Todd Terje

Norwegian DJ and producer.

Initially training to be a pianist, Olsen attended a local music school but was disheartened by the lack of jazz instruction. He gradually drifted away from a musical career and later pursued physics at the University Of Oslo. Growing up in the rural village of Mjøndalen, there were limited dance music influences. However, in the early to mid-1990s, dance culture reached even the most remote parts of Norway, influenced by The Prodigy and national radio programs featuring underground DJ Olle Abstract and Pål "Strangefruit" Nyhus from Mungolian Jetset.

Personally, Terje’s sister was close friends with Tore "Erot" Kroknes, a famed artist on Telle Records known for his work with girlfriend Annie on the track "The Greatest Hit". Erot's tapes brought home by Terje's sister served as a major inspiration for young Terje. Using a cheap PC in his early teens alongside his friend Dølle Jølle, Terje made his initial attempts at house and jungle music, playing these creations from cassette tapes during junior high school dances.

Olsen initially thought disco was somewhat ridiculous until he heard Norwegian disco pioneer Bjørn Torske’s "Sexy Disco" in 1999, which ignited his passion for disco. By 2001, Olsen connected with Prins Thomas and was introduced to Hans-Peter Lindstrøm in Oslo.

Inspired by the previous generation of UK disco enthusiasts, Terje began creating re-edits of old disco tracks and moved on to producing his own music. His stage name pays tribute to house music producer Todd Terry.