Lukas Graham
Lukas Graham (left) at the minor stage during Stavernfestivalen in July 2016
Lukas Graham (left) at the minor stage during Stavernfestivalen in July 2016
Background information
OriginCopenhagen, Denmark
Genres
Years active2011–present
Labels
Members
Past members
Websitelukasgraham.com

Lukas Graham is a Danish pop band consisting of lead vocalist Lukas Forchhammer,[1] and drummer Mark Falgren.[2] The band released Lukas Graham, their first album, with labels Copenhagen Records and Then We Take The World in 2012.[3][4] The album peaked at number one on the Danish charts.[5] Their second album was released in 2015[6] and earned international attention with singles like "Mama Said" and "7 Years", the latter of which topped the singles charts in many major music markets. The self-titled international debut album was officially released in the United States by Warner Bros. Records on 1 April 2016.[7][8]

Career

2011–2012: Career beginnings

The band formed in Denmark in 2011 and initially uploaded homemade videos of the songs "Drunk in the Morning" and "Criminal Mind".[2][9] The songs were also shared on Facebook and accrued several hundred thousand views.[10] The band signed a record deal in late 2011 with the Danish record label Copenhagen Records which is owned by Universal Music Denmark.[3] In a later interview, Lukas Graham revealed that the band already had a contract with Copenhagen Records and the self-made videos were the label's idea to create an underground buzz.

Prior to officially releasing any music, the band had sold 17,000 tickets for an upcoming tour.[9]

Their first release, available only in Europe and selected other nations,[1] became certified five-times platinum in Denmark.[11] Their first release also featured four charting songs such as "Drunk in the Morning", "Better Than Yourself (Criminal Mind Pt 2)" and "Ordinary Things".[12] Over the course of 2012, Lukas Graham played 107 concerts throughout Europe, selling 40,000 tickets in Denmark alone. They sold 80,000 albums and 150,000 singles while also earning 5 million YouTube views and 27 million streams. Their tour took them across Europe to countries like England, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Germany, Austria, France, and Spain.[1]

2013–2014: Continued touring and Warner Bros. Records deal

In 2013, the band continued to tour throughout Europe.[13][14] In the summer of 2013, the band was added to the bill of the Grøn Koncert (Green Concert) tour which is held in support of muscular dystrophy research.[15] In October 2013, Lukas Graham won the European Border Breakers Award (EBBA) for their international tours in Europe.[16]

In the fall of 2013, the band signed to Warner Bros. Records. The record company signed them with the intent of bringing their music to the United States. Starting in early 2014, the band spent extended periods of time in Los Angeles writing and recording what would become their official U.S. debut.[17][18] The band is still represented by Copenhagen Records in the Nordics, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and France[19] and is managed by Then We Take The World.[20] In March 2014, Forchhammer himself contributed vocals to Hedegaard's Danish number-one single "Happy Home".[21] Later in 2014, the band released their first single "Mama Said" off their upcoming album.[22]

2015–present: Worldwide debut, "7 Years" and international success

Forchhammer performing at Stavernfestivalen 2016

The band released their next record (often referred to as the "Blue Album") on Copenhagen Records and Then We Take The World solely in Denmark and several other mostly European nations in 2015. It peaked at number one in Denmark and made it onto several other Euro charts.[23] It featured the singles "Mama Said", "Strip No More" and "7 Years", the last of which peaked at number one on the charts for Denmark, Italy, Austria, Belgium, and Sweden.[24] The band made their United States television debut performing "7 Years" on a 10 December 2015 episode of Conan[25][26] and the song peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 list.[27] In March 2016, Lukas Graham performed "7 Years" on Jimmy Kimmel Live!.[28] The band has also performed the song on Late Night with Seth Meyers,[29] The Ellen DeGeneres Show,[30] The Late Late Show with James Corden,[31] and Good Morning America.[32]

By the end of March 2016, "7 Years" had achieved around 225 million total listens on Spotify worldwide with 17.2 million listeners per month, making the band the 20th most popular artist on the service.[19] On 1 April 2016, the self-titled international debut was officially released in the United States by Warner Bros. Records. The US release of the album received new artwork, a reworked track listing, and a wider worldwide audience in countries including, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand. The album reached No. 3 on the Billboard 200, No. 2 in the UK and New Zealand, No. 1 in Australia and Canada, and No. 5 in Ireland.[33][34][35][36] The band also embarked on a two-month long tour throughout the United States and Canada at the end of March 2016.[37] Most dates on the tour sold out.[7][38] As of December 2023, "7 Years" has over 1.74 billion Spotify streams.[39]

In June 2016, keyboardist Kasper Daugaard left the band as "touring life wasn't right for (him)". He was temporarily replaced by the band's producer and former keyboardist Morten Ristorp.

