The Real Group

The Real Group

The Real Group
Origin

Stockholm, Sweden

Genres

A cappella, Vocal jazz, Pop

Years active

1984present

Website

www.therealgroup.se

Members

Emma Nilsdotter (soprano)

Katarina Henryson (alto)
Anders Edenroth (tenor)
Morten Vinther Srensen
(baritone)
Anders Jalkus (bass)

[1]

Past members Margareta Bengtson

Johanna Nystrm
Peder Karlsson

The Real Group is a professional a cappella group from Sweden, consisting of five members: Emma Nilsdotter,
Katarina Henryson, Anders Edenroth, Morten Vinther Srensen, and Anders Jalkus.
The group's members compose or arrange most of the songs that they perform. A large portion of the group's
recorded songs are sung in English, with the remainder being almost entirely in Swedish. The group cites Bobby
McFerrin as an early source of inspiration: "What we do may never have happened if we hadn't heard his [albums].".
The Real Group has performed in more than 2000 concerts worldwide. In 2002 The Real Group performed at the
opening ceremony of The FIFA World Cup in Seoul. They performed live to the audience of 60,000. On December
22, 1993, to commemorate the fiftieth birthday of Queen Silvia of Sweden, The Real Group backed up former
ABBA member Anni-Frid Lyngstad in a performance of the ABBA hit "Dancing Queen", using an a cappella
arrangement that would later be released on the album "Varfr fr man inte bara vara som man r".

Member changes
The Real Group was formed in 1984, when its original members were students at the Swedish Royal College of
Music. Margareta Bengtson had been the Soprano with the group since its inception but broke off from the group to
work on her solo albums at the end of 2006. Johanna Nystrm filled her spot for some time, until Emma Nilsdotter
replaced her in 2008, and had her first appearance with the group in Kremlin Palace.[2] Johanna Nystrm has also
filled in for both Margareta Bengtson and Katarina Henryson whenever they have been on maternity leave or
otherwise away. Morten Vinther Srensen joined the group in 2010 to replace Peder Karlsson, who has since shifted
his focus to developing The Real Academy [3].

The Real Group

Vocal ranges of the members

Emma Nilsdotter: ??? (not posted on website)

Katarina Henryson: From D below middle C up to high C.
Anders Edenroth: From C below middle C up to A below high C.
Morten Vinther Srensen: ???(not posted on website)
Anders Jalkus: From contra G up to G above middle C.

Vocal ranges of previous members

Peder Karlsson: From low E up to C above middle C.
Johanna Nystrm: ??? (not posted on website)
Margareta Bengtson: From F below middle C up to G above high C

Discography
Date of
release

Title

Notes

1987

Debut

Thirteen tracks, 3 in Swedish and the rest in English. Recorded around one microphone, where
the artists used tape on the floor to denote how far/close to position themselves to the mic.

1989

Nothing But
the Real
Group

Twelve tracks, all in English.

1991

Rster

Twelve tracks, all in Swedish.

1994

Varfr fr man A compilation album originally targeted at the European market.

inte bara vara
som man r

1995

Unreal

A compilation album originally targeted at the US market. Fourteen tracks: ten in English, two
in Swedish, two with no lyrics.

1996

Ori:ginal

1996

Get:real

March 19,
1996

Live in
Stockholm

1997

En riktig jul

Title translates: "A real Christmas". Thirteen tracks, all in Swedish.

1998

One for All

Sixteen tracks, one in Swedish accompanied by Toots Thielemans on harmonica.

2000

Commonly
Unique

Thirteen tracks, all English.

2001

Allt det bsta

Title translates "All the best". A best of album with twenty tracks, four of them previously
unreleased. Eight tracks in English, ten in Swedish, one in Spanish, one with no lyrics. Three
tracks are live performances in concert.

2002

Stmning

Twenty-two tracks, all in Swedish. Swedish folk songs, all choral in their musical style. The
performances were recorded without overdubbing and were directed by the well-known
Swedish choral director Eric Ericson.

