Alex Naumik

Alex Naumik

Alex or Alexandra Naumik (earlier Alexandra Sandøy) (born 12 August 1949) is a Norwegian-Polish rock and pop icon and artist who rose to fame in the late 1970s.

Alexandra Naumik was born to Polish parents in Vilnius, Lithuanian SSR. During the Stalinist era she was deported to Siberia together with her family and only arrived in Poland 6 years later. With her 4 and a half octave voice Alex won several competitions and prizes while still a teenager and recorded records with renowned artists such as Agnieszka Osiecka and Adam Slawinski. Having graduated from the Pedagogy Institute in Łódź in 1969 she came to Norway in 1970 after having married film director Haakon Sandøy. Her debut in 1977 launched funk-rock in Norway while her album received both critical acclaim and the Norwegian equivalent for the Grammy Awards as well as silver and gold records for sales. Alex also became renowned as a trend-setter in several areas ("Alex-hair" was a common expression) and she became the first female artist in Norway to take full control over her music, her personal and public image at a time when a female control was unusual. She was also the first Norwegian artist to sign international recording contracts in 1977 with PolyGram International ( now Universal Music Group) and in 1978 RCA Records, USA working with artists such as David Foster, Andrae Crouch, Andy Summers and Glen Matlock. In addition to performing all Continents, Alex was also given her own television special in the German Musikladen program which was viewed by 20 million people in over 18 countries worldwide. An honour bestowed on the likes of The Ramones, Stevie Wonder and Roxy Music. As she was also a pioneer in co-operation between the music and commercial sector and became a spokesperson for Helen Curtis Shampoos, BASF, Levi's and Ford Motor Company amongst others.

Alex has over a long period been working in the United States and Japan as a songwriter and producer and she has most recently had success with her work with Swedish-born artist Leana's album Faith who reached number one on the Billboard charts in June 2006 and January 2007. Alex contributed on Leana's album as a writer and producer together with her daughter Naomi Naumik and her collaborator for 25 years, Grammy winner Atle Bakken

Alex has received several international prizes and distinctions in addition to national ones. These have included the "Nordring" prize in Helsinki (1981), Spellemansprisen, the Norwegian Grammy (1977), for two albums, and being voted "Female Artist of the Year" by the readers of Det Nye magazine in 1980

In October 2008 Alex started the release of all her recordings, after record labels had waited up to 30 years in taking action. This happened on i.e. iTunes but also through the artist's own website. The occasion also launched brand new recordings and remixes, including the classic song "Home Is Where The Hatred Is."