Ragnheiður Gröndal

Ragnheiður Gröndal, also known as Ragga, was born in 1984. She has been active on the Icelandic music scene since the year 2000. She graduated from FIH music school in Reykjavik in 2005 and 2006-2007 she attended the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York.

Ragga has recorded five solo albums; Ragnheiður Gröndal (2003) a collection of favorite jazz standards, Vetrarljóð (Winter Poems, 2004) featuring traditional and original Icelandic songs about winter and christmas, After the Rain (2005) with original music, Þjóðlög (Folk Songs, 2006) an experiment with traditional Icelandic folk music, and her latest release is Bella and Her Black Coffee (2008), including original music.

Ragga has performed all around Iceland as well as in Scandinavia, England, America, Canada, Scotland, Germany, Turkey and Bulgaria. Among perfomances are: Copenhagen Jazz Festival 2005, Icelandic Symphony Orchestra 2006, T.Rex memorial concert with Tony Visconti in Central Park NYC 2007, concerts at The Stone and Cornelia Street Café NYC 2007-2008.

Ragga has also taken part in collaborations with the klezmer ensemble Schpilkas, pop group Ske and Iceland’s leading jazz artist Tómas R. Einarsson.

Ragga has received three nominations at the Icelandic Music Awards:

Best New Artist 2003
Singer of the Year 2004
Album of the Year 2004