Angela Tomalsk

**Dame Angela Marija Tomalsk**, **DKR** (born 16 July 1964) is a Reshan singer, songwriter, pianist, and musician. Tomalsk managed to achieve popularity due to an innovative take on popular music; including lyrics with multiple in-depth interpretations, high-energy abstract performances, a frequently changing musical direction, and influential music videos. She is regarded as the "Queen of Reshan Pop", has influenced a number of both Reshan and international artists, and is the best-selling Reshan musical artist of all-time.

Born and raised in Hederhelm, Tomalsk formed her first band, Angela & The Wolfboys, while a student at the Royal Reshan Academy of Music. The band quickly gained popularity throughout the school, and were signed to independent label Karin Music in 1983. The band received its breakthrough the following year, when their debut single, "The Big Picture", competed in and eventually won *ReshaSong 1984*, its inaugural edition. The group went on to represent Resha in the Pravian Song Contest 1984, and became the competition's first-ever winners. Following their success, the band achieved superstardom, releasing studio albums in 1984, 1985, 1987, and 1988, before their eventual breakup in the summer of 1988.

After the breakup of Angela & The Wolfboys in 1988, Tomalsk announced her solo career, and signed contracts with mainstream record labels, LittleLight Records and Asmer Music Resha. She kicked off her solo career, returning to *ReshaSong* in 1989, with the song "Floating City". She went on to win the competition in a landslide, and represented Resha in the Pravian Song Contest 1989, winning once again and becoming the only artist to ever win the competition twice. Following her second win, Tomalsk's solo career was launched internationally, and her debut solo studio album, *The Watchman's Hour* (1989), became the best-selling Reshan album of all-time internationally, selling over 30 million copies.

Tomalsk has went on to have a lucrative career, spanning four decades in total. She has released fifteen solo albums in those forty years, all of which have been certified at least platinum in multiple countries, and have become chart-topping hits. She has received numerous accolades throughout her career, and in 2003 she was granted the title Dame Commander of the Kingdom of Resha, by King Otto. In 2016, she was ranked first by *Zipper Magazine* on their "100 Greatest Women in Pravian Music" list.

## Life and career

### Early life and career beginnings

Tomalsk was born to parents Nikolas Ross Tomalsk and Ella Marija Nikkermann in Hederhelm. Nikolas worked as a software developer for the Reshan government, while Ella was a full-time housewife and mother. Both of her parents have musical backgrounds; Nikolas was a part-time piano tutor who offered lessons in the family home, while Ella performed in an all-female a cappella group as a hobby. She was raised in the Holsbask borough in a three-bedroom high-rise apartment. Tomalsk has an elder brother, Anders (born 1962), and a younger sister, Erika (born 1972). Being influenced by her parents, Tomalsk began pursuing music as a hobby when she was a toddler. Nikolas taught her how to play piano when she was six, and she was enrolled in singing lessons and dance class beginning at the age of four.

As a child, she grew up listening to the rock and roll music that her father listened to, and the doo-wop and classical music that her mother listened to. Her mother's love for classical music later influenced Tomalsk's musical style as a professional musician. Tomalsk began attending elementary school in 1970, where she performed well academically. In elementary school, Tomalsk developed a love for reading and writing, particularly that of poetry. At age eight, she began writing poetry, which eventually transitioned into songwriting. Her first song, titled "Narker" ("Dream"), was written by Tomalsk when she was nine years old, using only her piano as accompaniment.

Tomalsk graduated from elementary school in 1980, and enrolled in the Royal Reshan Academy of Music, the most exclusive music conservatory in the nation, where she studied vocal performance and the piano. In 1981, Tomalsk was selected from all the vocal performance students in the school to perform the Reshan national anthem at the 60th birthday celebration of King Otto. That year, Tomalsk formed the synthpop band Angela & The Wolfboys along with her friends and classmates Mikkel Helger, Denis Vlemermann, and Samel Dastrosk. She eventually graduated high school in 1984.

### 1983–1988: Success with Angela & The Wolfboys

After forming Angela & The Wolfboys in 1981, the group began performing gigs throughout Hederhelm, and had steadily built up a profile at their school. In 1983, with the help of their entertainment marketing teacher, the band was signed to independent record label, Karin Music. Throughout the summer of 1983, the band spent most of their time in Hederhelm recording studios, writing and recording music for their debut studio album, which was originally set to be released in January 1984.

In December 1983, the band was announced to be competing in *ReshaSong 1984* with the song, "The Big Picture". The competition was the first-ever edition of *ReshaSong*, Resha's national selection for the Pravian Song Contest. While originally not a favorite to win, they managed to win the competition after performing in the final on 18 February 1984, despite not winning the jury or public votes. After winning the competition, "The Big Picture", became a number-one hit in Resha, and Tomalsk became a teen idol within Greater Resha.

