Malene is the daughter of two musicians, drummer and music teacher Karen Mortensen and trumpet player and composer Jens Winther. Malene grew up as an only child with her mother in Copenhagen, Denmark, at first in Christiania, later at Christianshavn. Yet in 1991 they moved to Elsinore, Karen Mortensen being headhunted to the post as chief music teacher at IPC, International People's College.
Karen Mortensen passed away 1993 after two years struggle against cancer. As a tough consequence of this, 11-year-old Malene moved back to the City of Copenhagen. Custody of Malene was given to Karen's friend from student's days at the Royal Danish Academy of Music, Birthe Skou, teacher of music theory and ear training. From years 11 to 16, Malene - the little girl with the big voice - sang out her grief in The Children's Choir of the Royal Danish Academy of Music. Through the years she was given many solo assignments.
At the tender age of 12 Malene was the vocalist in the kid's rock band, Rocking Rabbits, under the leadership of blues singer Chaeg. At the same time she took piano lessons at Hanne Mulvad's. Malene had never played classical music before; Hanne Mulvad had never teached children. But the experiment was a success. During those 6 months Malene learned to play about 30 little piano pieces by Johann Sebastian Bach, Erik Satie and Béla Bartók. When she was in 8th and 9th grades at her grammar school, Malene and two female schoolmates formed a gospel trio and regularly performed for private gatherings. Malene entered Sankt Annæ Gymnasium (SAG) - the Copenhagen high school for youngsters with musical talent - in 1998. She tackled the MGK curriculum, the standard three-year course of study combined with a three-year musical program, and graduated in just four years with a dual diploma.
In the spring of 1999 she won second prize in Berlinske Tidende newspaper's music competition. Later that year she gave a solo performance of the gospel song "Ever Smiling Liberty" with the SAG choir and following the event she was booked to sing the song at several spots in Denmark. Malene also appeared numerous times on Copenhagen stages as a soloist with the SAG Big Band. She sang with various jazz and pop groups in the first two years of high school. And occasionally she made a guest appearance in her father's band, Jens Winther Quintet.
In 2002, as a virtually unknown highschool student, Malene sang her way into Danish hearts when she won the Danish Eurovision song contest with Tell Me Who You Are. By that time, however, she had already drawn a lot of attention on the Danish Broadcasting Corp's song contest "Stjerne for en aften," (akin to the British "Pop Idol") when she was first runner-up with Sing It Back.
The springtime 2002 was a busy time for Malene. She was continuously exposed in the Danish media. She participated in The Eurovision Song Contest in Tallinn, her MGK and high-school exams had to be passed, and there were concerts and a CD project. Despite the hectic schedule Malene capped off her high-school career in June 2002 by earning a 'lucky' 13 - the rarely-awarded superlative of the school grading system - in her major area of study, singing.
In September 2002 jazz pianist and producer Niels Lan Doky heard Malene sing at their common old school, SAG, and immediately approached her. Things developed in a musical collaboration: in the fall 2002 Malene, Niels, Anna Lia Bright and Michael Sunding wrote together and individually 9 catchy pop songs and also developed Karen Mortensen's "Aftenkanon", now "Evensong".
In December Malene was signed by Universal Music, and she spent 2 weeks in Paris pre-recording her first album, Paradise, at Doky's Studio. The album was realised September 1st, 2003.
Although Malene has recorded with some of the greatest Danish jazz artists as Niels Lan Doky, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen and Alex Riel, neither the marketing nor the sales were remarkable. Subsequently, Universal Music did not wish to exercise the options in the contract and Malene was set free January 2004.
Immediately after this Malene and Kasper Villaume Trio contributed to the Danish jazz-gala success at Midem, in Cannes. Peter Littauer, general manager of record company Sundance, heard Malene sing at this event, and in the light of this experience he signed the both of them in August 2004.
Outside Sundance, but with their approval, Malene went to Kiminova Studio to record with Lund Quartet and RLQ Raasted an album containing fine modern original jazz-compositions by flutist Jens Erik Raasted and pianist Christian Lund plus the romantic Aarestrup i marts.
The recording of Malene's second solo album, Date With a Dream, took place in January and February 2005.
There was already plenty of musical material: songs from Malene's fruitful collaboration with Anna Lia Bright and Michael Sunding in 2002-04 and last, but not least, the new songs written by Malene and her new co-writer and friend from the conservatory, pianist Magnus Hjorth. The final outcome ended up with 50-50 of standard and original compositions, inclusive a ballade by Avishai Cohen with lyrics by Malene and another friend from the conservatory, Marianne Sogaard Andersen.
The album was released April 2005, distributed to 20 countries and with 30,000 sold albums Malene is reaching her international breakthrough.
