By Kieran Hadfield
Norway’s next breaking alt-pop artist SKAAR has shared her debut EP ‘The Other Side Of Waiting’, which opens with her brand new single ‘Turn of the Tide’.
An alluring fusion of luscious vocals, addictive hooks and unbridled positivity, ‘Turn of the Tide’ provides an irresistible introduction to the EP. The song has taken on a new power in the current situation, as it offers a beacon of hope that there are better times ahead. You can watch it’s video HERE.
“When I wrote this song with Madfun, we realised we all wanted to move forwards,” explains SKAAR. “We needed to let go of things that hadn’t been working for us and people that had been a bad influence. This year has been a turning point for us all. It’s important to have a song that looks towards a brighter future.”
Featuring all of SKAAR’s early singles, ‘The Other Side of Waiting’ veers from energising to theatrical to intimate. It charts many of the experiences that she has faced over the last few years. The songs are sourced from her own unique stories, but they document the universal challenges that come as teenagers transition into adulthood. Whether it’s calling out a friend’s cheating partner (‘Five Times’), being unafraid to drop adversaries from your life (‘24’) or struggling with anxiety and panic attacks (‘Pearls’), SKAAR cuts to the heart of the subject matter.
They are inspiring too, with ‘Higher Ground’ acting as an unguarded declaration of positivity that accepts naivety as a strength. Meanwhile ‘For Andrea’ is a love song with a twist, an emotional tribute to SKAAR’s best friend.
The process of making the EP has been two-sided. On one side it was calm, as SKAAR waited until she honed her craft and had written a strong enough catalogue of songs. “But the other side has been a rollercoaster of emotions!” she laughs. “That’s what I’d like people to feel when they listen to it. The songs on the EP are about the things happening on the other side of the writing process, which is where the title comes from.”
It’s hard to identify direct reference points for SKAAR’s eclectic sound, but there are echoes of her key influences. The empowerment and vulnerability of Banks is definitely present, as is a touch of classic pop nous. You wouldn’t listen to ‘The Other Side of Waiting’ and make comparisons with Coldplay or Foo Fighters, but her early love of both bands is apparent through her flair for stratospheric choruses.
SKAAR grew up surrounded by the stunning scenery of the island of Stord. A career in music didn’t seem realistic early on, but everything came together piece-by-piece. Two years after releasing her debut single, she’s now primed for a glowing future. “This EP is bang of an introductory,” she states. “It represents me as a person and an artist. It’s impossible to separate those two things.”
‘The Other Side of Waiting’ tracklist:
You can find SKAAR’s official channels here: Official website, Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook