Interview: Nicola Høie

Brendon Veevers: How are you doing today and where does this interview find you?   

Nicola Høie: I’m doing really good thank you. Right now I’m home in Norway.  It’s very nice to be back with my family after having not seen them in a while so I’m just chilling with them.

BV: For those who have yet to discover Nicola Hoie, how would you describe your music? 

NH: I would describe my music as edgy pop. It’s pop but it has slight elements of rock in it. My music is also very catchy. I’m hoping people of all ages will like to listen to my music.

BV: Congratulations on the release of your very first single which is called Secrets and was released this month. Can you tell us a little but about this song and the inspiration behind it?  

NH: My song Secrets is basically about a bad relationship. It’s about liking someone who isn’t good for you and you don’t want to acknowledge your feelings for them or give them the satisfaction of knowing that you’re interested. It’s about having history with someone you know isn’t good for you and they make a bunch of empty promises saying they have changed when in reality they haven’t.

BV: The first single is a really major thing for a new recording artist. What did you do to celebrate the release?  

NH: I was so nervous but also so excited. I felt so many different emotions that day. I was with a small group of friends and family so it was nice and intimate.

BV: What involvement do you have in the process of putting together new songs. Are you a songwriter too or are you happy to leave this to others and focus on being a recording artist?  

NH: I have been lucky enough to work with so many talented people. I have worked with people who have written for years and years so they have plenty of experience. I held myself a bit back in the beginning because I didn’t know if what I would deliver to them  would be good enough. But I do love to write, I love to write about experiences I have had and make them like a story. Usually when I write, then I go to my notes on my phone or write in my journal. I tend to do it when I’m not in the best place and just write about how I’m feeling. Then I could for example take a lyric out of that paragraph that I have written and take another one and join them up and get something cool out of it. It’s important for me to be a songwriter as it is as a recording artist. I’m very excited to just keep learning and trying new things. It’s all a journey at the end of the day.

BV: What type of songwriter would you say you are – do you write from personal experiences or are you more of an observational writer? 

NH: I would say that I’m one who writes from personal experiences. I think it’s also cool to write about fictional things but I tend to write about my own experiences and feelings.

BV: What have you found to be the most fun aspect of being a recording artist so far?   

NH: To be honest I enjoy everything about being a recording artist. One of my favorite things is to work with people who are so dedicated to their craft and care so much and just put all their love into it. It’s truly so inspiring and I’m learning a lot every single day. It just makes you want to get better and better.

BV: Has there been any challenges so far in your rise in the pop world or has thigs been fairly smooth? 

BV: There are so many amazing bands to come out of Scandinavia – ABBA, Roxette, Ace of Base, Aha and Aqua to name a small handful to break the international market. What do you think it is about Scandinavia that produces such successful pop acts?  

NH: Being from such a beautiful country I think it’s easy to get inspired. We have the best nature and some of the most magical places even though we’re a small country. There are a lot of really talented producers and writers in Norway and it would be cool to work with some along the way.

BV: Did you grow up in a musical family?  

NH: I come from a very academic family and I’m the opposite. I’m basically the black sheep. But my dad is a very creative person as is my mom. I grew up listening to my dad play a lot on the piano and guitar. My mom would always have music on in the house and would listen to all kinds of different music. Being around music so much growing up inspired me to become a recording artist in the first place.

BV: What artists have most influenced you the most?  

NH: I would say the artists who have influenced me are Adele, Michael Jackson, The Weeknd and The Beatles. They all just make great music.

BV: If there were say 5 artists in the world that you could chose to collaborate with, who would they be?  

NH: If I could collaborate with 5 artists in the world then it would have to be The Weeknd, Miley Cyrus, Adele, Ed Sheeran and Coldplay.

BV: What age did you decide that music was the path you wanted to take?   

NH: I loved to sing since I was 8 but it wasn’t before I was 13 I knew I wanted to become a recording artist and performer. I unfortunately struggle with stage fright which sucks so that’s something I have to work on as this is something I love more than anything.

BV: What can you tell us about album plans? Has the process of putting an album together started?  

NH: Yes I think by next summer my first album will be out which I’m super stoked about. We have been working on so much material. My level of patience is running out because I’m dying for people to hear everything. I just want it all out.

BV: What about shows? When can we expect to see you on stage over here in the UK? 

NH: I don’t think shows are too far away. We don’t have a date yet or anything but it’s getting closer.

BV: What type of show do you put on? What can we expect from a performance?  

NH: You will just have to wait and see. I do know that I want to put on the best show. I want to only deliver the best and want everyone to really enjoy it and just overall connect with people. My biggest priority is to have it so entertaining that people won’t get bored for a minute and will just enjoy every second and be present.

Nicola Høie’s brand new single Secrets is out now.