We have been keeping a keen eye on Danish singer song writer Marie Dahlstrøm for a bit now.
We first heard of her through her collaborations with the London producer Emmavie. Her cut Something Like Nice a perfect platform for Marie Dahlstrøm to showcase her soulfully enthused vocals. That cut was two years ago. Since then she has become a firm bonafide name on the London urban scene. Work with names like the awesome Tom Misch a certified indication of her growing influence.
Her latest ep which is perfect for online music streaming is Kanel a classy rnb 5 track project. Building further on her growing back catalogue, this current project sees her working with the producer JNTHN STEIN. It’s a sterling project but For Sure with its bouncing old skool energy and the laid-back sublime energy of the outro Northern Lights are stand out cuts.
Following the release, we got some time with Marie Dahlstrøm to talk about the ep in the lead up to her headline performance on the 20 09 18.
Hey Marie for those that do not know give us a bit of background on you and how your younger days in Denmark influenced your chosen career?
Growing up in Denmark was probably the reason I moved. I needed more diversity in the music culture. I felt there were limited resources in the Danish music scene and that the genres that were flourishing weren’t the music I was into, so when I was 19 I decided to move to London.
And how have things changed since those early days-and indeed does it remain obscenely difficult?
I don’t think it has ever been obscenely difficult, I think it has been a journey where I have learned a lot along the way, about myself and the music industry.
Nine was a “more reflective period” what were you reflecting on and indeed what were the positive and negative thoughts that went on at that time?
I was in the middle of a very difficult break-up-Nine reflected on that process. The positive side of the EP was a reflection upon a very deep love for someone, while the negative side, was the fact that despite love things can still go wrong.
Talk a bit about your writing process.
Usually I lay down chords, then I start voice-noting melodies on my phone, and usually that’s what I base the whole song on. If I have managed to write the melody of the song within thirty minutes then I know that I am more likely to keep the track. If it takes any longer then I rarely end up using the song.
What was the over-arching idea in this current release?
The new release, for me, has a more empowering feel to it. I wanted it to be a light project that people could listen to going out or driving their car. I have not always created music with that feel. Apart from that currently my state of mind, isn’t reflective, so it felt natural to move in that direction.
You are working with Jnthn Stein –it states in the press release you were searching for the “big vibe” elaborate?
I wanted it to be fun and easy going, I wanted to explore that side of my singing and writing.
A week to complete a project –was it helpful to have such a strict time-period?
Deadlines work very well for me. It makes me more intuitive and less perfectionist. I am trying to get back to that feeling when I write music. Music culture is so focused on perfection, that it can be unhealthy. I am consciously trying to avoid falling into that trap.