In December 2016, Lukas Graham was nominated for three Grammy Awards including Record of the Year and Song of the Year for "7 Years" and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.[40] 7 Year was also nominated for Song of the Year at the 2016 BBC Music Awards where the band performed the song live on 12 December 2016.[41][42]

In 2017, Lukas Graham performed the song "Off to See the World", featured on the soundtrack of My Little Pony: The Movie.

In September 2018, the band announced their third album 3 (The Purple Album), to be released on 26 October 2018 through Warner Bros. Records, and its lead single "Love Someone".[43]

On 20 February 2019, Lukas Graham performed as a guest artist on the third season of I Can See Your Voice Thailand.[44]

On 8 April 2019, Lukas Graham performed as a guest artist on the seventeenth season of American Idol during the second night of the "Top 20 Duets" episode. Forchhammer sang with contestants Eddie Island and Dimitrius Graham; both of which moved forward to the Top 14.[45]

Musical style

Lukas Graham's music has been described as a pop-soul hybrid.[1] In a review of the band's new album, journalist Jon Pareles of The New York Times described their sound as the place "where pop meets R&B".[6] Patrick Ryan of USA Today wrote that the band's songs "effortlessly blend elements of hip hop and folk". Lyrically, the songs often deal with relatable experiences like growing up poor ("Mama Said") or drinking ("Drunk in the Morning").[7] The band's most popular song, "7 Years", describes growing up and aging at specific points in life (from seven years old to 60).[46]

Forchhammer grew up in a self-governing artistic community of Christiania.[7] The area is known for its creative atmosphere, relative poverty and crime. His experiences growing up in the community have shaped both the sound of his music and the lyrics he writes.[25][29]

Band members

Timeline

Discography

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Nominee Result
2012 Danish Music Awards New Danish Name of the Year Lukas Graham Won
Audience Prize of the Year Nominated
Band of the Year Nominated
Male Artist of the Year Nominated
Newcomer of the Year Nominated
Songwriter of the Year Nominated
Best Pop Album Lukas Graham Nominated
2015 MTV Europe Music Awards Best Danish Act Lukas Graham Won
Best European Act Nominated
2016 MTV Video Music Awards Best New Artist Nominated
MTV Europe Music Awards Best New Act Nominated
Best Push Act Nominated
Best Danish Act Nominated
Best Song "7 Years" Nominated
BBC Music Awards Song of the Year Nominated
LOS40 Music Awards International New Artist of the Year Lukas Graham Nominated
Teen Choice Awards Choice Summer Song "7 Years" Nominated
2017 Grammy Awards Record of the Year Nominated
Song of the Year Nominated
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance Nominated
iHeartRadio Music Awards Best Lyrics Nominated
Best New Pop Artist Lukas Graham Nominated
Kids' Choice Awards Best New Artist Nominated
Billboard Music Awards Top New Artist Nominated
ASCAP Pop Awards Winning Song "7 Years" Won
2020 BMI Pop Awards Winning Song "Love Someone" Won

