Grimeland is the surname of Gaute Grimeland, and also the name of the farm in western Norway where the artist’s paternal grandfather grew up. Grimeland himself grew up in the area of Telemark, a place famous for being the birthplace of skiing, and also the scene for heroic actions during World War Two. More importantly, it is an area with a rich cultural heritage in many forms, such as traditional music and dance, storytelling and fairy tales, arts, crafts and architecture. The heritage of the traditional music from his home country has become an important part of Grimeland’s work recently, as he has formed the vocal group Grimeland Trio together with two other singers from Norway.
Grimeland’s childhood and youth was filled with singing, dancing and playing the piano. However, at one point he placed all his energy into the art of dancing. He graduated from the Norwegian National School of Dance, and made his professional debut as a dancer, singer and actor in West Side Story. The following years, he pursued an active and successful career as a contemporary dancer.
Later, he was trained as a classical singer, and became an all round performing artist, working in dance pieces as well as musicals, operas and concerts. He was recognised as a songwriter in 2017, when he won a prize in a hymn competition in memorial of the Lutheran reformation in 1517, for his hymn ‘When Ardent Love Fades Into Empty Talking (Three Days of Easter)’.
In 2020, he contributed his version of Among Angels to I Wanna Be Kate: The Songs Of Kate Bush – Remastered & Expanded.
