Two of Norway’s biggest newcomers join forces today on the release of ‘Fake My Feelings’.
As expected, this collaboration between Ponette and Torine is nothing short of pop perfection, and treats listeners to an anthemic song that somehow feels both playful and melancholic at the same time.
To date, Ponette has amassed millions of catalogue streams while also receiving tastemaker support from the likes of NRK P3 (Norway’s national radio), Earmilk and Acid Stag.
Meanwhile, Torine continues to build on her impressive run of global hits (totalling over 45 million streams), and currently commands more than 600k listeners on Spotify alone.
‘Fake My Feelings’ is produced by Coucheron, and is lifted from Ponette’s forthcoming album, which is released soon.
The Jürgen Clubs might just be one of the hottest new indie names to emerge from Denmark this year.
Initially forming in 2021, this group of rockers create punchy songs that are both sonically energising and lyrically vivid.
Inspired by the topic of male impotence, new single ‘Soft’ was written after a time when lead singer Magnus went on a Tinder date – with an empty stomach and a little too much booze:
“The song is based on an evening when I wasn’t too proud of myself, and in the attempt to get a second chance, I invited her out to a restaurant while she’s on her way out the door. Of course she turned down that invitation a few days later.” – Magnus Grilstad, The Jürgen Clubs
Alongside the release of the track, the band have also unveiled an accompanying 80’s style music video for fans to enjoy.
With praise from the likes of Danish heavyweight magazine GAFFA under their belts, The Jürgen Clubs look set to take on their biggest year yet.
Rising Swedish talent JAYNIE is back today with an infectious slice of alt-pop that has to be heard!
Playful as much as it is melancholic in tone, ‘Own Advice’ was written alongside obi mani (aka Tobias Kihlman), and is inspired by that all-too-familiar situation when we choose not to follow our own advice.
“It’s like it’s so easy to give out advice to friends and family but when it comes to yourself it’s like the hardest thing to to do and you become a total contradiction.”
The song continues to shine a light on this promising singer-songwriter, who seamlessly finds ways to weave serious and thoughtful lyrics into creative pop productions.
Acclaimed Danish outfit Astronaut return today with a haunting new single that is sure to captivate even the most discerning listener.
Produced by Claudius Mittendorfer (who has also worked alongside the likes of Arctic Monkeys and Temples), the song presents us with beautiful fusion of dreamy indie and alternative pop.
“It’s about anyone who is misunderstood in some way, and trying to see beyond that. If we could read how each other actually feel, almost like a comic book superpower, the world would probably be more empathetic” – Martin Zeppelin, Astronaut
Astronaut have grown to become one of Denmark’s most prominent indie bands since the release of their 2019 debut album, ‘Silence One’. They are currently working on their next project, entitled ‘Kintsugi’, which is out on the 24th March 2023.
Track of the week. Hailing from the Norwegian city of Bergen is Nelly Moar, who rapidly building momentum as one of Scandinavia’s most exciting R&B newcomers.
A trained jazz vocalist, Moar delivers a style of music that fuses dark pop with dreamy, soulful R&B tones. The resulting sounds are atmospheric, intense and beautifully captivating.
Amassing more than 150k career streams to date from the release of just one EP, it’s clear to see that Moar is one Nordic star on the rise.
Rising independent artist Freddy Madson is back today with a sensational new release called ‘Blue Rain’.
Through an intelligent production process, Madson has somehow created a sound that is not only dreamy and soulful, but also cinematic, bold and future-forward. In short – you won’t have heard anything quite like this before.
“I was in a period where I was feeling blue on and off because my music career wasn’t taking off. I dwelled on it, started comparing myself to everyone else and talked about it, time after time. It affected myself deeply but most of all it affected the people I love. I realized I had to do something about it and turn things around.”
“I knew we were on to something in the studio when those big, wide piano chords hit and the beat came on. The chorus appeared quickly with me just repeating the words ‘Blue Rain’. When all the pieces came together I felt so empowered and I hope the listener will feel the same.”
