Words by Annie Barber
Norwegian born JOA released her debut EP at the beginning of March and is ready for the world to hear her music. Previous Problems deals with the ups and downs of teenage life, and all of the intense emotions that come with it. Karma! had the opportunity to talk to her about the EP, the music scene in Norway, her aesthetic, and the joy of playing gigs.
The tracks on JOA’s debut EP ‘Previous Problems’ deal with a spectrum of issues faced during her adolescence. She says that songwriting is a form of therapy for her – “Writing down my thoughts allows me to be honest with myself about how I feel. It also gives me perspective on the matters at hand. While making songs I often tend to look back on these thoughts I’ve written down for inspiration… This gives me a sort of closure when the songs are finished, it really helps me let go of the emotions.” She adds that she doesn’t write about every thought she has, but that writing down her feelings can help her to stop overthinking.
“Helping people with my music has always been a big part of why I do it. I think that the fact that I am just being real without a filter is a big part of why people can relate.”
The EP is vulnerable and introspective. She says “transparency to the listener has become very important to me. Especially after releasing a couple of songs. People tell me that my songs help them in their own situations and their struggles which has always been a goal for me. Helping people with my music has always been a big part of why I do it. I think that the fact that I am just being real without a filter is a big part of why people can relate.”
“I would say that I am a person who feels emotions strongly, but not necessarily more than others. I think that my outlet and how I deal with emotions is songwriting. That can make it look like I am a person with a bunch of drama and emotions in my life but in reality everyone has things that they are dealing with. They just have other ways of handling them.” This is one of JOA’s strengths: the ability to convey intense emotions through her music with a universality which others can connect with and relate to.
She reveals that she’s not the only person with an aptitude for music in her family: “[My Dad] played in a rock band and he would often play his music for me and write songs while I was in the room. I think that influenced me a lot.” “One of the first artists I discovered was Rihanna and I absolutely fell in love with her music. I was only nine years old and couldn’t really understand what she was saying but I was still really moved by her music. Later I discovered Fleetwood Mac and Joni Mitchell who I still listen to and take inspiration from to this day.”
“Breaking into the music scene was way easier here than in any other place. Norway has many amazing systems that help musicians. “
Although she says that she may not notice the impact of her home country on her music, she notes that “the nordic music scene is very welcoming and inclusive and from that I could get into writing sessions from an early age. I wouldn’t say that I could name one single artist that I am really inspired by, but especially from the Scandinavian scene I love Karpe, Veronica Maggio, Kent.”
This welcoming environment allowed her to get her foot in the door of the music industry: “Breaking into the music scene was way easier here than in any other place I would say. Norway has many amazing systems that help musicians. Urört is one thing that helps unsigned artists get radio plays and to get their music heard. Also there are a lot of funds that help musicians get money and help to travel around and perform and write. So I would say that being from Norway has been a big help with my career and what I am trying to achieve.”
“I have always loved the visual parts of music. I find it very [important that] people can not only listen to the music but experience the world that I have and want to build around it.”
Her singles and EPs have distinct artwork, and having a curated aesthetic is something which she feels very passionate about. She says “I have always loved the visual parts of music. I find it very [important that] people can not only listen to the music but experience the world that I have and want to build around it. It helps my story to come forward in a clearer way and I also really love expressing myself in artistic ways. I love releasing music but I also really love showing the artwork and visual side of everything so stay tuned for my next project!”
Performing live is one of her favourite things to do, and one moment in particular has stuck with her. She reveals that, at the release party for her debut EP, “people I hadn’t seen in years came to see me and to tell me that they are proud of me which moved me a lot. I felt so supported by everyone and it was an amazing experience. Also the fact that people who didn’t know me just came because they had heard my music and wanted to see me live was surreal. This performance showed me the importance of performing live and the magical feeling and moments you can create with an audience in the room.”
JOA has big plans for the future. “I really want to perform more live. To travel the world and share my music has always been a dream of mine and I really hope that I achieve it one day. I also really want to make an album. As I said I love being a part of the visual side of the project and I feel like there is so much fun stuff like that to do on albums. I have also always loved albums because they make me feel closer to the artist I listen to and I want to give my listeners that same experience with my music.”
If her music were a colour, it would be dark blue. A song everyone should listen to? “If there is one song I always go back to it has to be ‘She’s Always a Woman’ by Billy Joel. I really want people to be reminded how amazing this song is!”
JOA is letting go of her past and stepping into the future with optimism. Her relatable lyrics and kind-hearted nature make her easy to connect with and give her music a universality which will serve her well in the years to come.
Her debut EP Previous Problems is available on Spotify now and follow JOA on Instagram for all the latest updates.
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