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aurora-daily · 4 years

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AURORA On Greta Thunberg, Singing On Frozen 2 and Why Introverts Should Be World Leaders

Interview by Jovi Ho for Popspoken (November 25th, 2019).

Amid the wet and stormy weather this weekend, about a thousand people witnessed a burst of the northern lights at Fort Canning Park.

The wild and exuberant display came in the form of 23-year-old Aurora Aksnes, one of just a handful of artists who go by the same name on and off the stage.

“We came on Friday, so we had the whole day,” said AURORA, her hands fluttering freely as she spoke. “But I slept all the day and I only woke up yesterday afternoon.”

Much like the aurora borealis, the Norwegian songstress has held her own in the saturated skyline of the music industry. Since her debut in 2015, some have noted elements of Björk in her frenzied rhythms and ethereal, vowel-led toplines, but the soft-spoken singer reveals that she instead holds the reclusive Irish artist Enya close to her heart, and very little else.

“I don’t really like music,” she said, almost apologetically. “I like to be quiet.”

“I make music all the time, so I’m so afraid that I’ll be disturbed by other music. I need to focus on what I have in me first.”

Between wild gestures and a fragrant cup of instant coffee, which she offered to share, AURORA stopped for a quick chat with Popspoken before her show-stopping set at the Neon Lights Festival 2019.

Popspoken: We last caught you at Laneway 2017! What draws you half a world away on this little Asia tour?

I really love Singapore. I love the people here; they’re so enthusiastic. They really enjoy the show, so I was really eager to come back.

I like that Singapore looks like a city that can live in harmony with nature. You have all these trees, and all these buildings and plants. It’s really nice to see this balance between humans and nature.

And it’s good that the area is so… wet. It’s easier when the area is so warm and wet.

PS: Now you live in a quiet area in Norway, while most Singaporeans grew up in a busy, packed city. What do you think are some of the best things about growing up in nature?

The nature where I come from is very different; it’s not as varied. We have like Christmas trees, but we have a thousand of them, in the woods. And it’s very cold and there’s no one there.

Where I grew up, we were the only people, so it was very quiet. I loved being in nature as a child; it meant a lot to me because you can just be yourself in nature and I was a bit different from my classmates in school, so I liked that I could be in the woods and feel very comfortable and accepted.

PS: Tell us more about the message of Infections Of A Different Kind and A Different Kind Of Human.

I focus a lot on the way I say things to people. I feel like now we’re at a time where we really have to do something before it’s too late, so our children will have a beautiful world, like we have.

But it’s not about blaming each other, and I think we shouldn’t focus on what we did wrong, and say, “You did this” and “You did that”. We should focus on what we can do and the positives; that there is hope, still.

Many of the young people, both young of mind and young of age, are willing to do and sacrifice things to save the planet. I think it’s a really moving time to be alive because people are actually working on something together. We’re united all around the world. I think it’s a hopeful time and I want to focus on explaining how beautiful the earth is through music, rather than being negative and blameful about it.

PS: Who is the focus of your song Apple Tree: Greta Thunberg or an entire generation?

I’m talking about all people. Greta is definitely and example that every small human being can do big things, but it’s up to everyone. She’s done a brilliant job in spreading more awareness, but now everyone has to be willing to help.

It’s like the big trial of humankind. We have to be on the same side and work together as one, which we haven’t done so often.

I actually wrote the song long before Greta was in the spotlight, but I think everyone can make a lot of change. We just have to believe that we are important because we are.

PS: It’s a very big thematic shift from your first album. Where do you think you’re going next, because I heard there are more albums on the way.

Yes, I’m already making it. I’m making two albums, actually. But of course, one of them will have to come first.

I care a lot about perspective and seeing the big picture of things, seeing everyone and how things connect and why we are the way we are. So it’s also important to see the small things and appreciate the small things. I guess it’s easier to be happy when you realise you have small problems, and they’re not that big.

With every album, I feel like the perspective is a bit bigger. All My Demons Greeting Me As A Friend, my first album, is about your personal pain. Infections Of A Different Kind is about building yourself up and figuring out if you can help other people. A Different Kind Of Human is even bigger; it’s about helping the world and all the people and the animals.

I guess I’m going even wider with that perspective, more spiritual. And then maybe I’ll go back really, really small again. It’s really exciting.

PS: Congrats on the new song from the Frozen 2 soundtrack! Now, which Disney character do you identify with the most?

