Spain | Antonio José - "Me olvidé"

BRAND NEW

We remeet Spanish singer Antonio José in another amazing single. We are talking about "Me olvidé", a song which starts as a classic Spanish ballad and evolves to a more agitated chorus in which Antonio oozes emotion.

Finland | Saara Aalto - "Monsters"

BRAND NEW

Saara Aalto is a Finnish singer born in Oulunsalo in 1987. She is a star not only in her native Finland (where she placed second in the local version of The Voice in 2012), but also in the United Kingdom, where she came runner-up in the thirteenth season of X Factor. After becoming one of the hottest pop singers in her country, she was selected to represent Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest later this year with the song "Monsters". The track is a wonderfully produced electronic pop that will have you dancing in no time!

10 Questions For: Hanne Leland

INTERVIEW

It's finally time to begin our 2018 season of interviews! And there couldn't be a better way to start it: we had the chance to talk to one of the most talented new artists rising in the Norwegian music scene. These are our 10 questions for Hanne Leland:

Sounds European!: Let's start from the beginning. How was your relationship with music during your childhood? Who were your music idols when you were growing up? Do you feel they influenced, in any way, the singer you came to be?

Hanne Leland: I have always been obsessed with music. I can't remember not singing. I grew up on a farm far out on the countryside in Norway, and I think growing up outside of the city made me extra creative, as I had to make my own fun. My childhood heroes were Britney Spears and Destiny's Child, I thought they were the most amazing performers (and they really are!!), so I felt super inspired by them. When I got a little older, I started listening to Alanis Morissette and Tori Amos and got into songwriting. I have been heavily shaped by female artists.

SE!: You started singing and playing instruments at a very young age. How did it happen? What are your first memories of singing and playing? What instruments do you play? And when did it hit you that you wanted to take music as your career?

HL: Looking back, I see that music was a large part of my identity already as a kid. I started singing along to these Norwegian children songs when I was super little (that's my first memory of singing), and then when I was like eight or nine, I started making up my own songs. I would sing them in front of anyone who would listen. When I got a little older, I started taking lessons in piano and guitar, and got involved in the local music community. I still play a little guitar and piano, but I usually just use it for songwriting purposes, and leave it to the pros when I'm performing. I've always wanted a career in music. I have always been very determined, and have never really considered doing anything else.

SE!: The first steps of your recording career took place in the United States. And you showed a lot of personality: you gave up a fully-recorded album for not liking its result. Is it hard to stay true to yourself, as an artist, when you are starting a career?

HL: That was such a difficult choice, because I had spent three months in the United States recording a full album, and I just wasn't happy with the sound of it. So I decided to throw it away, and start all over again. It was definitely not an easy decision to make, but I'm happy I did, because the songs and the production weren't good enough. I went to Nashville, and went to writing sessions and recorded new material.

It's definitely hard staying true to yourself as an artist, especially when you're new in the game. There are so many people with so many different opinions on what you should and shouldn't do, and you can't listen to them all. Ultimately, you just have to go with your gut feeling.

SE!: After that first attempt, you went to Nashville and finally released an album, with country music. Later, you switched your work to pop and electropop. Why did you change? And do you feel you've found your genres with pop and electropop? Or is there a chance of your switching genres again in the future?

HL: I grew up listening to both country and pop music, so I always thought I wanted to make a country-pop album. I love the storytelling aspect in country songs, and writing country-pop came really natural to me. But after that first album, I felt like I wanted to do something different. I'm just as much a pop girl as I'm a country girl, and I thought that if I kept the storytelling aspect and my identity in my songwriting, it would still feel authentic to me to switch to electro-pop. It was a natural transition. Scandinavia has so much great pop music, and I guess I was inspired by that as well. I definitely feel like pop is my genre now. I'm going to stick to making pop music, and experiment within that genre.

SE!: You have already based yourself in Norway, United States, United Kingdom... Do you feel your international experience has affected your production? What do you think each of these countries contributed to the music you make nowadays?

