Thirty Years of Creating Musical Sanctuaries for the Soul
SYDNEY,10 March 2026 –
There’s a Nordic fairy tale that has shaped the lives and music of the Norwegian-Irish duo Rolf Løvland and Fionnuala Sherry for three decades.
It tells of a boy and a girl who are led into a deep forest by their parents and abandoned there. But the clever boy had scattered white stones along the path as they walked. When night fell, the moonlight reflected off those stones, guiding the children safely home.
For Secret Garden, those white stones became a metaphor for their music.
“We don’t want to tell our listeners what our music means,” Sherry has explained. “Everyone has their own secret garden. We want each of our songs to be like a white stone – guiding each person to their own special place.”
This philosophy has guided the Norwegian-Irish duo since their formation in 1994. The pairing of Løvland’s evocative compositions with Sherry’s emotive violin has created a body of work that has sold over 6 million albums, earned 113 Platinum certifications, and spent an unprecedented 311 weeks on the Billboard New Age Chart .
The Eurovision Gamble
Their journey almost didn’t happen. In 1995, when they decided to enter “Nocturne” in the Eurovision Song Contest, they were told it could never win. The piece had only 24 words of lyrics – the rest was pure instrumental, carried by Sherry’s emotive violin and Løvland’s understated piano .
“I remember the skepticism,” says Benny Wang, Director of Wise N Rise Pty Ltd, exclusive presenter of the 2026 Australian tour. “People said, ‘This is a song contest – how can you win with almost no singing?’ But Rolf and Fionnuala believed in the power of music to transcend language.”
They won by a landslide. Forty years of Eurovision history, and they remain the only instrumental act ever to take the prize . The press stated, “Secret Garden has redefined the Eurovision Song Contest” .
The Song That Touched the World
“You Raise Me Up” – now one of the most recorded songs in history – began as a melody that Løvland felt held a special power. When he sent it to Irish songwriter Brendan Graham, asking for lyrics, he didn’t know that Graham would draw inspiration from his own novel about Ireland’s Great Famine . The result was a song that speaks to both personal and collective strength – and the hope that carries us through.
The song has been recorded by more than a thousand artists, including Josh Groban, Westlife, Il Divo, and Celtic Woman . It has been performed at the Olympic Games, the Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony, and as a tribute at the Super Bowl to an estimated 900 million viewers . The song’s co-writer, Brendan Graham, was awarded “Million-Air” status for the song’s extraordinary success on American radio .
The Secret Garden Sound
What makes Secret Garden’s music so universally beloved? Music critics point to their unique fusion of Norwegian folk traditions and Irish Celtic influences – two cultures with deep histories of storytelling through melody .
But Løvland offers a simpler explanation: “We don’t try to be clever. We just try to be honest.”
This honesty is evident in every note of “Song from a Secret Garden,” the title track from their debut album. Its gentle piano opening, the way Sherry’s violin enters like a voice finding courage to speak – it’s music that doesn’t demand attention, but rewards it generously . That debut album, Songs from a Secret Garden, went platinum in Norway and Korea, gold in Ireland, Hong Kong and New Zealand, and stayed on the Billboard New Age charts for nearly two years .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5osEcYunj3Q&list=RD5osEcYunj3Q&start_radio=1
Their second album, White Stones (1997), also made the top ten on Billboard New Age charts, followed by Dawn of a New Century (1999) and Once in a Red Moon (2002) . The compilation Dreamcatcher: Best Of, released for their 2004 tour of Australia and New Zealand, reached the top of the Australian New Age charts and the ARIA top 50 album charts . Their piece “Adagio” was featured in the Wong Kar-wai film *2046* . Barbra Streisand even adapted their song “Heartstrings” for her album A Love Like Ours and used it in her wedding to James Brolin .
“The most moving moments in our concerts are never the loud ones,” says Sherry. “They’re the silences between the notes. When thousands of people are holding their breath together, sharing the same emotion – that’s magic.”
Australia: A Long-Awaited Reunion
For Australian fans, that magic has been 22 years in the making. Secret Garden’s last Australian performance was at the Sydney Opera House in 2004, with their Dreamcatcher: Best Of tour . Since then, their music has become the backdrop to countless Australian lives – weddings, graduations, quiet mornings and meaningful moments.
“The letters we’ve received from Australia over the years have been extraordinary,” Løvland reflects. “People telling us that our music helped them through difficult times. That’s why we tour. That’s why we had to come back.”
Wang adds: “There’s something special about this return. The fans who were there in 2004 are now bringing their children. Some are even bringing their grandchildren. Secret Garden’s music has become part of Australia’s family history without anyone really noticing. This tour is a chance to finally meet those families face to face.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cxs3RClv-8g
Tour Dates
-
Perth – 6 November 2026 | Riverside Theatre, PCEC | Tickets via Ticketek
-
Sydney – 8 November 2026 | Darling Harbour Theatre, ICC Sydney | Tickets via Ticketek
-
Melbourne – 13 November 2026 | Palais Theatre | Tickets via Ticketmaster
-
Adelaide – 14 November 2026 | Adelaide Entertainment Centre | Tickets via Ticketek
-
Brisbane – 15 November 2026 | Great Hall, BCEC | Tickets via Ticketek
Ticket Prices: A Reserve $180 | Premium $280 | VIP $380 (plus booking fees)
Tickets are on sale now.
Perth, Sydney, Adelaide and Brisbane via Ticketek.com.au
Melbourne via Ticketmaster..om.au
