Gustaf Norén


Erik Gustaf David Norén is a Swedish musician. He was one of the two frontmen of the Swedish band Mando Diao.

Biography

Erik Gustaf David Norén, was one of the two frontmen of Swedish rock band Mando Diao. He was born to Jan Norén and Kerstin Bengtsson-Norén on the 1st of February, 1981 in Borlänge. Gustaf has two younger brothers, Victor and Carl, and a younger sister Josefine.
Gustaf describes the rural surroundings of his childhood as carefree and creative. His talent for music showed very soon at school, as well as his liking for playing roles. According to his mother, he was a born actor.
During Gustaf’s childhood and teenage years football played a big role. As other members of Mando Diao, he was a fan of FC Brage, a local football club with strong roots in the working class.
At school rock music was the second most important topic after football. Gustaf had a soft spot for the music of the 60s, especially The Beatles. New bands like Nirvana were added to his favourites and since 1995 Britpop bands like Oasis and Blur.
In 1996, Gustaf met Björn Dixgård at a party. A short time later Björn invited Gustaf to join his band; they became the two frontmen of Butler, the band Björn Dixgård had founded together with Daniel Haglund, the later keyboarder of Mando Diao.
In 1997, the name Butler was changed to Mando Jao. Allegedly Björn had a dream where a man appeared and shouted at him, telling him to name his band Mando Jao. Björn obeyed. Gustaf left the band in 1998, for he had moved to Falun and had become alienated from his friends. He came back again soon.
Gustaf's father Jan for some time was part of the band too.
In 1999, the name was changed to Mando Diao for the band was sure it would offer a better English pronunciation. Band members at this time were Björn Dixgård, Gustaf Norén, Daniel Haglund, and Carl-Johan Fogelklou. During the same year Samuel Giers joined the band as drummer. Daniel Haglund left the band in 2004 and was replaced by Mats Björke.
Touring bars and small locations all over Sweden was soon followed by performances in Central Europe; the USA and Japan. Each of Mando Diao's album releases became more successful; today they are one of Sweden's best known bands.
In 2006, Gustaf was on the list of Sweden's 100 sexiest men.
In 2008, Gustaf Norén and Björn Dixgård joined the artist network Caligola; in 2012, the album Back To Earth was the first release of the music project.
In 2009, Gustaf had his first appearance as actor in the Swedish shortfilm "Ingen kom ner".
Mando Diao's biggest success in their home country Sweden was achieved with the sixth studio album Infruset where ten poems of the Swedish poet Gustaf Fröding were set to music in 2012.
On 3 June 2015 Gustaf Norén and Mando Diao have separated.
MA is the name of Gustaf´s new project; his music is available for free on Soundcloud. "Ma Queen Of Everything", a new song, has been recorded by using a mobile studio in the nature and was published on 19 September 2015.
On 12 November 2015 the Swedish movie "She's Wild Again Tonight" with Gustaf Norén and the Swedish actress Shima Niavarani as the main characters has had its premiere at the Stockholm Film Festival.
On 3 June 2015 a press release from Sony Music announced that Gustaf Norén has separated from Mando Diao due to band members having “different visions”.

Discography

Mando Diao

Ingen kom ner (2009)

"Ingen kom ner" is a Swedish shortfilm directed by Torbjörn Martin. It tells a horror story and had its premiere at the Gothenburg Film Festival on 23 January 2009. On 18 April 2009 it was shown at the Arizona International Film Festival, called "No Come Down".

She's Wild Again Tonight (2015)

Directed by Fia-Stina Sandlund, "She's Wild Again Tonight" is the third part of Sandlund´s film trilogy; the preceding two parts are "She's Blonde Like Me" and "She's Staging It".
The screenplay has been written by Fia-Stina Sandlund and Josefine Adolfsson; the story is an adapted version of August Strindberg´s play "Fröken Julie " from 1888. Gustaf Norén and the Swedish actress Shima Niavarani are playing their own fictionalized personalities; the plot is located in Brooklyn. Gustaf and Shima are working out the feministic screenplay "Fröken Julie", together with John Coombs, the director. The film contains an intense story of the professional and private relationship between the two actors, of feminism and of gender roles in society.