Oli Poulsen

Over 10 Million units sold worldwide as a producer

Based in Copenhagen since 1987 Oli Poulsen has produced, mixed, engineered and played on hundreds of albums with over 10 million units sold worldwide. He has produced for bands and artists like Michael Learns To Rock, Sissel Kyrkjebø, Palle Mikkelborg, NHØP, Hanne Boel, Grace Jones, Georgia Satellites, Sanne Salomonsen, Savage Rose, Russ Taff and Jennifer Rush.
He’s also been playing, engineering and remixing for international artists like Roxette, Massive Attack, Living Colour, Prince, Suzi Quatro, Smokie, Laid Back and others.

Contemporaries in the music scene, recognise Oli Poulsen as a visionary hands-on producer, capable of turning good songs into great radio hits. He’s also a multi-instrumentalist, and on many of his productions, Oli plays all the instruments – bass, keyboards, electric and acoustic guitars, drums, percussion and programming. His canny ear for detail has come to good use in many different musical settings – from producing unsigned rock and pop bands to working with top session players on major label projects. And he’s been the man behind some of the best selling Scandinavian albums since his big break with multi platinum selling album “Dark Passion” with Danish artist Hanne Boel back in 1990.

Born on the remote Faroe Islands in the North Atlantic, a career in music wasn’t exactly what life was about in the small fishing village where Oli grew up. None the less; music was what dreams were made of for the young Oli, as he encouraged his best friend to buy a drum kit. The plan? …To become a rock solid rhythm section, with a burning backbeat in the tradition of their favourite band, Creedence Clearwater Revival. A new world force in music.

Humble beginnings

Big dreams in a small cellar

Humble beginnings

Big dreams in a small cellar

The band only managed one live show. A one-song gig played in the attic at a schoolmate’s sisters birthday party. It was a total rush of excitement, the first sweet smell of success – at the tender age of 13. Which only made the shock the bigger, when his best friend decided to sell his drum kit and quit the band a few months later. How could he, in the wake of such a thrill? It was however a well known fact – that the drummer was most noted for turning the rhythm on it’s head after each tom-fill. But Oli always stubbornly believed it could be fixed and that his childhood friend would get it eventually. They were friends, so there was basically no other option. After a period of heavy heartbreak, Oli had to admit to himself, that a major battle had been lost. His friend was out and the band was history. But the war wasn’t over just yet.
 
Defying the odds and fishing from a pool of shattered dreams, the young teenager started writing his own songs on what would turn into his first music production. Though, this time he’d figured it out. and wasn’t about to be let down one more time. He’d simply do it himself. Recorded on a humble 8 track machine – with his sister Judy singing, and Oli himself playing all the instruments – “Vónir” (“Hopes” or “great expectations” in English ) was a huge local success when it was released in 1983, and is still regarded a classic.

It was also the learning experience in which Oli – in his own device – developed studio skills that soon lead him to work on dozens of Faroese albums. In the national psyche of the Faroese at that time, making a living of music was as probable as becoming an astronaut (probably less). So in 1982 Oli also graduated in ship design, and worked at the drawing board during the day, while working at night and weekends with his big passion – music.   
After a five year period where Oli was part of almost every Faroese music project, often only sleeping every other night, he decided it was time to take this passion to the next level. In 1987 Oli Poulsen moved to Copenhagen to pursue a full time career in music.

Attempting a pop cereer

Trying even harder to get a pop career

Attempting a pop cereer

Trying even harder to get a pop career

This was the make it or break it for him. The moment of truth. After initially producing mostly Faroese bands for the local Faroese market, and trying various constellations as an artist himself, Oli got his lucky break in early 1988, when he was given the chance to work on a track by female singer Hanne Boel, who was about to release her debut solo album. Needless to say he passed the audition, and now there was no turning back, as Oli was offered an in-house job by legendary Danish music mogul and label owner Poul Bruun. They embarked on a very successful collaboration that turned into top selling albums in Denmark and Scandinavia.
 
With the success came offers from other labels and artists and in 1992 he became the sole producer on million selling album “Colors” which helped Danish band Michael Learns To Rock crack the Asian market, and become one of the biggest pop bands there ever. Around the same time he produced Norwegian singer Sissel Kyrkjebø’s ambitious album “Gift Of Love” which was recorded in Los Angeles with top sessions players – among them one of Oli’s absolute favourite musicians in the world, Abe Laboriel Senior.

Jamming with the amazing Abe Laboriel Sr.

With John JR Robinson, Abe Laboriel Sr. working with Sissel Kyrkjebø in LA

Jamming with the amazing Abe Laboriel Sr.

With John JR Robinson, Abe Laboriel Sr. working with Sissel Kyrkjebø in LA

During the 90’s Oli also helped catapult such diverse bands as Me She & Her and  Big Fat Snake into the Danish mainstream, with radio hits and groundbreaking albums, while also working with established names such as Lars H.U.G and Sebastian. He also took time to work with legendary Danish composer and trompet player Palle Mikkelborg on a couple of critically acclaimed albums while also taking time to mix albums for national and international names such as Shu-bi-dua, Savage Rose, Smokie, Suzi Quatro and a long list of other artists and bands.  
 
In the wake of the new millennium, Oli decided to invest in his own studio, which he named Fix-n-Mix in Copenhagen. It’s from that base that he these days continues to produce Top 20 radio hits for major acts like Danish rock diva Sanne Salomonsen (5 albums and several top 20 singles) and younger pop stars like Julie (a top 10 single in 2003 and again in 2006 and 2008), Jon (top 20 single 2005) and Maria Lucia (top 20 single 2004). In 2011 he produced a Dove award nominated gospel album for American singer Russ Taff.
He’s also focusing on working with and developing new unsigned artists and bands. And in regards to his native Faroe Islands, Oli is still truly – 33 years on – taking time to mix and fix albums for everything from singer-songwriters  to punk bands who regularly call for his services.
 
As a producer with hundreds of albums under his belt, it’s fair to state, that he belongs to that rare breed of people who manages to be meticulous and work fast at the same time. In other words: This is the continuous story of a true music wiz, driven by his passion for music. 

Pictures taken 30 years apart 1987 – 2017

Pictures taken 30 years apart 1987 – 2017

- Oli Poulsen

Music Producer