She learned her craft at a young age, hanging round the studios of her native Norway, and aged 14 worked with Espionage and Stargate to hone her English accent and language.
Here, she talks to M magazine about her influences and why working in the UK became a priority for her.
What are your influences?
Really American stuff, like Fiona Apple, Tori Amos, Christina Agueleira. I get influenced by all kinds of music, from opera to rock.
Is all that stuff really accessible and popular in Norway then?
Yes. We get everything that you guys get. We’re big lovers of music so we have quite a big music market.
Which songwriters do you most admire?
I love Kate Bush, Fiona Apple, Tori Amos. And Jewel was a huge influence on my early songwriting. For me it’s all about the story, so I listen to a lot of country music. It wasn’t until quite recently that I realised artists don’t write their own songs! So when I started four years ago I was like, ‘Oh! Christina Aguilera doesn’t write her own music!’ Storytelling has always been the key ingredient to a song.
What led you to write in English?
It’s because English language music is so big here but also because English hits are better than Norwegian ones! Maybe if I just wanted to be an artist in Norway, I’d write in Norwegian.
You’ve written songs that have been big hits around the world. What makes a song universal?
I actually don’t know! Maybe because I’m a bit young in the industry I just write as good as I can. I know in my heart when something is good. A lot of people would disagree with me because they have a particular formula, but I’ve never been very good at maths!
Did you get any inspiration from other successful Nordic songwriters, such as Stargate and Espionage?
Of course! Those guys have always been great. I remember working with Espionage when I was 14 or 15 and I really learned from them, it was amazing. They helped me work on my accent and language. As someone who doesn’t speak English as a first language you don’t think of it. You constantly have to work at it. I read in English all the time. Whenever I’m in Norway for a long time I feel my English disappear a bit. But in order to be a great lyricist you have to constantly work at it.
What appeals to you about working with UK artists, songwriters, producers?
I was originally signed as an artist over here but my publisher suggested I write for other people, and I found it great. I can do all kinds of different music. I love writing. In Norway we have a very good work moral; we kind of want to make it. We try and try. Our view is different – we have a colder view. It’s lovely to write but we work and work at it. It’s a big part of our culture.
The Nordic region is a breeding ground for interesting music. Why do you think that is?
I think we just want it so much. We have dreams. I wanted to so much to work in music. Also it’s a bit dark and depressing – you just need to do something!
I guess the music industry in the Nordics is very small. Maybe that’s why you have more of an international outlook than we do in Britain…
In Britain you don’t really have to get out there. To earn money you can just stay here and do well. For a Norwegian artist you have to get out. I think that’s the reason you have so many artists and songwriters coming from there. We don’t have more artists, but if we want to make it we have to get out.
In the Nordics, a lot of the songwriters are influenced by British and American songwriters but are actually doing it as well, if not better, themselves! Why is that?
You try to become the best. At least I did. Also we have a lot more to prove, being born and raised in countries where English is our second language. When we come home to our parents we speak Norwegian, or Swedish, or Danish, so I think we have to be good. We have to be better. Why would they go for us if we’re not? We have to constantly prove ourselves! I’ve been doing well for two years and still people say, ‘Wow! Your language is so good.’ And I don’t know whether to take that as an insult or complement. I’m like, ‘Well, what do you think? I’m a songwriter.’
M interviewed Ina for the recent Nordik Beat feature
