Anne Linnet - Career

Career

Anne Linnet had her musical debut at the age of 17, in 1970, with the Århus based band "Tears", with whom she released two albums. In 1973 she was one of the founding members of the all-woman band, Shit & Chanel, which released four albums in their seven years together. One of their largest hits was the song, "Smuk og Dejlig", written by Anne Linnet. One of the reasons for the band’s split was that the House of Chanel had won a lawsuit against them, regarding the use of the name "Chanel". After that, the band members felt a need to move on and do something new.

Following the split, Anne Linnet formed the band, Anne Linnet Band, which released two albums in 1981 and 1982 respectively. Two other singers and musicians in the band were Sanne Salomonsen and Lis Sørensen, both popular singers/musicians who have since had long and successful careers.

In 1983, she formed a new band, Marquis de Sade. The sound was harder and more electronic, inspired by other European, mid-eighties bands, such as Eurythmics, and was a change from the softer pop/folk sound that had characterised her music until then. The band released two albums. At the time they created some controversy, and became known for some of their songs having sadomasochistic ("Marquis de Sade") and lesbian ("Hils din mor", "Venus") themes. They had large hits with songs such as "Glor på Vinduer" and "Nattog".

In 1986, Anne Linnet wrote music for the film, Barndommens Gade based on the novel of the same name by the Danish poet Tove Ditlevsen. She set a number of Tove Ditlevsen’s poems to music, which was released on the album Barndommens Gade. The poem/song, ”Barndommens Gade", became a hit.

In 1988, she released the album Jeg Er Jo Lige Her (Danish for I am right here). The first single was the evergreen "Tusind Stykker" (Danish for Thousand Pieces), which became a large hit, first in Anne Linnet’s version, and later also in a Swedish version, performed by the Swedish singer and musician, Björn Afzelius.

In 1989, she released the album Min Sang in collaboration with the Danish priest, author and lecturer, Johannes Møllehave. The album contains her poems inspired by her Christian faith. Linnet and Møllehave have later collaborated on a series of church concerts and lectures.

In 1996, she wrote a chamber opera, Thorvaldsen, about the Danish, 19th century sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen.

Anne Linnet has also authored several books. In 1983, she published a collection of poems; Glimt, in 1999, the first part of her autobiography; Hvor kommer drømmene fra?, and in 2000, four short children’s books about Ivan the dog.

In 2006, she had a showing of her oil paintings in Rundetårn, Copenhagen.

In 2007, she released the critically acclaimed solo album Akvarium which became a success.