Harpo

Pop singer and songwriter Jan Torsten Svensson – born April 5, 1950, in Stockholm, Sweden – is better known by his stage name Harpo. He scored several hits in Sweden and Europe in the 1970s - including “Moviestar” (1975) and “Horoscope” (1976) – and has continued to regularly tour and occasionally record. Named after the iconic American comedian/actor/musician/Marx Brother, he began performing in children’s theater. While frequently touring Sweden, he began to write songs. Initially signed to Polar Music in 1972, he was paired up with producers/songwriters Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus to create children’s music in Swedish. The pop experiment did not work, and Harpo was released from his contract. Benny and Björn would form Abba shortly afterwards. Harpo then connected with producer Bengt Palmers and signed with EMI. His first two singles – 1973’s “Honolulu” and “Sayonara” – were hits in Sweden: the former reached the Top 10 and the latter rose to the Number 1 position. However, 1975’s single “Moviestar” (featuring Abba's Anni-Frid Lyngstad on backing vocals) was a hit across Europe, reaching Number 1 in Denmark, Germany and Sweden. Further hit singles included “Motorcycle Mama” and “Horoscope”, his second most popular song, which hit Number 1 in Denmark. While continuing to release hit singles, none of them achieved the same kind of success that “Moviestar” and “Horoscope” had achieved. His albums include Leo the Leopard (1974), Harpo & Bananaband (1975), and 1976’s Moviestar, which rose to Number 65 in Australia. While not as prolific as the 1970s, Harpo continued to release singles and albums into the 1980s, 1990s, and beyond including Harpo (1988) and Jan Harpo Svensson 05 (2005). Behind the scenes, he set up his own label, Igloo Records, and produced several bands in the 1990s. Still popular in Germany and Sweden, Harpo has remained a popular live attraction.

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