September
26, 2002

The Best Tour Souvenir

Album

Twelve tracks, all in Swedish.

Released in Sweden under the title "jazz:live". Twelve tracks: ten in English, one in Swedish,
one with no lyrics. All tracks are live performances in concert.

The Real Group

2003

Julen er her

June 12,
2003

The Real
Thing

2005
June 25,
2008

Norwegian title translates: "Christmas is here". Fifteen tracks: three in English, nine in
Swedish, two in Norwegian, one with no lyrics. Four tracks are live performances in concert.
Includes a video clip of a live performance of "Clown of the Jungle", an a cappella
[4]
arrangement of the soundtrack to a Disney short film by the same name.
Thirteen tracks: 5 in Swedish, rest in English. Only 2 tracks previously unreleased, a
re-recorded version of "Dancing Queen", as well as "Song from the snow" created for a
Korean movie. Also has an accompanying Video-CD as disc 2.

In the Middle Thirteen tracks: twelve in English and one with no lyrics. The Korean-market version contains
of Life
two additional tracks in English.
Hll musiken i Nine tracks, all in Swedish, three previously released. This album is a tribute to Swedish
gng
entertainer Povel Ramel, a long-standing fan of The Real Group and vice versa. The Real
Group received Ramel's Karamelodiktstipendiet, a scholarship funded by Ramel, in 2002. Of
particular notice is the last track, "Konditori Forgtmigej" written by Anders Edenroth. It is
written in the tradition of Povel's style of music writing, an appropriate last farewell to an old
friend. Margareta Bengtson joined the group in studio to record this album.

September
16, 2009

The Real
Album

2012

The World for

Christmas

2013

Live in Japan

Twelve tracks: ten in English and two with no lyrics.

Awards
Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards (CARAs):

1995: Best Contemporary Cover: "Dancing Queen" from Varfr fr man inte bara vara som man r
1995: Best Jazz Song: "Flight of the Foo-Birds" from Varfr fr man inte bara vara som man r
1996: Best Female Vocalist: Margareta Bengtson
1997: Live Album of the Year: Live in Stockholm
1997: Best Original Pop Song: Jag Vill Va Med Dig
1997: Best Jazz Song: Waltz for Debby

1997: Best Female Vocalist: Margareta Bengtson

1998: Best Holiday Album: En riktig jul
2003: Best Classical Album: Stmning
2003: Runner Up for Best Classical Song: "En vnlig grnskas rika drkt" from Stmning
2004: Best Holiday Album: Julen er her
2004: Best Holiday Song: "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing" from Julen er her
Other awards:
2002 Karamelodiktstipendiet (Swedish), an annual award given to a Swedish entertainer by Povel Ramel.

The Real Group

Footnotes
[1] http:/ / www. therealgroup. se
[2] The Real Group performs in Kremlin Palace, Russia (http:/ / www. therealgroup. net/ index. php?option=com_content& task=view&
id=163& Itemid=178). Group web site content.
[3] http:/ / www. therealacademy. se
[4] The Disney short film Clown of the Jungle is typically broadcast on Swedish television on Christmas Eve, hence its appearance in this
Christmas album.

External links
Official website (http://www.therealgroup.se/)

Article Sources and Contributors

Article Sources and Contributors

The Real Group Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=612126129 Contributors: 2true, ActivExpression, AllyD, Bearcat, BjrnBergman, C olsen73, CLW, Chiswick Chap,
Dybdal, EgilDOTnet, ElKevbo, FERcsI, Harlem Baker Hughes, Joakimskog, John of Reading, Kjetil r, Kuchikuu, LilHelpa, MacGyverMagic, Mlibby, Mpd1989, Mushroom, NATO.Caliber,
NoaResare, Pania, Rich Farmbrough, Rjwilmsi, SWMOY, Seraphimblade, Songinme, Telempe, Verne Equinox, Vsk, Werldwayd, 44 anonymous edits

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