The first time you listen to Hanne Kolstø you’re thrown into a random world of musical confusion. A sound hard to describe yet effortlessly slick and Scandinavian. Ahead of her new record, ‘Stillness and Panic’, I sent over some questions for a quickfire…
Tell us a little more about your sound
Aaa come on! That´s really hard! …. But ok, I’ll try: maybe something like dark popelectrorocknoisedrama?
What inspired the songs you feature on your new album, ‘Stillness and Panic’?
Me, myself and I, always trying to figure out what is going on in my head. The things that happens that I can´t understand, love for instance. On all my records I write about trying to find and stay in the middle of the road instead of ending up in the ditches all the time.
Nature inspires me. Especially on Stillness and Panic where I spent half a year hiking the mountains all alone in my hometown Sykkylven (Norway).
You’ve been nominated for a Norwegian Grammy. How has that made you feel?
Happy of course. But it´s kind of weird too, to suddenly be amongst ‘that crowd’. The first time I was terrified, but this year I I just enjoyed the show and drank a lot of beers. It´s a fun party.
Who would be your dream collaborator?
Radiohead, without Thom York. Haha. Or Frank Ocean maybe, I love hip hop.
You’ve released three albums in three years. That’s quite a lot of records! Why do you put out so much music in such a short space of time?
Then I can reveal to you that I´m actually releasing my forth by the end of this year. I don´t think one year to write an album is a short space of time. There are a lot of artist that releases a lot of music, it’s not that uncommon is it?
Who is your favourite artist right now?
I don´t listen to music that much while I write (which I´m doing right now). It messes up my flow. I need silence to hear myself.
What would you recommend are the best new Norwegian acts to listen to?
Atlanter, Higasakite.
What do you have planned for the rest of the year?
Finish and release my forth album, move abroad (haven´t decided where yet), play a lot of festivals, not get a boyfriend.
Hanne Kolstø’s album ‘Stillness and Panic is out on May 7th.