Basshunter facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Basshunter
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Basshunter performing in Halmstad, 2008
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Jonas Erik Altberg
22 December 1984 Halmstad, Sweden
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| Years active | 2001–present |
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Works
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| Spouse(s) |
Tina Makhia Khayatsadeh
(m. 2017; div. 2018) |
| Awards | Full list |
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Jonas Erik Altberg (born 22 December 1984), known professionally as Basshunter, is a Swedish singer, record producer, songwriter, and DJ. He is famous for his energetic Eurodance music, which often features strong bass sounds.
Basshunter was born and grew up in Halmstad, Sweden. He later moved to Malmö in 2006. When he was a teenager, he sang in a choir that his mother led. He started making his own music at age 17. In 2006, he released his song "Boten Anna" for free online. It became very popular, and he soon signed with music labels. His 2007 song "Now You're Gone" is an English version of "Boten Anna" with new lyrics.
Basshunter has released five studio albums: The Bassmachine (2004), LOL (2006), Now You're Gone – The Album (2008), Bass Generation (2009), and Calling Time (2013). Besides his own songs, he has written music for other artists. He has also appeared on TV shows like Celebrity Big Brother in the UK.
He has won several awards, including a European Border Breakers Award. By 2009, he had sold over 3 million records worldwide.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Jonas Erik Altberg was born in Halmstad, Sweden, on 22 December 1984. His mother was a teacher, and his father worked in construction. He has a younger brother. When he was young, he sang in a choir run by his mother. He also sang in a rock band for two years, where he learned about different kinds of music.
He went to a technical high school that focused on computers. After two years, he moved to a high school in Halmstad that specialized in music. He finished high school in 2005 and then went to college for a short time.
Music Career Highlights
Starting Out (2001–2006)
Jonas started making music at 17 years old. He used the stage name "Basshunter" because his music had a lot of bass. He began using a music software program called FruityLoops. He thought the name "Basshunter" sounded strong and good for his music.
In 2004, Basshunter performed live for the first time at a party in Älmhult. He released his first album, The Bassmachine, in August 2004. He later released improved versions of this album. Basshunter also made a YouTube video called Basshunter Tutorial, showing how he made music. Many people copied the song from his video.
He shared his music online for free on websites and chat channels. For several years, he also worked as a DJ in clubs in Sweden.
Breakthrough with LOL (2006–2008)
In March 2006, Basshunter put his song "Boten Anna" online. In just 24 hours, it was downloaded 37,000 times! Because of this success, he got many offers from music managers and labels. In April 2006, Basshunter signed with Extensive Music and Warner Music Sweden. "Boten Anna" was officially released as a single in May 2006. By June, it had been downloaded over one million times. That year, he moved to Malmö, where his music label is located.
"Boten Anna" became number one on the Swedish music charts. It was also number one in Denmark for 14 weeks. The song was very popular and even had Dutch cover versions.
Basshunter's second album, LOL, came out in August 2006. He worked on it for about three weeks. The album mixed singing with hard dance and hard trance music. An American version of LOL was released in 2008, with some songs translated into English. This version also included new songs like "Now You're Gone". LOL was a top 5 album in Sweden and Finland, and number 3 in Denmark.
Other popular songs from LOL included "Vi sitter i Ventrilo och spelar DotA", which was a top 10 hit in several countries. He also released a remake of the Christmas song "Jingle Bells".
International Success with Now You're Gone (2007–2009)
In December 2007, Basshunter released "Now You're Gone". This song was a new English version of "Boten Anna". It quickly became a huge hit, reaching number one in the United Kingdom for five weeks. It was the first Swedish song to be number one in the UK since ABBA's "Dancing Queen". "Now You're Gone" sold over 667,000 copies in the UK. It was also number one in Ireland and a top 3 hit in New Zealand.
His next single, "All I Ever Wanted", was released in June 2008. It reached number 2 in the UK and number one in Ireland.
Basshunter's album Now You're Gone – The Album was released in July 2008. It went straight to number one on the UK Albums Chart and sold over 376,000 copies. It also topped the charts in New Zealand. The song "Angel in the Night" was released as a single in September 2008. By the end of 2008, Basshunter was one of the best-selling singles songwriters in the UK.
Later Albums and Singles (2009–Present)
In September 2009, Basshunter released his fourth album, Bass Generation. This album reached number 2 in New Zealand and number 16 in the UK. The song "Every Morning" was a popular single from this album.
His single "Saturday" came out in July 2010 and was certified gold in New Zealand. In 2011, he released "Fest i hela huset", which was recorded while he was on the Swedish Big Brother TV show.
In 2012, Basshunter released a collection of his earlier songs called The Early Bedroom Sessions. He also moved to Dubai that year.
His fifth album, Calling Time, was released in May 2013. Basshunter recorded many songs for this album, choosing the best fifteen. He wanted to show his classic sound but also try new things.
In 2013, Basshunter announced he would focus more on DJing, producing, and songwriting for others. He still releases new music. In 2018, he released "Masterpiece". He has since released more singles, including "Home" (2019) and "Angels Ain't Listening" (2020). In 2023, he worked with Victor Leksell on a new version of "Boten Anna" called "Ingen kan slå (Boten Anna)", which was a top 5 hit in Sweden.