I love the, what’s the English name, The Hunchback of Notre Dame. I don’t know why, but as a small child, I just loved him so much. /laughs/ He was so strange. I loved that he had his treasures up in the small room in the Notre Dame, which now has burned down, which is horrible.

I really loved that movie and I love the way it points towards some of the dark side of religion, with the villain. I thought that was interesting because those themes don’t usually appear in children’s movies.

What I love about Disney is that they don’t underestimate children, because children are not stupid. They can understand a lot, especially emotion. They’re very smart, sometimes smarter than adults because they go by instinct, like the animals.

PS: With Frozen 2 coming out, do you see yourself as an icon for younger children? There’s a whole new audience listening to you.

I don’t know. I don’t see myself as an icon, but I think it’s important to be the best you can for the children. No one is the same, everybody is different, but still we pretend that there is this one thing that is “normal” and everyone who isn’t like that is strange, which is not really true because everyone in some way is an outsider.

I try to be the best for the underdogs, the children, the introverts. I feel like the world doesn’t listen to quiet people, the quiet children. I think they have a lot to say, and I think they will become great leaders, because they know how it is to be forgotten, and how it is to be an underdog, instead of like Donald Trump, which is the opposite of a quiet person. But I think it’ll be good for the world to make room for the quiet people.

I think it’s important to do the best you can to build up children and make them believe in themselves.

PS: You mentioned that Queendom had themes of fighting for feminism and the minorities. What is one message you would like to send to those in countries where minority rights may not be protected?

I’m a big fighter for love and I send my support to all the people out there in love, no matter what kind of love it is. I feel like there are so many things in the history of humankind that have been so cruel and horrible but then we have this one thing and it’s just pure. This one gift that we have the ability to feel love.

Love is the only thing that we have that’s beautiful, no matter what. In the long term, love will always win. If people try to fight against love, I think in the long battle, they will lose because love is stronger than us, stronger than hate. I would just say that there are people all over the world fighting for the right to love and I don’t think we will stop before we have won.

It’s important to fight for the right to be who you are. It’s a basic human right. And you are not alone. People out there, you are not alone.

PS: You mentioned that you like the music of Enya and some metal bands as well. Who do you think are some exciting acts you look forward to right now?

I’m really bad at this because I don’t listen to music so much, because I don’t really like music. I like to be quiet.

I make music all the time, so I’m so afraid that I’ll be disturbed by other music. I need to focus on what I have in me first.

But I have a friend from Norway, she makes really, really good music. She’s called Iris, like the eye. She’s a secret still, very up and coming, but it’s very good music. I would recommend listening to her. She’s also a bit different, which is very cool. So that’s one act I can recommend that’s still /whispers/ a secret.

But yes, I still listen to Enya and heavy metal.

PS: You have a few more show planned in Japan till the end of the year. Your shows are very high-energy, so how do you prepare for them?

Yes, I don’t know. It’s so strange; I don’t know where it comes from, this energy. I think it must be the crowd. I just did a show a few weeks ago where I was really sick before, but I forgot. I feel like I’m dying after every show, no matter if I’m in good shape or not, I’m still dead after every show.

But it’s bigger than me because it’s for everyone. I play for the fans, so you kind of have to give more than you are. If you do it every day, it’s easy to forget, but every show is important. You have to be worth people’s time, and to be the best you can be for them.

I don’t get nervous anymore. The first year I was touring I felt I was going to die before every show and puke, because it was horrible. It’s very against what’s natural, to be in front of people and do things; it’s very strange. But then I got used to it and now I’ve done it for years. I don’t get nervous, which is nice, but I get excited.

I’m really bad at warming up; I don’t really warm up. I just tell myself, “This show is important; as important as every other show. You have to do your best.”

I try to tell myself that I’m doing something good and important. At least for one person, I have to sing for them.

#aurora #aurora aksnes #interviews #ioadk #step 2 #queendom #collaborations #into the unknown

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kpop-rambles · 4 years

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Goodbye 2019. Hello 2020.

To celebrate the new year - which a lot of people are celebrating right now, I’m sure, unfortunately not me yet - I decided to create this post. I don’t know how to explain it but if you like kpop, keep reading!

My Top 3 Songs of 2019

1. SKZ - Miroh

This song got me into my now ult group, Stray Kids. Those 9 boys have honestly made this year 10x better for me. Chan’s VLives definitely helped me when I was upset, and the members made me feel emotions by their side. I’m so glad that add of Miroh appeared and I chose to watch it because I may have not gotten into Stray Kids without it.

