Åse Kleveland

Åse Maria Kleveland, also known as Ase Kleveland, born on March 18, 1949, in Stockholm, Sweden, is a Norwegian singer, guitarist, politician, and activist. She began her musical journey at age eight, playing classical guitar, and debuted on the radio at ten. Her first single was released in 1965. Kleveland represented Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest 1966 with "Intet er nytt under solen", finishing third. Her album Vær Velkommen in 1973, pioneered the vispop genre—a blend of traditional folk song and pop. She released her album, Midt På Natta, in 1976 and has since released 13 singles for Scandinavian and German markets. In addition to her musical career, Kleveland has served as Norway's Minister of Culture from 1990 to 1996 under the Gro Harlem Brundtland administration.