Interview with Nordic Daughter
Nordic Daughter is a Folk, Alternative Rock, and Violin band.
Why did you want to be in the music industry?
It is the one thing I have ever done that doesn't feel like work. It aligns with our purpose and passions to help make transformative change in our world. I don't think any of us sought music for the ego, it is certainly for alignment with spirit. I love music and it has assisted me in processing deep trauma, it has given me confidence like nothing else has. When you come from a place where your ego is shattered one of the longest roads back is finding your self-worth. I didn't really have anyone to process my traumas with so I had to do it in a different way. Music is my therapy!
What inspires your music?
The human condition is often the crux for musicians to glean words of wisdom for the audience. We are not much different. Jason lost his dad when he was a young boy and when he picked up the guitar at 11 it became his tool for an emotional process. You may notice that many of our songs are in Minor keys, which tend to draw from deep change and transformative energies. I had my own childhood traumas, this many of the lyrics you will hear in our music is introspective and soul searching.
What things get you in the mood to write songs, or do lyrics come spontaneously?
We allow things to happen organically. Jason may find a riff he likes and flesh out a phrase then a vocal melody creeps into the fray. Lyrics usually come after we establish an emotion for the song and then we write to that feeling. I don't believe you can find authenticity by simply pumping out songs. You must be in connection with spirit and self. I write a lot of poetry so many times I will rearrange my lyrics by cutting or adding syllables or pulling out a thesaurus if I need something in a different time.
How do you want your music to affect people?
We want our music to have lasting effects on people, to stick with them for days or weeks after hearing the song once. We want people to find solace and healing in our music that helps them transcend the traumas and find peace. To learn how to be brave enough to face our fears and choose growth and change over fear and doubt. Inspiring others to find their voice and follow their passions can not be downplayed this is why we live this existence on the planet.
Do you test out your songs before releasing them? How do you do this?
We test out our songs live before releasing them. Typically we are testing them out for a year before we even hit a studio. I think it's important to gauge audience appreciation before we spend the time and money to go into the studio. When we get tracks back before they hit shelves we usually will do a short listening party and see what fans think.
How do you prepare for a gig?
Gigging is unique with our crew. We only need a practice or two if we haven't played in a few weeks but because we perform original music we are all seasoned with the songs. Usually, we are focused on merch set up, lights, projector and sound checks more than anything else. I usually dress and do my makeup usually before we arrive because I have too many other items to check off when we arrive at a venue, the last thing I need to worry about is what I look like. It's always laid back and low stress because we have learned how to pair down the gear and the set-up to basics especially for touring. Let's not forget to HYDRATE!
What is your favorite song that you've written?
My favorite song right now is probably "This is the Place". I wrote this song as I was looking at my life and thinking about how finite our lives are, 75-100 years if we are lucky. How precious and beautiful the years can be if we seize the days we have and embrace life with all of its lessons and magic. It's the story of our hero's journey into ourselves to discover how we waste our capacity only to find it hopefully before it is too late. I can't wait to share it with you. It is off the 3rd album coming out this summer.
Has there been a reaction to one of your songs that you've been surprised by?
We are One has gotten the most attention by far. We had my cousin Kyle Street go by Triviad do a remix of this song and it was picked up as the theme music for a blog out of Australia. This was the coolest thing that has happened with the songs so far. It also sounds like one of the songs on the 3rd album is getting picked up for placement in a new series in 2024. I am feeling really excited about how we are flowing right now.
What are some ways that you promote yourself?
We work with a small publicist that gets us reviews and interviews in different online publications. In addition we are starting to work with a social media marketing agency to handle platforms outside of facebook. We do event ads on facebook and we use google ad words to get the word out but we don't have the reach or the pockets of a major label yet. We also do direct marketing to venues and event planners. Occasionally I will buy an ad on Reverb that goes out to bigger websites.
What would you say has been the biggest challenge of your career?
Biggest challenge has been buying from venues or buyers that haven't seen us live. Once they do, they want to book the band but even getting booking responses is difficult. We all want to be taken seriously, but I think venues are still very much businesses that can't survive off of good music alone!
What have been your favorite places to tour?
Some of my favorite places have been Oregon and California mostly because of the weather and the forests. We have a tendency to bring our paddle boards with us when we tour. This year though we take on Alaska and Kentucky. We were booked for two different Viking festivals this year in these locations and we are planning tours around both. Since Alaska is my home, we are able to spend time with family and really enjoy ourselves, enjoy the midnight sun and fish on the Kenai!
Our bass player moved to Kentucky this last summer so this will be the first gig he has been able to play with us. We are super excited about this gig because the Kentucky Renfaire is doing its first Viking Weekend the first week of November and we have been invited to perform.
Are there advantages to being an independent musician?
I think the biggest advantage is freedom and flexibility. You don't have a label as a boss giving you deadlines to hit and budgets to meet. Being an independent artist pushes us to manage the business like a business. We don't have the constraints, but we have to drive ourselves forward with a purpose and when life gets tough you train musicians that can fill in for whomever is struggling or busy. This way we don't get sidelined for no reason.