FSC Norway

[Malagant]

FSC #108 February 2018 - Norway

FSC #108 Norway - February 2018 - Kygo ft. OneRepublic - Stranger Things

Representing Norway in FSC February 2018, and returning to the FSC for Norway, is the famous Norwegian EDM-producer, DJ and artist Kygo, this time with OneRepublic as featuring artist. Here is some more information about them.

Kyrre Gørvell-Dahll (born on 11th September 1991), with the stage name Kygo, is a hugely popular and talented Norwegian Electronic Dance Music (EDM) -Producer, DJ and artist. He has accumulated over 200 million views of his music on Soundcloud and YouTube, very impressive numbers indeed.

In December 2014 he released his first single, the very popular and internationally successful EDM-single "Firestone" which featured vocals by Conrad (Conrad Sewell). This was the song chosen by the Norwegian jury as the Norwegian entry in FSC July 2015.

In February/March 2015 he released a second single, titled "Stole the Show" (ft. Parson James) which also gained great popularity. More singles followed later that year. Kygo continued work on his debut-album to be released in spring 2016. Preceeding the album in 2016 were the singles “Fragile” (ft. Labrinth), “I’m In Love” (ft. James Vincent McMorrow), and “Raging” (ft. Kodaline).

“Raging” was subsequently the song chosen by the Norwegian jury as the Norwegian entry in FSC September 2016.

In May 2016 Kygo finally released his CD-album called “Cloud Nine” which included all his new singles as well as a host of other songs. Kygo promoted his new album on the world stage in the summer of 2016 in several events and concerts.

In February 2017 he released a new single called “It Ain’t Me” with the famous singer Selena Gomez on vocals. It was a catchy piece of EDM / Tropical House in his familiar music style, and it became a huge hit worldwide reaching the top 5 in many countries. This subsequently became the Norwegian entry in FSC August 2017.

In November 2017 Kygo’s new album “Kids in Love” was finally released and it included 8 new songs in the EDM / Pop / Tropical House genre, including some variety, featuring different artists on vocals. One of these great songs was the EDM-melody “Stranger Things” featuring OneRepublic on vocals and this is the song chosen by the Norwegian jury as the Norwegian entry here in FSC February 2018.

Kygo continues with his club gigs, concerts and tour-promotions around the world, building on his success and popularity, and there is little doubt that we will hear more from this talented Norwegian EDM Producer, DJ and artist in the years to come.

OneRepublic is an American pop rock band formed in Colorado Springs, Colorado in 2002 by lead vocalist Ryan Tedder and guitarist Zach Filkins. It also consists of guitarist Drew Brown, bassist and cellist Brent Kutzle, and drummer Eddie Fisher. They got a record contract with Columbia Records and their debut album came in 2007, “Dreaming Out Loud”. It was followed by “Waking Up” in 2009, “Native” in 2013, and the popular “Oh My My” in 2016. They are planning a new album release in 2018. They have also released several singles through the years and their sound has periodically changed. In 2017 the band also collaborated with the Norwegian EDM Producer Kygo, featuring vocals on his new song “Stranger Things”.

The Norwegian entry for FSC #108 February 2018, “Stranger Things” is another melodic EDM-song by Norwegian EDM Producer, DJ and artist Kygo, this time featuring OneRepublic on vocals. The Norwegian jury is happy to enter Kygo again in the FSC for Norway.


Below are the English lyrics for the song. Hope you’ll enjoy the Norwegian entry for February!

Kygo ft. OneRepublic - Stranger Things

-Intro-

Stranger things..

We used to run around this ghost town
Always thinking out loud
Are we gonna get out
I remember

We dream of places that we could go
Castles with the strange glow
People that we don't know
I remember

We left a life
That's ordinary from the start
We looked for stranger things
'Cause that's just who we are

Found me the edge
Of something beautiful and loud
Like I'm picturing
Now

Castles glitter under Spanish skies
But I'm just looking out for you tonight
Snow white mountains in a foreign state
Tell me someday we'll get there

Someday
Someday

I see a Technicolor shadow
Underneath your window
Just in case you don't know
I can see it

You cast an unfamiliar day glow
Different than what I know
Shining like a halo
I can feel it

We turned our back
On ordinary from the start
We looked for stranger things
'Cause that's just who we are

Found me the edge
Of something beautiful and loud
Show me the sky
Falling down

Castles glitter under Spanish skies
But I'm just looking out for you tonight
Snow white mountains in an ancient place
Tell me someday we'll get there

Someday
Someday

Stranger things..

-Outro-

-M​

 

[Malagant]

FSC #109 March 2018 - Norway

FSC #109 Norway - March 2018 - Susanne Sundfør ft. John Grant - Mountaineers

Representing Norway in FSC March 2018, and returning to the FSC for Norway, is the very talented Norwegian singer/songwriter Susanne Sundfør featuring the American artist John Grant on chanting co-vocals. Here is some more information about them.

Susanne Aartun Sundfør - artist name Susanne Sundfør - (born 19th March 1986) is a famous Norwegian singer-songwriter. She was born in Haugesund in south-western Norway and later moved to the capital Oslo. She was interested in singing from an early age and started taking singing lessons at the age of 12. She has said in an interview, however, that it was only in her early 20s that she decided that music was to be her career.

Her first release was the single ‘Walls’ in 2006, a popular chart hit. Her rather ‘unique’ singing voice was recognized right from the beginning in her early songs and she had her own particular musical style. Her debut-album came in 2007, self-titled ‘Susanne Sundfør’. In 2008 she was awarded the Norwegian Grammy (Spellemannsprisen) for best female performance. Her next album came in 2008, the Live-album ‘Take One’ which was followed by ‘The Brothel’ in 2010. This album received great critical acclaim in Norway - reviewers called it ‘moving’ and ‘beautiful’ - and it became a national bestseller.

Her particular sound had developed into something even ‘grander’ but at the same time with her somewhat experimental edge. In 2012 she released the album ‘The Silicone Veil’ which followed in the footsteps of her previous album. In December of that year she also collaborated on Röyksopp’s single ‘Running To The Sea’ which subsequently became the Norwegian entry in FSC March 2013.


Susanne Sundfør: Albums

Susanne Sundfør (2007)
Take One (Live, 2008)
The Brothel (2010)
The Silicone Veil (2012)
Ten Love Songs (2015)
Music For People In Trouble (August 2017)


Susanne Sundfør: Singles (selection)

Walls (2006)
The Brothel (2010)
The Silicone Veil (2012)
Running To The Sea (with Röyksopp, 2012)
Fade Away (2014)
Delirious (2015)
Accelerate (2015)
Never Ever (with Röyksopp, 2016)
Undercover (2017)
Mountaineers (July 2017)


Susanne Sundfør also collaborated with main vocals on the 2013 sci-fi movie soundtrack ‘Oblivion’ and the title song from that movie.

In 2014/2015 she departed momentarily from her traditional ArtPop ‘sound’ and went for a more mainstream Synth-Pop style, but with her own ‘touch’, which was evident in her subsequent single release ‘Fade Away’, the first single from her forthcoming album. In January 2015 she released a second single from the new album ‘Ten Love Songs’ (official album-release in February 2015), another popular Retro-style Synth-Pop song called ‘Delirious’ which was also somewhat ‘Cinematic’ in nature and which received great critical acclaim and excellent fan-reviews. ‘Delirious’ was the song chosen by the Norwegian jury in FSC April 2015. A third single from the album, ‘Kamikaze’, was released in May 2015 and it was followed later that year by a fourth single called ‘Accelerate’, a ‘Dark Cinematic’ Retro Synth-Pop song, which was the song chosen by the Norwegian jury in FSC October 2015.

In 2016 she worked on songs for a new 2017-album and the first single from this album-project, ‘Undercover’, was released, to critical and fan acclaim, in June 2017. It marked a departure from her Synth-Pop sound from the previous album and a return to the slower, more atmospheric and experimental ArtPop sound of her early albums.

A second single from the new August 2017 album ‘Music For People In Trouble’ (inspired by her travels and journeys across continents and cultures) was released in July 2017, the song ‘Mountaineers’ which featured John Grant on chanting co-vocals. A fascinating, ambitious piece of music, it mixes World Music with Susanne’s soaring angelic vocals in a kind of grand ambient ArtPop-meeting between Darkness and Light. Already a critical- and fan-favourite, this is the song chosen by the Norwegian jury as the Norwegian entry here in FSC March 2018.

Susanne will now go on tour also internationally to promote her new album. One of Norway’s most prominent and talented female musicians, she is someone from whom we will without doubt hear much more in the coming years.

John Grant (born 1968) is an acclaimed American singer-songwriter. Formerly associated with the Denver-based alternative Rock band The Czars in the 1990s and early 2000s, he launched a career as a solo artist in 2010 with the album “Queen of Denmark”. It was followed by “Pale Green Ghosts” in 2013, and “Grey tickles, Black pressure” in 2015 which included several well-known guest singers. In July 2017 Grant appeared at the Royal Albert Hall in London, alongside Jarvis Cocker, Richard Hawley and Susanne Sundfør, where they performed new versions of the songs of Scott Walker. John Grant also collaborated with chanting co-vocals on Susanne Sundfør’s 2017-single “Mountaineers”. He has in recent years been living in Reykjavik, Iceland.

The Norwegian entry for FSC #109 March 2018, “Mountaineers” is a ‘special’, unique and ambitious piece of World Music-inspired Ambient ArtPop by Susanne Sundfør featuring John Grant on chanting co-vocals. The song consists of two connecting halves, where we are taken on a sacred/majestic journey from ‘Darkness into the Light’. The Norwegian jury is happy to enter Susanne Sundfør again in the FSC for Norway.


Below are the English lyrics for the song. Hope you’ll enjoy the Norwegian entry for March!

Susanne Sundfør ft. John Grant - Mountaineers


[Intro: John Grant]

Jumbo jet
Spiraling down
Like vultures of the stars

Soaring
Above barren land
Of boiling tar

The liquid rainbow spins
An ocean of scars
Among the buzzing of a million cars


[Interlude: Susanne Sundfør & John Grant]

And looking up at the heaven
Of fireflies
I cannot help but marvel
At the beauty before my eyes

Neck deep in black waters
Swimming in the soil
Of your wasted oil
What it is, what it means


[Outro: Susanne Sundfør]

What it is, what it means
Now I know
Will never be what you'd need
No

What we are, what we want
It will never change
We won't abide your laws
Anymore

What it is, what it means
Now I know
Will never be what you'd need
No

What we are, what we want
It will never change
We will break through your walls
Unstoppable

Wild wolves ( x 4 )

-M​

 

[Malagant]

FSC #110 April 2018 - Norway

FSC #110 Norway - April 2018 - Gåte - Stolt Solvår

Representing Norway in FSC April 2018 is the accomplished Norwegian Folk-rock band Gåte, the most famous band we have in this genre and part of Norwegian Folk-music tradition, now returned after a 7 year long break from the music-business. Here is some more information about them.

Gåte (the word means ‘riddle’ in English) is a well known Norwegian Folk-rock band from Trøndelag (region around Trondheim), Norway. The band came into being in 1999/2000 formed by Sveinung Sundli (violin, keyboards) together with his little sister Gunnhild Sundli (vocals), Gjermund Landrø (bass, backing vocals), Martin Langlie (drums) and Magnus R Børmark (guitar, keyboards). They played what came to be termed Progressive Folk-rock with some elements from metal and electronica and, above all, Norwegian Folk-music.

The band released their first EP ("Gåte") in 2000, and rapidly gained some popularity nationally and abroad. A second EP, also self-titled, was released in 2002. Their first album, "Jygri", released the same year proved to be their commercial breakthrough both in Norway and abroad, particularly in Scandinavia and Germany. They also gained a lot of media attention, particularly the wonderful distinctive voice of Gunnhild Sundli caught the interest of music journalists, who immediately started to speculate on her departure in order to establish a solo career. After the release of another EP, "Statt Opp (Maggeduliadei)" in 2003 and their second album, "Iselilja" in 2004, the band did indeed announce that they were taking a break, saying that Gunnhild wanted to devote time to other pursuits.

