Trille

Trille Bodil Nielsen, also Gudrun Bodil Nielsen, (1945–2016) was a Danish singer, guitarist and women's rights activist. In the 1960s, she began to sing mainly traditional folk songs and children's songs. After singing Jesper Jensen's controversial song "Øjet" (The Eye) on the TV programme Musikalske venner (Musical Friends) in 1970, she gained immediate popularity. A few years later, her album Hej søster (Hi Sister) with her own songs about the problems faced by women saw the beginning of a successful career as both a songwriter and a singer. She suddenly completely retired from the limelight in 1988, thereafter concentrating on her humanitarian and cultural interests. In particular, she produced programmes for children on Danish television.

Early life Born on 6 March 1945 in Copenhagen, Gudrun Bodil Nielsen was the third child of the dental technician Niels Otto Nielsen (1913–1952) and Ragnhild Eleonore Kirstine Hansen (1912–1992), a secretary. Her singing career began at the Copenhagen restaurant Kontoret while she was still a high school pupil at Christianshavns Gymnasium. Shortly before she matriculated from school in 1964, she was introduced to the song writer Thøger Olesen (1923–1977) who engaged her as a singer at Tivoli's newly opened Vise-Vers-Hus.

Career In the 1960s, she collaborated with various singers and songwriters, including Georges Marinos, Frode Veddinge, Jens August Schade and Cornelis Vreeswijk. After her daughter Sille was born in 1964, she included children's songs among her folksongs. Causing something of a national scandal, it tells of how God looked down on forbidden erotic feelings although he knew nothing about sex as he never had any himself. It led to one of Denmark's few court cases relating to blasphemy although both she and Danmarks Radio were freed of any crime a year later as the judge could see nothing provocative in the song.

After suffering from cancer for a short period, Trille died at her home in Præstø on 17 October 2016, aged 71. In 1980, she had officially changed her name to Trille Bodil Nielsen. 1968: Trille + Frode Veddinge - Viser For Folk Og.., LP, Octav (2), OL 8026 1970: Trille – Oh Nelson Med Dit Øje, LP, Columbia, E 054-38006 1971: Trille – Fra Engeland Til Skotland, LP, Mascot Records (4), MALP 12 1971: Trille – Goda' - Goda', LP, Columbia, 6E 062 38060 1972: Trille – Dit & Dat Og Andre Børnesange, LP, Metronome, HLP 10557 1975: Trille – Trille Synger Og Fortæller Om Ejgil, 2 LPs, Metronome, MELP 605 1976: Trille – Viser Fra Din Oldefars Tid, LP, Abra Cadabra Production, ABC 104 1976: Trille – Hej Søster, LP, Exlibris, EXL 20005 1977: Trille – Trille Synger Sørens Sange, LP, Abra Cadabra Productions, ABC 108 1978: Trille – En Lille Bunke Krummer, LP, Exlibris, EXL 30003 1979: Trille – Altid Har Jeg Længsel, LP, Exlibris, EXL 30 008 1981: Trille – Små Skridt, LP, Exlibris, EXL 30 011 1983: Trille – Halvmånetid, LP, Harlekin, HMLP 4317 1986: Trille – Indeni / Udenpå, LP, Exlibris, EXL 30 027 1988: Trille – Hjemlige Eventyr, LP, Exlibris, EXL 30035 2010: Trille – Hele Balladen, 7 CDs, Reissue, Exlibris, EXLCD 30137