Born Thomas Helland on March 19, 1976, he hails from Kristiansand, Norway, and cites influences that include Paul McCartney, the Beach Boys, Pink Floyd, and Crowded House. He made his commercial recording debut in 2003 with the Tremendous Sinner EP on Chewin' Pine Records. A second EP, While You're Waiting (2004), followed on the label prior to Hell's full-length album debut, I Love You (2004), on Sonet Records in association with Universal Music Group. A limited-edition release of I Love You includes the I Love You Too EP. The album was a minor hit, reaching number 31 on the Norwegian albums chart, and the follow-up album, Every Little Piece (2006), signaled a growing fan base as it reached number 22. Also in 2006 Hell was credited with contributing vocals to several albums by his contemporaries, including Twinklehead's Twinklehead, Syntax-E's New Sounds from the Past, Marit Larsen's Under the Surface, and Minor Majority's Reasons to Hang Around. Hell's third album, God If I Saw Her Now (2008), was far and away his most successful album to date. It reached the Top Five of the albums chart and earned him two Spellemannprisen awards (i.e., Best Male Artist, Best Pop Composer). Moreover, his single "My Heart Is Longing for a Soul" garnered a Spellemannprisen nomination for Best Music Video. ~ Jason Birchmeier