Birthe Wilke

Who is Birthe Wilke?

Birthe Wilke is a popular Danish singer. She grew up in a musical family in Copenhagen's Vesterbro area.

When she was in her teens, she won a talent competition at the National Scala Theatre in Copenhagen, sang as soloist with Bruno Henriksen's Orchestra at Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen, made her first recording, and was named "Denmark's Doris Day" and recorded "Que sera sera" in 1956.

After qualifying in the Dansk Melodi Grand Prix to represent Denmark at the Eurovision Song Contest, she participated in Eurovision Song Contest 1957 where she sang ’’Skibet Skal Sejle I Nat’’ with Gustav Winckler. They ranked 3rd of out 10th at the end of the voting, and stunned television audiences with a 13-second long kiss at the end of their performance.

She also participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 1959 where she sang solo ’’Uh-Jeg Ville Ønske Jeg Var Dig’’. She was ranked 5th place at the end of voting.

In the late 1950s she toured Poland, West Germany and United States.

In 1961 she played a nightclub singer in the Danish film Reptilicus. She sang "Tivoli Nights".

In 1966 she retired from public life, but made a short-lived return in 1973.