Back in the days we used to call “normal” I was invited to a showcase event at the home of the Norwegian ambassador which … well, usually never happens. 23-year old Vaarin was performing in a reduced set-up and it was a spectacular performance on many levels despite not being pretty spectacular at all. It was reduced and intense but the way she performed her music really left a mark on me. It felt and looked as if she was living and feeling her songs with every inch of her body. She seeked eye contact with everybody in the audience and once you looked her in the eyes it felt as if she sang directly to you. On that night Vaarin showed fragility and vulnerability in those moments but also a great amount of fearlessness. She meant what she was saying, their wasn’t any pretentiousness at all and if you ever get the chance to experience her live in concert (once this is all over) you might know what I mean.
Palace Square is the first single from her second full-length and it transports the majestic beauty of her performance into the actual music. It keeps the gentle pop beauty of that acoustic showcase back then but adds interesting layers to the equation that enrich the soundscape and add further depth to it while keeping a certain light-footedness as well. And yes, you can actually witness her dancing on that said square. Fans of a more profound pop understanding should keep Vaarin on their radar for the future. Needless to say, I surely will. A new EP called Bitter Taste Of Goodbye is scheduled for a release later in 2020.
Every Monday we’re updating the 50-track-strong Listen AHEAD Playlist on Spotify, adding ten strong songs by sill relatively unknown artists at the beginning. This week’s new picks also include fresh songs from Squid, Charly Haze, The Losing Touch, Olivia Anna Livki, Harkin and AVEC which we also introduce you to recently. Follow the playlist right here on Spotify and give these new talents a chance.