Bragging Rights

Nationality is a funny thing. I was born in Denmark and have deep ties to that beautiful, itsy bitsy kingdom of ocean and isles and forests and castles, but in reality, I have only lived there for a total of some 12-13 years in my entire life. By now, I have lived in the US almost twice that long. And as much as I love Denmark and visit every chance I get, I couldn't imagine living there.

Still, I know I am danish, I uphold certain traditions, and I feel a surge of kinship, pride and delight whenever Denmark and Danes are in the news (which is rare), whenever they do well, get a little attention. I know by the simple and irrefutable fact of my genetic genepool, that I have bragging rights to all good deeds danish.

Denmark has long been a country of poetry and prose, and singing is mandatory at all special occasions. So perhaps it is not surprising that over the years, Denmark has produced some incredible singer/song writers. Some of my favorites these days are Tim Christensen and Nikolaj Grandjean (see my blog Carrying Stars). Now I just learned of another one - Mads Langer. He looks about 12 years old and he sings with a sensibility far exceeding his actual age - twentysomething. And his song The River Has Run Wild was featured on a TV show called The Vampire Diaries, so you know - he has made it stateside and now I can really brag on him.

Actually, I learned of two more, for I started looking around and found him in duets with Ida and Maria Mena (OK, Maria is Norwegian, but she still belongs to my Scandinavian genepool), both beautiful girls who more than hold their own in excellent company. And then there's even a duet with my long time favorite (and an idol of Mads Langer), Tim Christensen! I've been in Youtube heaven.

Thought I'd take you with me. By the time you're done listening to this, you just might want bragging rights, too.

Happy Friday!!

 

Mads Langer and Maria Mena

 

 

 

Tim Christensen and Mads Langer

 

Mads Langer on BBC