Trine Jepsen

Trine Randbo Jepsen (born 29 September 1977) is a Danish singer, actress, and tv host. She first gained fame after winning Denmark’s national song contest and representing the country at the Eurovision Song Contest 1999. Since then, Trine has enjoyed a diverse career in music and television, including forming a chart-topping pop group and hosting popular TV shows.

Eurovision 1999 and Early Fame

In 1999, Trine Jepsen made her breakthrough in the Danish music scene. She teamed up with singer Michael Teschl to compete in Dansk Melodi Grand Prix 1999, Denmark’s national selection for Eurovision. Their song “Denne Gang” won the competition, thus earning them the honor of representing Denmark at the Eurovision Song Contest 1999 in Jerusalem. At Eurovision, they performed the song in English as “This Time I Mean It” and achieved a respectable 8th place finish. This success put Jepsen in the spotlight and introduced her to a wide international audience.

Popstars and EyeQ

In 2001, Jepsen’s career took another leap when she entered the reality TV competition Popstars on TV2. She emerged as one of the winners, securing a place in the new girl group EyeQ. The group enjoyed massive success in Denmark. Their debut single “I Want What She’s Got” hit number one, and their album Let It Spin sold around 150,000 copies, earning triple platinum status. EyeQ became one of Denmark’s best-selling pop groups of the early 2000s. However, after releasing a second album, the group disbanded in 2003 as the members went their separate ways.

Television Hosting and Musical Theatre

After her pop group days, Jepsen expanded her career into television presenting and stage acting. In October 2006, she became a TV host on TV2’s live quiz show Quix Direkte, co-presenting the program with Maria Hirse and Tina Bilsbo. The following year, she hosted a dating reality show called Bonde søger brud (“Farmer Seeks Bride”) on Kanal 4. Meanwhile, Jepsen was also pursuing opportunities in musical theatre. She debuted on stage in 2005 and soon landed leading roles in Danish productions of famous shows. Notably, she portrayed Tante Sofie in Folk og røvere i Kardemomme by and Grizabella in Cats in 2007. Additionally, in 2008 she starred as Belle in Beauty and the Beast and appeared in the comedy Baronessen på Benzintanken. These roles showcased her versatility beyond pop music.

Continued Music and Stage Career

In addition to her TV work, Jepsen kept up her music career with more competitions and performances. She returned to Dansk Melodi Grand Prix in 2006, performing the duet “Grib Mig” with singer Christian Bach. She also competed in the 2009 national final with the song “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again”. Though those entries did not win, Jepsen remained a popular figure in entertainment.

She also became a morning radio host on Skala FM, engaging listeners on air until 2011. At the same time, her stage career flourished with additional major roles. She played Ursula in the Danish stage adaptation of The Little Mermaid in 2010 and joined the cast of an ABBA-themed musical The Visitors in 2011. In 2012, she earned praise for starring as Eva Perón in a production of Evita in Holstebro. These projects solidified her status as a versatile performer across music, radio, and theater.

Management and Recent Roles

By the 2010s, Trine Jepsen transitioned into off-stage leadership roles in the arts. She led the musical theater program at the Danish Talent Academy from 2011 to 2016 and later became the director of the historic Nørre Vosborg cultural center from 2015 to 2019. In 2019, Jepsen became the CEO of the Schackenborg Foundation, managing the operations of the Schackenborg Castle heritage site. After leaving that position, she launched her own company to foster culture and business partnerships. Today, Jepsen remains a prominent figure in Denmark’s cultural scene, bridging her entertainment experience with her management expertise.