Born in Åmli in 1988, the multi-instrumentalist studied music in England at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts. His eponymous debut album of spirited folk-rock arrived in 2011 and not only reached number five on Norway's album chart but earned the artist three Spellemann nominations -- that country's equivalent of the Grammys -- in the categories Best Songwriter, Best Male Artist, and Newcomer of the Year; he won the latter. His sophomore album, 2013's If Only as a Ghost, outdid his debut by one spot on the charts and brought the singer continued comparisons to Paul Simon, with whom he shares a similar vocal tone. Offering more electronics, grittier guitar work, and continued wily songcraft, 2016's Younger was Alaska's first to be written on electric instead of acoustic guitar. ~ Marcy Donelson