Music Style and Influences
How Basshunter Makes Music
Basshunter describes his music as eurodance. He says it's happy, full of energy, and very melodic. He loves using strong basslines in his songs. He often creates songs in minor scales, which can sound a bit more serious or emotional. He even has secret names he uses to make other types of music!
He always takes his laptop with him when he travels for concerts. This way, he can record new ideas whenever they come to him. Basshunter writes his own music and lyrics. Sometimes, his agent helps him find the right English words for his songs. He likes to write lyrics that people can relate to.
In 2018, Basshunter said that the music industry has changed a lot. It's harder for artists to stand out because it's easier for everyone to make music now. He believes artists need to create something truly unique. In 2020, he said he is an emotional producer, especially after taking a break from making music.
Basshunter has been influenced by artists like DJ Balloon and Rocco, and bands like Warp Brothers and Snap!. He also listened to a lot of underground music and German and Dutch techno, trance, reggae, funk, and blues music, especially Ray Charles. He thinks Ali Payami is one of the best music producers. The first music he ever bought was "The Way" by Fastball in the 1990s. He is also a fan of Robbie Williams.
Basshunter's music has influenced other artists like Avicii. Many other musicians and DJs also enjoy his music.
He uses computer software to create about 95% of his music. He uses programs like FL Studio, Logic Pro, and Pro Tools. He can also play the guitar. Basshunter knows that his fans are very important. Many of his fans outside of Sweden actually prefer his songs to be in Swedish. Even though writing in English can help reach more people, he enjoys the challenge of writing songs in English too.
Live Performances
Basshunter likes to improvise during his live shows, meaning he makes things up as he goes along. In 2006, he performed seven times in one single day! He played at shopping centers and five nightclubs.
Basshunter has performed at many big festivals. These include Elämä lapselle (2006 and 2008), Hity Na Czasie (2007 and 2009), T4 on the Beach (2010), and Allsång på Skansen (2012).
In 2009, he performed at a New Year's Eve party for the president of Kazakhstan. In 2014, he performed at the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi. Basshunter has also gone on many tours, including the New Zealand Tour (2009) and the Australian Tour (2016).
Producing and Remixing Music
Basshunter has also remixed songs for other artists. In 2007, he remixed "Dancing Lasha Tumbai" by Verka Serduchka, which came second in the Eurovision Song Contest 2007. He also remixed "Du hast den schönsten Arsch der Welt" by Alex C., which was a number one hit in Austria and Germany.
In 2015, he wrote "Mange kommer hem till dig" for the band Mange Makers. In 2020, he wrote "Shut Up Chicken" for El Capon and "Charlie" for Lana Scolaro.
Music Videos
Many of Basshunter's music videos were directed by Alex Herron. His music videos often feature model Aylar Lie. The video for "Now You're Gone" was the most-watched YouTube video in the United Kingdom in 2008. It was also the third most-watched YouTube video in the world in 2009, with 65 million views. The music video for "Saturday" reached number one in Poland.
Other Activities
Helping Others
Basshunter has supported charity events. In 2008 and 2010, he appeared at the Cash for Kids charity event. He also took part in Musikhjälpen in 2008. In 2012, a school in the UK raised money for charities by playing Basshunter's song "Now You're Gone" non-stop for 20 hours. They collected over £2,000, and they repeated the event in 2015.
TV Shows and Media
In 2010, Basshunter was a housemate on the British TV show Celebrity Big Brother and finished in fourth place. He also appeared on the Swedish game show Fångarna på fortet and the British quiz show Weakest Link.
In 2011, Basshunter's Facebook page was the most followed among Swedish musicians, with over 1.7 million followers. By 2015, it had grown to over 2.9 million followers.
Video Games and Films
Basshunter is also good at video games. He came in second place in a Swedish StarCraft tournament. He also played Counter-Strike at a high level, and his team won two tournaments in Sweden. He appeared at gaming events like Danmarks Bedste Gamer in 2008 and The Gathering in 2019.
After he became famous, he couldn't release songs for free anymore. So, he started making video blogs (vlogs) for YouTube. In 2011, Basshunter appeared in a film called Playing with Arnold, where he invited people to play the video game Mortal Online. In 2021, he appeared in a video for the Netflix series Dota: Dragon's Blood, performing his song "DotA" while playing Dota 2. He has mentioned that he no longer plays DotA as much because of his reaction time as he gets older.
Personal Life
Basshunter was married to Tina Makhia Khayatsadeh in 2017. They later divorced after about a year. He has said that he did not enjoy being a married man.
Basshunter has Tourette syndrome. He describes himself as a spontaneous person, but also says he has a sensitive side.
Awards and Nominations
Basshunter has won several awards during his career. He won the Musikförläggarnas pris in 2006 and an NRJ Radio Award in 2007. His album LOL won the European Border Breakers Award.
His song "Boten Anna" won the Eurodanceweb Award and a Telia award. "Now You're Gone" won an Eska Music Award. His song "Every Morning" was nominated for an International Dance Music Award.
Discography
- The Bassmachine (2004)
- LOL (2006)
- Now You're Gone – The Album (2008)
- Bass Generation (2009)
- Calling Time (2013)
Images for kids
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Basshunter's signature
See also
In Spanish: Basshunter para niños
