Gåte
| Company type | Musical group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2000 |
| Founder | Sveinung Sundli |
| Headquarters | Trøndelag , Norway |
Area served | Norway, Scandinavia, Germany, Europe |
Key people | Sveinung Sundli (violin, keyboards), Gunnhild Sundli (vocals), Gjermund Landrø (bass, backing vocals), Martin Langlie (drums), Magnus Børmark (guitar, keyboards), Kenneth Kapstad (drums) |
| Products | Music albums, EPs, singles |
| Owner | Warner Music Group (label) |
(; ) is a musical group originating from Trøndelag, Norway, known for merging elements of Norwegian folk music with genres such as heavy metal and electronica. Their sound is often classified as progressive folk rock. Established in 2000 by Sveinung Sundli, who plays violin and keyboards, the founding members included his sister Gunnhild Sundli (vocals), Gjermund Landrø (bass and backing vocals), Martin Langlie (drums), and Magnus Børmark (guitar and keyboards). In 2004, Langlie was succeeded by Kenneth Kapstad. The band is signed under Warner Music Group and represented Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 with the track "Ulveham".
History
Their debut EP, Gåte EP, was released in 2000 and quickly attracted attention. This was followed by a second self-titled EP in 2002, alongside their first full-length album, Jygri, which marked their commercial breakthrough within Norway and important markets such as Scandinavia and Germany. Media coverage highlighted Gunnhild Sundli’s unique vocal style, leading to discussions about a potential solo career. After releasing the 2003 EP Statt opp (Maggeduliadei) and their sophomore album Iselilja in 2004, the band announced a hiatus, partly influenced by Gunnhild’s desire to explore other interests. Despite this pause, Warner Music Norway issued a live album titled Liva in 2006, featuring recordings from performances at Rockefeller Music Hall and the Roskilde Festival.
Gåte returned in 2017 with the EP Attersyn, followed by the album Svevn in 2018. Early in their journey, they toured extensively throughout Norway and appeared at major festivals such as Roskilde. After a one-time reunion concert in 2009, they embarked on a brief five-show tour across Norway in 2010, concluding with a farewell performance atop the Oslo Opera House. The band recommenced touring within Norway again starting in 2018.
In August 2023, it was announced that Sveinung Sundli would temporarily step away from the band and would not be part of the upcoming tour.
Gåte competed in Melodi Grand Prix 2024, Norway’s national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2024, with their song "Ulveham". They progressed from the semi-final held on 20 January 2024 and ultimately won the final on 3 February 2024.
At Eurovision 2024, Gåte secured 10th place in the second semifinal on 9 May, earning a spot in the Grand Final on 11 May, where they finished in 25th position.
Song origins
A significant portion of Gåte’s repertoire consists of reinterpreted traditional Norwegian folk melodies like "Sjå Attende" ("Look Back") and "Knut Liten og Sylvelin" ("Little-Knut and Sylvelin"). Another important influence comes from poems by Norwegian poet Astrid Krog Halse, which Sveinung Sundli has adapted into music; examples include "Følgje" ("Company") and "Stengd Dør" ("Closed Door"). Several compositions are written using Nynorsk or Landsmål and are performed with a pronounced Trøndersk dialect.
On their album Svevn, many lyrics were penned by seasoned folk artist Knut Buen, who also contributed "Kjærleik" to Iselilja.
Gunnhild Sundli
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Gunnhild (born 2 July 1985) serves as the lead singer of the band, having joined in 1999. Originally from Orkdal Municipality and currently residing in Trondheim Municipality, she began her vocal training at age nine and has experience in both classical European music and jazz. She pursued formal singing education at Heimdal Upper Secondary School.
Magnus Børmark
Born on 21 November 1982 in Trondheim, Børmark developed his skills on guitar and piano under the guidance of his older brother. Prior to becoming a member of Gåte in December 2000, he was active in well-known rock groups including Torch. His instrument collection features a Fender Telecaster alongside the Robotcaster and Les Robot guitars, both custom-made by Frank Stavem. Additionally, he performs guitar duties in the band .
Jon Even Schärer
Drummer Jon Even Schärer, born 27 September 1990 in Kvikne, is part of the ensemble. Beyond performing, he contributes as a lyricist collaborating with Norwegian musicians to advance folk traditions and holds a position as an educational leader within a kindergarten setting. He has also completed a bachelor's thesis focused on early childhood education.
Mats Paulsen
Trondheim native Mats Paulsen, born 1 March 1983, plays bass and co-founded the Norwegian group 22 alongside Børmark. In addition to his musical career, he reached the finals of Norway's edition of MasterChef in 2010.
John Stenersen
Originating from Risør Municipality, John Stenersen is both a musician and composer who specializes in traditional Nordic instruments such as the nyckelharpa, moraharpa, and hurdy-gurdy.
Albums
| Album | Release details | Highest chart position | |
|---|---|---|---|
| NOR | |||
| Jygri |
|
1 | |
| Iselilja |
|
3 | |
| Liva |
|
15 | |
| Svevn |
|
11 | |
| Nord |
|
— | |
| Ulveham |
|
— | |
| Symbol "—" indicates albums that either did not enter the charts or were not released in that market. | |||
Extended plays
| Title | Release information | Highest chart ranking | |
|---|---|---|---|
| NOR | |||
| Gåte EP |
|
— | |
| Gåte EP |
|
2 | |
| Statt opp (Maggeduliadei) |
|
4 | |
| Attersyn |
|
— | |
| Til Nord |
|
— | |
| Vandrar |
|
— | |
| The "—" symbol signifies extended plays that did not chart or were unavailable in that region. | |||
Singles
| Track | Release Year | Highest Chart Rankings | Source Album or EP | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NOR |
LTU | |||
| "Sjå attende" | 2004 | 10 | — | Iselilja |
| "Iselilja" (collaboration with The Blizzard) |
2009 | — | — | Template:Non-album single |
| "Stolt solvår" | 2017 | — | — | Attersyn |
| "Rideboll og gullborg" | — | — | ||
| "Kom no disjka" | 2018 | — | — | Svevn |
| "Bannlyst" | — | — | ||
| "Tonen" | — | — | ||
| "Huldra" | 2019 | — | — | Ulveham |
| "Svarteboka" (featuring Djerv) |
2023 | — | — | Vandrar and Ulveham |
| "Skarvane" | — | — | ||
| "Ulveham" | 2024 | —[lower-alpha 1] | 91 | |
| "På veg" | — | — | Template:Non-album single | |
Additional Charted Tracks
| Track | Year Released | Peak Chart Position | Associated Album or EP |
|---|---|---|---|
| NOR |
|- ! scope="row" | " (Radio Edit)" | 2023 | 10 | Vandrar |}
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- 1999 establishments in Norway
- 2005 disestablishments in Norway
- 2010 disestablishments in Norway
- Musical groups disestablished in 2005
- Musical groups disestablished in 2010
- Musical groups established in 1999
- Musical groups reestablished in 2009
- Musical groups reestablished in 2017
- Norwegian folk rock groups
- Norwegian progressive rock groups
- Norwegian folk metal musical groups
- Musical groups from Trøndelag
- Spellemannprisen winners
- Warner Music Group artists
- Melodi Grand Prix winners
- Eurovision Song Contest entrants