Aksel Rykkvin

Norwegian boy soprano Aksel Rykkvin released his debut album, Aksel!, at the end of 2016. By that time he was 13 years old, going on 14. Perhaps the clarity of his voice seemed unearthly in part because it was doomed to pass away in just a few months. Rykkvin was accepted into the Oslo Cathedral Boys' Choir training program at age five. He was selected for a solo slot when he was eight and began to attract attention as a standout talent. He joined the Children's Chorus of the Norwegian Opera & Ballet in 2013. Rykkvin had actually attained a substantial level of celebrity in Norway prior to the release of Aksel!, and through 2016, was a frequent presence in choral concerts in Scandinavia and Britain. ~ James Manheim