sigrid - sucker punch
the awesome sigrid returns with yet ANOTHER catchy single for her fans with a glorious video to boot. we've been fans of this norwegian pop gal since the beginning so it's just so nice to see her continue to put out songs to showcase her talents. love this!!!
aurora - queendom
she's baaack! the 21 year old norwegian indie pop singer returns and with a much more self confident image than when we last saw her 3 years back. kicking off with the excellent lead single 'queendom', i can only look forward to what else this young woman has in store for us!
sigrid - plot twist
there's something wonderfully fierce about 20 year old norwegian singer/songwriter/pop gal sigrid. with just an EP to her name, there is already a solid 1/2 album of strong material that most newbies would kill to have under their belt. her latest single "plot twist" is all the more interesting with the mantra inducing shout-along "shots fired" as part of the chorus hook. easily one of my fave pop songs of the summer! want more? check out her glastonbury debut of her 1st single "don't kill my vibe" which is equally catchy and wonderful!
sigrid - don't kill my vibe (live @ glastonbury 2017)
highasakite - 5 million miles
you wouldn't know that highasakite was an actual indie band from the looks of this video. yes, lead singer ingrid helene havik is definitely a beauty but i've always known these guys as an group, so to see this heavily stylized fashion video is a bit of a letdown (as gorgeous as she looks). the good news is that the song still stands on it's own. since it's release back in april, '5 million miles' has been a steady favorite and easily one of my fave songs of the year. maybe close your eyes listening to this the 1st time around, the way i have been for the past two months?
aurora - half the world away (video premiere)
getting the coveted theme song to front the annual john lewis xmas ad campaign has been very beneficial for past stars (ellie goulding, tom odell, lily allen) and this year 19 year old aurora gets the chance to pull at our heartstrings with her cover of the oasis hit "half the world away". all this means big things for the norwegian singer/songwriter who has been on our radar since the summer. with a debut album set for early next year, this is just the perfect track to create some crossover buzz.
wanna see the john lewis ad? here it is below:
john lewis christmas ad 2015 - #ManOnTheMoon
UPDATE: check out aurora performing her just released npr tiny desk concert:
aurora - tiny desk concert
"Runaway"
"Murder Song (5, 4, 3, 2, 1)"
"Running With The Wolves"
aurora - running with the wolves
at just the young age of 18, this norwegian performer is definitely setting herself apart from her contemporaries by making smart epic indie pop music NOT for the masses. definitely on our radar!
kygo feat conrad sewell - firestorm
after gaining major buzz remixing the seinabo sey smash 'younger' (see below), norwegian dj/producer kyrre gørvell-dahll (aka kygo) releases his debut single with this wonderfully chill house number with up and coming aussie soul pop singer/songwriter conrad sewell fronting the vocals. it's an insta-hit so get ready to be hearing this track (and the inevitable remixes) ALOT in the coming months. you have been warned!
seinabo sey - younger (kygo remix)
btw, this wonderful track by swedish future soul single seinabo sey has remained on my playlist for the past year and with this kygo remix, continued on to my carmix 2015 as a staple repeat track. just brilliant!
nico & vinz - am i wrong
already a massive 2013 hit back in the scandi territories, this afro friendly pop tune has turned into a surprise summer hit in the US, currently charting in the top 10 of the billboard hot 100 and one of the most shazamed songs in the world. kind of awesome for this new act!
maria mena - f**k you
there's something so broadway and cheesy about this song (and honestly there is nothing wrong with that!) you would think that with it's wordy lyrics, over production and middle finger proclamation, this song wouldn't work for anyone, but somehow via maria it does so in such a celebratory way! the open book diary pop anthem of the season? i think so!
wanna see maria sing f**k you live? check it out below:
dry the river - weights & measures
[i really shouldn't say too much about this song only that it's epic, beautifully heartbreaking and well... our song of the month. thank you dry the river!]
dry the river - weights & measures (live @ bush hall)
[check out this amazing song performed live by the boys (especially the acapella intro sans mic!)]
eva & the heartmaker - signals
[need a bit of pure pop infusion? check out this duo from the lovely land of norway that lovingly crafts pop songs with nary a wink in sight. made up of norwegian idol winner eva weel skram and her husband thomas, the duo site the cardigans and blondie as influences (and definitely a source of hook material). 'signals' is their latest single which rocks the pop... AND the bridge! i just LOVE the bridge in this song! turn it up cause it's pop time!]
eva & the heartmaker - mr tokyo
[released back in the summer, this track isn't as strong as 'signals' but the admiration of 80's pop rules are definitely here (it even has the 'oriental' keyboard hooks!). my only suggestion is that eva stops bouncing around like a fool in future videos, cause it's kind of not cute...]
back in early november, a friend of mine from oslo texted me and told me to check out a band that was in town for cmj. with high praise, a wacky name and the word 'camp' thrown in, how could i not check out the norwegian band don juan dracula?
luckily i did cause whatever moody funk i felt was quickly alleviated with this post glam, clad in white, rockin electro four piece. add to the fact that their solid songs incorporated hilarious choreography and some pyrotechnics, their awesome showcase basically won over the room by the end of the gig.
i'm just surprised that these guys don't have a bigger cult following outside of home turf. hopefully something good will come out of the gig that i saw (heck, even pitchfork liked it).
so i trolled the interweb and found some musical and video gems of DJD just for you: like what you hear? buy the album
don juan dracula - take me home [bunnies from outer space, celebrities from norway (or at least that's who i think they are) and self referential anime, what more do you want?]
here's one without a video: don juan dracula - changing you, changing me [my favorite song of the batch!]
don juan dracula - runaway with you [the casio keyboard is in full effect and they look so happy at the end of the video! i just love it]
