In Conversation With #185 - Mall Girl
Norwegian art-pop outfit Mall Girl have just released their debut album ‘Superstar’ via Jansen Records.
Superstar, the debut record from Norwegian art-pop outfit Mall Girl, represents an exciting new chapter for the buzzed-about band. The release follows a string of successful singles, including album tracks ‘Bachtap’ & ‘Bubbly Cool Drink’, which introduced them as an act to watch in the alt-pop arena.
Members Iver Armand Tandsether, Hannah Veslemøy Narvesen, Eskild Myrvoll and Bethany Forseth-Reichberg were forced to get creative when the pandemic hit, side-lining best-laid plans to flesh out some songs before heading into the studio together.
"Because of COVID regulations and the four of us living in two different cities, we changed the way we worked with the songs quite radically in the months leading up to the studio recording,” Narvesen says. "We’ve always been very oriented towards the live performance of the songs, including when we compose them together in our rehearsal space. That way of working has led to some challenges when recording, as you end up listening to the songs in a different manner and might figure out you should have done everything differently."
While others put their creative endeavours on hold, Mall Girl opted to try something different. Many of the songs on Superstar were tracks that the band regularly performed, but they wanted to seize the opportunity to evolve their sound even more.
They took a moment to discuss how their album came together.
Hey there Mall Girl, how are you? So your debut album is out now - how does it feel to have it out there in the world?
Yo, we’re feeling fantastically great! Thanks for asking. Releasing the album feels like we’ve been drinking baking soda and vinegar, and now we’re about to pop like four tiny kinder eggs<33 We also feel free, fun, fulfilled and all kinds of words that start with «F».
It is called ‘Superstar’ - what is the meaning behind that?
Firstly that it is a very cool word! Secondly, we believe that it is every person's tiny dream and secret flame and power. They all want to be the Elden Ring of the gaming world!
Where was it recorded? Any behind the scenes stories from the creative process you are happy to share with us?
Most instruments and vocals were recorded in Studio Paradiso in Oslo with engineer Marcus Forsgren, and then further produced and mixed with Marius Elfstedt. Two complete, amazing geniuses who have been hugely important for the sound of the album. Marcus is reaaaaally good at recording and micing and stuff, and Marius is reaaaaaally good at making some digital chaos and spacey fx, so we feel we got the best of both worlds! We also wrote most of the album on facetime, so that may have turned it into the weird thing that it is today!
What are the key themes and influences on the album?
All the things you say to yourself, your internal monologue. The dreams you think of, the love you’re missing, the car you wanna buy, the grandma you should’ve helped over the street, buying the wrong milk from the store, the way you talk about all this stuff with yourself! The truest way you can be angry about wrong milk<3
If the album could be a soundtrack to any film - which one and why?
The italian Stallion, only because it is the greatest movie of all frickin time!!!!!!
Now the album is out there - what next for you?
In the famous words of DJ Khaled: Another one! Also – a couple of veeeeery cool gigs!