Madson has spent the last six months in the studio working alongside acclaimed Danish producer Niels Christian Sommer Kjærgaard, and is currently finalising his debut EP, ‘Boys Never Cry’ (out 17th March).
Today we are introducing you to Stockholm’s Great Park Avenue, who are continuing Sweden’s long-standing tradition of exporting world-class indie rock to the world.
Inspired by iconic British rocker Pete Doherty, new single ‘Pete My Teacher’ treats listeners to an energising indie sound that is compelling and anthemic in character.
Taken from the group’s ‘Limitless Prolific Divineness’ EP, the song was recorded in a former women’s restroom, and mixed at the Kapsylen Studios in Stockholm.
“‘The bathroom with its tile walls is a rather unconventional room for recording but we’ve made it our own sacred place and we’re absolutely in awe of the atmosphere of this magic loo.”
Be sure to keep an eye on the song’s accompanying game, in which ‘you can take a step into the mysterious world that is some people’s everyday life. Might or not be Pete fighting paparazzis, you’ll have to figure that one out yourself.’
Danish newcomer your hands (aka Johannes Brandstrup) unveils a charming slice of mellow indie-pop with his new single, ‘down here waiting’.
Inspired by the small (but significant) surprises that come across us in our everyday lives, Brandstrup creates refreshingly authentic songs that are lyrically thoughtful and insightful. Speaking on his new single, he explains:
“I wanted to write a song about the youth and social life. My generation has become addicted to communicating with one another – which is good – but when you agree to meet up with someone it often creates a clash between expectation and respect of each other’s time. We rely on communication more than we rely on each other and I hope this catchy little pop song reflect those mellow thoughts and frustration of modern living.”
The track follows on from Brandstrup’s 2022 debut‘floating’, which received acclaim from several music blogs from across the globe.
What began as a mutual love of music (and dogs) led to the creation of acclaimed Swedish-British indie outfit The Franklys.
This all-female group of rockers have been on our radar for quite some time, and never fail to impress us with their sound.
Anthemic single ‘Mess’ coincides with the release of the band’s new ‘Dogma’ album (out now), and showcases a refreshingly raw style of garage-rock that is immediately captivating to experience.
The Franklys will celebrate the release of the album on the 16th March at London’s Lexington – tickets can be found here.
The most exciting newcomer to emerge from Scandinavia this week has been jazzygold (aka Jasmin Mote).
Hailing from the Faroe Islands by way of Kenya, this R&B-soul starlet has just released a sensational new single called ‘boring like me’ that deserves your immediate attention.
“‘boring like me’ is the new soundtrack for your most self-sabotaging moments in life. You know you’re a 10, but you still settle with the bullsh*t from a 5. That’s what sparked a fire for the making of the track. The breakup leaves you in the exact position you knew it would, and the track captures the irony perfectly.”
Prior to her work as a solo artist, Mote was part of award-winning outfit JASMIN, who toured across the Nordic region and played at festivals as prominent as Uhørt and Sørveiv.
After leaving the group, Mote travelled to Stockholm and London to focus on her own sound, and has now finished a collection of ten songs that she is ready to share with the world. Keep an eye on this artist!
Emerging from the city of Uppsala in Sweden is musician and actor myie (aka Miriam Ingrid), who has just unveiled an impressive new single entitled ‘Mary’.
Written as an ode to self empowerment and personal freedom, the song’s captivating lyrics compliment a beautifully melodic and uplifting alternative-pop production.
“‘Mary’ is a song about freedom, liberation from ideas or people holding one down. The song’s main character convinces ‘Marie Antoinette’ to elope together, there’s a lot at stake but at least they have each other. ‘Mary’ encourages people to live by their own sets of rules- and if anyone cares: let them eat cake.”
‘Mary’ is taken from myie’s forthcoming debut album, ‘Feel Real’, which is out soon. With support from the likes of BBC’s Jack Saunders already under her belt, myie is one Scandinavian starlet to keep on your radars.
