THE CRADLE OF GOOD MUSIC

Norway seems “the place to be” when it comes to great new music. Some weeks ago, we talked about a certain Scandinavian artist that is only getting more and more recognition as time passes by. Today, another one will be featured here, meet: Sigrid.

Sigrid, the 21 years-old singer-songwriter is from Ålesund, Norway.

(Source: http://diymag.com/2017/05/26/watch-sigrid-dont-kill-my-vibe-the-late-late-show-may-2017)

When you go to the cinema, one of the most important parts of a movie, that can really define your whole experience with it, is the soundtrack. If chosen correctly, it may show the viewer, with precision, how the story being told will be presented.

I remember knowing from the first few minutes of Justice League, what the film would be like and how its plot would be carried on.

A beautiful scene, all black and white, with a deep sense of sorrow, pain, confusion, and loss opens the motion picture. Later on, I found out why I was able to detect all those things from the start: it was thanks to Sigrid’s angelic and powerful voice.

This song, a classic, originally by Leonard Cohen, has made a lot of success and been covered several times, by various artists but Sigrid’s version is, without no doubt, one of the most memorable ones.

The movie starts in a distressing atmosphere and this is exactly what we feel when Sigrid’s rendition echoes on our ears.

Although I and many others, only had the opportunity to discover this gem on the mentioned film, it’s been some time since Sigrid began to get the attention of fans and music critics from around the world. Her story started some years ago...

Once upon a time, by the age of 7, Sigrid Solbakk Raabe (Thank Heavens I only have to write, not pronounce, or things would get REALLY messy...) took her first step towards a career in music: she learned how to play a musical instrument, the piano. When 13, she also started to sing and play covers, ranging from Keane, Adele, and Coldplay, where she always tried to change keys, melody or chords, in order to make the songs more “hers”.

Three years later, her brother, who is also a musician (Tellef Raabe), invited her to perform at one of his concerts. However, he had one condition: she had to perform an original song.

With a two weeks deadline, Sigrid wrote and sang “Sun” at the concert. The music was afterward premiered at P3 Untouched, a Norwegian showcase for unsigned musicians. Other two songs of hers were, later on, playlisted on a Norwegian national radio.

Things were looking up for the singer-songwriter; Yet, Sigrid still thought that "music wasn’t for her". She went back to high school to finish her studies and apply to university, where she intended to become either a teacher or a lawyer.

When everything was ready for her college application, her supportive parents made all the difference and changed her mind, making she pursue her real dream and live from music.

While on this path, she underwent a traumatic situation: an awful writing session, in which everyone tried to suppress her ideas and made she feel like she didn't belong there. So, she gathered all the feelings she accumulated during this event and wasn’t able to blurt out, and wrote her biggest hit "Don’t Kill My Vibe”.

In many opportunities, Sigrid told in interviews that this was what the song was about, but that, as she wrote it alongside Martin Sjølie, they've tried to make the lyrics the most ‘flexible’ as possible, so that people could relate it with their own bad experiences. After listening to “Don’t Kill My Vibe” only once, Island Records decided to sign her and was, until this post's release, the current label to represent her.

Other interesting facts about Sigrid are that she still lives in Norway, but now in Bergen, she's friends with the also singer-songwriter Aurora, her debut EP was also named Don’t Kill My Vibe, and she has performed in important festivals in 2017 such as Glastonbury and Reading Festival.

What Makes Sigrid Different?

One of the most fascinating things about Sigrid is the honesty and simplicity in the lyrics that she writes. If she wants to say “I’m over you” she won’t use pretty words or metaphors like “The moon has finally allowed the sun to replace it”, she’ll directly say “I’m over you”.

This kind of straightforwardness and rawness is refreshing and something that I particularly enjoy a lot. A couple of times we love a song, but don’t understand exactly what it means, “So… OK, she really wants to describe how the water of the rain is cold or is this a metaphor? If it is a metaphor, it is for what? Someone missing in her life? A relationship that didn’t work out? Something going wrong in her life?”. Metaphors and euphemisms are fine and beautiful but sometimes, they make it harder to reach a conclusion, which thankfully doesn’t happen here.

A mixture of sincerity, precise control over her voice and different, catchy synth-pop beats are what directs Sigrid to a great, prosperous and long career in the musical world.

Learn more about Ms. Raabe on her website: https://www.thisissigrid.com/ where you can also find all her social network links.

As for us, you already know where to find us: @themusicalexpedition (Instagram) and The Musical Expedition (Facebook).

Reach us out for suggestions, inquiries or even just to chat!

See you all on our next voyage!
Farvel!