2. ATEEZ - Wave

Again, another song that got me into the group. I heard the song in a video where they played huge jenga at Kcon... I think? Anyways, this song is another banger and you completely fall in love with it first listen. You won’t regret listening to this.

3. TWICE - Fancy

I got into TWICE when they released YES OR YES, but FANCY is the song that you can’t not fall in love with. I did on my 2nd listen and man, if you’re saying you didn’t learn the dance and bopped to this song, you are LYING because- let’s be honest - everyone said FANCY SOTY.

Groups I began stanning in 2019 its felt like forever tho

Stray Kids - March 26th. You think I would forget?

ATEEZ - August 18th. Another date I remember, because I spent a good 2 hours getting to memorize the members name and faces. Was so happy when I finally did it.

iKON - Honestly, I was more of a Double B stan since January until Hanbin left. I loved their songs but I never got to know the rest of the members, except for Jinhwan.

ChungHa - Snapping dragged me in. That’s all I gotta say. Although, ngl, Gotta Go was something I always tried to dance to.

KARD - Again, Bomb Bomb just pulled me into the fandom. The rest of their discography made me stay. I sang along to Bomb Bomb everyday for a good 3 months. It was honestly EVERYTHING to me and then Dumb Litty came and stole my heart and KARD did it AGAIN.

Mamamoo - gogobebe. Do I really need to say anything else?

GOT7 - I’m pretty sure I got into them because, well everyone knows GOT7. They’re a name everyone knows if you like kpop, so I just wanted to get into them. Eclipse and You Calling My Name are songs I’ll dance and singalong to in the right mood and right part of the song. But their personalities dragged me in. I’m pretty sure BamBam also attracted me when he was on Stray Kids reality show.

Day6 - Time Of Our Life. I decided to listen to it because Seungmin of Stray Kids was a big fan of them and I was like, it shouldn’t hurt to try. Seungmin made me want to watch and Day6 made me want to stay. They don’t make ANY bad songs.

Everglow - March 18. Listened to Bon Bon Chocolat when it came out, and I was honestly scared ppl were gonna sleep on them cause ITZY debuted a month before. Fortunately, everyone noticed their talent.

BigBang - I dunno just listened to one of their songs. And, of course, I fell in love. Too late to stan them while they were active, but I’m expecting something in 2020... just saaying.

NCT - All of the subunits. Honestly there were so many of them, I spent time taking tests to tell them apart. The struggle to stan these boys. Instantly fell in with the Dreamies. And then I found out they weren’t a fixed unit... My heart shattered. It’s still breaking because 4 OF THEM ARE LEAVING. or left. I dunno.

Tomorrow by Together - They were probably the most anticipated group of this year. I remember ppl hyping them up in October of 2018! Predebut stan right here. (I just remembered that I thought the preview of each member was coming out in age order and thinking that Beomgyu was the youngest. And I was just like WHERE IS HEUNINGKAI FROM?!?!)

ITZY - remember when everyone thought that itzy’s debut was rushed because info about them was leaked. yeah, i forgot too. anyways, again I was a predebut stan.

(G)- idle - i always listened to their title tracks and I began stanning them during Queendom after their Fire cover im listening to 2ne1 2015 mama fire performance rn lol.... omg bom’s han cover just started playing. spotify is watching me guys.

Somi - Birthday was a bop. fight me. outfits sucked, gotta agree with that opinion I didn’t rlly know much about IOI but I started stanning because Jenchu were fangirling to it i mean jennie twerked for it!

Jimin Park - I’m out here still streaming STAY BEAUTIFUL. honestly she’s so loveable. her personality and her voice are everything. how can you not like her

My Top 5 Groups of the Year

1. STRAY KIDS - A lot of the reasons I luv them are the same as ATEEZ. That’s why ateez are close to being my number one, but honestly these 9 boys are everything to me. 9 or NONE FOREVER. They have been through so much this year and I hope they STAY strong for 2020. In their 2020 seasons greeting they announced a full album next year, so I’m ready to follow these boys on their journey no matter how many stay or leave. I’m a STAY for a reason.

