Birds Are Better is the brainchild of Norwegian musician Stian Fjelldal, who recently released his second single Marigold. I featured the track in a round-up review based on Nordic artists and really enjoyed his sound – if you liked the song, read the interview below to find out more!
By Jane Howkins
You recently released a new track titled Marigold, which we reviewed. What can you tell us about the song?
Marigold was considered the flower of death in pre-Hispanic parts of South America and you will see marigolds all over the place when Mexicans celebrate their holiday Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). The song follows a person reflecting on the bigger questions in life – where are we coming from and where are we going – while he’s chased down by some vicious people. It’s quite an ambient and repetitive indie folk tune and certainly not a typical hit song. It’s more about the story telling than the hooks, and I think it somehow encompasses what you can expect from the forthcoming album – death, grieving and hope wrapped up in some dreamy indie folk pop. In that sense it’s a fitting first single.
How has the reception been so far to Marigold been so far, and where can it be purchased?
The reception has been great, I’ve received lots of love and praise and some really nice reviews from all over the world, which I’m not used to as I’ve been singing in Norwegian up until now. You’ll find the song wherever you stream your music.
Are there any plans to release a full-length album or an EP?
I plan to release a few singles and my first album in English next year. Marigold is kind of a try-out to get things going and do some research on my way forward in a music landscape, which is much vaster than I’m used to!
Your music contains elements of lots of different genres and is quite experimental.What/who influences you most as an artist? What have you been listening to recently?
I listen to a lot of music in different genres, but over the last couple of years I’ve been obsessed by Fleet Foxes, I just can’t get enough of them. The Flaming Lips has also been on heavy rotation, not to forget First Aid Kit. But there is one band I always get back to, Crowded House, my all-time favorite which I fell in love with as a teenager – the magical beauty of Neil Finn’s songwriting has been with me since. It’s kind of a starting point or the origin of my musical taste.
What is the composition process like for you?
Most of the time it starts off with me fiddling with the guitar and a sense a flow while trying out different chord progressions. Most often I record the ideas on my phone and get back to them after a while. If I still like the idea, I’ll figure out some lyrics, often based on the ad-libbing from the recording. If the song still gives me the fizz, I get to work in my home studio.
Where are you based? What is the music scene like there at the moment?
I live in Oslo, Norway. The Norwegian music scene is great with a lot of new talent ricing like Girl In Red and Dagny.
Did the pandemic hinder you much?
No, quite the contrary, actually, if I’m honest. This new project started a few years ago as the result of writer’s block and a fair amount of frustration struggling to find my place in the Norwegian singer/songwriter landscape, writing songs and singing in my distinct southern Norwegian dialect. So, I gave English a go and suddenly I found a new sense of direction. I got in touch with producer Håkon Gebhardt (Motorpsycho, HGH, GebHeart) who runs a studio in Firenze, and who I’ve been working with on three of my previous albums in Norwegian. My original plan was to record an album in his studio, but when the pandemic came about, we decided to work online instead. I recorded the songs from my bedroom in Oslo and skipped the tracks to him for the final creative and finalizing process. It’s been a really liberating process and I have learned a lot about recording, self-management and discipline. So you might say the pandemic forced some new skills on me.
Do you have any tour dates lined up for the UK?
I’ve never played in the UK, but I’m certainly up for it if you’ll have me.
Any last words for the fans?
Please love me! No, I’m kidding. I love music, and if you love music too, that’s all I could ever ask for.