During this first part of their successful career they toured extensively and played almost every popular music festival in Norway, as well as the major international festival Roskilde festival in Denmark. The band reunited for one concert some years later in 2009 (now with a new drummer, Kenneth Kapstad having replaced Martin Langlie some years before), but then decided to follow this up with a mini-tour of Norway consisting of five concerts in 2010. The band now took another long break and many (both fans and critics) thought/feared the band had disbanded for good.

In 2016, however, Sveinung Sundli, the ‘nexus’ behind the band, began thinking of a comeback and finally persuaded his sister Gunnhild (and Magnus R Børmark) to return, together with several new band members (Jon Even Schärer on drums and Mats Paulsen on bass). They slowly began writing new melodies for Gåte (the first new songs for 12 years) and the first of these was released in October 2017 as a single from a forthcoming EP, the song “Stolt Solvår”. A great Norwegian Folk-rock melody in their signature style, this is the song chosen by the Norwegian jury as the Norwegian entry here in FSC April 2018.

Later in October 2017 Gåte released a second single from their forthcoming EP, “Rideboll og Gullborg”, and then in November 2017 the EP itself called “Attersyn” was released, to great critical acclaim and jubilation from their many fans in Norway and abroad. It consisted of their two new singles as well as two other songs. A new full album from Gåte is expected later this spring 2018 though it is uncertain at present whether it will include (some/all of) these songs also. What is certain, however, is that we will hear more from this accomplished Norwegian Folk-rock band in the future.

The Norwegian entry for FSC #110 April 2018, called “Stolt Solvår”, is a new melodic Norwegian Folk-rock song, performed in New Norwegian (Nynorsk, our 2nd older and dialect-style language which goes parallell with ‘main’ Norwegian (bokmål)), with a solid basis in Norwegian Folk-music tradition. The Norwegian jury is happy to enter Gåte in the FSC for Norway.

Below are the New Norwegian (Nynorsk) lyrics for the song and a translation into English. Hope you’ll enjoy the Norwegian entry for April!

Gåte - Stolt Solvår

Stolt Solvår døydde i tvinga kår / Proud Solvår died in hard circumstances
Det ingen i elskhugen gløymde / Which no beloved ever forgot
Ho burte blei i sin fagre vår / She should have been in the spring of her life
Så vondt om henne dei drøymde / Painful dreams they had of her demise

Aia- Aia- dei syndi kan ei vendas / Oh no, oh no - those sins can not be reversed
Aia- Aia- dei syndi kan ei vendas / Oh no, oh no - those sins can not be reversed

I grava falma dei rosekinn / In the grave those blooming cheeks paled
Som valden gav slik ein lagnad / Which the violence had given such a fate
Men enn ho stråla i saknesinn / But she still shone in minds remembered
Så verdig i all sin fagnad / So dignified in its resplendance

Aia- Aia- dei syndi kan ei vendas / Oh no, oh no - those sins can not be reversed
Aia- Aia- dei syndi kan ei vendas / Oh no, oh no - those sins can not be reversed

Rykte det gjekk om den daude / A rumour passed around about the dead one
Mordaren stakk og blei i det aude / The murderer ran away and was never found
Folket syrgde slikt kunne hende / The people grieved that such could come to pass
At fagre Solvår slik skulle ende / That beautiful Solvår should come to such an end

Aia- Aia- dei syndi kan ei vendas / Oh no, oh no - those sins can not be reversed
Aia- Aia- dei syndi kan ei.. / Oh no, oh no - those sins can not be..

Langt av leid / Suffering far and wide
Høgt ivi heid / High above the head
Glødde så blodige skyer / Blood-filled clouds glowed
Vissa er vill / All certainty is lost
Natta så still / The night is so quiet
Det er som allting lyder / It is as if everything makes a sound

Aia- Aia- dei syndi kan ei vendas / Oh no, oh no - those sins can not be reversed
Aia- Aia- dei syndi kan ei vendas / Oh no, oh no - those sins can not be reversed

Aia- Aia- dei syndi kan ei vendas / Oh no, oh no - those sins can not be reversed
Aia- Aia- dei syndi kan ei vendas / Oh no, oh no - those sins can not be reversed

-M​

 

[Malagant]

FSC #111 May 2018 - Norway

FSC #111 Norway - May 2018 - Helene Bøksle - The Spirit In The Snow

Representing Norway in FSC May 2018, and returning to the FSC for Norway after 2 years+, is the accomplished and popular Norwegian Folk-pop singer Helene Bøksle. Here is some more information about her.

Helene Margrete Bøksle, or just Helene Bøksle as is her artist-name, was born in 1981 in the Kristiansand-area of southern Norway. A musical talent from an early age, she gained national fame in 2003 when she took part in the Norwegian talent-tv-show “Kjempesjansen” and came a good 4th. In 2004 her musical and theatrical concept called “Elverhøy” was realised and an album of the same name was subsequently released in 2006 to much success both commercially and critically. Helene’s own brand of Norwegian Folk-pop music, with folk-music rhythms and instrumentation (including the famous Norwegian Hardanger-fiddle, the Hardingfele) and also featuring her distinct beautiful crystal-clear voice, became very popular and she quickly established herself as one of the main Norwegian artists in this musical genre.

In 2008 she contributed - with success and acclaim - with her vocals on several songs on the Norwegian-produced MMORPG “Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures” music Soundtrack. In early 2009 she then released her 2nd album called “Morild” which also became a commercial and popular success. In November 2009 Helene Bøksle released a Christmas album called “Det hev ei rose sprunge”. This album consisted mostly of traditional Christmas songs but it also included the song “Lys Til Nattsvart Jord” (“Light to a Darkened Earth”), a beautiful new song written and composed especially for Helene Bøksle by Elin Nygaard, which was the Norwegian entry in FSC December 2009. She re-released her Christmas album in late 2010 and the album now included 2 added songs.

In February 2011 Helene participated in the Norwegian MGP with her beautiful Folk-pop single “Vardlokk”. She reached the MGP Final but did not make it to the top 4. Her song and performance was appreciated though, as was subsequently seen by fan-reaction both nationally and abroad. In the summer of 2011, in June, Helene Bøksle’s single “Hildring” was released for digital download. This was another beautiful Folk-pop song of hers, and it was the song chosen as the Norwegian entry in FSC November 2011.

In the spring/summer of 2012 Helene Bøksle worked with the Norwegian composer Tove Kragset on a couple of songs, among them the newly written Folk-ballad “Ved havet” (“By the ocean”) with music by Tove Kragset and lyrics by Cecilie Larsen. “Ved havet” was released as a digital download in August 2012 and was performed by Helene on a few local concerts in the following months. This was the song chosen by the Norwegian Jury as the Norwegian entry in FSC January 2013.

In September 2013 her new CD-album “Svalbard” was finally released to positive reviews. The album included many beautiful songs performed in Norwegian in Helene Bøksle’s southern Norwegian dialect, and one of these songs was the new, energetic Folk-pop song called “Hugtatt”. This was the song chosen by the Norwegian jury as the Norwegian entry in FSC January 2014.

Helene released more music in 2014 and 2015, including a few singles - and an album aimed at children / younger listeners with her own versions of well known Norwegian lullabies, “God natt, min skatt”, in November 2014.

In February 2016 she then released a new digital single, a powerful Nordic Folk-ballad performed in Old Norse (Norrønt, an old Norwegian/Icelandic language spoken in the Nordics 800-1100 years ago) language called “Bifröst”. This was the title-song from the new Norwegian historic movie called “Birkebeinerne” which also premiered in February 2016. This was the song chosen by the Norwegian jury as the Norwegian entry in FSC March 2016. That same year she also released the album “Sanger fra vår ø” with Norwegian coastal traditional songs.

In 2017 she began work on a new album (“Winter Blessings”, planned release mid-2018) which was to be written by Tove Kragset and famous Irish Composer of ESC-fame Brendan Graham. Recorded in Ireland, the first single from the album, called “The Blue Wave”, was released in October 2017. A second single from the forthcoming album, a newly written beautiful Celtic-Norwegian Folk-ballad called “The Spirit In The Snow” was released in November 2017. This is the song chosen by the Norwegian jury as the Norwegian entry here in FSC May 2018.

Helene Bøksle is without doubt one of Norway’s most talented and beloved Folk-pop singers and from whom we will without doubt hear more in the years to come.

The Norwegian entry for FSC May 2018, “The Spirit In The Snow”, is a beautiful new Celtic-Norwegian Folk-ballad written by Brendan Graham and Tove Kragset and performed with skill and vocal beauty by Helene Bøksle. She says it is a song about the magic of winter-snow which lights up the darkness. The Norwegian jury is happy to enter Helene Bøksle again in the FSC for Norway.

Below are the English lyrics for the song. Hope you’ll enjoy the Norwegian entry for May!

Helene Bøksle - The Spirit In The Snow

Oh, who is he who’s calling
What sound within the sound
When the snow is falling
Down, so softly down

And who is he who stared by sea
When frost lies on the ground
Who is the voice who’s voice will be
In silence to be found

He comes down from the heavens
And to the earth below
He wraps his coat around me
Wherever I will go

He leaves his bed beneath my feet
His song so soft and low
Within my heart his heart to beat
The Spirit In The Snow

Sometimes he’s at my shoulder
Sometimes he takes my hand
When nights get dark and colder
I cross the barren land

When wolves will come to find me
They leave at his command
He’s before me and behind me
With me to ever stand

He comes down from the heavens
And to the earth below
He wraps his coat around me
Wherever I will go

He leaves his bed beneath my feet
His song so soft and low
Within my heart his heart to beat
The Spirit In The Snow

Oh, come for me in winter
When I no longer care
When ice will split in splinter
And all the world lies bare

Then comfort me, with icy lips
Lay snowflakes in my hair
And wave your frozen fingertips
Hold me ever there

Oh, come down from the heavens
And to the earth below
And wrap your coat around me
Wherever we may go

And lay your bed beneath my feet
And sing so soft and low
Within your heart my heart to beat
Sweet Spirit In The Snow

-M​

 

[martin]

So happy to see Norway still taking part and doing great so many times

 

[Malagant]

FSC #112 June 2018 - Norway

FSC #112 Norway - June 2018 - AURORA - Queendom

Representing Norway in FSC June 2018, and returning to the FSC for Norway after 2 years, is the young, talented and innovative Norwegian singer-songwriter AURORA. Here is some more information about her.


AURORA - or Aurora Aksnes (born 15th June 1996) as is her full name - is a singer-songwriter from Bergen, Norway. Aged 19, she has been writing songs for almost half her life, crafting ‘dark pop music’ of rare depth. Her earliest musical memory was of finding an electric piano in her parents’ attic and being fascinated by the music she could produce. Aged 10, she began writing songs for the first time. She decided to start playing her music publically following her mother’s suggestion that her songs could help people in a positive way. It was one year after her debut performance at school that AURORA first came to the attention of anyone outside of her assembly hall. One of her friends heard the song, asked for a copy and then uploaded it onto a Norwegian streaming site. Made Management heard the track and quickly began working with AURORA. She signed with the management company shortly before signing with Glassnote and Decca Records in October 2014.

Her song ‘Awakening’ in 2013 (re-released in 2014) is by many considered her first ‘official’ single. Her first song with Decca Records ‘Under Stars’ was released in November 2014, and the very popular single and Nordic Pop-ballad ‘Runaway’ followed in February 2015. This was the song chosen by the Norwegian jury as the Norwegian entry in FSC November 2015.

