Lukas Graham

From the free-living enclave of Christiania in Copenhagen, Lukas Graham Forchhammer, as part of his eponymous band, has crafted a combination of funky pop and R&B. With his soulful delivery and honest lyrics, Graham recounts tales of family strife, poor decisions, and the celebration of life, all inextricably entwined with his years spent in Christiania. The group’s second album (self-titled but nicknamed “The Blue Album”) featured “7 Years,” which became a number one hit in seven countries in 2015 (it narrowly missed the top of the U.S. charts). The pop-leaning 3 arrived in 2018, followed by a flurry of one-off singles and collaborations including 2021′s chart-topping “No Evil” with Branco. In keeping with their album-naming convention, fourth set 4 arrived in 2023.
The young Graham’s musical influences ranged from classical — gained during his childhood experiences with the Copenhagen Boys' Choir — to the Beatles and the Stones, as well as the Prodigy and Dr. Dre, whose Chronic 2001 was one of the albums most influential for him. Despite a less-privileged childhood, his parents were strong role models and much of their love was reflected in heartfelt songs like “Mama Said” and “Moving Alone.”
In early 2012, he released his first album, a self-titled effort that included “Drunk in the Morning,” which went on to become a hit throughout Europe. Once they received more international exposure, Graham and company signed to Warner Bros. in 2013. A second self-titled album — nicknamed “The Blue Album” — was released in late 2015 and featured the international hit “7 Years.” It went on to sit atop the Danish charts for an impressive 18 weeks and peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100. Returning in September 2018, Lukas Graham issued the soulful single “Love Someone,” which landed on the group’s aptly titled third set, 3. Produced by Rissi and Pilo, the “Purple Album” found the group processing its post-breakthrough fame with tracks that mirrored the sounds of Keane, the Script, Ed Sheeran, and Maroon 5. In 2019 the band released the one-off single “Lie,” which detailed a tumultuous teenage relationship. The singles “Scars,” “Share That Love,” and “Love Songs” arrived in early 2020, with “Happy for You,” “No Evil,” and “Too Late” appearing the following year. 2022′s “All of It All” became another Danish Top 30 hit for Graham, later landing on the group’s fourth set, 2023′s 4 (also known as the “Pink Album”). ~ Neil Z. Yeung