Alex Naumik facts for kids

Alexandra Naumik (born 12 August 1949 – died 17 September 2013), known by her stage name Alex, was a talented singer and artist. She was born in Lithuania, had Polish roots, and became famous in Norway. Alex was a big star in pop and rock music during the late 1970s.

About Alex

Early Life and Music Beginnings

Alexandra Naumik was born in 1949 in Vilnius. Her parents were Polish. When she was young, her family faced tough times and had to move to Siberia. After six years, they were able to return to Poland.

Alex had an amazing singing voice. She could sing a very wide range of notes, sometimes called "four octaves." As a teenager, she won many music competitions and awards. She even recorded songs with famous artists like Agnieszka Osiecka. In 1969, she finished her studies in Łódź. The next year, she moved to Norway after marrying Norwegian film director Haakon Sandøy.

Becoming "Alex"

After moving to Norway, Alexandra started her music career again. She chose the stage name Alex. This name was given to her by the writer Jens Bjørneboe.

In 1977, she released her first album, also called Alex. This album helped bring funk-rock music to Norway. It received great reviews and won the Norwegian Album of the Year award. The album also sold many copies, earning both silver and gold records. In 1976, she formed her first band, also named "Alex." The band included talented musicians like Bjørn Christiansen and Svein Gundersen.

International Success

Alex was the first Norwegian artist to sign big international record deals. In 1977, she signed with PolyGram International (now Universal Music Group). In 1978, she signed with RCA Records. She worked with famous musicians like David Foster and Andy Summers.

Alex performed all over the world. She even had her own TV show special in Germany called Musikladen. About 20 million people in over 18 countries watched her show!

Challenges and Later Career

In the early 1980s, Alex took part in Melodi Grand Prix four times. This is Norway's competition to choose an entry for the Eurovision Song Contest. Her best result was third place in 1980.

Sadly, in 1980, Alex and her band were in a bus crash. Their drummer, Per Ivar Johansen, passed away, and other band members were seriously hurt.

After her most popular period in the mid-1980s, Alex started producing records and writing songs for other artists. She spent several years working in the United States and Japan. She returned to Norway in the early 2000s. During this time, Alex released only two of her own albums, in 1991 and 1993.

One of her recent successes was working on Swedish artist Leana's album Faith. This album reached number one on the Billboard music charts in 2006 and 2007. Alex helped write and produce the album with her daughter, Naomi Naumik, and her long-time friend, Grammy winner Atle Bakken.

In October 2008, Alex began re-releasing her music. Her songs became available digitally on iTunes and Spotify, and on her own website. She also released new songs and remixes.

Awards and Influence

Throughout her life, Alex received many awards both in Norway and around the world. She won the "Nordring" prize in Helsinki in 1981. She also won the Spellemannprisen, which is like the Norwegian Grammy, in 1977 for two of her albums. In 1980, readers of Det Nye magazine voted her "Female Artist of the Year."

Alex was also known for setting trends. Her hairstyle was so popular that "Alex-hair" became a common phrase! She was one of the first female artists in Norway to take full control of her music and how she was seen by the public. This was unusual for independent female artists at that time. She also worked with big companies like Helen Curtis Shampoos, BASF, Levi's, and Ford Motor Company.

Personal Life

Alex married Norwegian film director Haakon Sandøy in 1969, but they later divorced. She lived most of her life in Oslo, Norway. She also spent time living in the USA, Japan, and Sweden. Alexandra Naumik passed away in her Oslo apartment on September 17, 2013, at the age of 64.

Music She Made

Here are some of the albums and singles Alex released during her career.

Albums

• Alex (Mercury, 1977)
• Handle With Care (Mercury, 1977)
• Hello, I Love You (Mercury, 1979)
• Daddy’s Child (Polydor, 1980)
• Alex’ beste (Polydor, 1981) (a collection of her best songs)
• Always (CBS, 1983)
• Almost (Ventura Records, 1991)
• Living In Color (MTG, 1993)

Singles

• Heartbreak Queen (1977)
• Listen To The Music (1978)
• Flying High (1978)
• Rock Machine (1979)
• Univers (1980)
• Rock'N'Roller (1981)
• I Love Warszawa (1982)
• Dreamboy (1984)
• Don't Break down My Heart (1984)
• Almost (1991)
• Home Is Where The Hatred Is (2008)
• I Wanna Fly (2008)