‘Runaway’ achieved success in the UK on the streaming service Spotify, reaching an impressive 1 million streams after just 6 weeks. The track was also received positively by various online music blogs and national press such as the NME. AURORA also found a fan in the famous American popstar Katy Perry who, responding to her song, tweeted ‘new music that makes my heart a flutter’. She later continued to support this rising Norwegian talent, making an appearance at AURORA’s LA show in June 2015.


AURORA: Album Discography + New Single

Running with the Wolves (EP, 2015)
All My Demons Greeting Me As A Friend (Album, 2016)
Queendom (Single, April 2018)


Her next single was ‘Running with the Wolves’ released in April 2015 and this song also received attention from national BBC stations Radio One, Radio Two and 6Music. This was followed by an EP also called ‘Running with the Wolves’ in May 2015 which contained 4 songs including her two previous singles. The excitement surrounding this young songstress with her beautiful, expressive voice - who cites Leonard Cohen, Icelandic Björk and Bob Dylan as inspirations - propelled her onto the festival circuit and she appeared at renowned summer festivals such as ‘Way Out West’, ‘Wilderness’ and ‘Green Man Festival’, as well as being included on the popular ‘FIFA 16’ soundtrack.

AURORA’s third single ‘Murder Song (5, 4, 3, 2, 1)’ was released in September 2015 and received continued support in national press, on national radio and popular online music blogs. She released several more, popular singles in the next 6 months (‘Half the World Away’, ‘Conqueror’ and ‘Warrior’) while finishing her debut-album. Called ‘All My Demons Greeting Me As A Friend’ it was finally released in March 2016, to very good reviews in the national press, and it included all her newer singles as well as several other very good songs in her Ambient Pop-style.

One of these other popular tracks on her new album is the song ‘Winter Bird’. This was the song chosen by the Norwegian jury as the Norwegian entry in FSC June 2016. AURORA went on promotional tours for her album and attended several music festivals in the following year.

In 2017 she began working on some new songs for a forthcoming new album, and the first of these - which she had performed live several times (also at the ‘Coachella’ music festival) but never released - was the new ‘Ambient Tribal Synth-pop’ single “Queendom” which was officially released in April 2018. This is the song chosen by the Norwegian jury as the Norwegian entry here in FSC June 2018.

‘Queendom’ has received rave reviews many places on the Internet and though it is slightly different and more ‘poppy’ than much of her previous stuff, you can hear her innovative style and originality in the way she merges the ambient, tribal and ‘poppy’ sounds in her personal anthem to queendom. AURORA is recording her new album at the moment and hopes to release it in the Autumn of 2018. The album will include her new single as well as many other new songs of hers. Once the new album is out, she will go on another promotional tour.

This is a very talented, innovative and popular young Norwegian singer-songwriter, praised by many and appreciated by her ever-growing fanbase, from whom we will without doubt hear more in the years to come.

The Norwegian entry for FSC #112 June 2018, called “Queendom”, is a joyous blend of tribal, ambient and ‘poppy’ summer-rhythms by AURORA, perfect for the month of June. The Norwegian jury is happy to enter AURORA again in the FSC for Norway.


Below are the English lyrics for the song. Hope you’ll enjoy the Norwegian entry for June!

AURORA - Queendom

The underdogs are my lions
The silent ones are my choir
The women will be my soldiers
With the weight of life on their shoulders

Drink until you’ve had enough
I’ll drink from your hands
I will be your warrior
I will be your lamb

‘Till queendom come
‘Till queendom come
My queendom come
My queendom come

The sea waves are my evening gown
And the sun on my head is my crown
I made this queendom on my own
And all the mountains are my throne

Drink until you’ve had enough
I’ll drink from your hands
I will be your warrior
I will be your lamb

‘Till queendom come
‘Till queendom come
My queendom come
My queendom come

I hunt the grounds for empathy
And hate the way it hides from me
Of care and thirst I have become
You have a home in my queendom

You have a home in my queendom
You have a place in my queendom
You have a home..

‘Till queendom come
‘Till queendom come
My queendom come
My queendom come

My queendom come..

-M​

 

[Malagant]

FSC #113 July 2018 - Norway

FSC #113 Norway - July 2018 - K-391 ft. Alan Walker, Julie Bergan & Seungri - Ignite

Representing Norway in FSC July 2018 is Norwegian EDM-artist/Producer K-391 ft. colleague Alan Walker, Norwegian pop-artist Julie Bergan & Korean pop-artist Seungri on vocals. Here is some more information about them.

The man behind the EDM-project K-391 is Norwegian Record Producer Kenneth Nilsen. He is 23 years old and very secretive, there is little personal information about him. He wants focus to be on his music and the audio-visual experience rather than on his persona. He often uses a ‘headset’ as a figure or logo which is meant to ‘conceptualize’ himself.

He has made music for a while, his songs have been played millions of times on YouTube and he has a large following. However, his official debut-single is the EDM-song “Ignite”, presented together with Alan Walker and Julie Bergan & Seungri on vocals, which was released recently in May 2018. This is the song chosen by the Norwegian jury as the Norwegian entry here in FSC July 2018.

Alan Walker is well-known, having also represented Norway in the FSC several times. A British-Norwegian Electronic Dance Music (EDM) -Producer and artist, he has a large worldwide fanbase. Growing up in the digital era, Alan Walker found an early interest in computers, which later turned into a fascination for programming and graphic design. He initially had no musical background; however, he later taught himself by watching tutorials on YouTube based on music production. He is perhaps best known for his 2015 single "Faded", which received platinum certifications in over 10 different countries, but also for popular songs such as “Sing Me To Sleep”, “Alone” and “All Falls Down” (all former FSC-songs from Norway), “Spectre” and “Tired”. He is delighted to join his colleague on his new 2018-single.

Julie Bergan is a Norwegian pop-artist and songwriter. Over the last 5 years she has built a career around her R&B-slanted pop-music and has released more than 10 singles (among them her FSC-song “All Hours”, “Arigato”, “Blackout” and most recently “Guilt Trip”) in that time. In February 2018 she finally released an album called “Turn On The Lights” which included her singles. She has joined Alan Walker on tour and was happy to be asked to join him and K-391 on the latter’s new 2018-single “Ignite”.

Seungri (Lee Seung-hyun) is a South Korean singer, songwriter, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur. In the mid-2000s, Seungri rose to prominence as one of three vocalists and youngest member of the South Korean boy band Big Bang which eventually became one of the best-selling digital groups of all-time in Asia and one of the best-selling boy bands in the world. In recent years, he's explored other ventures, including opening a dance academy, owning a nightclub and restaurant franchise, founding a record label, and investing in other businesses. With K-391 and Alan Walker having a fanbase in South Korea, Seungri thought it fun to join them on the new single “Ignite” which was premiered in Seoul, South Korea in mid-May 2018.

It is a fun musical collaboration between 4 talented artists and we will without doubt hear more from them in the years to come.

The Norwegian entry for FSC #113 July 2018, called “Ignite”, is a fun melodic EDM-track that is perfect for the Summer Beach-Party! The Norwegian jury is happy to enter K-391 ft. Alan Walker, Julie Bergan & Seungri in the FSC for Norway.


Below are the English lyrics for the song. Hope you’ll enjoy the Norwegian entry for July!

K-391 ft. Alan Walker, Julie Bergan & Seungri - Ignite

Fireflies
A million little pieces
Feeds the dying light
And breathes me back to life

In your eyes
I see something to believe in
Your hands are like a flame
Your palms, the sweetest pain

Let the darkness lead us into the light
Let our dreams get lost, feel the temperature rise
Baby tell me one more beautiful lie
One touch and I ignite

Like a starship speeding into the night
You and I get lost in the infinite lights
Baby tell me one more beautiful lie
One touch and I ignite
One touch and I ignite
One touch and I ignite

So alive
Your touch is like the daylight
Burning on my skin
It turns me on again

You and I
Survivors of the same kind
And we’re the only ones
Dancing on the sun

Let the darkness lead us into the light
Let our dreams get lost, feel the temperature rise
Baby tell me one more beautiful lie
One touch and I ignite

Like a starship speeding into the night
You and I get lost in the infinite lights
Baby tell me one more beautiful lie
One touch and I ignite

One touch and I ignite
One touch and I ignite

Diamonds are forever
But all we need is just tonight
A monument to tremors
That can freeze the speed of light

Just like particles that’s falling from heaven
All above the stars
Hear you calling for me
Hear you calling me on, for more

Let the darkness lead us into the light
Let our dreams get lost, feel the temperature rise
Baby tell me one more beautiful lie
One touch and I ignite

I feel the heat as we collide
Like a fever that feels allright
So baby tell me one more beautiful lie
One touch and I ignite

One touch and I ignite
One touch and I ignite

-M​

 

[Malagant]

FSC #114 August 2018 - Norway

FSC #114 Norway - August 2018 - Merethe Trøan - Bånsull

Representing Norway in FSC August 2018, and new to the FSC for Norway, is the talented singer-songwriter of some earlier MGP-fame Merethe Trøan. Here is some more information about her.

Merethe Trøan - born in Trondheim, Norway - is a Norwegian singer-songwriter and actress.

She formed the musical group Mesteljo together with her sister Elisabeth and brother-in-law Johnny and Stig Nordseth, who debuted in 1979. The group later changed name to Pastel and participated in the Norwegian finals in the Melodi Grand Prix in 1985 with the song "Ring Ring Ring", which ended in a respectable third place. Pastel released the LPs “Pastel” and “Christmas with Carola”.

Active as a solo-artist from 1986, she performed in the musical “Sound of Music” in 1988 at the Chateau Neuf theatre in Oslo, Norway. She was in the ensemble, and in addition, understudy for the main role of Maria Von Trapp. She also performed as Minnie Fay in “Hello Dolly” (1990) and on several subsequent shows. She gained national fame, however, when she won the Melodi Grand Prix in 1992 with the song "Visions" (Visjoner) and represented Norway at the Eurovision Song Contest that year. She also took part in Melodi Grand Prix in 1993 but came 6th that year.

She has been vocal actor in two Disney-cartoons, where she was the Norwegian voice for the main character Belle in “Beauty and the Beast” (1991) and also had voice for a character in “The Jungle Book 2” (2003). She has also performed in many church-concerts over the years, a popular artist whose beautiful voice has resonated with both young and old.

In 1996 she released her two singles "Æ Gir Dæ Vår Vår" and "Kom Te Mæ" and worked on her debut album together with producer Rolf Graf. The album, “Søtt & Salt”, was finally released in 1997 consisting of songs in the Norwegian Folk-ballad genre as well as Irish-inspired melodies.

For many years Merethe Trøan was occupied with other projects though she continued writing songs for a future album. In 2002 she moved to the town of Hamar (former FSC host.city) closer to the capital Oslo and has lived there ever since. She took part in local musicals and theatre-shows in the early 2000s and quietly worked on new melodies while taking a long break from the world of show-business. Over the years since then she collaborated with musicians Thomas Henriksen and Jarl Ivar Andresen and finally released a new single called “Spor i Snø” in 2013. It was the first single from her projected coming album “Andante” though it took another 5 years before the album itself was released in April 2018. Almost parallell with the CD-release was the single-release “Om Du Vil”.

The album “Andante” consisted of 8 other songs in the Norwegian Folk Ballad-tradition, most in the Norwegian language, besides the two aforementioned singles, and one of these other new songs was the beautiful lullaby-style Folk-ballad, with lyrics of Norwegian Folklore, called “Bånsull”. This is the song chosen by the Norwegian jury as the Norwegian entry here in FSC August 2018.

Merethe Trøan has received good national reviews for her new album which has already been embraced by her longtime fans and other Norwegians who love beautiful Folk-ballads performed in our native tongue. There will be more to come from this popular artist in the years to come.

