Inger Fridolin
Inger Fridolin (INGER) | |
|---|---|
_in_2019.png) Fridolin in 2019 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Inger Fridolin 11 March 1999 |
| Occupations |
|
| Instruments |
|
| Years active | 2017–present |
Partner | Karmen King |
| Website | soundslikeinger |
Inger Fridolin (stage name INGER); born 11 March 1999) is an Estonian singer, songwriter, and footballer.
Early life and education
Fridolin was born on 11 March 1999. Their mother is the choral conductor Janne Fridolin.[1] Fridolin's mother named them after Mats Traat’s novel Inger.[2] Growing up, their mother kept chickens at home.[3]
Fridolin first studied at Viimsi Secondary School (2007–2011). During the same period, they studied percussion at the Viimsi Music School.[4] From 2011, they studied percussion at the Tallinn Music High School. From 2016, they studied in the multimedia stream at Tallinn 32nd Secondary School, graduating in 2019.
In 2020, they began studying recreation management at Tallinn University and graduated with a Bachelor's degree in 2023.[5]
Career
Musical career
Fridolin came to public attention as a musician in the autumn of 2017 when they participated in the Noortebänd 2017 competition, reaching the final. In 2017, they received the Radio 2 Demo of the Year award for the song "Again." Fridolin participated in the Eesti Laul 2019 competition, where they also reached the final, finishing 6th with the song "Coming Home". In the same year, they took 2nd place in the final of the German Songwriting Awards. In 2020, Fridolin participated in Eesti Laul 2020 and achieved 8th place with the song "Only Dream." They were also selected as the New Artist of the Week for the international A&R Worldwide newsletter.[6]
In 2018, Fridolin performed at the Intsikurmu Festival. In 2019, they were invited to participate in the MUSEXPO music conference in Los Angeles, USA, where artists such as Katy Perry, LMFAO, and Jessie J had previously performed.[7] In the same year, they performed at the Westernpop Festival in the Netherlands and the Chengdu International Sister Cities Youth Music Festival in China.
In 2020, Fridolin performed at Sofarsounds in Latvia and at the Intsikurmu and Valgeranna festivals in Estonia. In 2022, Fridolin performed at the Norden Festival in Germany. Between 2020 and 2022, also Fridolin was the host of the Koolitants Festival.
In 2022, Fridolin released their first EP, "Higher Self," featuring five tracks. On 22 April 2025, they released their full-length Estonian-language debut album, Armastatuna.[8] Themes of social non-conformity are explored in their 2026 double single "Sa mind ei kuule" (You Don't Hear Me) and "Katki" (Broken).
In 2023, Fridolin appeared in the final of Eesti Laul, the national song contest to decide the country's Eurovision pick. They were the second to perform in the line-up and played their song "Awaiting You".[9]: cf They placed in 7th place in the national competition.[10]
Sports career
Fridolin began football training at the age of six. They have represented the Estonian girls' national youth teams 24 times, scoring two goals. Fridolin played in the Estonian women's leagues for Tallinna FC Flora II and the national youth team during 2015 and 2016.[11] They have subsequently worked as a coach at the Viimsi Martin Reim football school and FC Flora.[12][13][11]
Discography
| Year | Single | Record label |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | "Again" | INGER |
| 2018 | "Notice you" | INGER |
| 2018 | "Storm" ft. Avoid Dave | INGER |
| 2018 | "I'm Alright" | TuneBase |
| 2018 | "Coming home" | TuneBase |
| 2019 | "Willie" | Made in Baltics |
| 2019 | "Beautiful day" | INGER |
| 2019 | "Only dream" | INGER |
| 2020 | "Playing games" | INGER |
| 2021 | "WTF" ft. manna | INGER, manna |
| 2022 | "who i really am" | INGER |
| 2022 | "Awaiting You" | INGER |
| 2023 | "Nähtamatu" | INGER |
| 2023 | "Põled kui suvi" | INGER |
| 2024 | "Öösegadus" | INGER |
| 2024 | "jah, sa oled see" | INGER |
| 2024 | "head aega" | INGER, EiK |
| 2024 | "Kuniks me ei muutu" | INGER |
| 2025 | "kuues meel" | INGER |
| 2025 | "Tantsin iseendaga" | INGER |
| 2025 | "kollane maja" | INGER |
| 2026 | "Sa mind ei kuule" / "Katki" | INGER |
| Year | Album |
|---|---|
| 2022 | Higher Self (EP) |
| 2025 | Armastatuna |
Personal life
Fridolin is a guitar and ukulele teacher at Rahumäe Basic School.[14]
Fridolin's partner is Karmen King.[15]
Fridolin has identified that they see themselves as gender fluid and feel they embody aspects of both genders.[16]
Inger has been open about their mental health.[17][18][19][20][1]
References
Citations
- 1 2 Ernits 2019c.
- ↑ Heidemann 2026.
- ↑ ERR 2023a.
- ↑ DIGAR 2024.
- ↑ Õhtuleht 2023.
- ↑ Ernits 2019a.
- ↑ Ernits 2019b.
- ↑ Heidemann 2025.
- ↑ ERR 2023b.
- ↑ Eurovision 2026.