Acclaimed singer and songwriter Varas begins his year with anthemic new single, ‘Hell No’.
Through its raw and bold production, Varas addresses the mundane nature of life, and the desire to escape from it all.
“You know the feeling when it’s Friday and you’ve just survived another week full of snow storms and hurtful ingrown toenails. Your body is hurting, not because you worked out or anything but because you walked home with groceries and un-ergonomically only brought one bag.
After walking in a leaning matter you come home. A dear friend hits you up: ‘care for a beer?’. You care a lot actually. Anything to make you think about something else than this cycle of habits around work. You wanna talk about literally anything else. Your friend’s THINKING about CONSIDERING possibly getting a cat? Soon? No, in four years? Ah, still, you’d rather think about your friend considering possibly getting a cat in four years. Anyway, you change your clothes and head into town. Finally you manage to get to a bar with some friends. It’s cheap and smelly, just like you. Now it’s time to have a pleasant time of distraction. But before you even take the first sip it happens, someone at the table innocently asks you about next week’s work and duties. Right there, that moment you have to keep yourself from telling your dear friend to shut the f up, was our state of mind when we wrote ‘Hell No’.”
With his refreshingly original and distinct approach to music-making, Varas is rapidly becoming one of Sweden’s most hotly-tipped newcomers. Fans can look forward to a new EP, scheduled for release later this year.
Emerging genre-bending starlet Alexia Chambi joins forces with long-time collaborator Ralph Taylor on new single, ‘Nothing Happened’.
Based on real-life events, the song tells of a story involving Chambi and a boyfriend who had initiated an open relationship, only to regret his decision shortly after.
“‘Nothing Happened’ is a story based on true events, about a boyfriend who spontaneously requests an open relationship while being abroad but quickly calls back to express his regret.”
The track marks the beginning of a project that will see Chambi unveiling a string of singles throughout the year, eventually culminating in the release of a confessional EP entitled ‘Open Relationship’.
Hailing from Norway is singer, songwriter, producer, technician and composer Elfrida (aka Grete-Johanne Torvholm), who is a rising talent specialising in a style of music labelled as ‘arctic electronica’.
Sonically sparse yet perfectly constructed, Elfrida’s work contrasts minimalist sounds with raw and sincere lyricism.
‘Descend’ is likely to be one of the most thoughtful songs you’ll experience this week. Inspired by the inner conflicts of a neurodivergent mind, the lyrics offer listeners an insight into the artist’s world.
“All my life I’ve been a bit different, stood out in a crowd. I was a curious child, and others saw that as an opportunity to try and break me. I have ADHD and ‘Descend’ describes how my mind works – typically on a bad day. I don’t believe you have to have ADHD to relate, I think everybody feels this way from time to time. Creating music is a therapeutic process for me, and my vision is that my music can help others understand themselves better, and consequently develop a healthier relationship to their mind, soul, and body.”
In recent years, Copenhagen three-piece Blaue Blume have established themselves as one of Denmark’s most influential and respected indie acts, with a catalogue of works totalling millions of streams globally.
They start the year with a shimmering new single, entitled ‘Crush’. Through its captivating fusion of indie-pop and art rock, the track serves as an inspiration for lovers to keep the excitement within their relationships alive – no matter how much life gets in the way.
“‘Crush’ is pretty much about getting your relationship to sparkle again when you both get stuck in all the practical stuff and everyday life. The song is about dancing and making out again with the one you went out of your way to get, reminding yourself that you really shouldn’t take love for granted. ‘Crush’ is a tribute to girlfriends and boyfriends.” – Jonas Schmidt, Blaue Blume
Blaue Blume are currently readying the release of their next EP, as well as a tour across Denmark which begins this spring.
Acclaimed Swedish singer, songwriter and artist Nea returns with one of the catchiest bops of the week.
Lifted from forthcoming debut album ‘TRANSPARENT’ (out later this year), ‘A Lover Like Me’ serves as a masterclass in Scandinavian pop, with its infectious melody, memorable lyrics and energising sound.
