'I hope it finds a place in both your good days and the tough ones'
JOA drops debut EP, Zoe Graham gets ready to hit the road, MAP fundraiser details, Spellemann shortlist is out and International Women's Day marked by events
When Johanna Skippervold dropped her debut EP ‘Previous Problems’ as JOA, then frankly, not much else was gonna get played this week.
And justifiably so. There’s something genuinely uplifting in the melancholy of this storytelling, disarming and empowering, and perfect for spring playlists. It feels very personal from the 20-year-old, raw even. Writing on facebook, she said: “This EP has been my little world for the past few years, and now it’s yours to experience. I hope it finds a place in both your good days and the tough ones. Much love and gratitude for being part of this journey.”
Record of the Week: Previous Problems - JOA Made for radio, live gigs and frankly anywhere - perfect pop.
🎵 Also highly recommended, the dark guitar laden buzz from Lemi’s debut single ‘Daggers’. Shades of Belly for us old timers.
🎵 Very excited about the forthcoming Zoe Graham album Tent due out on March 21. Even better, she’ll be performing live sessions at Assai Records. (Iamzoegraham)
🎵 Suzanne Vega is coming to Glasgow in October showcasing her new album and old faves. You’re welcome. (Whats On Glasgow).
🎵 The Beta Band are back. (The Herald)
🎵 Karine Polwart, Lau, Fergus McCreadie, Dave Milligan, Lizabett Russo, Graham Stephen and Cahalen Morrison are playing for Medical Aid for Palestine on May 30 at the Queen’s Hall in Edinburgh. Book now. If you can’t attend, you can donate here.
🎵 Sofia Isella is St Luke’s bound for Glasgow. Great venue, but very good luck getting tickets for this one. (GiS)
🗞 NEWS
🎵 Gaelic singer Mischa MacPherson, harpist Corrina Hewat and violinist Nicola Benedetti are among 13 women being recognised for their contributions to Scottish Culture in this years Hands up for Trad’s Women in Music and Culture List published to mark International Women’s Day. (The Scotsman)
🎵 ‘Women In Music’ will be the topic of a panel discussion for International Women’s Day taking place at Lews Castle in Stornoway, and featuring Gaelic singer of the year Emma Macleod, Alex Macdonald of An Lanntair arts centre, Carol Ferguson and Michelle Shields from HebCelt Festival, radio presenter Eilidh Macdonald, and artist and music tutor Corina MacInnes. (Isle of Harris Distillery)
🎵 The BBC has also unveiled its programming to mark the day (BBC Media Centre) as is Global Radio (Radio Today). Kim Carnie also hosted Travelling Folk featuring among others Heisk and available to stream now. (BBC Radio Scotland).
VIBES
“I wrote it with Martin Sjølie about half a year before we released it. It was before I signed label contracts, before anything happened. I remember wondering, “Should we go with something else to build an audience and then release this?” But I’m so happy we went with “Don’t Kill My Vibe” first — it describes me really well as a person. I’m very opinionated, I know what I’m comfortable with, I know what I’m not comfortable with. The inspiration for the song was another writing session I had been in where someone wasn’t respecting my opinion. Writing this with Martin afterward gave me some authority. When I walked into sessions after that, I was like, “This is how I write, this is how I feel.” Sometimes I put it on as a reminder to myself if I’m pissed off at something: This is why you wrote this song! I know you shouldn’t say that you listen to your own music, but sometimes it’s true.”
- Sigrid, Don’t Kill My Vibe
🇳🇴 NORWAY
🇳🇴 Excitement in Norway is building after the prestigious Spellmann prize nominees were revealed across 26 categories.
Alternative Pop: AURORA - What Happened To The Heart?; Girl in Red - I'M DOING IT AGAIN BABY!; Konradsen - Michael's Book on Bears; ULD - Fra en annen virkelighet
Song of the Year: Delara - Last Dance; Girl in Red - Too Much; Kygo & Ava Max - Whatever; Marstein Annika - Together; More - 24/7; Cute and Weird Boys - Bærum Bitches.
Release of the Year: AURORA - What Happened To The Heart; Gabrielle - And I lie so that it flows like a waterfall through the room; Ola Kvernberg - Steamdome III: Beyond The End; Wool - From another reality
Producer of the Year: AURORA, Girl in Red, Astrid S and others - Matias Téllez, Girl in Red - Marie Ulven & Matias Téllez, Marstein - Castle, Vetle Junker.
Songwriter of the Year: Ramon Torres Andresen - Tivoli Towers; Marie Ulven & Matías Téllez - I’m Doing It Again; Jo Almaas Marstein & Kastel - Freedom In Chains; Gabrielle Leithaug & Syver Storskogen - And I lie so that it flows like a waterfall through the room.
Music Video of the Year: Ballinciaga - Ballinciaga - Ayt: The Movie; Dirty Oppland - Norwegian Statistics; The Honey Children - Avanti; Witch Club Satan - Fresh Blood Fresh Pussy.
International Success of the Year: Daniel Herskedal - Call For Winter II: Resonance; Bold - Rebel Heart; Girl In Red - I’m Doing It Again Baby!; Roc Boyz - Roc Boyz 2024; Wild Frang - Elgar: Violin Concerto.
Breakthrough of the Year: Anna Little; Ari Bajgora; Golf Club; Slomosa; Cute and Weird Boys; WOOL.