The Norwegian entry for FSC #114 August 2018, called “Bånsull” (“Lullaby”), written by Merethe Trøan herself, is a beautiful Norwegian Folk-ballad, with lyrics of Norwegian Folklore, taken from her new album “Andante”. The Norwegian jury is happy to enter Merethe Trøan in the FSC for Norway.

Below are the Norwegian lyrics (in Merethe Trøan’s own Trondheim dialect) for the song and a translation into English. Hope you’ll enjoy the Norwegian entry for August!

Merethe Trøan - Bånsull

Lille vennen, sov du søtt / My little child, you are sleeping so sweetly
Det er kveld og du er trøtt / It is nighttime and you are tired
Sola seile ned i vest / The sun descends in the west
På himmelen blink ei stjerne / In the sky a star twinkles brightly

Sakte våkne skogen til liv / Slowly the forest wakes to life
Det knitre i kratt, det suse i siv / Crackling noises, in thickets and bushes
Heks og hulder, tuss og troll / Witches and wood nymphs, spirits and trolls
Liste seg frem på tærne / Step carefully forward from the darkness

So ro, lille du / Sleep peacefully, my little one
Månen er rund og skinn som gull / The moon is round and shines like gold
So ro, lille venn / Sleep peacefully, my little child
Til sola stig på himmelen igjen / Until the sun rises in the sky again

So ro, lille du / Sleep peacefully, my little one
Månen er rund og skinn som gull / The moon is round and shines like gold
So ro, lille venn / Sleep peacefully, my little child
Til sola stig på himmelen igjen / Until the sun rises in the sky again

En edderkopp har spunne et nett / A spider has woven a web
Han spille en vakker menuett / He moves in a beautiful dance
Troll og heksan danse tett / The trolls and witches dance closely together
Og svinge litt på svansen / Moving their bodies and tails with the rhythm

Huldra nynne en nydelig sang / The wood nymph hums a beautiful song
Stemmen har en underlig klang / Her voice has a strange resonance
Riv seg laus fra Nøkkens fang / She pulls herself free from the spirit’s embrace
Og kaste seg inn i dansen / And eagerly joins in the dance

So ro, lille du / Sleep peacefully, my little one
Månen er rund og skinn som gull / The moon is round and shines like gold
So ro, lille venn / Sleep peacefully, my little child
Til sola stig på himmelen igjen / Until the sun rises in the sky again

So ro, lille du / Sleep peacefully, my little one
Månen er rund og skinn som gull / The moon is round and shines like gold
So ro, lille venn / Sleep peacefully, my little child
Til sola stig på himmelen igjen / Until the sun rises in the sky again

Eventyr skapes i skogen i natt / Fairytales are created in the forest this night
Når du ligg og drømme, min kjæreste skatt / When you sleep and dream, my dearest one
Stryk deg på kinnet og hviske god natt / I touch your cheek and whisper good night
Og vugge deg varsomt i arman / And I cradle you carefully in my arms

So ro, lille du / Sleep peacefully, my little one
Månen er rund og skinn som gull / The moon is round and shines like gold
So ro, lille venn / Sleep peacefully, my little child
Til sola stig på himmelen igjen / Until the sun rises in the sky again

So ro, lille du / Sleep peacefully, my little one
Månen er rund og skinn som gull / The moon is round and shines like gold
So ro, lille venn / Sleep peacefully, my little child
Til sola stig på himmelen igjen / Until the sun rises in the sky again

-M​

 

[Malagant]

FSC #115 September 2018 - Norway

FSC #115 Norway - September 2018 - Ina Wroldsen - Mother

Representing Norway in FSC September 2018 is the talented and popular Norwegian singer and songwriter of Ask Embla-fame, Ina Wroldsen. Here is some more information about her.

Ina (Christine) Wroldsen (born in Oslo, Norway in 1984) is a Norwegian singer and songwriter who has for many years lived in London, England (with frequent work-visits to Los Angeles, USA). She lived most of her childhood years in the town of Sandefjord south of the Norwegian capital. Early in her career she got a record contract and released some music on her own, but has for many years focused on writing songs for other international artists.

She has written popular and successful songs for famous artists like Britney Spears, Shakira, One Direction, Shontelle, The Saturdays and The Pussycat Dolls to name a few. In the 2013 Norwegian MGP she also wrote (together with Quiz & Larossi) the popular song “Bombo“ which was performed by Adelèn and which came 2nd in the final. In mid-2011 she started a successful collaboration with the Icelandic songwriter and music producer Arnthor Birgisson - and the Ask Embla music project was born.

They released several popular songs in the years 2012-2014 (‘Father’s Eyes’, their biggest hit, ‘Cry Baby’, ‘I Fell In Love’, ‘Legion’ and ‘Lay It On Me’) as well as an album ‘Northern Light’ (2013). They began work on a 2nd album but it was indefinitely delayed as they started to focus on solo-projects. The Ask Embla-project was ‘put on ice’ for the forseeable future and all Ina’s attention was now on her solo-career.

Ina Wroldsen countiued her solo-career in the next few years, releasing several singles including a new version (with Broiler) of “Lay It On Me”. She also spent time on other projects, including being one of the judges on the Norwegian pop-IDOL tv-show in 2016. Later the same year, she was the featured vocalist on various worldwide acclaimed DJs' records, including Sigma and the Martin Solveig song "Places".

She also travelled to Africa and saw first-hand the hardships suffered there among children and adults alike. It made a very strong impression on her and after her return to Europe she wrote the emotional and gripping song “St. Peter” (see more below) which was digitally released in December 2016. This was the Norwegian entry in FSC November 2017.

In 2017 she signed a record deal with Simon Cowell's Syco Music label and worked on songs for a new EP to be released in 2018. The EP called “HEX” (inspired by Norwegian Folklore-tales) was finally released in June 2018. It consisted of 4 new songs (“Sea”, “Remember Me”, “Mine” and “Mother”) and in some editions it also incorporated her late 2017-single “Strongest”. “Mother”, a beautiful new Nordic Pop-ballad, is the song chosen by the Norwegian jury as the Norwegian entry here in FSC September 2018.

Ina Wroldsen is a multi-talented singer and songwriter and there is little doubt that we will hear more from her in the years to come.

The Norwegian entry for FSC #115 September 2018, called “Mother”, co-written by Ina Wroldsen herself, is a beautiful Nordic Pop-ballad taken from her new 2018 “HEX”-EP. The Norwegian jury is happy to enter Ina Wroldsen again in the FSC for Norway.


Below are the English lyrics for the song. Hope you’ll enjoy the Norwegian entry for September!

Ina Wroldsen - Mother

Mother, I have gone astray, oh
Sorry, but I've lost my way, oh
Everybody knows my name, here
But nobody really knows me, oh

If I close my eyes real tight
I can see what might have been
If I turn off all the lights
I can say I just pretend
Mother, I'm afraid, too far, oh
I don't know who else to call

I wanna come home
I wanna come home
Where the streets take me back to where I'm bound
Where my feet feels steady on the ground
I wanna come home

Mother, can you take me... home to you? ( x 2 )

Mother, can you hear my voice? Oh
Calling through the dense white noise, oh
I've been chasing dreams and stars, oh
Along the way I lost my heart, oh

If I sit alone real still
Sometimes I can feel you here
Maybe you could take the wheel
Trying get me out of here
Mother where you've gone astray, oh
And tell me I will be okay

I wanna come home
I wanna come home
Where the streets take me back to where I'm bound
Where my feet feels steady on the ground
I wanna come home

Mother, can you take me... home to you? ( x 8 )

-M​

 

[Malagant]

FSC #116 October 2018 - Norway

FSC #116 Norway - October 2018 - Hanne Sørvaag - Eg spele Memory

Representing Norway in FSC October 2018, a new artist from Norway in FSC, is the multi-talented (and imho naturally beautiful) songwriter and pop-artist Hanne Sørvaag. Here is some more information about her.

Hanne Margrethe Fredriksen Sørvaag - artist name Hanne Sørvaag (born 1979 in Stavanger, Norway) - is a well known Norwegian singer & songwriter of many years. She released her first album, ‘You Know Me’ (Sony/Columbia), under the artist name Paris in 2002. The album gave her three radio-hits in Norway. Her second album, ‘Talk of the Town’ (Diamond Road Music), was released in 2006 under her own name. The first single from this album was "I Don't Feel a Thing". She wrote all the music herself for this album. In the following years she also wrote many songs for other artists. In 2011 she released a new album ‘Cover me’ with her own versions of songs she had written for other artists. In Norway this has been her most successful album to date, making the top 10 of the national chart. The album was followed by ‘All is Forgiven’ (a country-music album) in 2012, ‘Christmas Lights’ in 2013 and ‘Featuring’ in 2016.

Her career as a songwriter for other artists has possibly been even more successful and it is mainly for her songwriting skills that she is known internationally. Her perhaps most famous contribution is on the song ‘My Destiny’ which she co-wrote (with Harry Sommerdahl and Tim Baxter), performed and released by American Idolist Katharine McPhee, reaching second place on the American Billboard Singlelist in Week 28 in 2006. Together with the two Danish songwriters Remee and Thomas Troelsen she also wrote the song ‘Disappear’ which the group No Angels performed for Germany in the International Final of Eurovision Song Contest 2008. The Norwegian (‘My Heart Is Yours’) and Georgian (‘Shine’ sung by Sofia Nizharadze) entries in the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest were both co-written by Hanne Sørvaag. She has also co-written other songs for the Eurovision Song Contest, and also Norwegian MGP.

She herself participated in the Melodi Grand Prix 2011 with two songs, "You’re Like a Melody", which was written and sung by her, and with "Guns & Boys", which was co-written by her and sung by Carina Dahl.

Having lived many years abroad Hanne Sørvaag moved back to Scandinavia, living a period in Stockholm, Sweden and Copenhagen, Denmark before settling in her native Norway. Having written mostly pop-music for much of her career she has ventured into the realms of country-music at times but has never released an album in the Norwegian language although that has been something she has long wanted to do. She has been active on several fronts in the past years, including several appearances on tv in various tv-shows.

She has been judge/mentor on Norwegian ‘Voice’ talent-show several times and in 2017 took part in a program called ‘Hver gang vi møtes’ on Norwegian TV2. Here several artists met up and performed each other’s songs. Hanne performed a beautiful version of Swedish-Norwegian Benny Borg’s song ‘God morgen, min kjære’ which subsequently topped the Norwegian Spotify- and iTunes charts. Delighted with the response to her singing in Norwegian, Hanne decided it was time to make that all-Norwegian album. She started work on new melodies, written/co-written by her, and the new album - preceeded in spring 2018 by the single ‘Har eg mista deg allerede?’- was finally released at the end of August 2018.

Called ‘Som om me hørte samen’, the CD-album was Hanne’s most personal in her career. It had 11 songs in Norwegian and the theme was ‘lost love’ / divorce of her parents in childhood and memories of heartache. Her many fans were delighted with the album, the reviews were good, and she has shown that she is a much respected and beloved artist among Norwegians. One of the new songs on the album, co-written by Hanne, was the beautful, emotional ballad of melancholy, ‘Eg spele Memory’. This is the song chosen by the Norwegian jury as the Norwegian entry here in FSC October 2018.

Hanne Sørvaag is busy promoting her new album this autumn and will also hold concerts around in Norway. She is a multi-talented Norwegian songwriter and pop-singer from whom we will without doubt hear more in the years to come.

The Norwegian entry for FSC #116 October 2018, called “Eg spele Memory”, co-written by Hanne Sørvaag herself, is a beautiful ballad filled with emotional melancholy, performed in the Norwegian language (in Hanne Sørvaag’s own Stavanger-dialect). The Norwegian jury is happy to enter Hanne Sørvaag in the FSC for Norway.


Below are the lyrics in Norwegian (Stavanger-dialect) and with a translation into English. Hope you’ll enjoy the Norwegian entry for October!

