Interview: Hanne Mjøen Discusses Her Latest Single “Hell With You”!

Norweigan Alt-pop singer-songwriter Hanne Mjøen has swiftly caught the attention of global audiences through her charismatically creative musical style & vibrantly engaging vocal essence.

Not long ago, Hanne released the electro-pop single “Hell With You” that is set to lead the forthcoming five-track EP ‘Emotional Fever’.

Navigating love and life, her upcoming EP is an emporium of talent. Written between Stockholm and London, Mjøen brings together the best of dance-worthy pop melodies, and moments of heartache, to tell her chapters of journeying into adult life. With lyrics like, “I don’t mind being broken, if it takes me to heaven,” the songwriter gives us a glimpse into how she turns her pain into power.

Hanne has kindly taken the time to speak with Fierce & Fabulous Revolution about her latest single, along with what we can expect from her upcoming EP later this year. Check out the full interview below.

Hey Hanne, thank you for this interview. Can you start by telling the readers a little bit about yourself?

Hanne: Hii I’m Hanne Mjøen and I’m an artist and songwriter from Norway. I make dreamy, dark and synth driven alternative pop-songs about all my feelings. I’m very bad at talking about how I feel, so it felt more natural for me to write about it, and my artist project is a result of this.

When did you first discover your passion for music?

Hanne: I grew up in a small town called Oppdal, in the cold Norway. I guess I’ve been singing all my life, without really knowing what I was doing, until a teacher at my school made me aware of it and asked me to sing at a christmas concert when I was 10. I was really too scared to say no, so I just did it, and I liked it. In Oppdal I was on my own doing music, there weren’t really that many people there to write or play with, and this made it both harder and easier for me. No one taught me how to make music, but at the same time no one could influence what music I should make either. So I had to find my own voice, and I started to really develop it with writers and producers later on, once I moved to Oslo at the age of 18.

Have you always known that you wanted to pursue a career within the music industry?

Hanne: No, not at all. I’ve never really dreamed about being a pop-star or anything, I just wanted to write really. Once I started finishing some songs, two friends of mine wanted to make a label to release it, and I knew I love performing, so why not give it a try. I’ve always had a need to express myself through music, and I did want to form a band, but I quickly found out that it’s probably better being the only one making the final decisions. Sondre Mjåland who produced “Hell With You” is actually in my band, and Daniel Løberg my drummer did produce my 3 first songs, so I guess I might live out that dream now then, haha. But yeah, Radio in Norway quickly picked my music up, and it made me want to continue writing and releasing the songs I liked the most, while I also wrote with and for other artists.

How would you describe your musical style to someone unfamiliar with your music?

Hanne: I make a sort of alternative dark dreamy and synth driven electronic pop, with lyrics filled with twists and emotions. It’s a landscape that you’ll hopefully find a bit more interesting than the usual pop-songs, influenced by Robyn, queen of “Crying on the dancefloor”-music. I love to connect energy and vulnerability, I feel like it gives the music a different edge, and honestly I could never write a happy song without it being a bit sad too.

You recently released the new single “Hell With You”, which sounds amazing by the way. How did the idea for this single come together?

Hanne: Thank you! I wrote Hell With You in March 2019 with Karl Zine. I wanted to write about what it was like falling out of love while still being in the relationship, and describe the inner dialogue I had in this period of my life, cause I found it interesting, and hadn’t really heard a lot of songs about that phaze before. So it felt like there was a song that might be needed, and might mean something for someone. The line “Heaven is for girls who play nice” had been in my notes for a while, and it felt right to finnish the idea with Karl.

Did you always plan to release “Hell With You” as a single?

Hanne: Instantly after writing “Hell With You” I felt like this song was very special to me, and that this was supposed to be the first chapter of my new music. It inspired me to start writing for me again, after a break with focusing on writing with other artists. This was the spark I needed, and I feel like it embraced and made me dare to show my darker sides.

How would you compare the creative process behind this song to your previous releases?

Hanne: I used to be more into melodies than lyrics, and all my other songs started with melodies I had to fit words into. I think for me this made it harder to write something with meaning, I would be more interested in finding worlds that sounded good in the melodies, rather than what the meaning of the words is. Now I tend to like to work the other way, or at least have a pretty specific idea for the chorus lyrics before writing the melodies. I don’t know if this makes the songs better, but it gives them more meaning I think, and might make me take different notes than before. It’s hard to tell really, but for me if I already have a chorus with both melodies and lyrics, this method makes it easier and faster to finnish the rest of the song.

What does this song personally mean to you?

Hanne: “Hell With You” is the description of how I felt falling out of love, and how important it is to be honest with myself in similar situations, no matter how scary it is. away from this song, what would you like it to be?

If listeners could take something away from this song, what would you like it to be?

Hanne: Would be interesting to take away the main element and synth in the chorus, but honestly I wouldn’t want them to take away anything. All the sounds and pieces are fit together, and are there for a reason.

“Hell With You” is set to feature on your upcoming EP ‘Emotional Fever’, what are some of the things listeners can expect to see on this forthcoming EP?

Hanne: My upcoming EP is a rollercoaster of emotions, and it takes you from one stadium to the next, not leaving a single feeling out. The theme is about taking the rose-tint glasses off and stepping into the grown up world with high expectations, but realizing that life is no movie, and everything that was supposed to be easier once you grew up, is still the same struggle. It’s also in some ways about turning the pain into power, and learning how to deal with life.

What are some of the things you enjoy outside of music?

Hanne: I don’t really have any passions outside music, but I like taking hikes in the mountains, hanging out with my friends and family, snowboarding and relaxing.

If you could perform a duet with anyone in the world, who would you choose & why?

Hanne: I think I would choose Duncan Laurence, his songs are so meaningful and I love the way he writes songs. And I think it would be nice for me to do a more stripped down acoustic song too. “Between Good and Goodbye” from his last album is the most clever lyrics I’ve heard in a while. He has a way of singing and writing that makes worlds that are cliche, not sound cliche.

What three words best describe you?

Hanne: Dark, emotional, kind

Do you have any party tricks? If so, what are they?

Hanne: Not really, but I’m very good at drinking.

If you could possess one superpower, what would you choose & why?

Hanne: I think it must be flying, even though I am scared of heights I’ve always wanted to fly and be a superwoman.

What advice would you offer to someone who was looking to pursue a career within the music industry?

Hanne: Be honest with yourself, follow your gut, and don’t let people tell you what to do. Be your own boss, and if someone wants to help you be you, don’t let them change you. Spend time finding your sound and voice before being influenced too much, so that your music is true to who you want to be.

Finally, is there a message that you would like to share with the readers of Fierce & Fabulous Revolution?

Hanne: Thank you for getting to know me a bit, if you want to get to know me more you can find me on instagram at @hanne.mjoen or facebook or tiktok. ❤

You can check out “Hell With You” on Spotify below.