Inspired #145 - SilkHuett
We had a chat with young Norwegian singer-songwriter SilkHuett about her debut track ‘Edges’ and the inspirations behind her music.
Who are your top three musical inspirations?
It’s difficult to mention only three, as this is something that has changed and grown a lot over the years. I’d say that Joni Mitchell has been a big inspiration, her songs are calming in a way that makes me slow down and just listen. Tove Lo was someone I listened to a lot when I started writing pop music, she’s great at writing addictive melodies. I discovered Patti Smith as a teenager through her autobiographical book ‘Just Kids’. She has a way of observing people and places and painting emotions with words that I find magnetizing. I’ve gone to several of her concerts by myself just to soak in the experience. I’ve left feeling inspired every time, she’s got an hypnotizing aura.
Is there a certain film that inspires you?
I’m drawn to the feeling of getting lost in art, and I guess any film that inspires that feeling, regardless of genre, is one that can inspire me. Sometimes it’s a feeling of escapism, other times it’s something that can give perspective on certain aspects of my own life. I probably have a new favorite film every month, and if they’re good I’ll re-watch them right away. But if I had to mention a couple of good ones that I’ve seen over the years, it’d be Last Night, written and directed by Massy Tadjedin, Pure, a Swedish film by Lisa Langseth and Avatar. I also remember feeling a creative surge after watching Baz Luhrmann’s adaption of The Great Gatsby, mainly because I love the book by Scott F. Fitzgerald and the story breaks my heart.
What city do you find the most inspiring?
It wasn’t until I left Oslo for London that I realised how much I enjoy Oslo - it’s a quite small capitol, but it’s filled with cool places and artsy happenings. London has been a big inspiration, it’s bustling with energy, which is something I love, but that also exhausts me from time to time.
Who is the most inspiring person to you?
I’ve met a lot of inspiring people, people who are kind and hard-working, who do their best to be a positive light in other people’s lives. For me personally my family is a big inspiration.
What were your inspirations when writing the track?
I was in London, feeling lonely in a city that can sometimes exaggerate that feeling. I started writing the lyrics, and when I was walking to the studio, I wrote the chorus. I vividly remember the grey mist resting heavy in the air, like it was draped in melancholy.
How would you like to inspire people?
I’ve always had a strong will to achieve my goals regardless of other people’s opinions, even when I’m doubting myself as well. It’s probably a chliché, but it would be nice to show that it’s worth following your gut, no matter what you’re trying to achieve, even when it doesn’t turn out how you thought it would. I certainly have, many times; rejection comes easily in the music industry. However I’ve kept writing, learning and creating. Looking back, although it often felt like I was getting nowhere, I was quietly becoming a better artist, while also growing thicker skin.