Aura Dione

Known for fusing personal lyrics with pop melodies and music that melds acoustic and electronic elements, Danish singer and songwriter Aura Dione was born in Copenhagen on January 21, 1985. Dione's parents were bohemians of Spanish heritage, and she traveled with them as they sailed to many of the ports of Europe until she was seven and the family settled in Bornholm. Hearing an Anne Linnet holiday album when she just two exposed Dione to the emotional power of music, and at age eight, she began writing songs; one tune she wrote at age 11 was strong enough to be included on her first album. At 17, Dione left home and moved to Australia, where she made friends with a rich variety of people and soaked up the musical and cultural influences of the Aborigines. Following a spell in Japan, she returned to Denmark and after meeting with producer Kenneth Bager, she signed with his record label Music for Dreams. In 2007, she released her first single, "Something from Nothing," which would also appear on her debut album, Columbine, which was released in January 2008. The album spawned two international hit singles, "Song for Sophie" and "I Will Love You Monday (365)," and led to an international deal with Universal International Music.