Øivind Elgenes
The soulful, husky voice behind Norway's premier pop-rock band Dance with a Stranger, defining a Scandinavian sound for a generation.
Born 1958 (age 68)·Musical artist·Birthday: February 13·Baby Boomers
Biography
Øivind Elgenes, known simply as 'Elg,' is the signature voice of Norwegian radio-friendly rock. As the frontman and guitarist for Dance with a Stranger, formed in the late 1980s, he helped craft a distinctly Scandinavian blend of melodic pop, soul, and guitar-driven rock that dominated airwaves and filled arenas at home. His warm, slightly ragged baritone became instantly recognizable, carrying hits that balanced introspection with anthemic choruses. While the band's success made them national stars, Elgenes has also pursued solo projects and collaborations, exploring blues and roots music, demonstrating a musical curiosity that extends beyond the polished sheen of his main band's output. He remains a respected and enduring figure in Norway's music scene.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Øivind was born in 1958, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Øivind Was Born
The biggest hits of 1958
#1 Movie
South Pacific
Best Picture
Gigi
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Øivind's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1958Born
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1963Started school
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1971Became a teenager
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1974Could drive
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1976Could vote
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1979Turned 21
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1988Turned 30
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1998Turned 40
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2008Turned 50
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 60
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 68 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Fronted the highly successful Norwegian band Dance with a Stranger, which has released multiple platinum-selling albums.
- The band Dance with a Stranger won multiple Spellemannprisen (Norwegian Grammys).
- Has maintained a consistent recording and touring career with Dance with a Stranger since the late 1980s.
Did You Know?
His nickname and stage moniker 'Elg' means 'Moose' in Norwegian.
He is also a visual artist and has held exhibitions of his paintings.
Before Dance with a Stranger, he was a member of the band The September When.
“A good song needs a strong melody you can hum on your way home.”