HL: I've worked with producers from all over the world, and I think that has affected my sound. I think I have a little bit of the American pop sound in my music, as I've worked in the United States a lot. But I also think you can hear the Scandinavian sound in my songs, as that's such a big part of my identity. I just try to make great pop music that tells a story and has purpose in it. I don't think too much about whether it sounds Norwegian, American or British, as long as it's great.

"I don't think too much about whether it [my music] sounds Norwegian, American or British, as long as it's great" (Picture: Maddie Cordoba)

SE!: Your home country, Norway, is becoming one of the most proficient nations when it comes to electropop. How do you see the relationship between Norwegian artists and audience and electropop? Is it easier to promote your music in a country which has embraced your style?

HL: Norway is doing amazing in the international music scene these days, and that's super exciting. It's great to be a Norwegian artist these days, because people actually listen to Norwegian pop music now, and it hasn't always been that way (Sweden used to rule the pop charts internationally). The fact that Norwegian artists are doing well internationally benefits all Norwegian artists and songwriters. Everyone's paying attention to what comes out of Norway now.

SE!: What are your professional projects for the near future? What can your fans expect from you in 2018?

HL: I'm releasing a lot of new music! I have a new single in May. More news will be announced on my website, www.hanneleland.com, so bounce over there and sign up to my newsletter to get the updates first! :)

SE!: Looking a bit further in the future, what are your biggest dreams? What do you still want to achieve as an artist?

HL: I want to make music that matters and I want to reach as many people as possible with it. I also want to play at stadiums, and release more albums. I want to have a really long career.

SE!: If you could choose anyone, who would be some Norwegian and international artists you would like to collaborate with?

HL: Norwegian artists I would love to collaborate with would be Stargate, Seeb, and Cashmere Cat. Internationally, I would have to say Sia, Tove Lo and Jack Antonoff (Bleachers). They are all amazing.

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

HL: My favorite Hanne Leland song is always the newest one. So, in this case, that is "Carry on".

Sweden | Jessica Andersson - "Party voice"

BRAND NEW

Jessica Elisabeth Andersson is a Swedish singer who was born in Spånga in 1973. She was part of the duo Fame between 2002 and 2006, before starting her solo career. This year, she took part of Melodifestivalen (the Swedish National Final for Eurovision) for the seventh time, with "Party voice". And what a banger it is! It's pop as we expect Sweden to deliver. The song ended as 11th place, but it totally deserved more.

France | Louane - "Immobile"

BRAND NEW

Whenever French star Louane releases new music, our expectations grow. And she never disappoints! "Immobile" is a guitar-driven song with an extremely captivating chorus. And this song is only this great because of Louane, who adds her beautiful voice to it perfectly!

Czech Republic | Pavel Callta - "Doteky"

BRAND NEW

Sounds European! remeets Czech singer Pavel Callta and his brand-new single "Doteky". It offers great instrumentals, which grow into a very captivating chorus. Pavel's unique voice fills it all with even more quality!

Germany | Parallel feat. Cassandra Steen - "Eine sprache"

RECENT

German duo Parallel have gathered with one of the country's biggest stars, Cassandra Steen, to record and release a new single, entitled "Eine sprache". And what a great song it is! It's a perfect match of instrumentals and vocals!

France | Nemo Schiffman feat. Nilusi - "Stop the rain"

RECENT

Two young French rising stars got together for an outstanding new single. It's Nemo Schiffman and Nilusi (from Paris, former Kids United) with "Stop the rain". It's an excellent pop song, with a chorus which is surely one of the best ones we've listened this year. We are totally addicted: it's our song of the week.

Ukraine | Sofia Kutsenko - "Tam budemo"

BRAND NEW

Ukrainian singer Sofia Kutsenko is ready to blow your mind with her new single "Tam budemo". It offers a unique set of melody and instrumentals, as we are not used to get from Eastern Europe, wrapped by her very talented voice. It's excellent!

United Kingdom | Tom Grennan - "Sober"

BRAND NEW

British rising star Tom Grennan has just released a new single. And it has dazzled us once again! "Sober" offers an excellent melody, led by wonderful instrumentals, and a chorus which sticks to the head after the first listen. We love it, we love it, we love it!