In 1995, at the age of 15, she was treated to her first guitar. This gift from her parents would inspire her to spend hours writing music in her room, if only as a hobby while in the midst of long, dark Scandinavian winters. Two years later, some of Lene's friends contacted NRK -- the largest media organization in Norway -- with regards to what they considered to be a special talent. An NRK radio station in Tromsø agreed, and invited Lene along to record a demo, which caught the ear of Virgin Records, who signed her pretty much on the spot. Lene Marlin's hobby had quickly become far more significant in such a short space of time, as she began recording her debut album at the age of 17, while still studying at school. The pay-off was nothing short of miraculous as her debut "Unforgivable Sinner" became the fastest-selling single in Norwegian music history, while Playing My Game topped her country's album charts. Success was also to be found in other parts of Europe, such as in the U.K., where the catchy single "Sitting Down Here" made the Top Five in 2000, and in Italy, with the album making the Top Ten. 2003 saw the release of Lene Marlin's second album, Another Day, which proved to be equally popular, reaching number one in Norway and number three in Italy. The follow-up, Lost in a Moment, arrived in 2005 and enjoyed success once again around Europe although, as with 2009’s Twist the Truth, it was Lene's Norwegian fan base that would prove most loyal to the singer/songwriter. Lene Marlin has also been credited as a songwriter for other artists, including Rihanna on 2007’s "Good Girl Gone Bad." Lene's fifth full-length, Here We Are: Historier Så Langt, was released in 2013. ~ Daniel Clancy