Anker from Nyboder: A Danish Songsmith with Roots in the Past
At 36, Danish singer-songwriter Anker Hansen was discovered as a songwriting talent after performing at an Open Mic event in Helsingør. Although he once dabbled in various genres, including rap, Anker has found his true voice in the singer-songwriter style as he’s matured. With an acoustic guitar and a rich, seasoned voice, he draws us into a world filled with reflections on adulthood, children, anxiety, and life and death. These are grand and intimate themes—where the small becomes large, and the large becomes small—but his poetic universe feels vast.
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Get Started NowMusical Influences: From C.V. Jørgensen to George Harrison
Anker himself cites legendary Danish songwriters like C.V. Jørgensen, Eik Skaløe from Steppeulvene, Sebastian, and Allan Olsen as inspirations. However, it’s the experimental musicians of the ’60s and ’70s who have left the deepest mark on his craft. His debut EP, featuring five tracks, pays tribute to one of his biggest influences. The title of the song “Kunsten Er At Dø” (“The Art Is to Die”) directly references George Harrison’s “Art of Dying” from the iconic All Things Must Pass (1970). Harrison’s fascination with Eastern mysticism, particularly the Tibetan Book of the Dead, inspired many of his songs, tracing back to his Beatles years.
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Bringing Spirituality Back to Music
Anker reflects on the spiritual nature of this track, expressing a longing for such themes in modern music. In a world where yoga and meditation are common, where many are on personal journeys of self-discovery, it’s curious that contemporary song lyrics often neglect these deeper themes.
This void is why Anker turns to past songwriting masters like Harrison, who so eloquently explored life’s profound questions. “Where did that type of songwriting go?” he asks.
Kurt Trampedach: Art and the Human Mind
Another distinct influence comes from a different realm—art. One of Anker’s debut songs, “Kurt Trampedach,” is a tribute to the renowned Danish visual artist, whose powerful, emotive, and sometimes unsettling works have left a lasting impression on him. Trampedach’s turbulent life, filled with highs and lows and battles with mental health, also serves as an inspiration. Anker, too, delves into the darker moods and corners of the mind. While there are rich lyrical themes to be found there, lingering too long in those spaces can be dangerous. Fortunately, Anker has a partner and child to help pull him back from those depths when needed. Still, he admits that some of his songs may be steeped in anxiety and shame, emotions that are part of life’s journey from youth to adulthood and responsibility.
Exploring Life’s Transitions Through Music
This depth of emotion is one of the strengths of Anker’s writing, capturing the moods of a man reflecting on the carefree days of youth that somehow accumulated dents in his self-esteem. Now, faced with responsibility and the need to set an example, he checks his own pulse—and perhaps ours, too.
“Heavens of self-worth, I check my own pulse Among souls who smile, I see them dance themselves to death”
— from “Tusinde Stemmers Dal”
What’s Next for Anker Hansen?
New songs are already on the way, and Anker is working to bring lighter tones into the mix, or so he promises. Whatever direction he takes, it’s clear that Anker Hansen’s songwriting is something to watch closely. It’s not for nothing that he has such great influences. His craft is songwriting on a grand scale—a true art form.
“Man walking with fire at your back—walk from darkness to light. Set demons free.”
— from the song “Kurt Trampedach”