“’A Lover Like Me’ is one of those rare songs that just wrote itself. I had a lyric idea, Daniel [Ledinsky, co-writer & producer] played some chords and two hours later we had the song! I love the rawness of the vocals and the vibe, that there’s an edge to it.”
One of Sweden’s biggest pop successes in recent times, Nea (aka Linnea Södahl) has amassed more than 800 million streams under her own name, while also writing hits for the likes of Zara Larsson, Felix Jaehn, Tove Styrke and Axwell.
Two prominent Norwegian artists have just released a very special collaboration that deserves your attention!
Serving as a teaser to ‘Part I’ of Ponette’s upcoming album (out later this year), ‘Beats Me Up’ features the work of acclaimed producer Coucheron.
The track showcases a refined electronic sound that is experimental and unique, yet still maintains some pop sensibilities.
“‘Beats Me Up’ was created during a massive wave of feelings. Totally overwhelming. I just had to find a way to communicate all of the raw emotions that had been building up in my body for a while, and I want the song to feel like that when you listen to it as well. I hope people can relate, and that I’m not totally crazy.” – Ponette
With support from the likes of Acid Stag andThe Line of Best Fit,as well as an impressive catalogue of releases that currently garners more than 100k monthly Spotify listeners, Ponette has marked herself as one of Norway’s next big musical exports.
As one of Norway’s most exciting alternative starlets, Oslo’s Jouska has consistently treated listeners to eccentric sounds that push sonic boundaries while still maintaining some pop sensibilities.
Lifted from Jouska’s upcoming ‘Suddenly My Mind Is Blank’ album (out 17th Feb), ‘Fragrance’ presents us with a dreamy and melodic (albeit lyrically bold) slice of experimental electro-pop.
“‘Fragrance’ is probably the most honest song I’ve ever written. I was feeling like such a loser when I wrote it. Usually I like to play with metaphors and hide behind my words when I write songs, but Fragrance turned out really personal and direct.”
London-based fans can catch Jouska on the 15th March at Stoke Newington’s The Waiting Room – tickets can be found here.
Fans of Bon Iver, Phoebe Bridgers and Sufjan Stevens will most likely fall in love with Swedish musician Tobias Arbo (aka Tobias Ekelund), who has just unveiled his latest single, ‘Within’.
In its quintessential Nordic style of sound, the song presents listeners with a production that is sparse, simple and minimal – yet somehow still feels warm, thoughtful and beautifully contemplative.
“A few years ago, I found a box of video cassettes that my dad had recorded throughout my childhood. I started watching them and was reminded of the cheerful and vibrant child I was. But at the same time, it made me experience a kind of sadness, as memories of the shy and sensitive person that I’d also been clouded the image. During my childhood, I experienced a lot of anxiety, at times having trouble being in school and hanging out with friends. I was five years old at the time my sister was born and it wasn’t until I’d grown up that I started to reflect on how it might have affected her – having an older brother who periodically pulled away.”
The track is taken from Tobias’ upcoming ‘Powerlines’ debut EP, which will be released on 31st March 2023.
“The EP is a contemplation on the self and its different parts, voices, and moods. It’s about listening to the noise of these voices’ endless dialogue and trying to connect with the many parts of oneself that want to be heard. For example, facing the inner child, whose early experiences shape us so much more than we tend to believe, or struggling with the inner critic, who raises self-doubt and prevents us from getting where we want to go.”
As a rising artist and producer from Norway, NINV (aka Nina Ugland) is responsible for crafting some of the most interesting blends of electronica and pop to emerge from Scandinavia.
Inspired by the notion of just ‘letting go’, experimental new single ‘Only We Know‘ serves as NINV’s first single of the year, and as a taster for more releases scheduled over the coming months.
With support from the likes of Under The Radar and Norwegian national radio NRK P3, NINV will be one Nordic name to watch for in 2023.
