Gearing up to release her debut album, and putting out an acoustic EP in the process, Nicola Høie is carving out a space for herself in the Scandinavian popscape. Having only released her debut track “Secrets” this past August, momentum is quickly building for this soon-to-be superstar.

Drawing from a wealth of inspiration, from her Scandinavian roots to those making waves in the UK and US, Høie has concocted an unparalleled pop-tinged sound. The first single of her now-released EP “Acoustic Sessions, Pt. 1” to make its way into the world was “Skydiving” – a shining example of her prowess. An acoustic version of her previous hit “Skydiving”, this stripped-back release allows the track’s searing lyricism, and Høie’s valiant vocals to come to the forefront. In fact, the project’s other three tracks achieve the same. They sound more personal, more vulnerable.

With a debut album on the horizon, flitting between Stockholm, Berlin, and Liverpool to dream it up – this is surely just the beginning of what we’ll see from Høie. Luckily for us, we had the pleasure of sitting down with her before she embarks on a whirlwind 2023. From her beginnings in songwriting, and the quality that acoustic possesses, to what the future has in store – stay tuned.

Watch Nicola Høie’s live performance of “Take My Number” below…

Stream the full EP

Head below to read our interview…

Hey Nicola! How are you today?
Hi, I’m good, thank you. Excited for my new EP to come out this week and just enjoying some time in France before I head back to Copenhagen next month.

What’s the first thing you thought about this morning?
The first thing I thought of this morning was getting my dog and just staying a little more in bed snuggling her.

How did you get into music? Did you always know that this is what you wanted to do?
I have always loved music. I was around 7 when I first started singing and I really enjoyed it but it wasn’t before I was 12 thatI knew I wanted to do it as a career. When I was 11 I travelled to Liverpool and I recorded at Parr Street Studios, and then when I turned 18 I went back to record there and it just all went on from there.

Do you remember the first song you ever wrote? Did you play it for anyone?
The first song I ever wrote was when I was 12. It was about this boy who I was so madly in love with, and I remember him moving and it just broke my heart in a million pieces. I knew that when he moved that I would never get to see him again. When he left, I remember coming home and I cried my eyes out all night and just started writing about him. I never played it to anyone because it was too difficult for me – plus I knew it wasn’t any good. He was my first real love and my first real heartbreak.

You recently released an acoustic version of your single “Skydiving”, what is it that draws you to playing acoustic?
I love acoustic songs in general, I always love the simplicity and where you can really hear people’s voices – it just feels more intimate and personal. It’s been really fun making different versions of my songs and to put my own spin on the classic, “It Must Have Been Love”.

The accompanying music video is great. How involved are you in that artistic process?
So far, I have only ever done 2 acoustic videos and I can’t wait to make more. I can’t wait to make my first proper video and do something a little different, something that surprises everyone. I’m definitely starting to get involved more in the artistic process but I also try to ask everyone around me for their opinions and advice. I am lucky to be around a great team of supportive people who just want the best for me. I go in there and just do the best I can and enjoy it!

Your song “Secrets” went viral on TikTok. What was that experience like?
It was picked for a lot of playlists including Best TikTok Viral Songs of 2022 which was cool. I’m still trying to get my head around TikTok but I love it, and have had some fun making videos lately. I have a tendency to overthink things sometimes but I really need to get better with TikTok and just have some fun and roll with whatever comes up!

What’s the music scene like in Scandinavia compared to the UK or US?
Scandinavia is small so it’s very different compared to the UK and US where there are a lot more people. But there are a lot of really talented people from Scandinavia. A lot of really good writers and producers. I have worked quite a bit in Stockholm and the music scene there is really cool.

Your EP “The Acoustic Sessions Pt 1.” is here. What do you want people to take away from the project?
I just hope that people enjoy listening to it and that it brings joy to people’s hearts. It’s always nerve wracking before your material gets released and you can only hope for the best. But I’m excited for people to hear everything we have been working on for the past couple of years!

We heard you’ve been working on your debut album in studios across the globe. Is there anything you can tell us about it?
Yeah, I have been incredibly lucky to be working in such cool and different places with all these insanely talented people. I feel very privileged to be able to do what I really love and to just keep learning and becoming better. It’s been a fun journey so far because you never stop learning and you start to find out what you want your sound to be like and who you are and who you would like to be. Just being in this position right now is such a gift and I just feel really grateful.

Lastly, what’s on the horizon for you?
We have a lot of things planned so I’m not gonna spoil anything. You’re just gonna have to keep your eyes open and wait and see!