Karl Vasterling

Karl Vasterling
Background information
Birth name	Karl Bigerssen
Born	24th November, 1996 Malhall, Imeriata proper
Genres	Flyting, Imerian folk music, Classical Imerian Music.
Occupation(s)	Bard
Instruments	Vocals, harp, hurdy gurdy
Years active	1996-present
Labels	Birger ach Fredriks grammofon tryckeri.

Karl Vasterling is an Imerian musician of Maling stock that is very active in the Imerian youth culture and especially bound to the so called Jungkarl subculture. Generally his music is often focused on very masculine topics such as martial valour, personal honour, and of course courtly love. However some of his songs have been fraught with controversy and outright banned on moral and political grounds by federal authorities.

Early life

The son of the rather wealthy commoner Birger Tranvaldssen did Karl attend good schools, he rather early dedicated himself to music and his father as the distributor of gramophone records paid for his continued in the finest music schools that allowed commoners to enroll. While this left him barred from some of the most prestigious institutions did he still gain a rather impressive education and temporarily worked in the Imerbürg Seaside Theatre as a musician there before moving back to Malhalla where he started to work at various prestigious music establishment, however he also started to produce songs more catering to the commonry.  

Musical career

His musical career finally took of as he convinced his father and his father's business partner Fredrik Ulrikssen to release his more obscene music, prior to this had he released two records playing more high end music, both being songs of old and accredited musical epics about Imerian heroes. However once he was able to release music he himself wrote and sung did Karl's carrier take off releasing several albums that has scored very high in federal sales record. His most successful being the rather accredited record "Shortlings in Imerburg" produced with co-operation with other Imerian bards.

He has however had some controversial songs as well, his song "my ancestor warriors" that sung the tale of a Malgravean warrior during the liberation of Björnland that required a lot of rewriting before being allowed to be sold on the federal market. Similarly have some songs been described as too anti-social and anti-authoritarianist to be sold and several songs have outright been banned from sale and has instead only been played in private concerts or musical duels which has resulted in some rumours about them and their content spilling out.

Personal Life

In 2002 did Karl Vesterling in accordance with Maling custom marry the three daughters of the rather distinguished guildswoman Tina Brynhildedottir; Frida Tinadottir, Tova Tinadottir, and Hilda Tinadottir. As the only son of Tina, Göran Herkelssen also in a similar date married the daughters of Karl's Father's business partner Fredrik Ulrikssen and that the fact that "Birger ach Fredriks grammofon tryckeri" started to work much closer with Herkel's grammofon hantverkare has some speculation been made that this was an intentional political marriage and the two Malling firms very much started to dominate the gramophone distribution in Imeriata proper and Vedian as a result, even threatening more established companies in the region, has further fueled the speculation. However both merchant families have to date denied that there was any economic motivation behind the match and the marriages were instead arranged due to social prestige and social prestige alone.

Despite fathering his first daughter, Nahia Fridasdottir, with the older sister Frida has his relationship with his oldest wife been quite strained and it has reportedly been noted that she very seldom lives in the same mansion as him which has caused some scandal in the community. However despite that is his relationship with his two other wives Tova and Hilda quite amicable and both wives often appear in public with him and has birthed him one son and two daughters from Tova as well as three daughters from Hilda. Named; Birger Karlssen, Hilda Tovasdottir, Yll Tovasdottir, Tova Hildasdottir, Sigrund Hildasdottir, and Erika Hildasdottir respecitvely.

While such a large number of children have been seen as rather positive aspects of his wives this also caused some Scandal for Karl himself as it seems to suggest rather unmanly urges and quite a few Flyting contests have brought them up. Quite a few caused rather angry words off the stage and while Karl has been challenged to a duel at least once did he cause a minor scandal by very early in the duel allowing a minor slash to his arm causing him to lose. While Karl has maintained that his opponent was just better than him, many people furthermore called his martial skill into question as the result of his one and only duel and the rather lackluster points that he earned in military education in public school.

He is a strict follower of the faith of Ishiri the two faced goddess as is his wife Hilda whereas his other two wives still follow the Asger sect of the holy chronicles.

International Reception

Malgrave

Karl Vasterling's work has gained some national media attention in Malgrave, with the Royal Malgravean Times and Epping Post writing articles on his connections to Malgrave, and a documentary being produced on his education and musical career by the Malgravean Broadcasting Corporation which was rather popular amongst audiences.

Since then Karl's music has gained some popularity within Malgrave, as his anti-authoritarian positions from a society which is seen to promote such ideals has struck a chord with many listeners, especially, the more rebellious tracks that have been censored and outright banned by the Imerians. A few Malgraveans have even travelled to Imeriata to try and gain access to the original versions of these tracks with the purpose of uploading them to MalTube and he has also been invited to perform on Weekly Music Countdown.