th-century women composers
21st-century women composers
20th-century Danish LGBT people
21st-century Danish LGBT people