An Exclusive with Norwegian Singer-Songwriter AURORA
Inspiration, evolution, and a touch of divinity and magic are always present in her lyrics. In this interview, the Norwegian singer-songwriter shares her concerns and wishes with us.
Inspiration envelops us like a semi-pristine veil that, if we pay enough attention, can communicate a message to us at any time. And hence, an idea for creation. That is what Aurora Aksnes, known worldwide as AURORA, believes and confesses that she finds that creative vein at all times. It's little things that you see, hear, feel, or do that end up becoming an extraordinary song.
On 'Murder Song (5, 4, 3, 2, 2)', it was the naivety we experienced as children. On 'Queendom', it's about celebrating diversity and individuality. And with an open mind, you get to receive the messages that matter most to you and transform them. Currently, there is a dialogue that moves her more.
"This album talks about many things, but the main one is the passion for people's lives. I want to discover why so many people are unhappy and what we can do to be happier and have a better time in this land," says the singer. "It's a miracle we're here, so I'm trying to figure everything out little by little, I'm very passionate about knowing that we can change the way we all think. Making music has helped me a lot. I think the whole world, during the pandemic, has had time to look around and really pay attention to what is happening."
The duality of good and bad. The light and the dark. The eternal chiaroscuro.
CHIAROSCURO
AURORA's music has been described as lonely, relaxing, emotional, dreamy, or even melancholic. These axes converge in comforting opposites and to some extent dark, to what Aurora reveals: "The world has as much to do with light as it does with darkness, I am trying to create music that is about darkness so that we can feel that it does not we are alone, but may this also bring light to our lives."
She also tells us that, along with her taste for composing using contrasts, each album she makes is about processing the things she perceives as a human being on this planet. She hopes, in the same way, that there are other humans out there who connect with her lyrics; to let them hear the music they needed at that time.
AESTHETIC WITH A TOUCH OF MAGIC
It is not defined by a particular label, although it is defined by intuition. You do what you like and feel good about, and over time you can change and reinvent yourself. Dress in what makes you feel comfortable and free. And, although one of her sisters is a designer and can do whatever they both envision, she says that fashion scares her "because it can be mass-produced or it is very expensive, but it is also art and beauty."
"I want to show people that you can be individual and have style, but also be environmentally and ethically responsible," explains AURORA. "All I wear is with this in mind or together with my sister I make my own clothes. I think I'm very intuitive so I like to use whatever feels good to me. You have all your imagination to work with."
TRANSFORMATION
At the age of 6, she began to play the piano. At 9, she composed her first song in English. Having ventured into the world of music from a very young age, her vision has been constantly evolving, both personally and as an artist. In her own words, her life is very different from what she imagined it would or could be, as it is strange to be famous and she seeks to give it a purpose.
Find out what you can do through music, bring people together, invite an important dialogue (such as the environment, equality and the right to love who you want - topics that you are deeply passionate about). Find fun to synergize between important issues and emotions. "It is not political to worry about others," she says.
To conclude the interview, we asked the artist what she would say, if given the chance, to a younger Asknes – perhaps her six-year-old version of herself who had just started playing the piano. "I would advise you to keep believing and having fun, to follow your heart and keep doing what feels right and not to care too much what other people think. In the end, it will all be worth it," she assures her past self.
AURORA will release her next album on January 21. 'The Gods We Can Touch', which follows her 2019 project 'A Different Kind of Human (Step 2)', delves into the idea that our humanity encapsulates a certain divinity. Her fascination with Greek mythology is rooted in this belief: the gods were perfectly imperfect, like us, therefore, almost flesh and blood humans.
