Agnes Obel debuted as a solo singer with her first album Philharmonics (2010).
She wrote, played, sang, recorded, and produced all the material herself. "
The orchestral or symphonic music never interested me.
I always was attracted by simple melodies, almost childish.(…)
I put a long time before writing texts because the music seems to tell already a story, to project images."
According to Obel, her piano is much more than an instrument: "The piano and the singing are two equal things to me – maybe not inseparable but very connected.
You can say they are like two equal voices."
She has said that, "The music is the most obvious means to express what I am, where I am."

All of the songs on Philharmonics are original work except "Close Watch" ("I Keep A Close Watch" by John Cale) & "Katie Cruel" (a folk traditional; as the iTunes bonus track of the album).
In Live à Paris, released on 11 April 2011 on iTunes, she sings a cover of Elliott Smith's "Between The Bars".
Furthermore, Obel did a duet with Editors singer Tom Smith, performing "The Christmas Song" by Mel Tormé – to be found on the Smith & Burrows album Funny Looking Angels (released in November 2011).

Philharmonics has garnered generally positive reviews with, for example, James Skinner from the BBC saying that "the compositions... are slow, sombre, sepulchral even, but not without a sense of occasionally singular beauty".
In the French cultural magazine Les Inrockuptibles, Johanna Seban speaks about a "disarming purity" and states, "There is, in these deeply melancholic ballads, the clearness and reassuring nobility of bedside discs."
In Musicomh, Ben Edgell writes that Agnes Obel "sings with a hushed and tender grace that waxes wistful and serene over yearning cello, harp, and piano vignettes.
She's a fey siren, with a dusky, near-whispered vocal that speaks to Ane Brun or Eva Cassidy."
French journalists have called her "A revelation to follow".

Obel's first album was also a commercial success.
In March 2011, she appeared for the first time in the United States.
At the South by Southwest (SXSW) music festival in Austin, she performed all the songs on the album.

Three songs from the album were on the soundtrack of the 2009 film Submarino (Riverside, Brother Sparrow, and Philharmonics). "
Riverside" was featured in the episode "Not Responsible" of Grey's Anatomy, in Episode 12 of the second season of Offspring, in the episode "Duplicity" from Revenge, and in the episode "What Are You Doing Here, Ho-Bag?"
from The CW's Ringer. "
Avenue" was played in the episode "Trust" from Revenge. "
Fuel to Fire" was used in the episode "The Big Uneasy" of The Originals.
In April 2011, the Danish group Lulu Rouge released a remixed version of "Riverside".
Keeping the track's original beauty, Lulu Rouge added their special electronic tempo.

Prior to the release of "Philharmonics", the soft, soothing tunes of "Just So" were used as the soundtrack of a commercial for Deutsche Telekom on German TV in 2008.

PIAS Recordings released a Deluxe Version of Philharmonics on 7 February 2011.
The Deluxe Version contains five more tracks.
Two instrumentals ("Riverside" and "Just So") and three live songs: "Over the Hill", "Just So", and the new track "Smoke & Mirrors".
On the Riverside EP, Obel sings "Sons & Daughters".
This track is only available on the EP.

In June 2011, Philharmonics was certified gold by the Belgian Entertainment Association (BEA) after selling 10,000 units.
In February 2011, her first album was nominated for the 'Impala European Independent Album of the Year' and the song Riverside (from the Submarino's soundtrack) won the Robert Award for the Best Song of the year 2011.

In October 2011, Obel won the 2012 European Border Breakers Award.
The prize celebrates the top new talents in European pop music who "have all succeeded in reaching out to audiences beyond their home country through their talent and energy."

In November 2011, she won five prizes  at the Danish Music Awards for her first album Philharmonics.
She won Best Album of the Year, Best Pop Release of the Year, Best D
Agnes Obel debuted as a solo singer with her first album Philharmonics (2010). She wrote, played, sang, recorded, and produced all the material herself. "The orchestral or symphonic music never interested me. I always was attracted by simple melodies, almost childish.(…) I put a long time before writing texts because the music seems to tell already a story, to project images." According to Obel, her piano is much more than an instrument: "The piano and the singing are two equal things to me – maybe not inseparable but very connected. You can say they are like two equal voices." She has said that, "The music is the most obvious means to express what I am, where I am."
All of the songs on Philharmonics are original work except "Close Watch" ("I Keep A Close Watch" by John Cale) & "Katie Cruel" (a folk traditional; as the iTunes bonus track of the album). In Live à Paris, released on 11 April 2011 on iTunes, she sings a cover of Elliott Smith's "Between The Bars". Furthermore, Obel did a duet with Editors singer Tom Smith, performing "The Christmas Song" by Mel Tormé – to be found on the Smith & Burrows album Funny Looking Angels (released in November 2011).
Philharmonics has garnered generally positive reviews with, for example, James Skinner from the BBC saying that "the compositions... are slow, sombre, sepulchral even, but not without a sense of occasionally singular beauty". In the French cultural magazine Les Inrockuptibles, Johanna Seban speaks about a "disarming purity" and states, "There is, in these deeply melancholic ballads, the clearness and reassuring nobility of bedside discs." In Musicomh, Ben Edgell writes that Agnes Obel "sings with a hushed and tender grace that waxes wistful and serene over yearning cello, harp, and piano vignettes. She's a fey siren, with a dusky, near-whispered vocal that speaks to Ane Brun or Eva Cassidy." French journalists have called her "A revelation to follow".
Obel's first album was also a commercial success. In March 2011, she appeared for the first time in the United States. At the South by Southwest (SXSW) music festival in Austin, she performed all the songs on the album.
Three songs from the album were on the soundtrack of the 2009 film Submarino (Riverside, Brother Sparrow, and Philharmonics). "Riverside" was featured in the episode "Not Responsible" of Grey's Anatomy, in Episode 12 of the second season of Offspring, in the episode "Duplicity" from Revenge, and in the episode "What Are You Doing Here, Ho-Bag?" from The CW's Ringer. "Avenue" was played in the episode "Trust" from Revenge. "Fuel to Fire" was used in the episode "The Big Uneasy" of The Originals. In April 2011, the Danish group Lulu Rouge released a remixed version of "Riverside". Keeping the track's original beauty, Lulu Rouge added their special electronic tempo.
Prior to the release of "Philharmonics", the soft, soothing tunes of "Just So" were used as the soundtrack of a commercial for Deutsche Telekom on German TV in 2008.
PIAS Recordings released a Deluxe Version of Philharmonics on 7 February 2011. The Deluxe Version contains five more tracks. Two instrumentals ("Riverside" and "Just So") and three live songs: "Over the Hill", "Just So", and the new track "Smoke & Mirrors". On the Riverside EP, Obel sings "Sons & Daughters". This track is only available on the EP.
In June 2011, Philharmonics was certified gold by the Belgian Entertainment Association (BEA) after selling 10,000 units. In February 2011, her first album was nominated for the 'Impala European Independent Album of the Year' and the song Riverside (from the Submarino's soundtrack) won the Robert Award for the Best Song of the year 2011.
In October 2011, Obel won the 2012 European Border Breakers Award. The prize celebrates the top new talents in European pop music who "have all succeeded in reaching out to audiences beyond their home country through their talent and energy."
In November 2011, she won five prizes  at the Danish Music Awards for her first album Philharmonics. She won Best Album of the Year, Best Pop Release of the Year, Best D
Agnes Obel