Wildflower by Malin Pettersen

Malin Pettersen's creative drive is an inexhaustible source. In recent years, it’s been overflowing with frequent musical releases – without the quantity compromising the quality. On the contrary: Pettersen demonstrates how durable her music is, and that her songs fit multiple formats and expressions.

Wildflower can be seen as a summary of Pettersen's solo career so far – here, all the knowledge, experience, not to mention all the musical authority she has gained, has gone into the final product. The album title suggests a connection to Wildhorse, Pettersen’s 2020 album, which solidified her status as Norway’s leading Americana artist. Pettersen herself says:

"After having been on musical adventures both geographically – in Nashville with Wildhorse – and metaphorically – with the genre-crossing Trouble Finding Words – we end up in a 'full circle' moment where everything I’ve learned, from the early days in the studio as a solo artist until today, comes into play. This album is about creating something intuitively, in the moment, in the room. With all the musical baggage you bring into the studio. Without overthinking or analyzing."

In the past couple of years, Pettersen has released a pop/R&B album, a fully acoustic, stripped-down album, and a new album with her band Lucky Lips. Her songwriting is her trademark: Strong melodies that stick, along with punchy and heartfelt lyrics. Pettersen shows a strong commitment to political issues, while the more introspective and personal songs feel universal and easy to relate to.

On Wildflower, Malin Pettersen is joined by musicians she has played with for a long time. The band consists of: Øyvind Blomstrøm on bass, Nikolai Grasaasen on guitar/piano, Stian Jørgen Sveen on pedal steel, and Sigmund Vestrheim on drums. Pettersen produced the album herself, and it’s clear that the group had a great time in the studio. The energy and joy of playing shines through in all of the tracks, ensuring that the music engages everyone from start to finish.

For everyone who’s heard Pettersen before, it’s her showstopping voice that reins the listener in – and her songwriting that keeps them there. Her career has been a whirlwind since the release of her debut solo album in 2018. With «Wildhorse» (2020) Pettersen’s immensely promising solo career does not seem to be slowing down.

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