Prior to the Pravian Song Contest, the band toured Pravia, and performed in Berats, Fransert, Gregaria, Gregus, Ilenia, Jahastia, Loght, and Zornia in an attempt to build their profile. In the final of the competition, held on 12 May 1984, the band went on to win the competition. Afterwards, "The Big Picture" reached the top ten in the singles charts of 24 countries. Their debut studio album, which was originally set to be released in January, was pushed back and released throughout Pravia in June 1984, becoming a breakout hit. The band went on to release albums in 1984, 1985, 1987, and 1988, before their eventual amicable breakup in the summer of 1988, due to Tomalsk wanting to pursue a solo career.

### 1988–1992: Early solo career

In July 1988, it was confirmed by both the band and their management that they had split up. Tomalsk later confirmed in an interview that the group parted amicably in order for her to pursue a solo career, and that they're all supporting her in her endeavors. The following month, it was revealed that Tomalsk had signed contracts with LittleLight Records and Asmer Music Resha. She soon began writing and recording for her debut studio album, and recorded in studios in Hederhelm, Narissa, and Rosa.

In December 1988, Tomalsk was confirmed to be taking part in *ReshaSong 1989*, with the song "Floating City". Her participation came as a shock to most viewers, as no returning artist had ever come back to the competition, let alone a former winner. Due to her star power, she instantly became the favorite to win. In the final, held on 25 February 1989, Tomalsk won both the jury and public vote, effectively winning the competition and becoming the first person to ever represent a country in the Pravian Song Contest on more than one occasion. The song also saw a departure from the synthpop and new wave music that Angela & The Wolfboys performed, and instead was a piano-driven ballad, which helped set the scene for the style of her solo music.

Prior to the contest, Tomalsk went on a long promotional tour, performing in shows in every competing nation. At the Pravian Song Contest 1989 in Elkweg, Tomalsk went on to win once again, becoming the only artist to ever win the competition twice. "Floating City" also went on to become the most successful Pravian Song Contest winning song of all-time, peaking at number-one in 24 countries, and being certified platinum in every Pravian nation. Following the competition, Tomalsk released her debut solo album, *The Watchman's Hour* (1989), in July. The album became the best-selling Reshan album of all-time internationally, selling over 30 million copies. It is commonly known as Tomalsk's signature album, and produced six number-one singles in Resha, the most of any artist. Tomalsk also saw success in the early 1990s, releasing the successful albums *FreeFall* (1990) and *Glasshearted* (1992). Her releases in the late-1980s and early-1990s saw a heavy influence from art rock and chamber pop, and developed her reputation for her lyrical talent and abstract music videos.

### 1992–2000: Continued success

After the release of *Glasshearted* in 1992, Tomalsk went on a year-long arena tour throughout Pravia, performing in every Pravian nation. After the tour's completion in October 1993, Tomalsk immediately began writing and recording for her fourth release, and was given complete creative control by her record label. Around this time, Tomalsk began becoming inspired by alternative rock and grunge music, and subsequently decided to heavily incorporate the former into her musical style. "Not That Girl", the lead single to her fourth studio album, was released during summer 1994, and heavily incorporated alternative rock and baroque pop. The song was lauded for its lyrical content, which had multiple interpretations; including bullying, rape, and female genital mutilation. The song went on to peak at number-one in twelve countries.

Her fourth studio album, *Airing Out My Secrets*, was entirely written by solely Tomalsk, and for many songs was written using just a piano and vocals. The album was considered by critics to be a concept album, which spoke about the struggle of being a teenage girl. When asked about it, Tomalsk revealed that she didn't intentionally make the album a concept album, but that the songs did in fact tell a story. During the creation of the album, she took influence from her childhood listening to classical music with her mother. During the 1990s, Tomalsk's star power began increasing greatly, and by 1998, she was credited as "The Most Important Reshan Musician of All-Time" by *Zipper Magazine*. She released four other albums within the decade; *Jamboree* (1995), *The Lioness* (1997), *Tessellate* (1998), and *I Believe in Life After Heartbreak* (1999). During the mid-to-late-1990s, Tomalsk's musical direction saw a shift towards alternative rock, baroque pop, piano rock, and classical-influenced music. The piano became her primary instrument, used in nearly all of her recordings, as well.

### 2000–2010: 21st century success

After the completion of the *I Believe in Life After Heartbreak Tour* in 2000, Tomalsk went on a brief hiatus in order to begin a family. After giving birth to twins in July 2000, she revealed that she'd begin writing and recording music for her next release the following year. In April 2001, it was revealed that Tomalsk had been recording music in Hederhelm, Rovastia, and Elkweg.