2. ATEEZ - PERSONALITY. I’m also a sucker for groups that shove their love for each other in your face. 8 makes 1 team, y’know? Hongjoong and Mingi are amazing rappers, Jongho, Wooyoung and San’s vocals tho, Yunho and Seonghwa’s deep voices are the death of me, and Yeosang dancing. They’re talented and luvable and that’s all I need for an ult group. also all their songs are bops

3. Mamamoo - Honestly would’ve tied with Twice but these I’m a sucker for them as ppl as well, and I need that to luv a group. they ain’t fake, they slap information in your face and they are POWERFUL WOMAN. (Not saying twice aren’t ofcourse) And these girls vocals are on POINT. Moonbyul is rapper material, but have you heard the girl song? What an angel. Their songs are all slaps, especially the most recent ones.

4. TWICE - This was their year? yes or yes. Fancy soty. Feel Special was a great title track, don’t get me wrong, bUT HAVE YOU HEARD THE FULL ALBUM. Every song is my AMAZING. omg rainbow is playing

5. NCT DREAM - These boys stole my heart, I only stanned nct because of them. Honestly seeing the 00 line leave breaks my heart.

My Top 5 girl group and boy group songs

gg songs were honestly so hard to pick, they thrived and SO many good songs were made in 2019. But here is my list.

1. Fancy - soty

2. Hip - this song was everything from the choreo to the song itself to the girls energy performing it

3. Psycho - came out like last week but it’s in everyone's top 10 of this year. Beautiful song that won’t get outta my head. getwellsoonwendy.

4.Violeta - this is another song that won’t get out of my head. honestly none of these songs will. ok so the final dance part after the drop of violeta pisses me off because the dance could is so powerful and that part comes and it’s such a disappointment but it’s the only part I can do so i shouldn't complain but the song itself is very catchy. I don’t want these girls to disband even if the votes were rigged because they make a good group and sing bangers. i don't want them to leeeave.

5.Lion - the song is just so powerful. other songs they’ve made are good, but the chorus is usually a disappointment because the pre chorus is so good but EVERYTHING is great about Lion. Didn’t like it at first for some reason, i dunno why, but once you give it a few more listens you’ll fall in love.

Now onto the boy groups. They made quite a few bangers this year as well.

1. Miroh - It’s my no.1 of the year. watchu expect?

2. Wave - and this is my no.2. Again, what else would I put here?

3. Run Away - what. a. bop. still can’t get out of my head. Crown was a disappointment to me after 1000 listens but not Run Away. A bonus is the Harry Potter references. With that I just was head over heels in love. Txt didn’t fail to disappoint with their comeback even if it was pushed back.

4. Boom - This song made me fall in love with the talent that NCT DREAM holds despite being so young. Sang along for a few months. Actually, it’s still in my head.

5. Make It Right - I was doing title tracks for all these but then I realised there has to be an exception because I just really like this song, especially the one featuring Lauv. Boy with luv wasn’t it for me but every other song on Persona is a straight up masterpiece (ok an exaggeration but u get what i mean)

Now onto the soloists (they’re all female, sry not sry)

1. Chica - I was debating whether to put Snapping or this but decided with Chica. Honestly the vocals, the song, the dance, the MESSAGE, is everything. I love it, it empowers woman, it makes ME feel good, and it’s what some people really need sometimes. So, thank you ChungHa.

2. Gotta Go - another bop by our queen ChungHa, she really ruled this year. I didn’t stan her when it came out but that doesn’t mean I didn’t do the ‘deulshi’ part whenever I heard it. iconic.

3. Twit - Again another iconic bop from this year. (i thought this masterpiece came out last year, i dunno why but it just is so 2018 for some reason? I dunno) Hwasa’s solo debut really was everything. So was Moonbyul’s which unfortunately didn't make it on the list but I would say it’s in between 5th to 7th for me.

4. Stay Beautiful - Such a beautiful song, it was a shame Jamie had to leave but she left JYP saying that they lost smth PRECIOUS and they would regret it and she conveyed all that in one song without hinting at it. So many quote worthy lyrics were in the song and it just bring up my mood and my standard for vocals. Don’t sleep on this girl, y’all.

5. Birthday - the song brought out mixed reactions from everyone but i LOVED IT. It did get a bit old but it’s still something you’ll find me singing along to every now and then.

ARTISTS THAT STOOD OUT TO ME THIS YEAR

1. Bang Chan of Stray Kids. I love him. He’s such a great leader, he’s a loveable person, he’s all rounded and he fucks up sometimes but he acknowledges it and fixes it. He went through so much shit this year and he deserves so much more. I, along with many other STAYs are gonna make 2020 a better year for him and all of his group. Stay strong Chan! But besides his personality his stage presence, his rapping, his singing, his producing, his energy, his personality, it all made him someone who was always on my mind.

