Tag: norway

Spotify’s Latest U.S. RADAR Artist girl in red Turns the Volume Up Ahead of Her First Album Release

March 3, 2021

Marie Ulven, the 22-year-old Norwegian singer-songwriter better known as girl in red, was walking her dog Luna in her Oslo neighborhood when a group of teenage girls started singing at her. Marie started dancing while continuing to walk—they were singing her 2018 song “i wanna be your girlfriend,” one of her two standout tracks that have now accumulated over 150 million streams on Spotify. “I’m in love with you!” one called. 

Since the release of “i wanna be your girlfriend” and “we fell in love in october,” girl in red has continued putting out melodic, dreamy tracks about mental health and romance at a rapid pace, with several singles and two EPs over the last two years. Fans have flocked to her Spotify profile by way of social media, where she’s become something of a queer icon. Her music has landed on several Spotify playlists, including Lorem, Bedroom Pop, New Music Friday, and Out Now. And now, as Spotify’s fifth U.S. RADAR artist, girl in red will also be discoverable to new fans through the genre- and globe-crossing emerging artists program. 

Spotify created RADAR to help artists across all stages of their careers use the strength of our platform to deepen connections to their audiences. As Spotify’s latest RADAR artist, girl in red will be featured in the RADAR playlist, create a Spotify Singles recording, and release a forthcoming biographical mini documentary. She’ll also receive promotional support for her upcoming releases, including today’s billboards in NYC and Oslo, plus a full suite of marketing  and social promotion. 

“We’ve been closely watching girl in red’s steady ascent over the past few years—she’s built a tight-knit community of devoted fans in a remarkably organic way, based on her self-assured songwriting and deeply personal lyrics—all as an independent artist,” says Ned Monahan, Spotify’s Head of Global Hits. “We’re beyond excited for her debut full-length, and look forward to helping with her global ascent via RADAR.”

girl in red’s RADAR spotlight comes at an opportune time. As she announced today, girl in red will release her first full-length studio album, if i could make it go quiet, on April 30. After several years of bedroom production, the songwriter is now looking forward to the beginnings of a lifelong career in music. “I’ve had a little bit of a realization making this record. I just gained so much respect for people who’ve dropped their eighth studio album. I want to be like that artist—one day—who has eight records because they just love making music.” 

For the Record caught up with Marie after a busy day in which she reviewed the music video for her newest single (and FINNEAS collaboration), “Serotonin.” Read on to hear her thoughts on dabbling in rap, covering Maggie Rogers for Spotify’s Studio Oyster program, and Spotify Canvases. 

Uncover the Best Artists of the Nordics on Oyster, Spotify’s New Playlist and Studio Program

April 24, 2020

The Nordic region has long been a hotspot for game-changing and globally beloved music. Countless artists, producers, and songwriters (ranging from established names Robyn and Yung Lean to newcomers girl in red, SASSY 009, and Augustine) have made their mark on the industry and inspired fans around the world. But with so many of these impactful artists spanning multiple diverse genres, it can be difficult to experience them all in one place. That’s where our new playlist Oyster comes in.

With this playlist, Spotify listeners can discover the best and most relevant work across the Nordic region and beyond—just as they would discover a pearl within an oyster. 

“In a lot of the music I listen to, there’s an array of influences that come from everywhere,” says Swedish indie-pop artist Augustine. “It’s hard to categorize artists in one simple genre nowadays. I’m really excited that Spotify is creating a new space for this kind of music with its launch of Oyster, and I look forward to being a part of it.”