Hanne Sørvaag - Eg spele Memory

Eg har bare et minne i huset her / I only have one memory in this house
Eg huske så godt at du sa / I remember so well when you said
Me har ingenting me kan gjera samen mer / There is nothing more we can do together
Så nå er eg nødt tel å dra / So now I have to leave

Eg sa dokker kan spela Memory / I said, you can play Memory (concentration card-game)
Og eg fekk et slags smil til svar / And I got a kind of smile in reply
Av og te så tenker eg på Memory / Now and again I think about Memory
Det spelet der alle blir var / The game where everyone is attentive

Men du dro ligavel, og kom aldri tebage / But you still left, and never returned
Du blei brikken som manglar, som eg ville ha der / You were the missing piece, I wanted here
Så gjekk det ikkje opp, ikkje i spelet / And we did not succeed in the game
Og ikkje med oss, for den dagen du sa det / Neither with us, because that day you told us

Og eg spele Memory ennå, litt for å huska / And I play Memory still, a bit in order to recall
Men mest for å glømma / But mostly in order to forget

Eg kan huske du stod nedi gata der / I can remember you standing down there in the street
Og det minnet det er ikkje svagt / And that memory it is not weak
Er det en som har prøvd å glømma det / As someone who has tried to forget it
Eller sløres tido lavt / Or is a veil drawn over time

Fyst hadde eg lyst til at klemma deg / At first I wanted to hug you
Og så ville du ta deg vekk / And then you pulled away
Alt det eg kjente forandre seg / All my feelings changed
For den dagen du gjekk / Because on that day you went away

For du dro ligavel, og kom aldri tebage / Since you still left, and never returned
Du blei brikken som manglar, som eg ville ha der / You were the missing piece I wanted here
Så gjekk det ikkje opp, ikkje i spelet / And we did not succeed in the game
Og ikkje med oss, for den dagen du sa det / Neither with us, because that day you told us

Og eg spele Memory ennå, litt for å huska / And I play Memory still, a bit in order to recall
Men mest for å glømma / But mostly in order to forget

Men mest for å glømma / But mostly in order to forget

-M​

 

[Malagant]

FSC #117 November 2018 - Norway

FSC #117 Norway - November 2018 - Sirenia - Into The Night

Representing Norway in FSC November 2018, and returning to the FSC for Norway after 1 year, is the famous Norwegian Symphonic Metal-band Sirenia. Here is some more information about them.

Sirenia, named after the Sirens of Greek mythology, was founded in 2001 by the Norwegian musician Morten Veland (who also has a one-man Metal-band called Mortemia), after he left the Norwegian Gothic Metal band Tristania due to musical disagreements and personal differences.


The band has had several changes in members over the years, but the current members of Sirenia are:

Morten Veland (band founder; songwriter, guitar, male growl vocals, synth-programming)
Jan Erik Soltvedt (guitar)
Nils Courbaron (guitar)
Emmanuelle Zoldan (female vocals)


Their 1st album was “At Sixes and Sevens” in 2002. Sirenia’s 2nd album “An Elixir For Existence” came in 2004 plus one EP “Sirenian Shores” also in 2004. For these albums Sirenia recruited the Norwegian singer Henriette Bordvik. Sirenia sounded on their first albums like a mixture of hard Goth Metal/Rock with Symphonic and also Black/Death metal elements.

Their album “Nine Destinies and a Downfall” was released in February 2007. This album had a ‘softer’ Symphonic Rock/Metal sound and Sirenia introduced a new female singer, Danish Monika Pedersen, after Henriette Bordvik left. In 2009 they released an album called “The 13th Floor”. With this album Sirenia once again changed female vocalist, Spanish Ailyn taking over.

In 2011 Sirenia released a new album “The Enigma of Life”. It included “All My Dreams”, the Norwegian entry in FSC March 2011, and “Fading Star”, the Norwegian entry in FSC August 2011. In May 2013 a powerful and epic Symphonic Metal song called “Seven Widows Weep” was released as a new single. It became the Norwegian entry in FSC August 2013. The new album “Perils of the Deep Blue” was released in June 2013. It included also the melodic Metal-song “My Destiny Coming To Pass” which became the Norwegian entry in FSC February 2014.

The 2015-album “The Seventh Life Path” was released in May 2015. It included the Symphonic ‘Gothic’ Metal song “Serpent” which was the Norwegian entry in FSC June 2015. In August 2016 Ailyn left Sirenia and they chose Emmanuelle Zoldan, an opera-trained and -educated singer who they had worked with for long (in the Sirenia choir), as her replacement.

Sirenia worked on a new album in 2016 and a first single ,“The 12th Hour”, was released in October 2016. It was followed in early November 2016 by the title-track “Dim Days of Dolor”. This became the Norwegian entry in FSC October 2017. The album “Dim Days of Dolor” was released in November 2016 and also included the powerful epic song “Goddess of the Sea” which was the Norwegian entry in FSC December 2016.

In 2018 Sirenia worked on music for a new album and the first single, called ‘Love Like Cyanide’, was released in September 2018. The new album itself, named ‘Arcane Astral Aeons’, was finally released on 26th October 2018 to critical- and fan-acclaim. One of the great songs on this brand new album is the melodic Symphonic Metal-track ‘Into The Night’, the second single from the album released earlier in October. This is the song chosen by the Norwegian jury as the Norwegian entry here in FSC November 2018.

Sirenia are going on tour the next months to promote their new album. As the only Norwegian quality Symphonic/Gothic Metal band still active, Metal-fans in Norway and abroad hope this band will continue to mesmerize with their epic Symphonic music for many years to come.

The Norwegian entry for FSC #117 November 2018, called “Into The Night”, is another great epic melodic Symphonic Metal-song by Norwegian band Sirenia. The Norwegian jury is happy to enter Sirenia again in the FSC for Norway.


Below are the lyrics in English. Hope you’ll enjoy the Norwegian entry for November!

Sirenia - Into The Night

Into the eye of the storm
Deception is grey
The plastic in form
Into the depths of the sea
I cannot breathe
I melt into sleep

As the end go deeper with a boat on the sea

(Into the night) The waves grow higher
(Into the night) Where force conspire
Here, where old devil is here
(Into the night) So cold and dire
(Into the night) The moon rise higher
Here, at the end of my fears

Into the lingering dark
No light in my heart
No grin or a spark
Into the realms of the moon
I'll fly ‘till there's proof
A dying maroon

The undertaker invites me too soon

(Into the night) The waves grow higher
(Into the night) Where force conspire
Here, where old devil is here
(Into the night) So cold and dire
(Into the night) The moon rise higher
Here, at the end of my fears

(Into the dark) Les vagues se déchaînent
(Into the dark) L'ennemi conspire
(Into the dark)

(Into the night) The waves grow higher
(Into the night) Where force conspire
Here, where old devil is here
(Into the night) So cold and dire
(Into the night) The moon rise higher
Here, at the end of my fears

(Into the night) The waves grow higher
(Into the night) Where force conspire
Here, where old devil is here
(Into the night) So cold and dire
(Into the night) The moon rise higher
Here, at the end of my fears

-M​

 

[Malagant]

FSC #118 December 2018 - Norway

FSC #118 Norway - December 2018 - Mørland - Leo

Representing Norway in FSC December 2018, and returning to the FSC for Norway after 2.4 years, is the well known Norwegian singer-songwriter and pop-artist Mørland. Here is some more information about him.

Kjetil Mørland (born 3rd October 1980) - artist name Mørland - is a Norwegian songwriter and Pop-artist from Grimstad on the Southern coast of Norway. Music was a passion for him from an early age. When he was older he moved to England where he lived for many years.

While in England he fronted the band Absent Elk from its 2008 inception, releasing the album “Caught in the Headlights” in 2009. The band supported bands such as The Script, The Hoosiers and Girls Aloud on UK tours before going on to tour the UK themselves in summer 2009. Several singles from the album were released including “Sun & Water”, “Change My World” and “Emily”.

In autumn 2014 Mørland moved back to Norway and established himself in the capital Oslo with a plan for a solo career under the artist name Mørland. A self-titled EP with a single had been released, but it was with his participation in the Norwegian MGP in 2015 that he became truly known to the Norwegian public. He took part in a duo with the singer Debrah Scarlett with a dramatic ballad called “A Monster Like Me”, a song which had its admirers from the start, and it ended up winning MGP and representing Norway in the ESC in Vienna in May 2015. There, in the ESC-final, it ended a very respectable 8th.

Later in 2015 Mørland released a solo-single called “No Firewall” which was to be included on his debut solo-album to be released in 2016. In February 2016 another single was released, the melodic and emotional Pop-ballad “Skin”, which quickly became a fan-favourite and popular on the Internet. This song was the Norwegian entry in FSC August 2016.

His album “Make a Sail” was released in May 2016, preceeded by the title-track single, and it included all his newer songs.
In 2017 Mørland focused on family-life and on his son who was born in 2016. He loves being a father and has stated that becoming a dad has changed his life and priorities. He made a song for his son which was his most personal yet and initially he had no plans to release it, but he he changed his mind and decided he wanted to share it with all his fans. It is a beautiful Pop-ballad called “Leo” which was released in March 2018. This is the song chosen by the Norwegian jury as the Norwegian entry here in FSC December 2018.

Some have called Kjetil Mørland a ‘Master of Melancholy’ and his music is certainly very emotion-based and with much (sombre) feeling, something Norwegians have always been fond of. In interviews he has often said that he wants to try and ‘make something beautiful out of pain’. Though family-life takes up much of his time these days there is little doubt that we will hear more from this very talented Norwegian songwriter and Pop-artist in the years to come.

The Norwegian entry for FSC #118 December 2018, composed by Kjetil Mørland himself, called “Leo”, is another beautiful, melodic Pop-ballad Mørland-style. The Norwegian jury is happy to enter Mørland again in the FSC for Norway.


Below are the English lyrics for the song. Hope you’ll enjoy the Norwegian entry for December!

Mørland - Leo

No feeling is better than this
No weekend high or first kiss
No drug can move my body
Quite like this

And every time I see myself in you
My world is magnified
And every day as you learn something new
My life is justified

Leo ( x 2 )

I turn away for a minute
And I miss you
Leo

I might as well just admit it
You’re the best thing about me now

No desire could pull me away
No love in the world
Could make me leave you today

No eyes can hold a moment
Quite like this

And every time I see myself in you
My world is magnified
And every day as you learn something new
My life is justified

Leo ( x 3 )

I turn away for a minute
And I miss you
Leo

I might as well just admit it
You’re the best thing about me now

Oh I had no clue
How much love I had for you
It’s so much better this way
Better this way ( x 3 )

Oh I had no clue
How much love I had for you
It’s so much better this way

-M​

 

[Malagant]

INTERMEZZO


On behalf of the Norwegian FSC-jury I wish everyone in our Community


-GOD JUL og GODT NYTT ÅR 2019-

Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year 2019


The Christmas-spirit is embodied in the 3 beautiful , sacred Norwegian
Christmas-hymns (re)posted below , which I want to share with you all.


- - - - - 1. Maria Arredondo - Sonja’s Sang til Julestjernen
2. Sissel Kyrkjebø - Mitt Hjerte Alltid Vanker
- - - 3. Maria Haukaas Mittet - Nordnorsk julesalme





Enjoy - and Happy Holidays!!

'
INTERMEZZO​

 

[Malagant]

FSC Norway 2018: End of Year Reflections​

Some reflections when I look back at the Norwegian FSC Year 2018 and all the songs I have sent to the FSC from Norway.


1. Which Norwegian FSC 2018 entry do I love the most?

Hard choice, all my entries are dear to me, but perhaps K-391 ft. Alan Walker, Julie Bergan & Seungri - Ignite (July 2018). I sooo loved this song this past summer it ran constantly on my playlists. Many of my (Norway’s) entries in 2018 were songs I loved a lot though, but if I had to choose one I would choose that one. It came an excellent 3rd and I was very happy to see it was loved by many others too.


