Introducing Norway’s Moyka And Her Brilliant Pop Debut “The Revelations Of Love”

hoto by Sara Westergaard Karlsen

With her freshly released first full-length the young musician from Bergen enters the scene by setting quite an exclamation mark. It's a concept album that spans the course of a relationship, telling a story of love and loss and how they intertwine. With just the right mixture of emotional honesty and catchy pop production, Moyka kindly invites the listener on this journey. NBHAP author Dan Cromb sheds a bit more light on the record and the artist.

26/10/2021
by Dan Cromb

Last week saw the release of Norwegian artist Moyka’s full-length debut, The Revelations of Love, following up on the celebrated Circles and Spaces EPs in 2019 and 2020. The semi-autobiographical concept album is packed full of dancefloor friendly hits, proving that sometimes the best way to cope with love and loss is to dance your troubles away.

With the Bergen-based singer and producer gaining more and more attention for her music, both at home in Norway and further abroad, including a feature on Billboard’s ‘coolest new pop songs’ list for her most recent single Illusion, Moyka is steadily proving herself as a musical force to be reckoned with.

Ahead of the release of The Revelations Of Love, I snapped up the opportunity to chat with the aspiring newcomer. Read on to find out what the album means to her, what to look forward to at her live shows, and what other artists are inspiring her at the moment.

Hi Moyka. How are you?

Hello! I am good, excited, happy and a little bit nervous for the album to be out. Thanks for asking. <3

Well, it is very exciting to be talking to you about the release of The Revelations of Love. How are you feeling about it?

I’m feeling very good about the album, but very nervous to show it to the rest of the world. It’s something we’ve been working on for a year, you know? So, it’s a lot of time and emotions put into it. But overall, it’s very exciting and I am very happy for it to finally be out so I can move on with my life. Hahaha! And for everyone to hear it, of course!

What can the listener expect from this album?

You can expect me to channel my inner pop witch to come out on a few tracks, but also a reflection of me in my weird hours, alone, writing songs, recording and producing them. But overall, it’s a theme of love, and a story about falling for someone, to experience heartbreaks and letting go.

What did you learn about yourself while writing it?

I learned a lot. To trust the process, trust myself and try to embrace all the feelings that run along with making an album. I also found out it’s a long and sometimes, hard process, but it has gained me more confidence as a producer, writer and a creative person trying to bring everything together!

What do you want people to take away from the album?

I want people to listen through it and go on this journey with me. Hopefully there are somethings that will touch your heart in some way or bring you somewhere you need to be. If that’s dancing with your tears, crying in your room or the soundtrack to your life in a little period of time, that would be amazing!

One of your recent singles, Illusion, got featured by Billboard as a ‘cool new pop song’. That must have felt pretty cool?!

YESSSS! That felt insane. It was such a big contrast to what I was doing at that moment. I take a few shifts at a bar sometimes, and I was just standing there pouring someone a beer and washing the countertops as my phone blew up in my back pocket. I couldn’t believe it. I felt really, really cool when that happened!

Photo by Sara Westergaard Karlsen

I’ve followed your musical journey very closely: Your Circles EP in 2019 was incredible – so original and fresh. It feels like your music just keeps getting better too. Where do you draw your inspiration from?

Wow, thank you so much! I always try to challenge myself when I make new music. It has to feel fresh and real to me. I just know by the feeling I get in my whole body, when I want to use a song for a project. I draw a lot of inspiration from life, movies, series and books when I write. And of course the music that I love!

Will you be following up the album release with any live shows? If so, what can fans expect from your performances at these?

Yes, there will be a little Norway tour in the beginning of next year! Aaaaand hopefully a little European tour at the end of next year. We need make sure it’s safe first before, of course. But there will be something for sure. You can expect to dance, cry, sing along and have a wonderful time with me!

Are there any artists around at the moment that you’d love to work or collaborate with?

Yes, so many! I think it’s amazing to write and create with other people and especially from different genres and music styles. I would love to collaborate with Sassy009, Metteson and of coure if Charli XCX or Unknown Mortal Orchestra were to call I wouldn’t even BLINK before ordering tickets.

Which other artists coming out of Norway would you recommend listening to at the moment?

Ur Monarch, Iris, Hedda Mae, Metteson and Myra – She just released her debut album and even though Myra sings in Norwegian I still think anyone could vibe with it. They all have recently released something cool and beautiful so check them out.

Moyka‘s lovely debut album The Revelations Of Love is out now, make sure to give it a spin.