Malene, her third solo album was released November 16, 2006. Malene wrote some personal songs as well as adding some cover songs like John Mayer irresistible City Love, Branford Marsalis jazz classic Another Day and the famous Desperado by Eagles.
It features musicians as Chris Potter, Mike Stern, Adam Rogers, Kasper Villaume, Jacob Christoffersen and Rasmus Khielberg.
In November 2007, Malene's Christmas album …To All Of You is released.
It contains some of the good old classic Christmas songs like Last Christmas, Warm December, Silent Night, Santa Claus Is Coming To Town and many others.
Agony & Ecstasy, her fifth solo album, is released in September 2009. All the songs are written by Malene herself, and some songs are co written with the musicians in her band. The genre of the music is a fusion between pop, rock and jazz.
The musicians on the album are Calle Mörner on guitar, Petter Eldh on bass, Magnus Hjorth on piano and Snorre Kirk on drums, young extremely talented boys from Sweden and Norway.
Official website: http://www.malenemortensen.dk
Take Five
Malene Mortensen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A little time out with me
Just take five
Stop your busy day
And take the time out
To see if I'm alive
Though I′m going out of my way
Not a single word do we say
It's a pantomime and not a play
Still, I know our eyes often meet
I feel tingles down to my feet
When you smile, that's much too discreet
Sends me on my way
Wouldn′t it be better
Not to be so polite
You could offer a light
Start a little conversation now
It′s alright, just take five
Just take five
(Repeat all from 2nd verse on)
The song Take Five by Malene Mortensen is a beautiful ballad about a person who is drawn towards another person but is hesitant to express their feelings. The lyrics talk about taking out some time from the busy schedule to see if the other person even acknowledges them. However, being polite and not wanting to seem too forward, they just keep passing by each other without talking. The lyrics beautifully explain the feeling of being attracted to someone but not sure if it's mutual. The singer wishes for a small conversation or a meaningful glance from the other person to validate their feelings.
The use of the phrase 'take five' is a reference to the jazz composition by Paul Desmond, also named "Take Five." The song "Take Five" is in 5/4 time, a rare meter in jazz, and the phrase became synonymous with taking a short break. In this song, Take Five means taking a break from a busy life to think about the possibility of love with someone. The lyrics are full of anticipation, a hope for something to happen without seeming too desperate.
Overall, the song Take Five by Malene Mortensen is a beautiful composition with insightful lyrics that most people can relate to. The song expresses the feeling of being attracted to someone but not knowing how they feel about you, and the frustration that comes with it. The singer wishes for just a glance or a small conversation that could change it all.
Line by Line Meaning
Won′t you stop and take
Can you please pause for a moment
A little time out with me
Spare me some of your time
Just take five
Only five minutes of your time is all I need
Stop your busy day
Take a break from your hectic lifestyle
And take the time out
Use this break to spend some time with me
To see if I'm alive
To acknowledge that I exist
Though I′m going out of my way
Despite the trouble I take
Just so I can pass by each day
Just to have a glimpse of you every single day
Not a single word do we say
We don't speak to each other
It's a pantomime and not a play
Our interactions are superficial and meaningless
Still, I know our eyes often meet
Despite the lack of communication, our eyes frequently meet
I feel tingles down to my feet
I experience an intense sensation when our eyes connect
When you smile, that's much too discreet
Your smile is too subtle to convey your true feelings
Sends me on my way
But it still affects me deeply
Wouldn′t it be better
Wouldn't it be preferable
Not to be so polite
To drop our formalities
You could offer a light
You could start a conversation
Start a little conversation now
We can chat for a while right now
It's alright, just take five
It's ok to take a small break and relax for a few minutes
Writer(s): Paul Desmond
Contributed by Alice S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@Sally-cx7hv3hd6o
将にjazz…JUJUさんでしか聴いた事が無かったです…素晴らしいです…
@noopieflace
Now THAT is some photograph!! Fortunately she's not just a pretty face. This girl can sing! A gorgeous girl and great voice. A recipe for success? WHO KNEW?????
@helentheophanous7037
Wonderful arrangement and Malene makes this her own with her beautiful voice..
@IRIDOMANIA
WONDERFUL VOICE, INCREDIBLE MUSIC!!! 2 THUMBS UP TO ALL!
@C.Wildeman
When I read a newsletter about Dave Brubeck, that he died, I didn't knew anything about him so I searched Take Five. I never would've thought that one song could bring me to this wonderful relaxing cover
@StefHH89
Amazing ambience and a good combinition of the instruments !!
@IRIDOMANIA
EXCELLENT SOUND TOO!
@kendahlelanier4234
Simply amazing!
@coharper
RIP. Heaven's going to have a hell of a jazz band.
@refici222
nice version like it love the lyrics love the voice