Open Class: Maja SK Ratkje & Stian Westerhus - All Losses Are Restored; Miss! - Springs; Ola Kvernberg - Steamdome III: Beyond The End; Susanna - Meditations on Love.
Showing: Anna Kajander - Al dente; Frida Ånnevik - WE; Lars Martin Myhre - Wages; Marie Løvås - All my answers turned into soap bubbles.
Traditional Music: Britt Elise Skram - JUDGMENT; Johanne Flottorp and Åsmund Solberg - The Fisherman; Mari Boine - Alva; Solfrid Nestegard Gjeldokk and Espen Wensaas - Solhov.
TONO's Copywriting Award 2024: Erlend Ropstad - Erlend Ropstad; Frida Ånnevik - Frida Ånnevik; Gabrielle - Gabrielle Leithaug; Marstein - Jo Almaas Marstein.
TONO’s Composer's Award 2024: Kristine Tjogersen - Kristine Tjogersen; Ola Kvernberg - Ola Kvernberg; Collected works 2024: multiMORF, Janus and Relief, Reflection, Rite. - Knut Vaage; Terjungensemble, Eirin Rognerud, Astrid Nordstad, Lars-Erik ter Jung, Ingvild Nesdal Sandnes, Ulrikke Heinninen - Tyler Futrell.
Contemporary: Kristine Tjogersen - Between Trees; Pinquins / Ensemble neoN / Norwegian Broadcasting Orchestra / Yumi Murakami / Silje Aker Johnsen / Kristine Tjøgersen / Ane Marthe Sørlien Holen - Jan Martin Smørdal: My Favorite Thing; Terjung Ensemble - Tyler Futrell: Stabat Mater; Oyvind Torvund - A Walk into the Future.
Rock: Active Euthanasia - Send Dudes; Heave Blood & Die - Burnout Codes; Seigmen - Resonance; Slomosa - Tundra Rock.
Rnb/Soul: GiddyGang & Vuyo - Destiny/Sacrifice; Isabelle Eberdean - Freewheeling; Nathaniel - Love & Dr. Martens; Son Byrd - Son Byrd.
Pop: Dagny - ELLE; Gabrielle - And I lie so that it flows like a waterfall through the room; Golf club - Golf Club 2024; Metteson - Look To A Star.
Classical: Eldbjørg Hemsing - Hillborg: Violin Concerto no 2 / Liquid Marble; Klaus Mäkelä, Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra - Shostakovich Symphonies 4, 5, & 6; Mathias Halvorsen, the Norwegian Broadcasting Orchestra and Otto Tausk (conductor) - Ravel & Korngold: Piano Concertos for the Left Hand and Orchestra; Oslo String Quartet -LEARN TO WAIT.
Jazz: Eirik Hegdal / Eclectic Connection - turn-chest; Henriette Eilertsen & OJKOS - About patience; Joel and the Neverending Sextet - Marbled; Signe Emmeluth - BANSHEE.
Blues: Birri - For All Those in Mourning; Daniel Eriksen - There'll Be A Time When The Sun Will Refuse To Shine; Kid & Lisa Andersen - Spirits and Souls; Knut Hem - A touch of blues.
Hip Hop: Ari Bajgora - Ari Bajgora; Marstein - FREEDOM IN CHAINS; SAW - PLANET PLATINUM; Taurus - Stunning Makes Master.
Hard Rock & Metal: Gangrene - No Mercy; Siberia - Doom; Bondage - "...By The Shadows..."; Whoredom Rife - The Angry Power.
Party Music: Carina Dahl - Carina Dahl 2024; Shotgun - Spelling Bee 2024; Problem child - Problem children discography 2024; Cute and Weird Boys - Bærum Bitches (Team).
Electronic / Dance: FAKETHIAS - Afterimage; Jerry Folk - Heart EP; NAME OF WARS - MARIO DANTE; Why Kai - Tourist.
Country: Claudia Scott - The Belle Of Singapore; Embla and the Karidotters - Off Leash; Erlend Gunstveit - Watch Me Fall; Nora Legrand - Paper Cloud.
Children’s Music: The seaside gang - The Beach Gang and the Volcano Mystery; Dj MoMo - DJ MøMø presents: The Bucks Bruse at the water park; Planet Patrol - Planet Patrol 2024; Silje and Maria - Noise and Ballad.
The awards ceremony will be held in the Clarion Hotel the Hub, Oslo, on Thursday, April 24. (Spellemann)
🎪 FESTIVALS
🎪 Glastonbury announced Olivia Rodrigo as headliner joined by the 1975 and Neil Young. Couldn’t help but notice Biffy Clyro in there too with Franz Ferdinand who play Barrowland tonight, Snow Patrol and Glasgow bound Gracie Abrams.
🎪 Fresh Ayr Folk Festival are teasing their next drop of artists next week. (Insta)
🤝 OPPORTUNITIES
🤝 Funding is available from the Scottish Government’s Youth Music Initiative (YMI) through Creative Scotland and managed by the Scottish Music Centre for so called continued professional development. (Musicians Union)
🤝 The Scottish Chamber Orchestra is looking for a Concerts & Projects Manager. (SCO)
🤝 The Touring Network are looking for a p/t comms manager. (Creative Scotland)
💷 Don’t forget, today is Bandcamp Friday - go support your favourite acts.
🎶 PLAYLISTS