In January 2002, Tomalsk released the lead single to her upcoming studio album, "Thank You". The song saw a drastic change in musical style for Tomalsk, and was described by critics as incorporating electronica, experimental rock, and trip hop music. Lyrically, the song spoke about appreciating what you have in life, and was written after the birth of her children. It has since become one of her signature songs, peaking within the top ten in 20 countries. The single's parent album, *Ilenia and Back Again*, was released during summer 2002. The album's title comes from a family vacation in Ilenia, where Tomalsk experienced "the most clear mind [she's] ever experienced". The early-2000s saw Tomalsk develop a more electronic-influenced sound, and she frequently experimented with electronica music. In live performances, she began performing with two pianos, a grand piano for her 1980s and 1990s songs, and an electric keyboard for her 2000s songs. These "dual piano" performances eventually became a staple of her live performances. Tomalsk went on to release five other albums within the decade; *Rose-Tinted Glasses* (2004), *Clocks* (2005), *Eat What You're Full Of* (2007), *Juice* (2008), and *Terror Games* (2009).

### 2010–present: Hiatus and songwriting

After the release of *Terror Games* in 2009, Tomalsk revealed that she'd be going on an "indefinite hiatus" from music in order to prioritize her mental health and family life. She briefly returned to music, releasing her greatest hits box set album, *The Singles Collection*, in 2012. In 2014, Tomalsk revealed that she'd begin writing and recording for a new album now that her children were more grown up.

In 2015, she went on a pan-Reshan tour, performing in Resha, East Resha, and Kypa. During these performances, she debuted new songs that would be included on her upcoming studio album. The album's lead single, "Divinity", was released in October 2015, and saw Tomalsk incorporating an orchestral sound, prominently featuring albums such as the harp, flute, and clarinet. While it was still a success, the single fared much worse commercially than her previous releases. The album, *Familia*, was released in early-2016, and featured sung collaborations with her daughter, her son playing the guitar on select songs, and her husband playing piano on select songs. In 2017, she revealed that she'd be going on another hiatus from music, and instead wishes to work primarily as a songwriter for other artists.

## Personal life

### Relationships and family

From 1983 to 1987, Tomalsk was in a relationship with bandmate Mikkel Helger. They ended their relationship mutually after it began getting in the way of the band. Tomalsk began dating musician and educator Daniel Jakkermann in 1993. In 1996, Jakkermann proposed while they were on vacation in Kypa, and they were married the following year.

Following the completion of her *I Believe in Life After Heartbreak Tour* in February 2000, Tomalsk confirmed rumors that she was pregnant. In May, she publicly confirmed that she was having male-female twins. The twins, Natasha Madelina and Victor Emil Tomalsk-Jakkermann, were born two months premature on 9 July 2000. The family resides in the Alkarin borough of Hederhelm, and from 1985 to 1996, Tomalsk resided in the Hammalukka borough. In May 2005, Tomalsk revealed that her children had inherited the musical genes of their parents, and that Natasha had begun singing, while Victor was learning how to play the guitar and piano. Her children and husband were featured on several songs off of her album, *Familia* (2016). Natasha sang with Tomalsk, Victor played guitar, and Jakkermann played piano. Both Natasha and Victor began studying at the Royal Reshan Academy of Music in 2016, and will graduate in 2020.

### Politics and activism

Since entering the public eye in 1984, Tomalsk has been a supporter of LGBT rights, both in Resha and throughout Pravia. She began her career performing in gay bars in Hederhelm, and in a 1992 interview, stated that she'd be "nothing without their help". In 2003, when same-sex civil unions were legalized, she threw a lavish party at Hederhelm gay club, *Polar Bear*. She also headlined a concert in Hederhelm in 2010, after Resha legalized same-sex marriage and adoption. Both Tomalsk and her husband have been supporters of education in Resha, and seek to continuously improve education standards in the country. In a 2012 interview, she stated, "I don't care how secure you are or how much money you have. School is a must. My children will be attending high school no matter what, and I urge all Reshan parents to do the same with their children". In 2013, they founded Tomalsk-Jakkermann School, a private elementary music school. In 2018, the Angela Tomalsk School will be opened. It will be a state-funded music conservatory, named after Tomalsk for her contributions to the Reshan music industry and for her support of music education.

In a 1999 interview, Tomalsk has stated that she was "raised with the Conservative Party", but no longer identified herself as a member. In 2004, she supported the Social Democrats. Tomalsk has criticized the policies of the Conservative, Social Democratic, Christian Democratic, United West Resha, and Green political parties throughout her career. In 2013, she called herself "a politically conscious independent", and a "left-leaning monarchist".

## Discography

*Main article: Angela Tomalsk discography.*

* *FreeFall* (1990)
* *Glasshearted* (1992)
* *Airing Out My Secrets* (1994)
* *Jamboree* (1995)
* *The Lioness* (1997)
* *Tessellate* (1998)

* *Ilenia and Back Again* (2002)
* *Rose-Tinted Glasses* (2004)
* *Clocks* (2005)
* *Eat What You're Full Of* (2007)
* *Juice* (2008)
* *Terror Games* (2009)
* *Familia* (2016)