More about: Astrid S
Meet the pop-noir sensation, making things a lot more interesting in 2016
"The kids in my village look at me like I'm an alien or a totally different person," Astrid tells Gigwise from her home in Oslo, Norway. The 19-year-old has shot to fame in her country after appearing on her native version of Pop Idol, before going double platinum with her debut single '2AM' and being announced Best Norwegian Act at the MTV Europe Music.
Internationally, she's started gaining a lot of attention for her soothing pop vocals - racking up 20million streams to her name, despite only releasing a handful of tracks and not even having an EP out yet.
Of the tracks she's released so far, '2AM' and the artful pop noir of 'Hyde', which was worked on with fellow Nordic producer Lido, are the highlights of her output. But they're enough for us to recognise what an extraordinary talent she is, leaving us unsurprised to hear she's looked at with such awe in Norway. She's destined to conquer the rest of the world throughout 2016.
Her new stuff, some of which is set for release this spring on an EP, has a different sound: "I made 'Hyde' and '2AM' over a year ago," she says. "They’re old to me. One year ago I was in a different stage. I remember writing all these dark and UK-ish songs. But this past half year I've been writing a lot more pop, especially the top line with the lyrics and the melodies more than the production is. I'm not introverted, shy or dark at all as a person so I think this new music is going to reflect that."
Of the thematic elements we should expect, she reveals: "I'm writing about what it's like to be 19 in the music business, I'm at a point where I'm too old to get away with some things but I'm still too young to know better. It's a really weird stage of my life. I'm also just writing about being a teenager and doing teenage things with my friends."
Despite her young age, Astrid is a seasoned professional musically, with an incredibly accomplished voice.
"I played flute in a marching band for seven years and took piano and singing lessons as a child but this actually put me off music," she says. "I didn't like the creative constraints that classical teaching put on me. I switched my focus to playing soccer instead. I never dreamed I would become a pop star.
"However, when I was 15 I started in upper high school in Norway I met a lot of new people who inspired me. They introduced me to John Mayer so I bought a guitar and I started to learn how to play him," she reveals. "Then one day the commercials came on screen with Idol and I was like hmm, I'd like to do it."
Merely three months after buying the guitar, she was confident enough to play in front of the TV judges and performed Keane's 'Somewhere Only We Know' and Dolly Parton's 'Jolene' among other tracks. She had a really good run on the programme, and exited in fifth place - but her best was yet to come.
"When I went out from Idol I spent the summer touring and I began working with a manager, who is still my manager," she recalls. "When school started again in the fall, I had to start juggling it with work so I would go down to Stockholm to write with producers on the weekends. Then Universal in Norway were interested so we decided to work with them. The following summer I decided not to finish school and I moved to Oslo and put at '2AM' out and everything's happened really quickly since then. I've been flown to the US and UK for label meetings. It's really crazy that it happened so fast."
Despite her coming up through the ranks through Pop Idol, Astrid S is leagues apart from anything you would expect to come from a cynical hit-making machine. And with Universal and Island Records on board to launch her for 2016, it could well be the year Astrid S gets global. Get to know her name - you'll be hearing it a lot.
