Raquel Rastenni (August 21, 1915-August 20, 1998), born Anna Rachel Rastén, was a popular Danish singer. She was born in Copenhagen, and grew up in a little apartment in the poor central part of the city. Her parents had immigrated to Denmark from Russia at the start of the 1900s. Her father was a tailor, and her mother was a seamstress. August 21 is the 233rd day of the year (234th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1915 (MCMXV) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... August 20 is the 232nd day of the year (233rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ... Copenhagen (Danish: København) is the capital of Denmark, and the name of the municipality (Danish, kommune) in which it resides. ...

She started her career as a dancer in the Helsingør Revue in 1936 and had her debut as a singer in 1938, when she was also broadcast on radio for the first time. She sang with various orchestras through the early 1940s and in 1940 formed her own swing trio. That same year her first record was released. She also toured during these years in Sweden. Elsinore (Danish Helsingør) is a Danish city at the north-east point of Zealand. ... Swing music, also known as swing jazz, is a form of jazz music that developed during the 1920s and solidified as a distinctive style during the 1930s in the United States. ...

Being Jewish she fled Denmark in October 1943 along with her family, as the country had came under Nazi occupation. She spent the war years in Sweden where she continued having great success with her career, performing with orchestras and in cabarets and varieties. Her jazz singing style has been compared to that of Ella Fitzgerald. Jews (Hebrew: יהודים, Yehudim) are followers of Judaism or, more generally, members of the Jewish people (also known as the Jewish nation, or the Children of Israel), an ethno-religious group descended from the ancient Israelites and converts who joined their religion. ... 1943 (MCMXLIII) is a common year starting on Friday. ... The term National Socialism has been used in self-description by a number of different political groups and ideologies, some of which have no connection with the Nazis; see National socialism (disambiguation). ... Copenhagen Headquarters of the Schalburgerkorps, a Danish SS unit, after 1943 Germanys occupation of Denmark was commenced by Operation Weserübung April 9, 1940, and lasted until the German forces were withdrawn at the end of World War II following their surrender to Allied forces. ... Combatants Allies: • Poland, • UK & Commonwealth, • France/Free France, • Soviet Union, • USA, • China, ...and others Axis: • Germany, • Italy, • Japan, ...and others Casualties Military dead: 17 million Civilian dead: 33 million Total: 50 million Full list Military dead: 8 million Civilian dead: 4 million Total: 12 million Full list World War II... Cabaret is a form of entertainment featuring comedy, song, dance, and theatre, distinguished mainly by the performance venue — a restaurant or nightclub with a stage for performances and the audience sitting around the tables (often dining or drinking) watching the performance. ... A variety show is a show with a variety of acts, often including music and comedy skits, especially on television. ... Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917 – June 15, 1996), also known as Lady Ella (the First Lady of Song), was an American singer, considered one of the most influential jazz vocalists of the 20th Century. ...

She returned to Denmark in 1945 and in the years that followed she became Denmark's leading female ballad singer. Among her successes were Vovsen i vinduet ("(How Much Is) That Doggie in the Window?") in 1953 and Heksedansen ("The Witch Dance") in 1960. Her best-selling song was Hele ugen alene ("All week alone") in 1953 which sold over 120,000 copies. She was the first artist in Denmark to earn a gold record. She continued to garner awards throughout her career. A ballad is a story in a song, usually a narrative song or poem. ... (How Much Is) That Doggie in the Window? is a popular song. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with RIAA certification. ...

In addition to her Danish language recordings, she recorded also in Swedish, Yiddish and Hebrew. svensk (dansk) belongs to the North Germanic languages (also called Scandinavian languages), a sub-group of the Germanic branch of the Indo-European languages. ... Yiddish (Yid. ... Hebrew (עִבְרִית ‘Ivrit) is a Semitic language of the Afro-Asiatic language family spoken by more than seven million people in Israel, the West Bank, the United States, and by Jewish communities around the world. ...

After qualifying in the Danish Melodi Grand Prix to represent Denmark at the Eurovision Song Contest, she participated in Eurovision Song Contest 1958 where she sung Jeg rev et blad ud af min Dagbog (I Tore A Page Out Of My Diary). She ranked number 8. The Danish Melodi Grand Prix (in Danish, Dansk Melodi Grand Prix) is a song contest that has been held since 1957 by Danmarks Radio. ... Eurovision Song Contest logo. ... The Eurovision Song Contest 1958 was the third Eurovision Song Contest and was held on March 12, 1958 in Hilversum, Netherlands. ...

She participated once more in the Danish Melodi Grand Prix, singing a duet with Grethe Sønck entitled Hjemme hos os ("At our home").

In the late 1980s she pulled back from a public life. She died in Skodsborg in the northern part of Sjælland on the day before her 83rd birthday. The 1980s decade refers to the years from 1980 to 1989, inclusive. ... Zealand (Danish: Sjælland) is the largest island of Denmark. ...

References

• Laursen, Carsten Michael (1999). ''Top-Pop: Navne i dansk pop 1950-2000"' ("Top-Pop: Names in Danish Pop 1950-2000"). L&R Fakta. ISBN 87-614-0086-6.

External links

• Det Virtuelle Musikbibliotek (The Virtual Music Library) article on Raquel Rastenni, in English, with photo)