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Giese, Ditte (21 December 2012). "Lukas Graham: "Jeg aner ikke, hvordan jeg skal skrive en glad sang igen"". Politiken (in Danish). Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  2. 1 2 Winther, Emil (10 June 2012). "I aften spiller Graham gratis på hjemmebane". Ekstra Bladet (in Danish). Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  3. 1 2 Ramsdal, Peter (4 May 2012). "Syg Lukas Graham melder afbud til Spot". Gaffa (in Danish). Archived from the original on 10 December 2020. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  4. ↑ Treo, Thomas (30 October 2012). "Lukas Graham udgiver sang til død far". Ekstra Bladet (in Danish). Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  5. ↑ "Lukas Graham – Lukas Graham". danishcharts.dk. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  6. 1 2 Pareles, Jon (30 March 2016). "Review: 'Lukas Graham' Lands Where Pop Meets R&B". The New York Times. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Ryan, Patrick (21 March 2016). "Lukas Graham channels grief into emotional '7 Years'". USA Today. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  8. ↑ DeVille, Chris (31 March 2016). "Lukas Graham Is The New Ed Sheeran Is The New Jason Mraz Is… the best song writer". Stereogum. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  9. 1 2 Lund, Simon (23 March 2012). "Christianitten i wifebeateren er lidt af en soulsensation". Politiken (in Danish). Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  10. ↑ Pallesen, Randi (10 July 2012). "Lukas Graham udgiver album i hele Europa". Gaffa (in Danish). Archived from the original on 10 December 2020. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  11. ↑ "Lukas Graham 'Lukas Graham' (CPH)". IFPI Denmark. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  12. ↑ "Lukas Graham". danishcharts.dk. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  13. ↑ Disch, Peter (4 April 2013). "Wie war's bei … Lukas Graham im Jazzhaus in Freiburg?". Badische Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  14. ↑ "Lukas Graham freuen sich auf ihre Deutschland-Tour". Focus (in German). 18 January 2013. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  15. ↑ "Lukas Graham er det sidste navn på Grøn Koncert-turnéen". Fyens Stiftstidende (in Danish). 7 May 2013. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  16. ↑ "Lukas Graham vinder europæisk musikpris". Politiken (in Danish). 15 October 2013. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  17. ↑ Johansen, Camilla Maria (13 June 2014). "TV: Lukas Graham: Sådan erobrer vi USA". Ekstra Bladet (in Danish). Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  18. ↑ Giese, Ditte (2 January 2014). "Lukas Graham: "Jamen, hvad fanden skal jeg bruge en million euro til?"". Politiken (in Danish). Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  19. 1 2 Dredge, Stuart (23 March 2016). "7 Years: how streaming fuelled the rapid rise of Lukas Graham". Musically. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
  20. ↑ Rosenstand Svidt, Ole (20 November 2015). "Lukas Graham vælter Aarhus: Veltrænet verdensklasse". BT (in Danish). Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  21. ↑ "40 millioner har lyttet på YouTube: Nu udgiver Hedegaard sin første single" (in Danish). DR. 13 March 2014. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  22. ↑ Rosenstand Svidt, Ole (20 June 2014). "Hør ny sang med Lukas Graham". Gaffa (in Danish). Archived from the original on 30 July 2017. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  23. ↑ "Lukas Graham – Lukas Graham [Blue Album]". danishcharts.dk. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
  24. ↑ "Lukas Graham – 7 Years". danishcharts.dk. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  25. 1 2 Silverton, Pete (25 January 2016). "Lukas Graham single '7 Years': A catchy song about growing up in a 'utopian community' in Denmark is a massive hit". The Independent. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  26. ↑ Lukas Graham (band), Conan O'Brien (host) (10 December 2015). Lukas Graham '7 Years' 12/10/15. Conan. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  27. ↑ "Lukas Graham – Chart history". Billboard. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  28. ↑ Brandle, Lars (30 March 2016). "Lukas Graham Performs '7 Years' on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live': Watch". Billboard. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  29. 1 2 Taylor Bennett, Kim (5 February 2016). "Let's Get Drunk in the Morning and Take the World by Storm: An Interview with Lukas Graham". Noisey. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  30. ↑ "Lukas Graham Performs His Catchy Hit 7 Years on Ellen! Watch!". Perez Hilton. 4 April 2016. Archived from the original on 29 July 2017. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  31. ↑ Ryan, Gavin (19 December 2016). "Australian Charts Clean Bandit Rockaby Is No 1 ARIA Single". Noise11. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  32. ↑ "Lukas Graham Performs Live on GMA". ABC News. 16 December 2016. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  33. ↑ Savage, Mark (11 March 2016). "Lukas Graham top charts for fifth week". BBC. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  34. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (10 April 2016). "Chris Stapleton Surges to No. 2 on Billboard 200, Lukas Graham, Weezer and Twenty88 Debut in Top 10". Billboard. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
  35. ↑ "Lukas Graham – Lukas Graham [Blue Album]". australian-charts.com. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
  36. ↑ "Irish Charts". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
  37. ↑ "Lukas Graham Announce Headline Tour as Hit Single '7 Years' Skyrockets on Charts". Broadway World. 9 February 2016. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  38. ↑ Evatt, Nicole (12 April 2016). "Lukas Graham makes U.S. mark with '7 Years,' Double Door show". Daily Herald. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  39. ↑ Lukas Graham, April 2016, retrieved 13 December 2023
  40. ↑ Brown, August (6 December 2016). "Lukas Graham grows up and finds Grammy acclaim with "7 Years"". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  41. ↑ Wilson, Samantha (12 December 2016). "Lukas Graham Kills It at 2016 BBC Music Awards With 7 Years". Hollywood Life. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  42. ↑ Blake, Liza (12 December 2016). "BBC Music Awards Adele, Coldplay, The 1975 Win Top Honors". Billboard. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  43. ↑ "Lukas Graham Announces New Album". 7 September 2018. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
  44. ↑ "I Can See Your Voice ลูคัส เกรแฮม 20 กุมภาพันธ์ 2562". thai25.com (in Thai). Thai25. 20 February 2019. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  45. ↑ Preston, Hannah (8 April 2019). "American Idol All-Star Duets, Night 2: Julia Michaels, Lukas Graham, LovelyTheBand & More Join Contestants to Find Out Who Makes It to the Top 14". Newsweek. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
  46. ↑ Moraski, Lauren (4 April 2016). "If You Don't Know Lukas Graham Yet, You Should". HuffPost. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  47. ↑ "4 (The Pink Album) by Lukas Graham", Apple Music, 20 January 2023, retrieved 6 December 2022
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