INTERVIEW

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INTERVIEW ✦

With more than 100M streams and 500K monthly listeners on Spotify alone, sad-girl-pop princess Ber has made quite a name for herself and her delicately crafted discography of indie-esque gems. Though, after living an almost nomadic lifestyle that’s taken her from the States to Leeds and Trondheim (with Norwegian roots), it’s really no surprise that she’s garnered an entire discography riddled with love, loss, friendship, and everything that comes with a passionate performer who embraces their free-spirited nature.

Ber's latest EP, Room For You, delves deeper into the emotional landscape of her somber indie-pop girl genre — with each track encapsulating raw feelings that articulate her own life experiences. From the turmoil of uncertain situations in “It's Impressive,” the apprehension about potential heartache in a promising new relationship with '“Room For You”, or even the resilient realization that some endings are actually beginnings in disguise with “Better Man” Ber continues to navigate universal themes that countless listeners can relate to.

As Ber continues to create new music and plan the next several steps of her journey, we took the opportunity to chat with the singer-songwriter about how her life and music are entirely intertwined.

Your recent singles have resonated with many listeners by tapping into a somber indie-pop space which can be very comforting to audiences. Growing up, was there ever an artist or even a moment that initially inspired your interest in pursuing some of these emotionally heavy themes in your music?

Ber: I think I’ve just always resonated with songs that feel like they tell a story. I grew up in theater and listening to Broadway soundtracks, and when I found indie and pop music, my friends would always listen and fall in love with the production and beat, while I would sit there and dissect the lyrics to uncover the meaning behind the songs. Music has always explained so much to me and made me feel connected and seen, so naturally diving into the things I’m processing is the direction I’ve always felt the most comfortable taking when it comes to writing. It feels like the one time I’m actually real with myself about how I’m feeling about something, like really I’m just journaling! I’m glad audiences can find a piece of themselves in the songs, that to me is the whole point.

Your latest EP Room For You features tracks that touch on different aspects of relationships and personal growth. What was the best and worst thing that comes with sharing these experiences?

Ber: [Laughs] The best thing – well the best thing is connecting with people who have been through similar things or are at similar stages in their life or love or healing processes. The worst.. well, I learned recently that writing and sharing songs that you’ve written from a place of retrospect is a lot less scary and complicated than writing about things that are happening in real-time. “It’s impressive” actually taught me a valuable lesson.

I wrote that song about what was happening directly in front of me and wasn’t expecting it to reach so many people so quickly. In the grand scheme of things, writing and posting a sad song on the internet about the guy you’ve been seeing for a few months – while you’re still seeing him – is wild. I know this. I think it’s crazy and I can acknowledge that. We were quick to resolve the issues and he was quick to be really kind and supportive of it, but it did kind of get the best of us in the end. It can just really complicate things on a personal level.

The track 'Whatever Forever” celebrates the importance of real, unwavering friendship – particularly with people you’ve connected with while touring. What was it like to finally share the song with them?

Ber: Oh I sent it to them the day we wrote it, with a little note attached that said “wrote something today that feels like you” and immediately it became something really special. I think being able to send someone a song and say “Hey, you make me the happiest I’ve ever been” is a good feeling and I’ll hold on to that forever.

In “Middle of Nowhere”, you delve into a relationship where you feel you gave more than you received. How do you navigate vulnerability and personal experiences when translating them into your songwriting?

Ber: I just am really blatant about how I feel or felt at the time. I think sometimes my favorite lines are just so obvious and “middle of nowhere” is such a good example of that. I had written in a journal entry that I felt like I moved to the middle of nowhere (Minnesota) and all of a sudden I didn’t exist to that person anymore, because I wasn’t directly in front of them and they couldn’t see me with their eyes – like object permanence was at the center of all our issues and it was heartbreaking to me that I wasn’t struggling with that at all, they still very much were in the front of my mind even if they weren’t in front of me physically.

And describing that feeling just painted the perfect image and the chorus honestly wrote itself because it just was the only way I could possibly describe that feeling. I think something I’ve learned from writing is that lyrics and poetry can be so painstakingly complex, or it can also be so simple. As long as it makes you feel something!

Having written or co-written all five songs on the EP, how important is creative input and authenticity to you as an artist?

Ber: Very! Different things work for different people, but I love writing and it’s very much at the center of my artist project. I think if I weren’t releasing music as an artist, I’d be focusing on trying to write for other artists and make a career in publishing (which I’m lucky to dip my toes into every now and then with friends and other artists I’ve met over the last few years!).

I love the writing process and I keep finding out that I have a lot to say so I’m lucky that being an artist fuels that for me! I find it very therapeutic! The songs are about my life and experiences and often sort of poke fun at myself, so it’s fun that they are so personal and give my audience a glimpse into my life that way. It makes me feel very connected to anyone who listens.

As someone who intends to spearhead their artistry, it's always important to make sure you’re surrounded by people who understand your vision. That being said, how have Brad Hale and Now Now helped elevate this collection of tracks?

Ber: Brad and Cacie bring out a side of me that I love. They just come from a world sonically that I have always loved but never really thought would be possible for me to achieve and it’s been such a lovely collaborative effort since meeting them a few years ago.

We also live together now… And they know me sometimes better than I know myself, so when we sit down to write it’s fun because it’s as if we’re just catching up and gossiping about ‘that one thing from the other week?’ or ‘Remember that guy I met a few months ago?’ Or ‘Ugh I really am so nervous about …’ and end up laughing about all of it. I love writing with them, our inside jokes and the overall context just feels like there is a mutual understanding of what it is exactly that we/I am trying to say, and I always leave the session feeling very validated and less alone and thinking to myself, ‘Wow, exactly. That’s exactly what I needed to get off my chest. It all makes sense now.’

Now that you’ve been able to drop this new, liberating EP – what’s next on the agenda? More studio time? Touring? Maybe some much-needed downtime?

Ber: Hopefully a little of all of the above! I have a few shows coming up that I’m really looking forward to in the UK and Minneapolis, and I’m finally diving into a bigger project that I’m sure will take over my life in the next few months. It’s all a little up in the air at the moment, but I’m very excited for whatever is next.