Swedish singer and songwriter Sonja Aldén was born on December 20, 1977, in St. Albans, United Kingdom. She got her first musical training under %Adolf Fredrik of the Södra Latin School, where she learned the basics of theory, harmony, and composition. Aldén's introduction to national stardom came via her participation in the 2006 #Melodifestivalen, the Swedish singing festival and competition that is used to select the nation's candidate for ~the Eurovision Song Contest. In addition to her own entry, "Etymon," Aldén also penned songs submitted by other artists for the festival, earning a reputation as a significant and versatile songwriter.