- 1 2 Estonian Football Association 2018.
- ↑ FC Flora 2022.
- ↑ Õhtuleht 2018.
- ↑ Rahumäe Basic School 2024.
- ↑ Kroonika 2025.
- ↑ Kivisu 2025.
- ↑ Kruse 2022.
- ↑ Jefimov 2021.
- ↑ Järve 2019.
- ↑ Kroonika 2019.
Sources
- ERR (13 February 2023a). "Inger näitas enda lapsepõlvekodu, kus elavad ka kanad". ERR (in Estonian). Retrieved 2026-07-25.
- ERR (2023b). "Eesti Laulu finaal: Inger "Awaiting You"". ERR (in Estonian). Retrieved 2026-07-25.
- DIGAR (2 October 2024). "Hea Laps: koolilaste ajakiri juuli 2019 — DIGAR Eesti artiklid". dea.digar.ee. Retrieved 2024-10-02.
- Ernits, Rutt (18 February 2019a). "Inger valiti A&R Worldwide uudiskirja nädala uueks artistiks" [Inger selected as A&R Worldwide newsletter's new artist of the week]. ERR Menu (in Estonian). Retrieved 7 April 2026.
- Ernits, Rutt (12 February 2019b). "Inger sai esinemiskutse mainekale Los Angelese muusikakonverentsile" [Inger received an invitation to perform at a prestigious Los Angeles music conference]. ERR Menu (in Estonian). Retrieved 7 April 2026.
- Ernits, Rutt (28 January 2019c). "Janne Fridolin: läbi muusika on Inger saanud endast välja valu ja mõtteid, mis häirisid" [Janne Fridolin: through music, Inger has been able to release pain and thoughts that bothered them]. ERR Menu (in Estonian).
- "Inger Fridolin" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
- Eurovision (7 April 2026). "Inger: Awaiting You". eurovisioon.ee (in Estonian). Retrieved 7 April 2026.
- FC Flora (15 April 2022). "Uued treenerid Floras" [New coaches at Flora]. fcflora.ee (in Estonian). Retrieved 7 April 2026.
- Heidemann, Helen (27 February 2026). ""Minul on tegelikult päris age lugu seal taga." Muusik Inger avaldas, kuidas ta endale nime sai" ["I actually have a pretty cool story behind it." Musician Inger revealed how they got their name]. Kroonika (in Estonian). Retrieved 7 April 2026.
- Heidemann, Helen (22 April 2025). "INGERi debüütalbum „Armastatuna" pakub mitmekihilist peegeldust armastusele" [Inger's debut album "Armastatuna" offers a multi-layered reflection on love]. Sky.ee (in Estonian). Retrieved 7 April 2026.
- Estonian Football Association (2018-03-27). "Lauljast jalgpallur Inger Fridolin" [Singer-footballer Inger Fridolin]. jalgpall.ee (in Estonian).
- Järve, Katariina (2019-01-24). "Noor laulja Inger Fridolin usub, et kõige aluseks on iseendasse uskumine" [Young singer Inger Fridolin believes that everything is based on believing in oneself]. YU Magazine (in Estonian).
- Jefimov, Laura-Marleene (2021-12-31). "Varjamast väsinud Inger: igal inimesel on oma lugu, hing ja keha ning mitte keegi ei saa seda muuta" [Tired of hiding, Inger: every person has their story, soul and body, and no one can change that]. Eesti Päevaleht (in Estonian).
- Kivisu, Kerli (23 December 2025). "Inger avameelselt: ma ei taha end defineerida, aga tunnen, et minus on mõlemat sugu" [Inger candidly: I don't want to define myself, but I feel that I have both genders in me]. Kroonika (in Estonian). Retrieved 7 April 2026.
- Kroonika (19 April 2025). "Inger oma elukaaslasest Karmenist: hea on tunda, kui on inimene kodus, kes päriselt inspireerib sind". Kroonika (in Estonian). Retrieved 2025-04-19.
- Kroonika (2019-01-24). "Esimene poolfinaali Kroonika lemmik Inger Fridolin: jää selleks, kes sa oled, siis inimesed näevad ja hakkavad austama seda" [Kroonika's favourite of the 1st semi-final Inger Fridolin: stay who you are, then people will see and begin to respect that]. Kroonika (in Estonian).
- Kruse, Ketlin (22 February 2022). "Inger Fridolin: uus mina on ausam, enesekindlam ja-teadlikum" [Inger Fridolin: the new me is more honest, confident and self-aware]. Elu24 (in Estonian).
- Õhtuleht (2023-06-13). "Diplom Taskus! Muusik Inger lõpetas ülikooli" [Diploma in pocket! Musician Inger graduated from university]. Õhtuleht (in Estonian).
- Õhtuleht (2018-03-09). "Noor laulja Inger Fridolin: staar laval, staar jalgpalliplatsil" [Young singer Inger Fridolin: star on stage, star on the football pitch]. Õhtuleht (in Estonian).
- Rahumäe Basic School (2024-10-30). "Inger Fridolini kitarri- ja ukuleleõpilased andsid esimese koolikontserdi". Rahumäe Põhikool (in Estonian). Retrieved 2026-07-25.