Could you share the story behind your latest song and what inspired its creation?
Our latest song that is really hitting home with people is “This is the Place”. The lyrics take you inward toward self awareness and an honest representation of how many people feel in this life we have been given. There is only one time and only one place for each of us. Here and Now! It’s a song that talks about loosening the grip of our fear and self doubt and seizing the day.
How do you approach the process of songwriting, and are there any specific themes or emotions you tend to explore in your music?
Well I am luck in that my husband Jason is constantly plucking out new riffs on the guitar. So most of our songwriting happens organically. We try not to force things. I start humming a vocal melody and within a day I have either a verse or chorus structure and we start working on whatever is left and finalizing song structure over a week or so. Sometimes they don’t flesh out. In fact I have an entire album of material that has never made the cut.
I tend to explore themes that are universal to people. As an empathy on spectrum I tend to misinterpret meaning and confuse my emotions with others due to my own extensive triggers. Life can be a messy and convoluted path until we free ourselves from our fears and learn to have faith in each other. This frequency is where we manifest and if we can’t achieve self awareness we are living in constant fight or flight. So we try to give people perspective for moving forward.
As an indie musician, how do you navigate the balance between creative freedom and commercial appeal?
Oh that is easy, We choose creative freedom. Fortunately much of our music is pretty appealing to half the crowd if not everyone. I have seen grown men cry and women weep. I have watched children dance and come up and hug me in droves after a set. I don’t care if it is commercially appealing, it is spiritually appealing and that is all that matters to us.
What do you find most challenging about being an independent artist in today’s music industry?
Oh I know this one…Spotify and Tunecore. We have gone through legitimate promotions, college radio, touring nationally, and we have grown on all of our streaming sites. We have true fans all over the world that save and play our music. Spotify and Tunecore are a legitimate barrier to entry. It floors me that these platforms can do these things to independent artists. You have to have a certain number of streams to even pay to promote your song and can’t get there without accusation of fake streams.
Can you talk about your experiences collaborating with other artists or musicians? How does it influence your creative process?
We are actually going to be collaborating with a band called Hexxen on a song Savage Daughter. Written by Wyndryth Bergensdottir in the 90’s. It’s a very empowering feminine call to action. We both tour in the Viking Festival market and can collaborate during festivals to get scratch tracks done. It’s a challenge collaborating from a distance as the energy exchange just isn’t the same. This should be a beautiful experience though.
What role does technology and social media play in promoting your music and connecting with your audience?
It is important and allows us to find the right people for our style of music. I don’t think artists can truly survive without it these days, not as a full time musician. It has connected us with people we have never met before but that vibrate and believe in others and life the way we do. It is ultimately our job to heal ourselves, but if people don’t first believe in us, how do we learn to believe in ourselves?
Are there any particular artists or genres that have had a significant impact on your musical style?
Honestly it’s a hodge podge. We all come from different backgrounds which is why the music is so unique. We blend musical with classical pop and tribal metal in a folk ballad anthem of a Norse persuasion. We haven’t really focused on being Nordic or Celtic or Bluegrass yet the style seems to be embraced by these communities and of course we dress like vikings.
Indie musicians often have a close relationship with their fanbase. How do you engage with your fans and build a dedicated community around your music?
We actually throw annual events in our home town and are working on building these up in a few key cities throughout the country and world. These events have become gathering places for like minded hearts. Our fans are like family at this level and it’s hard to know how getting much bigger will impact our ability to hug our fans!
Could you describe a memorable live performance experience or tour that has had a lasting impact on you and your music?
We had the most incredible experience this last Spring in Texas. It was just my husband and I, and our keyboard player decided to come out on her way from Florida to Colorado for the Summer. This space that is growing up in Gladewater, TX called Uppsalla USA is a magical space. The community gathering here is reviving Norse Paganism in the most inclusive sense of the word. Magical humans all! They got up on stage during our last set and announced that the new amphitheater will be called the Nordic Sun Amphitheater in honor of Nordic Daughter! This is a huge honor for us to be included.
In an era of streaming platforms, how do you feel about the changing landscape of music consumption and its impact on independent musicians?
I am not a fan of streaming companies not distributing an artists fair share of profits. They do not push us into the algorithm ever and when they do it’s because some playlight picked us up for a month and then when we drop so do the algorithms. It’s hard to have a limited budget. If we spent a ton of money on Spotify we would not have this problem though! Argh stupid necessary evils.