2. What is the strangest/most unconventional Norwegian FSC 2018 entry?

Without doubt, Susanne Sundfør ft. John Grant - Mountaineers (March 2018). More about it below (pt 3).


3. What Norwegian 2018 entry was the biggest (positive) surprise?

Without doubt, the aforementioned Susanne Sundfør ft. John Grant - Mountaineers (March 2018). It was a ‘special’ (magical) song for me, unique with its artful ‘from darkness into light’-theme and tone, but I never dreamed it would do so well since I thought it would be too unconventional for the FSC (it begins with 2 mins of chants before Susanne joins in with her angelic voice and I feared that beginning would put many off). I still wanted to enter it though and was truly amazed (almost shocked) - and overjoyed - when it came a great 5th. It just shows that one never knows in this contest, sometimes a song which at first glance appears unsuitable to the FSC can in fact do well.


4. What Norwegian 2018 entry was the biggest disappointment resultwise?

Without doubt Hanne Sørvaag - Eg spele Memory (October 2018). I love this emotional ballad in Hanne’s Stavanger dialect and it pleased me greatly to finally be able to enter one of my favourite Norwegian artists in the FSC. The entry crashed and burned though, coming a very poor 33rd (one of our worst results ever in the FSC), which truly baffled me. But as has been said, ballads are often either ‘hit or miss’ and this entry was a miss in the FSC (but I love it no less and am glad I shared it).


5. Which new Norwegian artist/band was it especially fun to enter in the FSC for Norway in 2018?

Gåte, in FSC April 2018. They are Norway's most popular and famous progressive Folk-rock band of the past 15 years. They took a break from the music business for many years and only returned recently (late 2017) which is why I was never able to enter them before. The song came a great 5th and it was great to see that many members enjoyed this talented band.


6. Best result for Norway in FSC 2018?

Ina Wroldsen - Mother (September 2018). Norway’s victory in 2018. I thought this song would have a good chance of doing well since Ina Wroldsen is popular and it was a good melody, but I did not expect it to win. A very pleasant surprise, and a victory is always cherished!


7. Anything special with regards to Norway’s entries in 2018?

I entered 4 songs in the Norwegian language in 2018 (January, April, August and October) which is a record for Norway in the FSC. Since we entered this contest in March 2009 at the very beginning we have never sent this many songs in Norwegian language in the same year.

The reason is in part because 85% of Norwegian artists record in English language rather than Norwegian and a good portion of the ones that do sing in Norwegian have songs that are not that suitable (often very lyrics-based) for this contest. In part it is also because I have simply found better songs sung in English. I attempt to enter at least 2 songs in Norwegian in the FSC each year come what may, and sometimes (like last year) there were several good songs in Norwegian I liked and wanted to share with you all and so you got 4 songs.

With regards to genre, I try also to mix genres to get some variety in the entries. In 2018 Norway sent Folk-pop, Folk-rock, pop-ballads, Electronic Dance Music (EDM), Symphonic Metal, uptempo pop and Art-pop.


8. My favourite non-Norwegian FSC-song of 2018?

Faouzia - My Heart's Grave (Morocco) is my favourite song of the FSC-year 2018 I loved this FSC-winner straight away and still do. The melody, her voice, the rhythms, it all fit perfectly for me

Honourable mentions: Dan Balan feat. Matteo - Allegro ventigo (Romania) and Siti Nordiana & Jaclyn Victor - Nisan cinta (Tomb of love) (Malaysia), I loved these two entries as well


9. My favourite FSC-countries (most voted for) as of December 2018?

Russia and Romania are my top 2 countries in the FSC over the 9 years I have been taking part. I have enjoyed a lot of songs from both countries.


10. Any particular Norwegian artist/band I miss not being able to send to the FSC?

Several come to mind, but for instance Christine Guldbrandsen. She has been one of my favourite Norwegian artists ever since she sang "Alvedansen" in ESC 2006. Unfortunately she has not released any albums for many years, focusing instead on a career in the musical theater. I hope she will record some songs again one day so I can enter her in the FSC. Same goes for Sissel (Kyrkjebø), possibly our best female vocalist (famous soprano). She too has taken a many-year long break from recording albums, but I hope one day she will release another album with original songs so I can enter her in the FSC for Norway.


11. Final reflections

It has been another great FSC year for Norway. Resultwise we have 7 top 10-placings including 1 victory and continue to stay at, or near, the top of the FSC country rankings over time which pleases me much and fills me with some pride.

However, I get the greatest pleasure from sharing great Norwegian songs with you all no matter how they place in the end. When someone loves your song, that means the most. I love this contest which I have been a part of for so many years now, which is also why I put so much time and effort into leading the FSC Mod team as we work hard to keep this great online music-contest of ours alive and thriving.

Looking forward to the FSC Year 2019 with Norway - thank you to you all for all your great songs and for sharing in / being part of this valuable online Community of ours!


Regards,

Malagant
FSC Head Mod / Head of Norway’s FSC-jury

 

[Malagant]

FSC #119 January 2019 - Norway

FSC #119 Norway - January 2019 - Alan Walker ft. Sophia Somajo - Diamond Heart

Representing Norway in FSC January 2019, and returning to the FSC for Norway, is the talented young, very popular British-Norwegian Electronic Dance Music (EDM) -Producer and artist Alan Walker, this time featuring Swedish singer-songwriter Sophia Somajo on vocals. Here is some more information about them.

Alan Walker (born 24th August 1997) is a British-born Norwegian Record Producer and artist in the Electronic Dance Music (EDM)-genre. Born in Northampton, England of an English father and Norwegian mother, he and his family moved to Norway in 1999 at the age of two. He has since (for 17 years) lived in Bergen, Norway and has made his music career here.

In 2012 he started making music on his computer laptop, and with the help and online following and feedbacks, his own produced songs soon caught the attention of the record labels.

His worldwide digital song and EDM-hit "Fade" gained attention after its release on YouTube via the label NoCopyrightSounds (NCS). The tracks "Spectre" and "Force" followed in 2015. He then signed with MER Musikk under Sony Music Sweden and his first single under that label was "Faded", a remastered vocal version of "Fade", released in December 2015. "Faded" included vocals by the Norwegian singer Iselin Solheim. The song topped Scandinavian charts.

Alan Walker gained worldwide attention. As of June 2016, "Faded" had over 356 million views on YouTube, an incredible feat. His new EDM-song "Sing Me To Sleep" (featuring Iselin Solheim again on vocals) came in 2016. This was the song chosen by the Norwegian jury as the Norwegian entry in FSC July 2016. In December 2016 Alan Walker released a new single, called “Alone”. It featured the Swedish singer Noonie Bao on vocals. It was another melodic song in his typical musical style which gained huge popularity. This was the Norwegian entry in FSC February 2017.

At the beginning of the new year 2017, Alan Walker's YouTube channel became the most subscribed channel registered in Norway, after passing about 4.5 million subscribers. In May 2017 he released the single “Tired” featuring vocals by Gavin James while the song “Spectre” (based on one of his earlier songs) followed in September 2017. Then in October 2017 he released a new original EDM-single “All Falls Down” featuring Noah Cyrus and Digital Farm Animals on vocals. This was the Norwegian entry in FSC December 2017.

In 2018 Alan Walker featured on a song by Norwegian producer X-391 called “Ignite” released in May 2018 (the Norwegian entry in FSC July 2018) and also released 2 new singles: “Darkside” in July 2018, and “Diamond Heart” (see more info below) in September 2018. “Diamond Heart”, which features Swedish Sophia Somajo on vocals, is the song chosen by the Norwegian jury as the Norwegian entry here in FSC January 2019.

Alan Walker recently released another new single, and also a new album called “Different World” (December 2018) which included close to all his singles as well as many new songs, with some variety within his style and genre. He is certainly a talented young Producer/artist in the EDM-genre, with huge worldwide popularity not the least on digital media/YouTube and similar online sites, from whom we will without doubt hear more in the future.

Sophia Somajo is a Swedish singer and songwriter from Stockholm, Sweden. She released her debut-album “The Laptop Diaries” in 2008. It was an album recorded from her laptop computer. She released several singles in the following years. In 2011 she broke with her record label and started her own. Her new album in 2012 was titled “T.T.I.D.S.D.I.E.U.I.C”. Late 2013, the song "Kids" was released along with the artist Style of Eye. The song was written and performed by Sophia Somajo herself. In the next years she released several new singles incl. “The Last Summer”, “Klein Blue”, “Sapphire” and “A Million Songs”.

In 2016/2017 she also co-wrote and worked on a song for Alan Walker called “Diamond Heart” where she sang vocals on a demo which was played first time by Alan on ‘Tomorrowland Music Festival’ in summer 2017 and subsequently shared/copied on the Internet. She was not sure if her vocals would remain on the official version of the song, or if Alan Walker would select an other singer for the official version, but Alan chose to stick with Sophia Somajo which pleased her greatly. The official (non-demo) version was finally released as a single in September 2018.

The Norwegian entry for FSC January 2019, “Diamond Heart”, is another melodic EDM-song by British-Norwegian EDM-Producer and artist Alan Walker ft. Sophia Somajo (who co-wrote the song) on vocals. The song is the third and final chapter of the “World Of Walker” trilogy (which began with “All Falls Down” and was followed by “Darkside”). The Norwegian jury is happy to enter Alan Walker again in the FSC for Norway.


Below are the English lyrics for the song. Hope you’ll enjoy the Norwegian entry for January, the first month of the new FSC-year 2019!

Alan Walker ft. Sophia Somajo - Diamond Heart

Hello, sweet grief
I know you'll be the death of me
Feel like the morning after ecstasy
I am drowning in an endless sea

Hello, old friend
Here's the misery that knows no end
So I'm doing everything I can
To make sure I never love again

I wish that I did not know
Where all broken lovers go
I wish that my heart was made of stone

Yeah, if I was bulletproof
I'd love you black and blue
If I was solid like a jewel

If I had a diamond heart, oh, oh
I'd give you all my love if I was unbreakable
If I had a diamond heart, oh, oh
You could shoot me with a gun of gold
If I was unbreakable

I'd walk straight through the bullet
Bendin' like a tulip, blue-eyed and foolish
Never mind the bruises
Into the fire, breakin' through the wires
Give you all I've got

(If I had a diamond heart)

I'd walk straight through the dagger
Never break the pattern
Diamonds don't shatter, beautiful and battered
Into the poison, cry you an ocean
Give you all I've got

‘Goodbye, so long
I don't know if this is right or wrong
Am I giving up where I belong?
'Cause every station's playing our song

Goodbye, my love
You are everything my dreams made up
You'll be Prince and I'm the crying dove
If I only were unbreakable

I wish that I did not know
Where all broken lovers go
I wish that my heart was made of stone

(I wish that my heart was made of stone)

Yeah, if I was bulletproof
I'd love you black and blue
If I was solid like a jewel

If I had a diamond heart, oh oh
I'd give you all my love if I was unbreakable
If I had a diamond heart, oh oh
You could shoot me with a gun of gold
If I was unbreakable

I'd walk straight through the bullet
Bendin' like a tulip, blue-eyed and foolish
Never mind the bruises
Into the fire, breakin' through the wires
Give you all I've got

(If I had a diamond heart)

I'd walk straight through the dagger
Never break the pattern
Diamonds don't shatter, beautiful and battered
Into the poison, cry you an ocean
Give you all I've got

If I had a diamond heart

-M​

 

[Malagant]

FSC #120 February 2019 - Norway

FSC Norway - February 2019 - Astrid S - Emotion

Representing Norway in FSC February 2019 is a New artist in the FSC, the young, talented and popular up-and-coming Norwegian pop-singer and songwriter Astrid S. Here is some more information about her.

