Amalie Bruun | |
|---|---|
 Bruun performing withMyrkur atRoskilde Festival 2015 in Denmark | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Amalie Bruun |
| Also known as | Myrkur |
| Born | (1985-01-06)6 January 1985 (age 40) Copenhagen, Denmark |
| Genres | Post-black metal,indie pop,dream pop,Nordic folk |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, actress, musician |
| Instruments | Vocals, piano, guitar,nyckelharpa,mandola |
| Years active | 2006–present |
| Labels | Relapse,Downtown |
| Member of | Myrkur |
| Formerly of | Ex Cops |
| Website | myrkurmusic |
Amalie Bruun (born 6 January 1985) is a Danish musician, actress and model. She currently fronts the one-person black metal projectMyrkur, where she acts as songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Bruun has released four studio albums, one live album and two EPs with Myrkur, and one studio album and three EPs as a solo artist. She is the former lead singer of the indie pop band Ex Cops, which was active from 2011 to 2014.
Bruun released her debut album in 2006. She wrote the record with her father Michael Bruun. She is a pianist and guitarist and also writes songs with other composers, including Moh Denebi. In 2008, she created the title song for the reality showParadise Hotel, entitled "If You Give It Up". Amalie Bruun moved to New York later in 2008 and won the New York Songwriters Circle international award.[3]
In 2010, Bruun released the EPBranches, which was recorded at Pirate Studios in New York in partnership with Watt White.She began modeling, starring in aMartin Scorsese-directedChanel advertisement and the music video forThe Lonely Island's 2011 song "Jack Sparrow" featuringMichael Bolton.[4]
In spring 2012, Bruun released the single "Siren", written and produced in collaboration withMark Saunders on A:Larm Music. In 2013, Amalie also appeared onR.A. the Rugged Man's albumLegends Never Die, providing background and chorus vocals for track 3, "Definition of a Rap Flow". In 2015, she once more appeared alongside R.A. on "Dark Streets" – track 12 ofMalik B.'sUnpredictable.
Both Ex Cops and Myrkur have garnered Bruun critical acclaim from publications includingPitchfork,[5]Spin,[6] andNPR Music.[7] Bruun has also appeared with Myrkur and Ex Cops at renowned music festivals such asRoskilde Festival in Denmark,Wacken Open Air in Germany andSouth by Southwest in Texas.
In 2022, Bruun provided vocals for the score of theNetflix seriesVikings: Valhalla.[8]
Bruun formed the indie pop band Ex Cops in 2011 as a duo with Brian Harding. The band drew comparisons to music released onSarah Records andFlying Nun Records.[9] Ex Cops released two albums: 2013'sTrue Hallucinations and 2014'sDaggers.[10]Daggers was produced and co-written byThe Smashing Pumpkins lead singerBilly Corgan, and featured guest appearances from singersAriel Pink andLP.[11][12] Ex Cops broke up in 2014, with Bruun remaining on good terms with Harding.[13]
A self-professed "black metal girl at heart",[14] Bruun was revealed to be the writer, performer and producer ofRelapse Records black metal projectMyrkur in 2014.[15] The project's name comes from the Icelandic word for darkness.[16] Bruun became a black metal fan after listening toDarkthrone'sTransilvanian Hunger album for the first time.[4] She released a self-titled EP under anonymity before she revealed her identity in September 2014.[17] Her debut album under the Myrkur moniker,M, was produced byUlver frontmanKristoffer Rygg and featured members ofMayhem,Arch Enemy andSatyricon in her backing band.[18]
Bruun received a torrent of sexist backlash from metal fans after beginning the Myrkur project, at one point deactivating her Facebook account because of endless death threats.[19][20] She released her second album as Myrkur,Mareridt, in 2017. With her third albumFolkesange, released in 2020, Bruun shifted from black metal to making traditional Scandinavian folk music.[16]
Bruun also appeared on the EPThe Alchemy Project by the Dutch symphonic metal bandEpica, on the song "Sirens – Of Blood and Water", alongsideCharlotte Wessels. A music video for this song was released on 11 November 2022.[21]
In 2018, Bruun married the American drummer and personal trainer Keith Abrami, known for playing drums indeath metal bands Artificial Brain and Shredded.[22] On 4 May 2019, Bruun announced via Instagram that she was expecting her first child. Bruun gave birth to her son Otto on 21 September 2019.[23]
Bruun formerly dated Brian Harding, the other half of the indie pop duo Ex Cops.[24]
Bruun is daughter of the Danish singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer Michael Bruun and has two brothers, William and Jonas.[25]
As Amalie Bruun
With Ex Cops
As Myrkur
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