- 'Hyde' by Astrid S is out now
Aurora: A delicate tapestry of angelic vocals, swooping strings, irresistible synth-pop and epic, cinematic soundscapes is what Aurora weaves into a totally inescapable world of her own, where the sensual meets the vulnerable. We're a little bit in love - she is going to be massive. Key tracks: 'Runaway', 'Running With The Wolves', 'Murder Song'
Slutface: We don't care if their name offends you - we're going to be saying it A LOT in the next 12 months, and so should you. With the riot-grrrl attitude of Sleater-Kinney met with the pure rush of Blood Red Shoes, the emerging Norwegian quartet Slutface throw out infectious pop punk riffs and irresistible choruses that demand every moment of your attention. Key tracks: 'Bad Party', 'Angst', 'Call To Arms'
Bendik: As captivating as her appearance suggests, Bendik specialises in that shimmering dreampop that seems to flow from Norway like so much water into the Fjords. Here we have an aching melancholy met an ambitious post-rock backing, and a singer who gives her absolute all to her performance. Utterly enchanting. Key tracks: 'Hjertebank og kulde', 'Her', 'Morket foles morkere'
Kverletak: An uncompromising live band (the frontman wears an owl over his face, yes really) that need to be seen to be believed. But this band are far from a gimmick. Terrifying as they may be, what they produce is a unique brand of intricate but anthemic stoner metal like you've never heard before. Key tracks: 'Evig Vandrar', 'Blodtorst', 'Braune Bren'
Emilie Nicolas: With the dark pop-noir melodrama of Lykke Li and the streetwise sass and beats of Banks, it could be easy for Nicolas to disappear in a seemingly endless sea of sultry songstresses, but the fact of the matter is that there's a piercing edge to this rising Norwegian star that puts her in a league of her own. With a No.1 album in Norway to her name, we don't doubt it will be too long until the rest of the world are under her spell. Key tracks: 'Pstereo', 'Fail', 'Nobody Knows'
Susanne Sundfor: With six albums to her name (numerous topping the Norwegian charts) and having collaborated with the likes of M83 and Royksopp, her influence on bringing credibility to the dancefloor over the last decade is never in question. So to many of you, we're probably preaching to the choir - but we won't rest until she's recognised as the universal electro Goddess she deserves to be. Key tracks: 'Delerious', 'Fade Away', 'Accelerate'
Farao: The insanely talented Kari Jahnson can play pretty much every instrument. Her sheer understanding of music is probably what sets her deep and driving brand of folky electro in a league of her own. Her debut album, Til It's All Forgotten drops on 11 September. Get her in your life. Key tracks: 'Bodies', 'Hunter', 'The Hours'
Cashmere Cat: You may know him for working with Ariana Grande or his awesome remixes of the likes of Lana Del Rey and 2 Chainz, but his own futuristic take on chilled electro meets R&B is blissed out enough to send you floating over the North Sea. Key tracks: 'Mirror Maru', 'With Me', 'Adore (ft Ariana Grande)'
Andre Bratten: Do you like your space disco to be dark but sexy? Then this Oslo producer is the only man you need. Key tracks: 'Be A Man You Ant',
Building Instrument: A wonderfully weird whirpool of ethereal folk hidden in a haze of dizzying, warped, ambient post-rock. This is music to get lost to. Key tracks: 'Historia', 'Alt e Bra', 'Bli Med'
Ivan Ave: The world needs more Nordic rap, and this brings just the right amount of old school class and effortless, chilled-out groove to lead the wave. Key tracks: 'Forks', 'Portals', 'Honey Dip'
Ane Brun: A runaway train of raw-nerved emotion, bursting straight out of this Nordic treasure's ribcage. Using the most bare elements with such an expertly dramatic effect, it feels like you're experiencing a full opera in a song. Key tracks: 'Do You Remember', 'Directions', 'These Days'
Drape: Imagine Mew and The Flaming Lips fighting over a ball of wool. Key tracks: 'Pie In The Sky', 'Together We Are Pstereo', 'When You Wake Up Again'
Alfred Hall: Brilliant soaring disguised as bubbling and danceable synth-pop songs - this Nordic duo have all bases covered without ever being cutesy or twee. This is the sound of summer. Key tracks: 'Lose That Gun', 'Safe & Sound', 'Someplace Beautiful'
Wardruna: Bringing ancient Nordic Viking folk music a modern day sound sense of purpose, prepare to go to another world with Wardruna. Key tracks: 'Helvegen', 'Blood Eagle', 'Hagal'
Thea Hjelmeland: She can play anything with strings - including our hearts. What she makes is a kind of fairytale witch-folk pop on a scale to rival the likes of Sigur Ros. We discovered her when she played at the top of a ski slope in Oslo. Now you don't have to go to quite the same heights to get her in your life. Key tracks: 'Feathery', 'Perfume', 'Age'
More about: Astrid S
Photo: Press
