A Norwegian singer, songwriter, and producer, Ruben's atmospheric pop mixes yearning vocals and confident melodies with part orchestral-, part EDM-inspired accompaniment. Open about his battles with mental health issues since youth, his songs have addressed subjects such as depression, self-doubt, and feelings of isolation. His 2017 debut single, "Walls," went viral, eventually reaching the Top 10 of the singles chart in his home country. Raised in the small village of Bjarkøy in northern Norway, Ruben Markussen learned to express himself through music by experimenting with different chords and colors. He was in his early twenties when he released his first single, "Walls," in late 2017. The song went viral, prompting a move to Oslo. Ruben was quickly signed to Universal Norway, which reissued the song in early 2018. It spent over six months on Norway's singles chart, peaking at number eight and reaching number 59 in Sweden. The follow-up, "The Half," hit the Norwegian Top 20 later in 2018, and he repeated that success with "Lay by Me" in 2019, which landed at number eight on the singles chart and in Sweden's Top 30. All three early singles were included on his five-track debut EP, Melancholic, released in May 2019. ~ Marcy Donelson