Jonas Åkerlund facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jonas Åkerlund
Åkerlund in March 2012
Born	Hans Uno Jonas Åkerlund (1965-11-10) 10 November 1965 (age 59) Bromma, Sweden
Occupation	Filmmaker
Years active	1983–present
Spouse(s)	Bea Åkerlund

Hans Uno Jonas Åkerlund (Swedish: [hɑːns ˈʉ̌ːnʊ ˈjûːnas ˈôːkɛˌɭɵnd]; born 10 November 1965) is a Swedish filmmaker and musician who is best known for his work in music videos. Åkerlund was a member of the Swedish black metal band Bathory. He has directed well-known videos for artists such as Queens of the Stone Age, Christina Aguilera, Beyoncé, Blink-182, Blondie, Duran Duran, Lady Gaga, David Guetta, Jamiroquai, Lenny Kravitz, Madonna, Paul McCartney, Metallica, Moby, Ozzy Osbourne, P!nk, the Prodigy, the Smashing Pumpkins, Rammstein, Britney Spears, the Rolling Stones, U2, Robbie Williams and Ghost.

Åkerlund's video for Madonna's song "Ray of Light" won the Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video and a record five MTV Video Music Awards, including Video of the Year. In 2008, he won the Grammy Award for Best Music Film for directing Madonna's The Confessions Tour DVD, and won the award again in 2014 for his work on Paul McCartney's Live Kisses DVD. He also directed the films Spun (2002), Horsemen (2009), Small Apartments (2012), Lords of Chaos (2018), and Polar (2019).

Career

Åkerlund was a member of the Swedish black metal band Bathory from 1983 to 1984. He directed Candlemass' first music video "Bewitched", which was also his debut as a music video director. He then became the main video director for Roxette. In 1998, he worked with Madonna on the song "Ray of Light". He directed the music video for the Smashing Pumpkins' song "Try, Try, Try", from which a short film entitled Try was spawned. He was also the designer and photographer for the Roxette album Room Service in 2001. His first full-length film, Spun, debuted in 2002.

Åkerlund directed commercials for Swedish clothing retailer MQ and the re-imagining of the Devo song "Watch Us Work It" used in Dell Computers commercials. He is a long-time collaborator of Madonna, having worked on such music videos as "Music" and "Jump". He also directed the documentary film I'm Going to Tell You a Secret about Madonna and her concert special The Confessions Tour: Live from London.

Åkerlund's other work includes the video for the song "Telephone" by Lady Gaga and Beyoncé, "Moves like Jagger" by Maroon 5 and Christina Aguilera, and Duran Duran's single "Girl Panic!"

Åkerlund's second movie, Small Apartments (2012), went direct to DVD. Per Gessle, of Roxette, was credited for the music and soundtrack.

Selected videography

Filmography

Feature films

Spun (2003)

Horsemen (2009)

Small Apartments (2012)

Lords of Chaos (2018)

Polar (2019)

Concert and documentary films

Madonna: I'm Going to Tell You a Secret (2005)

Madonna: The Confessions Tour (2007) (won the 2008 Grammy Award for Best Long Form Music Video)

Paul McCartney: Live Kisses (2012) (won the 2014 Grammy Award for Best Music Film)

On the Run Tour: Beyoncé and Jay Z (2014)

Taylor Swift: The 1989 World Tour Live (2015)

Roxette: Roxette Diaries (2016)

Rammstein: Paris (2017)

Television

Clark (2022; TV series) (directed all 6 episodes with Kirke Ailio Rodwell as 1st Assistant Director)

Selected awards

• 2014 – Grammy – Best Music Film: Paul McCartney's "Live Kisses"
• 2011 – Echo Awards – Best National Video: Rammstein "Ich tu dir weh"
• 2010 – MVPA Awards – Best Collaboration: Lady Gaga feat Beyoncé "Telephone"
• 2009 – MVPA Awards – Lady Gaga "Paparazzi"
• 2008 – MVPA Awards – James Blunt "Same Mistake"
• 2008 – Grammy – Best Long Form Music Video: Madonna NBC Special "The Confessions Tour"
• 2008 – Silver Addy – Dell "Work it Out"
• 2004 – MVPA Awards – Robbie Williams "Come Undone"
• 1999 – Grammy – Best Short Form Music Video: Madonna "Ray of Light"
• 1998 – MTV Video Music Award – Madonna "Ray of Light" (five awards: Video of the Year, Best Female Video, Best Director, Best Editing and Best Choreography - Jonas Åkerlund was also the editor and he and Madonna were the choreographers for this video)