Norway are not short of up-and-coming music with the likes of Aurora and Sigrid breaking through into the mainstream charts. Next up on the ever-growing Norwegian music scene is alt-pop artist SKAAR with her debut EP “The Other Side Of Waiting”. Featuring her stellar breakout track “Higher Ground”, SKAAR’s EP takes us through her early experiences in music with luscious vocals and addictive hooks. Lead single “Turn Of The Tide” captures our attention almost immediately with sugary sweet vocals and building productions that have us reminciest of early noughties pop.

Speaking on her process of making the EP, SKAAR said it was two-sided – one calm and the other a barrel of emotions: “The songs on the EP are about the things happening on the other side of the writing process, which is where the title comes from.”

With SKAAR spending lockdown at home helping out as a health care worker, we caught up with the rising star talking Norway, the process into making the EP and what we can expect next.

Check out the interview below…

Hi SKAAR, how has lockdown been for you? Has it changed your outlook on life/creativity/music?
Well, lockdown has been a bitch. I wanted to play a lot of concerts, but of course, I couldn’t do that. But I’ve been working as a health care worker this summer on Stord where I come from, and have just been planning my next moves! It has definitely changed my outlook on music and dreams. I can’t tell you more, but I am very driven and excited!

How did growing up in Norway influence your music? Who were your musical heroes?
Since I’m from a small island surrounded by spectacular nature, it really has influenced my music in a way where I blow up feelings and make them really big in my songs. My musical heroes always have been Coldplay, Florence + The Machine, Banks and so on!

Congratulations on your debut EP – what is the meaning of the name “The Other Side of Waiting”?
Thank you so much! The EP is a story from after I moved to Oslo. Ever since I was little I’ve been waiting and dreaming of doing music full time and now it’s finally happening! So the other side of waiting is about situations happening in my life after I started living my dream!

Anxiety, cheating, growing up – you cover many themes. What was the EP mostly inspired by?
The EP is definitely inspired by my own feelings throughout the last three years. When going through life like everybody else, a lot of things happen in a lifetime, and my music is my perspective on those events.

How long did it take you to write and what were the biggest challenges of working on it during lockdown?
It took me three years to finish the EP, but writing the songs took one day for each! The production stage is the process that takes time. The biggest challenge in the lockdown was definitely struggling with a lack of inspiration. But it is back now, I promise!

And you want your lead single “Turn Of The Tide” to be a beacon of hope – why is it important that music does that at a time like this?
Because without hope we would give up on everything! We need hope to stay positive and to enjoy life. Personally, I need songs like “Turn Of The Tide” to pick me up, and remind myself that everything will be okay one way or the other!

How do you want your music to make fans feel?
I want them to feel important when listening to my music. That no feelings or thoughts are unimportant or too small. I want them to feel like they’re not alone.

What’s next for you? What are you excited about in 2020?
I’m gonna eat cake and celebrate the release haha! Also gonna play a release concert which I’m really excited about, and I’m gonna write!