Astrid Smeplass (born 29th October 1996), known professionally as Astrid S, is a Norwegian pop-singer and songwriter from the village of Rennebu in Sør-Trøndelag fylke, a region south of Trondheim. She was interested in music from an early age and began piano-lessons at the age of 6. Then at the age of 9 she submitted an entry to MGP Junior together with 10-year old Celine Helgemo under the artist name AC: The Blue Snoopies. The duo was not selected to participate in the music competiton but it showed Astrid’s early intent when it came to music and artistry.

At the age of 16, in 2013, she participated in the Norwegian tv-version of ‘Pop Idol’, and at that time also released a single called "Shattered" (a song that was co-written by American singer/songwriter Melanie Fontana.) under the name Astrid Smeplass. She came 5th in ‘Pop Idol’ but came to the attention of the Norwegian public as well as the Norwegian Record Industry.

Astrid released her first official single "2AM" on Universal Music in 2014, at the age of 18, under her new artist name, Astrid S. "2AM" was subsequently released in the USA in 2015. It became a popular single in her homeland Norway and was also remixed by up and coming EDM-star Matoma, with whom she also collaborated on a song. In 2015 she also released a single called “Hyde”. In 2016 she released her first EP, self-titled ‘Astrid S’. It included several singles, including “Paper Thin” (2015) and “Hurts So Good” (2016). In the Norwegian Grammys (Spellemannsprisen) for 2016 she received the Award for Best Newcomer and was also nominated for “Hurts So Good” as Single of the Year.

In 2017 Astrid released a new EP called “Party’s Over” which included many singles incl. “Breathe”, “Such a Boy” and “Bloodstream”. She also released the single “Think before I talk” so it was a very active year for her.

In 2018 she then released 2 new singles: “Closer”, and in October the stylish melodic ballad “Emotion”. “Emotion” is the song chosen by the Norwegian jury as the Norwegian entry here in FSC February 2019.

Astrid S is slowly building a reputation as one of Norway’s most promising up-and-coming young pop-stars and has also received international recognition. We are without doubt talking about a talented your Norwegian pop-artist from who we will hear more in the years to come.

The Norwegian entry for FSC February 2019, “Emotion”, is a beautiful, stylish melodic Pop-ballad performed by Astrid S. The Norwegian jury is happy to enter Astrid S in the FSC for Norway.

Below are the English lyrics for the song. Hope you’ll enjoy the Norwegian entry for February!

Astrid S - Emotion

Did you forget
That I've got a thing called emotion
You live and you let
'Till you start to plead

How would I know
Cause you left my wound wide open
Just for how long
Will you let it bleed

The town we are from
The small minded talk
We'd sing the songs with the lyrics all wrong
Invested in love
But now you feel broke
Cause shit didn't turn out the way that you hoped

I get that you're hurt
Cause we don't spend time
As much as we used to
But don't we have learn from mistakes

Did you forget
That I've got a thing called emotion
You live and you let
'Till you start to plead

How would I know
Cause you left my wound wide open
Just for how long
Will you let it bleed

Did you know the lies you would feed me
In the end I'd start to believe in
Did you forget
I've got a thing called emotion

Why can't we
Talk it over
I just, I just don't get it

Why can't we
Talk it over
Ooh...

Did you forget
That I've got a thing called emotion
You live and you let
'Till you start to plead

How would I know
Cause you left my wound wide open
Just for how long
Will you let it bleed

Did you know the lies you would feed me
In the end I'd start to believe in
Did you forget
I've got a thing called emotion

-M​

 

[Malagant]

FSC #121 March 2019 - Norway

FSC Norway - March 2019 - Ina Wroldsen - Sea

Representing Norway in FSC March 2019, and returning to the FSC for Norway, is the talented and popular Norwegian singer and songwriter of Ask Embla-fame, Ina Wroldsen. Here is some more information about her.

Ina (Christine) Wroldsen (born in Oslo, Norway in 1984) is a Norwegian singer and songwriter who has for many years lived in London, England (with frequent work-visits to Los Angeles, USA). She lived most of her childhood years in the town of Sandefjord south of the Norwegian capital. Early in her career she got a record contract and released some music on her own, but has for many years focused on writing songs for other international artists.

She has written popular and successful songs for famous artists like Britney Spears, Shakira, One Direction, Shontelle, The Saturdays and The Pussycat Dolls to name a few. In the 2013 Norwegian MGP she also wrote (together with Quiz & Larossi) the popular song “Bombo“ which was performed by Adelèn and which came 2nd in the final. In mid-2011 she started a successful collaboration with the Icelandic songwriter and music producer Arnthor Birgisson - and the Ask Embla music project was born.

They released several popular songs in the years 2012-2014 (‘Father’s Eyes’, their biggest hit, ‘Cry Baby’, ‘I Fell In Love’, ‘Legion’ and ‘Lay It On Me’) as well as an album ‘Northern Light’ (2013). They began work on a 2nd album but it was indefinitely delayed as they started to focus on solo-projects. The Ask Embla-project was ‘put on ice’ for the forseeable future and all Ina’s attention was now on her solo-career.

Ina Wroldsen countiued her solo-career in the next few years, releasing several singles including a new version (with Broiler) of “Lay It On Me”. She also spent time on other projects, including being one of the judges on the Norwegian pop-IDOL tv-show in 2016. Later the same year, she was the featured vocalist on various worldwide acclaimed DJs' records, including Sigma and the Martin Solveig song "Places".

In December 2016, after a visit to Africa, she released the gripping ballad “St. Peter”. This was the Norwegian entry in FSC November 2017.

The EP “HEX” (inspired by Norwegian Folklore-tales) was released in June 2018. It consisted of 4 new songs (“Sea”, “Remember Me”, “Mine” and “Mother”) and in some editions it also incorporated her late 2017-single “Strongest”. “Mother” was the Norwegian entry in FSC September 2018. The first single from the EP, released in April 2018, was the beautiful ocean-ballad “Sea”. This is the song chosen by the Norwegian jury as the Norwegian entry here in FSC March 2019.

Ina Wroldsen is a multi-talented singer and songwriter and there is little doubt that we will hear more from her in the years to come.

The Norwegian entry for FSC #121 March 2019, called “Sea”, is another beautiful Nordic Pop-ballad with folkloristic undertones taken from her 2018 “HEX”-EP. The Norwegian jury is happy to enter Ina Wroldsen again in the FSC for Norway.

Below are the English lyrics for the song. Hope you’ll enjoy the Norwegian entry for March!

Ina Wroldsen - Sea

Where the fields go from a dark brown
To a riveting bright yellow
Where the cars slow their speed down
And the boats glide on mirrored sea

Where the sun don't ever set
Or it never comes up
Where the sky turns violet
And the weather don't stop

I spent so long looking for a way
I could be a part of another home
I tried so hard blocking out the waves
But my ocean heart never let it go

This people, my people
Sea people cannot really leave
This people, my people
Sea people come back to the sea

Come back to the sea

Where the forest with its fir trees
Bow their heads in snow greetings
Where the town sleeps and the sea freeze
And you think it won't ever melt

Where the wind is violent
So we raise the sails up
Where the ancient mountains
Are the ruler of us

I spent so long looking for a way
I could be a part of another home
I tried so hard blocking out the waves
But my ocean heart never let it go

This people, my people
Sea people cannot really leave
This people, my people
Sea people come back to the sea

We come back to the sea

And I spent so long looking for a way
I could be a part of another home
And I tried so hard blocking out the waves
But my ocean heart never let it go

This people, my people
Sea people cannot really leave
This people, my people
Sea people come back to the sea

Come back to the sea
We come back to the sea

-M​

 

[Malagant]

FSC #122 April 2019 - Norway

FSC Norway - April 2019 - Gåte - Fanitullen

Representing Norway in FSC April 2019, and returning to the FSC after 1 year, is the accomplished Norwegian Folk-rock band Gåte, the most famous band we have in this genre and part of Norwegian Folk-music tradition. Here is some more information about them.

Gåte (the word means ‘riddle’ in English) is a well known Norwegian Folk-rock band from Trøndelag (region around Trondheim), Norway. The band came into being in 1999/2000 formed by Sveinung Sundli (violin, keyboards) together with his little sister Gunnhild Sundli (vocals), Gjermund Landrø (bass, backing vocals), Martin Langlie (drums) and Magnus R Børmark (guitar, keyboards). They played what came to be termed Progressive Folk-rock with some elements from metal and electronica and, above all, Norwegian Folk-music.

The band released their first EP ("Gåte") in 2000, and rapidly gained some popularity nationally and abroad. A second EP, also self-titled, was released in 2002. Their first album, "Jygri", released the same year proved to be their commercial breakthrough both in Norway and abroad. They also gained a lot of media attention, particularly the wonderful distinctive voice of Gunnhild Sundli caught the interest of music journalists. After the release of another EP, "Statt Opp (Maggeduliadei)" in 2003 and their second album, "Iselilja" in 2004, the band announced that they were taking a break, saying that Gunnhild wanted to devote time to other pursuits.

During this first part of their successful career they toured extensively and played almost every popular music festival in Norway, as well as the major international festival Roskilde festival in Denmark. The band reunited for one concert some years later in 2009 (now with a new drummer, Kenneth Kapstad), but then decided to follow this up with a mini-tour of Norway consisting of five concerts in 2010. The band now took another long break and many (both fans and critics) thought/feared the band had disbanded for good.

In 2016, however, Sveinung Sundli, the ‘nexus’ behind the band, began thinking of a comeback and finally persuaded his sister Gunnhild to return, together with several (new) band members. They slowly began writing new melodies for Gåte (the first new songs for 12 years) and the first of these was released in October 2017 as a single from a forthcoming EP, the song “Stolt Solvår”. A great Norwegian Folk-rock melody in their signature style, this was the Norwegian entry in FSC April 2018. Later in October 2017 Gåte released a second single from their forthcoming EP, “Rideboll og Gullborg”, and then in November 2017 the EP itself called “Attersyn” was released, to great critical acclaim, consisting of four songs incl. the two singles.

A new anticipated full album called “Svevn” was finally released in November 2018, to mostly critical acclaim, which included 10 new songs including a handful new singles. The first single from the album, released shortly before the album itself, was the song “Kom No Disjka”. It was followed by two other singles. One of the other great songs on the album, however, was the melodic and powerful Folk-rock song “Fanitullen”. This is the song chosen by the Norwegian jury as the Norwegian entry here in FSC April 2019.

Gåte have been touring and promoting their new album and new songs in the past months and we will without doubt hear more from this talented and vibrant Norwegian Folk-rock band in the future.

The Norwegian entry for FSC #122 April 2019, called “Fanitullen” (or “Devil’s Tune” in English) is a new melodic and powerful Norwegian Folk-rock song co-written and performed by Gåte in Nynorsk (New Norwegian). In this very dark song, which bridges death and warfare in the past and present, they continue their musical journey into Norwegian folklore. The song is driven by the Norwegian national violin-instrument called ‘Hardingfele’ (Hardanger fiddle). The Norwegian jury is happy to enter Gåte again in the FSC for Norway.

Below are the New Norwegian (Nynorsk) lyrics for the song and a translation into English. Hope you’ll enjoy the Norwegian entry for April!

