10 Questions For: H.E.R.O.

INTERVIEW

Few artists have been on our lists of best songs of the year more than once. This band not only achieved this feat, but went even further: they have already been there three times (in 2015, 2017 and 2020). It's clear how much we admire their music – and, therefore, it's possible to imagine the enormous joy we felt at being able to interview them! These are our 10 questions for Christoffer Stjerne, of H.E.R.O.:

Sounds European!: Let's start our interview talking about the band's origins. How did you guys meet? How was the band formed? And what's the meaning of the band's name, H.E.R.O.?

Christoffer Stjerne (H.E.R.O.): First of all, thank you for taking the time to interview us! :)
H.E.R.O. started out by Søren and me being friends and one day talking about forming a band. We were both in a situation where our old bands and projects kind of faded out, so it finally made sense to start up something new together.
We brought in Andi on the drums, because we thought he was nothing less but the best drummer we have ever heard. So it took a bit of persuasion, but we are glad that he joined us – almost 10 years ago now. :)
And for the band name... no special meaning. We just had a song called "Superpowers", so it made sense that we should be called H.E.R.O..

SE!: What artists did you enjoy listening to when you were going up? Do you feel they have influenced, in any aspect, your current work as a band?

CS: I think we all grew up listening to quite different artists. Søren is definitely more old-school than Andi and me. He listens to a lot of The Beatles and Led Zeppelin, Bowie and stuff – while Andi is a heavy metal guy. I myself grew up in the grunge era, so I was deep into Nirvana, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam and such.
I definitely think that all our influences have been a big part of creating that special H.E.R.O. sound.

SE!: When we think about genre, yours is even a bit "obvious" to determine: rock. But we can't really say it is a usual rock. You guys have a unique energy, and a melody that usually reminds us of pop and other genres besides rock itself. How would you define your own music, in genre and style? And how does your process of finding the right sound for your songs work?

CS: Well... that's a thing that many have asked us before. We don't really care about genres – we usually just make music the way we like it.
That being said, I'm a person that has pop written all over my Spotify. Which means that I don't listen to rock or metal that often anymore. So when it comes to our sound, we try to combine a heavy bottom with modern and contemporary melodies and lyrics.

SE!: Still talking about your process of music making, but now going beyond sonority. How is your songwriting process? What themes do you like to deal with in your lyrics? What messages do you seek to convey? And what else do you take into consideration during your creative process?

CS: Our writing process is pretty easy, I think. I don't believe in divine inspiration and such – I believe in hard work, and writing every day.
That's how I do it with H.E.R.O. and when I write and produce for other artists.

SE!: In 2020, you released your second album, "Bad blood". It is great, and it has one of our favorite songs of yours, "Avalanche" (which we selected as one of the best European songs of 2020). It is an album with different styles, melodies, moods. What can you tell us about it, and its songs?

CS: Thank you so much for rating "Avalanche" so high on your top 50 – we really appreciate it! It's also a song that is close to my heart.
From a personal point of view, I think that was the song that kicked off the sound and vibe of the whole writing and production process of "Bad blood".
The "Bad blood" record has a big "personal crisis" written all over it. I won't go into details, but we were dealing with some personal problems in the band – and the easiest way to overcome that is to write some songs about it.

"We are not halfway there when it comes to what we want to achieve" (Picture: Nalle Magnusson)

SE!: You have crossed borders, and achieved success in other countries as well. An example of this is Japan, where you reached #1 on the international radio charts for several weeks. How did your relationship with Japan, and with audiences in other countries, begin, and what is it currently like? And how do you feel, reaching people from such different places?

CS: I think we are really blessed with all the stuff that has happened and still is happening in Japan. I think it all started by a coincidence – a powerful Japanese rock DJ picked up our song "Dangerous" and played it on the radio again and again. That really started all the attention from both record labels and fans.
We do have a special bond with Japan, and we always have the best time in the world when we visit.

SE!: Now looking to the future: What do you still want to achieve in your career? What are your biggest professional objectives and dreams?

CS: It's always difficult to talk about dreams and hopes for your career – especially with a year with COVID-19, that made us cancel almost everything we had planned. But I can tell you this... We are not halfway there when it comes to what we want to achieve. We are working hard on new music at the moment, and I'm confident that 2021 will be a great year for us.

SE!: You have worked with some big names of the music industry, such as Slash, for example. What do you seek to bring from experiences with other artists? And if you could choose anyone, who would be some Danish and international artists you would still like to collaborate with?

CS: It's a dream when you're in the presence of legends, and some of your biggest idols. We have done nothing but just being humble and trying to enjoy and learn as much as possible.
As for a Danish artist, there are quite a few pop acts that I would personally like to work with – but if Dizzy Mizz Lizzy or Volbeat called us and wanted to collaborate, we wouldn't turn it down.

SE!: What are your professional projects for the near future? What can your fans expect from you in 2021?

CS: Fans can expect quite a lot! We are finishing up our new single – hopefully to be released soon – and there will be a full length album later this year.
For me, personally, I've done an album with Danish rock band Lucer, that I really want to succeed. And I've done a full album with Pretty Maids guitarist Ken Hammer, which I have high hopes for as well. So, quite a busy year!

SE!: We would like to finish this interview with a song of yours. What is your favorite song by H.E.R.O., and why?

CS: Oh... that's a tough one. Can you play the entire "Bad blood" album? :)
Naaahhh... one of my all-time favorite songs is "I hope this changes everything". I think it captures everything in H.E.R.O.: pop, rock, and metal.