Sondre Lerche (Norwegian pronunciation: ; born 5 September 1982 in Bergen, Norway) is a Norwegian singer, songwriter and guitarist, now based in New York City. He has released eight studio albums so far.
Growing up in Bergen suburb, Lerche was heavily influenced by 1980s pop. Lerche was fascinated by bands such as The Beatles, A-ha, The Beach Boys, and Prefab Sprout, and began formal guitar instruction at age eight. Not being satisfied with classical lessons, Lerche's teacher introduced him to Brazilian music (such as Bossa Nova) and thus formed the foundation of Lerche's vast array of complex melodies and chords throughout his music today. At age fourteen, Lerche penned his first song, "Locust Girl." Lerche performed acoustic gigs at the club where his sister worked while he was still under age. Norwegian producer H.P. Gundersen "discovered" Lerche, and began to mentor him, exposing him to diverse music genres, including psychedelia, 1960s pop, and mainstream Brazilian music.