Gåte - Fanitullen

I desse traumetider kor makt i ørske rår / In these traumatic times where power wildly rules
Og ragnarok på nyom kan skapa pinekår / And chaos all around can create times of poverty
Der menneske som jotnar kan kjempe gudar ned / Where humans and giants can defeat gods
Og berre domedagen kan gjeva varig fred / And only Judgment Day can give eternal peace

Står det eit blodig brudlaup på denne vesle jord / Is there a bloody wedding on this small earth
Der mørkemakter kjempar mot dei som er av sol / Where forces of Darkness fight the Light
Og fatige må lide for dei som har det flott / And the poor have to suffer for the rich to prevail
Frå livsens mørke-kjellar det lydest enn ein slått / From life’s dark well a Devil’s Tune sounds

Der svik og svartsjuke er som grøde / Where betrayal and plague fester
Som veks av udådar, drap og døde / Growing from bad deeds, murder and death
Der hat og rovlysten ligg på lur / Where hate and predators lie in wait
Og valdar livet bak lås og mur / And destroy life behind locked doors and walls

Der lyder slåtten av skrik og pine / There the Devil’s Tune sounds with screams and pain
Frå spelemannen i blåne-skinet / From the fiddle player in the blue sight of the moon
Om noko lukkast og står til liv / If anything succeeds and brings life
Den aggen atter til vanvet driv / It returns to bring everything to madness

Det bit og knasar i bein og krafsar / It bites and crunches bones and scratches
Med kjøtermunnar som blodet slafsar / With mouths of beasts devouring the blood
Av heilt uskuldige, tekne att / Of innocents that are taken again
Og strupekvelte i ævig natt / And strangled in the eternal black night

Den må seg fredlaus til grava slepa / He must desparing drag himself to the grave
Som søkjer sæla i det å drepa / Seeking to know the reason for these murders
Kvar gong ein kvitkledd er kjempa ned / Every time a person of Light is defeated
Da finn den svarte i slåtten fred / Then the Devil find’s peace in his Devil’s Tune

I desse traumetider kor makt i ørske rår / In these traumatic times where power wildly rules
Og ragnarok på nyom kan skapa pinekår / And chaos all around can create times of poverty
Der menneske som jotnar kan kjempe gudar ned / Where humans and giants can defeat gods
Og berre domedagen kan gjeva varig fred / And only Judgment Day can give eternal peace

Står det eit blodig brudlaup på denne vesle jord / Is there a bloody wedding on this small earth
Der mørkemakter kjempar mot dei som er av sol / Where forces of Darkness fight the Light
Og fatige må lide for dei som har det flott / And the poor have to suffer for the rich to prevail
Frå livsens mørke-kjellar det lydest enn ein slått / From life’s dark well a Devil’s Tune sounds

-M​

 

[Malagant]

FSC #123 May 2019 - Norway

FSC Norway - May 2019 - Secret Garden - The Voyage

Representing Norway in May 2019, and returning to the FSC for Norway after 5 years, is the Norwegian-Irish Neo-Classical ESC-winners from 1995 Secret Garden. Here is some more information about them.

Secret Garden consists of Rolf Løvland (the Norwegian composer/pianist and Nexus of the duo) and Fionnuala Sherry (Irish violinist) on violin. The duo is based in Norway and has been so from the beginning. With 3-4 million albums sold worldwide they are considered one of the most successful and influential Norwegian groups/musical projects of all time.

Rolf Løvland - born in Kristiansand, Norway in 1955 - was Norway’s perhaps most successful commercial pop-music composer in the 1980s. He wrote many MGP-songs for other artists, including the Norwegian 1985 Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) winner “La Det Swinge” performed by Bobbysocks. He received several national music awards for his work. In the early 1990s he decided to try something different, and so he started the musical project called Secret Garden, together with the Irish violinist Fionnuala Sherry (born in 1963).

Fionnuala’s violin-playing started at an early age. She graduated with honours from the Music of Trinity College in Dublin. Her professional career started with a 10-year stint as a member of the RTÉ Concert Orchestra. She has worked with many musicians (incl. Sinéad O'Connor and Bono). She has also recorded Hollywood film scores with the Irish Film Orchestra. Her instrument of choice is an English John E Betts violin from 1790, with a Hill bow.

With Secret Garden Rolf Løvland wished to make music that was close to his heart: Neo-Classical, Celtic-inspired instrumental music. And so the story of Secret Garden had begun.

Secret Garden made history by winning the ESC in 1995 with "Nocturne", an instrumental melody which had 24 words added to the beginning of the song. In the 40-year history of the ESC an instrumental piece had never previously won. It was a piece of music so stylistically removed from the common “ESC format”, that the press stated: "Secret Garden has redefined the Eurovision Song Contest”.

This surprise victory at the ESC was the ultimate showcase that successfully launched their first album “Songs from a Secret Garden”. It was released around the globe, including Europe, USA/Canada, Australia and Asia. This was an historic event for a Norwegian artist/group and record company, who for the first time had produced a worldwide release with sales of more than a million. Many international awards followed, and the album stayed an impressive 2 years (101 weeks) in the Billboard New Age charts in the USA.

In the years that followed Secret Garden released several popular albums, among them “White Stones” (1997), “Dawn of a New Century” (1999) and “Once in a Red Moon” (2002) which contained their huge hit “You Raise Me Up” (ft. Irish Brian Kennedy on vocals) which went on to be recorded in over 40 versions worldwide.


Secret Garden: Discography

Songs from a Secret Garden (1996)
White Stones (1997)
Dawn of a New Century (1999)
Dreamcatcher: Best of Secret Garden (2000/2001)
Once in a Red Moon (2002)
Earthsongs (2005)
Inside I'm Singing (2007)
Winter Poem (2011)
Just The Two Of Us (2013)
Storyteller (April 2019)


In 2007 the album “Inside I'm Singing” was released, which differed in the way that all songs were with vocals performed by well known singers. In 2011 the album “Winter Poem” was released, and it included the song “The Dream” (ft. Irish Clannad-singer Moya Brennan on vocals), which was the Norwegian FSC-entry in December 2011, and “Lament For A Frozen Flower”, which was the Norwegian FSC-entry in May 2012. In 2013 they released the album “Just The Two Of Us”, a ‘stripped down’ version of their sound, which included the beautiful song “En Passant” which was the Norwegian FSC-entry in May 2014.

In the years that followed Secret Garden focused on side-projects and tours/concerts around the world, including several visits to Asia and China, but in 2018 they began to work on new songs for an album planned for release in 2019. This new album was finally released on 26th April 2019, called “Storyteller”, and it was preceeded by a couple of singles (“Strength” and “The Pilot”) in early 2019. Another great piece of beautiful Neo-classical instrumental music on the album is the song “The Voyage”. This is the song chosen by the Norwegian jury as the Norwegian entry here in FSC May 2019.

Secret Garden will promote their new album in the coming months, with new concerts planned around the world, and their beautiful, soul-soothing, relaxing and melodic Neo-classical (sometimes also termed New Age) instrumental music will for sure continue to mesmerize their many fans all over the world in the years to come.

The Norwegian entry for FSC #123 May 2019, called “The Voyage” is a beautiful melodic Neo-classical instrumental song written by Rolf Løvland and performed by Secret Garden. Let this beautiful, relaxing music soothe your soul. The Norwegian jury is happy to enter Secret Garden again in the FSC for Norway.

Secret Garden - The Voyage

-M​

 

[Malagant]

FSC #124 June 2019 - Norway

FSC Norway - June 2019 - Sirenia - Love Like Cyanide

Representing Norway in FSC June 2019, and returning to the FSC for Norway after 7 months, is the famous Norwegian Symphonic Metal-band Sirenia. Here is some more information about them.

Sirenia, named after the Sirens of Greek mythology, was founded in 2001 by the Norwegian musician Morten Veland (who also has a one-man Metal-band called Mortemia), after he left the Norwegian Gothic Metal band Tristania due to musical disagreements and personal differences.


The band has had several changes in members over the years, but the current members of Sirenia are:

Morten Veland (band founder; songwriter, guitar, male growl vocals, synth-programming)
Jan Erik Soltvedt (guitar)
Nils Courbaron (guitar)
Emmanuelle Zoldan (female vocals)


Their 1st album was “At Sixes and Sevens” in 2002. Sirenia’s 2nd album “An Elixir For Existence” came in 2004 plus one EP “Sirenian Shores” also in 2004. For these albums Sirenia recruited the Norwegian singer Henriette Bordvik. Sirenia sounded on their first albums like a mixture of hard Goth Metal/Rock with Symphonic and also Black/Death metal elements.

Their album “Nine Destinies and a Downfall” was released in February 2007. This album had a ‘softer’ Symphonic Rock/Metal sound and Sirenia introduced a new female singer, Danish Monika Pedersen, after Henriette Bordvik left. In 2009 they released an album called “The 13th Floor”. With this album Sirenia once again changed female vocalist, Spanish Ailyn taking over.

In 2011 Sirenia released a new album “The Enigma of Life”. It included “All My Dreams”, the Norwegian entry in FSC March 2011, and “Fading Star”, the Norwegian entry in FSC August 2011. In May 2013 a powerful and epic Symphonic Metal song called “Seven Widows Weep” was released as a new single. It became the Norwegian entry in FSC August 2013. The new album “Perils of the Deep Blue” was released in June 2013. It included also the melodic Metal-song “My Destiny Coming To Pass” which became the Norwegian entry in FSC February 2014.

The 2015-album “The Seventh Life Path” was released in May 2015. It included the Symphonic ‘Gothic’ Metal song “Serpent” which was the Norwegian entry in FSC June 2015. In August 2016 Ailyn left Sirenia and they chose Emmanuelle Zoldan, an opera-trained and -educated singer who they had worked with for long (in the Sirenia choir), as her replacement.

Sirenia worked on a new album in 2016 and a first single ,“The 12th Hour”, was released in October 2016. It was followed in early November 2016 by the title-track “Dim Days of Dolor”. This became the Norwegian entry in FSC October 2017. The album “Dim Days of Dolor” was released in November 2016 and also included the powerful epic song “Goddess of the Sea” which was the Norwegian entry in FSC December 2016.

In 2018 Sirenia worked on music for a new album and the first single, called ‘Love Like Cyanide’, was released in September 2018. The new album itself, named ‘Arcane Astral Aeons’, was finally released on 26th October 2018 to general critical- and fan-acclaim. It included among its 12 tracks the melodic Symphonic Metal-song ‘Into The Night’, which was the Norwegian entry in FSC November 2018, as well as 2 versions of ‘Love Like Cyanide’ (a full version and a shorter radio-edit). ‘Love Like Cyanide’ (in its radio-edit version) is the song chosen by the Norwegian jury as the Norwegian entry here in FSC June 2019.

Sirenia have been touring Europe in the past 6 months promoting their new album and will continue to do gigs also this summer. As the only Norwegian quality Symphonic/Gothic Metal band still active, Metal-fans in Norway and abroad hope this band will continue to mesmerize with their epic Symphonic music for many years to come.

The Norwegian entry for FSC #124 June 2019, called “Love Like Cyanide”, is another great catchy and energetic Symphonic Power Metal-banger by Norwegian Metal band Sirenia. The Norwegian jury is happy to enter Sirenia again in the FSC for Norway.

Below are the English lyrics for the song. Hope you’ll enjoy the Norwegian entry for June!

Sirenia - Love Like Cyanide

Can't you see, tell me why
You still linger in a world of strife
Your heart bleeds, you're dead inside
Love to you is like cyanide

Here we go, once again
Nothing's changed, all remains the same
Sharpened words cut like knives
In this state where only frenzy thrives

Can't find a way
(We're all lost anyway)
Every day's the same
(We are all broken)

Can't you see, tell me why
You still linger in a world of strife
Your heart bleeds, you're dead inside
Love to you is like cyanide

Come undone, fallen one
Your spirit and your hope's long gone
Battles lost, none are won
You're hailing from a broken home

Can't find your way
(We're all lost anyway)
Different day, same pain
(We are all broken)

Can't you see, tell me why
You still linger in a world of strife
Your heart bleeds, you're dead inside
Love to you is like cyanide

-CHOIR-

Can't you see, tell me why
You still linger in a world of strife
Your heart bleeds, you're dead inside
Love to you is like cyanide

-M​