2. Yeonjun of Tomorrow x Together. He’s also very well rounded and he really stands out to me from all the other 4th gens. Whenever I see a performance by TXT he always grabs my attention even when he’s not the main focus. I love his dancing, it’s very eye catching to me, along with his stage presence. He never loses his energy on stage and I expect a lot from him in 2020! His rapping and singing are amazing as well, especially for a rookie. Also when they first debuted he cried a lot, which was very heartwarming to me because idols showing emotion other than happy is something I appreciate, because it lets me remember they’re human too.

3. Seulgi of Red Velvet. She’s, again, very well rounded. I’m not really a Reveluv, but Wendy and Seulgi are vocalists who really stand out to me so those to kind of make me want to listen to Red Velvet’s songs. She’s an amazing vocalist, like words can’t express how much a love this woman's voice. Her stage presence is amazing as well, she’s just a really good performer imo.

4. Jihyo and Nayeon of TWICE. First of all I really like their personality and how powerful they are. Honestly a wink from them and I’m falling of my chair. Secondly, I don’t know if anyone's noticed but I really like powerful female vocals, and these two have extremely POWERFUL vocals. Have you heard them sing? Just... POWERFUL, that’s all I can really say to describe their voices.

5. Mingi and Hongjoong of ATEEZ. They are rapper that are gonna blow away the whole industry with 3racha, I mean they already have. Did y’all see their performance in MAMA. The RAWEST vocals I heard that whole show. They were obviously not lip syncing, you could hear Mingi panting and he didn’t rap a whole line, and I LOVE that because it is RAW and we need more raw vocals or atleast breaths heard when the artists are dancing because it makes the performance more REAL. also stage presence is amazing from these two, they really know how to hype up a crowd.

ROOKIE GROUPS I EXPECT A LOT FROM NEXT YEAR

sorry my expectations are high for them, but they have stood out tome so much and i couldn’t stand to see them flop.

1. TOMORROW X TOGETHER - they’ve been on this list quite a lot, and I really appreciate their individual talents along with them as a group. I REALLY want to see them improve and grow more next year because they were really pushed this year, being BTS’s juniors. I’m sure they were really stressed but I want them to become TOMORROW BY TOGETHER not BTS’s juniors. Probably won’t happen in a year but hopefully in the next decade.

2. ITZY - another group really known for theing the juniors of TWICE this time. The title tracks they released so far have all been listen to it the first time, you don;t like it, but listen to it the 2nd time and it’s stuck in your head for the next 7 months. Honestly if they keep going like this, it would be like a ITZY thing, and I honestly wouldn’t mind.

3. EVERGLOW - i think everyone just saw bon bon chocolat, gave it a listen, and loved it. but i also heard it was produced by someone who helped produce Crown by TXT and Spring Day by BTS, so there’s another reason ppl may have liked it so much. Adios wasn’t a disappointment at all. Of course, I would also love it if Everglow kept up the “nanana” thing in each of their title tracks.

4. ATEEZ - I don’t think they’ll flop at all next year. I know they just had their 1st year anniversary, but I wouldn’t mind a full album... either way, Imma stick with them because they’ve only released that good shit so far and I’m honestly expecting a somewhat mediocre song at least once in their career next year. Not expecting it though.

5. ONEUS - I haven’t’t talked about them yet but all of oneus’s title tracks are absolute gold. I am a mess for Valkyrie, Twilight AND Lit. They’re all just AMAZING songs. I mean, what did we expect from Mamamoo’s juniors but. They are REALLY good. Just go listen to all their title tracks rn.

And finally, wishes for 2020

- Of course, Wendy to recover after her tragic incident at SBS. Again, I hope she recovers well

- Mina to come back from her hiatus, only if she’s ready to, of course

- BLACKPINK FULL ALBUM. ROSE SOLO. PLEASE.

- Of course, 4th gen to thrive along with 3rd gen and 2nd gen groups

- A full album from stray kids (which was confirmed) and again, maybe for ATEEZ? just maybe?

- More attention for Mamamoo. They are underrated queens.

- Less hate for Tomorrow By Together. People bash them just because they’re BTS’s juniors. they would be praised a less but definitely not doubted way more if they weren’t under Bighit. Yeah, they get luxuries other groups won’t but that doesn’t mean people should degrade them for it.

And with that

I wish everyone a Happy New Year. May your next decade be filled with happiness and joy! omg fancy started playing

also i didn’t have time to properly edit this. then again i am a rambling blog, so what are you expecting?

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