Denmark born but based in Berlin, Asbjørn is a songwriter with an uncommon creative outlook. Unable to mirror himself in the masculine ideal during his early years, he looked to strong women like Madonna and Beyoncé for inspiration. With new album Pseudo Visions released 6th November 2015 via Sinnbus, he is breaking with gender conventions, and expressing his identity on his own terms. Find out more below.
- Where and when did you first discover your interest in music?
I used to ditch school and go with my parents to work. They were both music teachers and they wrote silly excuses to my teachers about me helping out Santa wrapping gifts or whatever, but really I was just dancing and drumming like crazy with passionate people.
- What are your main ambitions in the industry?
To make brave pop music. To show that there are other ways to navigate as a male artist within pop culture. It has to be brave. And vulnerable. I don’t believe in the saying “personal never private”, to me private is key. We have to put ourselves on the line.
- When did you start writing your own songs/music?
I started composing with my mother on the piano. She would play different chords while I’d yell stuff like “no mom! More sad! More dreamy!” and when the feeling was right I started singing melodies and words. At one point I became too impatient and started playing and writing on the piano myself.
- What would you say is your music career highlight to date?
Everybody wants to “live the dream”, you know? But I think most of us are really bad at recognizing when we’re actually doing it. We’re already on to the next goal. With Pseudo Visions I found a way to make music and live life at the same time. Being present right now, instead of relying on success to be happy. To me that is the dream.
- Who will we hear in your songs? What are your influences?
You will hear the intimacy of Ane Brun, the sadness of Lykke Li and the cockiness of Justin Bieber. My influences are countless, but in my own music I am trying to combine the melancholy and intimacy of folk music with the physicality and energy of R&B and pop music.
- What’s the most important thing you’d want to tell people about your current release?
Pseudo Visions is all about giving into the intensity of a moment. Whether it’s letting go of your body, your mind or your heart; that’s when magic happens. You look back at these moments and it seems like a dream, you can’t really define what happened. Those are my pseudo visions and that’s the fuel I need to live life.
- Who else can you recommend from your genre or local area for people to have a listen to?
Right now I am obsessed with Kill J’s new single “You’re Good But I’m Better”. She is definitely brave.
- Any gigs coming up?
The first leg of my Pseudo Visions tour is in Germany and Switzerland in November. Next up is definitely the UK and France in the beginning of the new year. Can’t wait to get back to London, my first show there at Ja Ja Ja Festival was a dream come true!
- Where can we find/follow you online?
You can watch the Pseudo Visions on youtube.com/asbjornmusic – a new video will appear quite soon too… and i will keep you close on facebook.com/asbjornmusic, instagram.com/asbjornmusic and twitter.com/asbjornmusic
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