In my culture we had songs for everything, and that's lost now. There were songs for when people were born, when they died, when they sowed the field, baked bread and they're gone now mostly. I think we need these songs today. One of the reasons people connect to Wardruna in such a personal way is because there is a need for these songs and for that kind of connection to the nameless. Call it nature, god whatever.
Wardruna is a combination of old and new. I use historical instruments and new and electronic instruments and tools. I use drones and samples to build these huge sounds. Sometimes just a sound can trigger words or melodies. I don't have a romantic notion about the past; with Wardruna I wanted to create something new using something old.
In the long run, you have to have patience and integrity and a plan. You can't compromise your vision. I'm a bit of a control freak, brutal when it comes to my art because I believe it's the best way of doing it, for me. My stubbornness has given us the chance to play in some amazing places that most people never would have been allowed to play in. If I don't put a value on my work, then nobody else is going to.
Music should be demanding for the listener. You can gain more out of it that way. I always try to leave space in the music for the listener to have their own experience of it, so it's not bombarded with only one meaning.
My music demands something of the listener, it is demanding music. I think that's a good thing. I'm not chiselling anything in stone or serving you any truths. Even to native Norwegian speakers, my lyrics are veiled. I'm asking questions.
I can't write or read music. I am self-taught and never learned formally. It can be a curse sometimes but I think it's more difficult for those who need the music to read from than for those who play by ear.
People would be surprised if they knew how shitty my recording situation has been over the years. It took a lot of work to make the music sound ok. Having space where you can't be heard is more important than not being able to hear. If you can't be heard you feel more free when you work.
Learning to play old instruments was a challenge. How do you learn an instrument no one has played in hundreds of years? The ones that are used today, I was adamant not to hear anyone else play that instrument. I want to approach them as a child and on the basis of each instrument. I wanted my voice to come through, not someone else's.
My approach is a bit unconventional because it kind of turns things around. I made a promise to myself at a very early stage that I wasn't going to try and force something into a specific shape. It's a process where I allow the songs to go where they want to go and it doesn't really fit into any kind of genre.
In regards to live shows, space is very important to me. Space and context should complement the music in some way; you gain so much from it. It enhances the dialogue between audience and performer. I'm very much aware of this when choosing venues. I say no to 90% of booking offers. Somehow I feel the venue needs to make sense.
