KK (musician)

For other musicians called KK, see KK (disambiguation).
This is an Icelandic name. The last name is a patronymic, not a family name; this person is properly referred to by the given name Kristján.
KK
Birth name Kristján Kristjánsson
Born (1956-03-26) 26 March 1956
Minnesota, United States
Genres Blues, folk
Occupation(s) Musician, songwriter
Instruments Vocals, guitar
Associated acts KK Band, KK og Ellen, KK og Magnús Eiríksson

Kristján Kristjánsson also known as KK (Icelandic pronunciation: [kʰauː kʰauː] cow cow) is an Icelandic blues and folk musician.

KK was born on March 26, 1956 in Minnesota, United States, but later moved to Iceland with his family. He attended music school in Malmö, Sweden for four years and then played his way across Europe from 1985 until 1990, when he returned to Iceland. He has been nominated for the Gríma Prize twice and has been awarded the Icelandic Music Prize twice.[1]

In 2007 he toured to Shanghai with Magnús Eiríksson ("Maggi") and Óttar Felix Hauksson in advance of the release of their next recording there and in Iceland.[2] In 2010 he played with his band at the World Expo in Shanghai, representing Iceland.

Since production of the closing episodes of Sense8, the American-produced, internationally cast and filmed science fiction drama from Netflix that debuted in June 2015, KK has contributed musically, and in an acting role, appearing in as supporting character "Gunnar," musician and father to principal character "Riley Blue" ("Riley Gunnarsdóttir," played by Tuppence Middleton).[3]

Personal life

The singer Ellen Kristjánsdóttir is KK's sister. He composed "When I Think of Angels" and he and Ellen perform it in memory of another sister who died in a car crash in 1992. A video of them performing the song produced by the Icelandic Red Cross is used for Red Cross fundraising.[4]

Traditionally, KK and Ellen perform Christmas music every year in Reykjavík.[5]

Discography

Singles

Solo
as KK & Magnús Eiríksson

Albums

Solo

KK Band

KK and Magnus

(at times, credited as KK og Magnus Eiríksson)

KK and Ellen

References

  1. "KK á Gljúfrasteini", Mál og Menning 13 June 2009 (Icelandic)
  2. Jóhann Bjarna Kolbeinsson, KK og Maggi til Kína: Kristján Kristjánsson og Magnús Eiríksson gefa út plötu á framandi slóðum", Morgunblaðið 16 February 2007 (Icelandic)
  3. Kristján Kristjánsson, IMDB, 12 June 2015.
  4. Resources, International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, 2002.
  5. KK and Ellen, Things to Do, VisitReykjavik.is, 2 December 2010.

Sources

External links

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