Did you finish Baby Reindeer?
I did, it’s so good — wooof.
I mean, you were really committing to those accents when you were playing [at Radio City]...
I know; I’ve been committing ever since [Ulven talking in a scarily accurate Scottish accent]. I saw some people in the front row, and they were like, what the fuck is she doing?
Kudos to you for having a viral infection and playing that show. It was incredible to watch. You were running in the crowd….
I feel that any day, no matter how shitty, or tired, or sick I feel. I’m like, these people fucking came here from somewhere, and they deserve the absolute best. You gotta give everything.
How does it feel to have this album out for almost a month? And then this tour? In your day-to-day life, how does that feel to you?
I’ve been on tour, so every day that passes, more people learn the [new] lyrics. The coolest part has been touring and leveling up my game with touring and having the best nights. Honestly, it’s been a dream.
I even saw your show in Boston…..you’re not an ordained minister, right?
No, but it’s a joke since a lot of people have been getting engaged at my shows, and now it’s a joke that I’m like a part-time priest now. But maybe one day that’ll be my side hustle, we’ll see.
What was the writing process for this album?
It was a long one. I was in the studio with Matias Téllez. He is my best friend and co-producer — we made the record together. So, I guess the process was just going in and out every day; how can I push myself? And how can I push the music further and make something that really excites me? We did that mostly in Bergen but also a little bit in New York, Paris, and London.
This album is a bit happier than your last album. It’s interesting since there’s moments of such swagger, and almost ego, and confidence. But then there’s moments like [in songs] "Pick Me", "Phantom Pain", and "Ugly Side" that really deal with self-doubt. In this process, did you need one to balance out the other?
That’s kinda where I was mentally. While making this whole album, mentally I was feeling myself on top of the world, but then I was doubting myself so much the whole process. It kinda shines through in the music. I realized I’m just all over the place when it comes to self-esteem. I wanted to play around with that contrast.
What makes you doubt yourself?
I think any artist, anyone who makes things, doubts themselves. I don’t think it’s like a rare thing. Even if you’re not an artist and not making things, everyone doubts themselves. It’s the fear of making something bad, the fear of failure.
Well, even in your song ******, you talk about critics and reviews, and that’s obviously a part of this process once you release it out into the world. How do you make sure that the music business and the politics don’t affect your writing process? How do you let that not dilute your art?
In the studio, you don’t give a shit about those things. You do what interests you and what you think is fun. At the end of the day, if you’re not making things for yourself — why are you doing it?
I remember with my first album, a lot of people were like, Aw, she’s not making this sort of music anymore, like awww, and now with this album, people will be like, it’s not like that album. You just need to value your intuition more than anyone else’s.
When you opened for Taylor Swift, how did that change how you go about headlining your own tour?
On this tour, I’ve been leveling up like crazy. With my energy and taking the tour very seriously, the set design is a lot more fun and playful. What I took away from her tour is that she works so hard. She is such a worker bee. I saw eight shows, eight Taylor Swift shows, and they’re so consistent. Everything is perfect all the time. I saw this show eight times, and I never got bored.
Watching you live was like a religious or spiritual experience. Do you feel like you’re tapping into something deeper than yourself when you’re in those adrenaline moments?
Hmmm. I definitely tap into something, and I don’t know what it is. I could have a really bad day, and once I go on stage everything takes a turn for the better. There’s something magical that happens. I feel like I’m a version of myself on stage that’s Marie — it’s who I really am.
Because there’s a lot of people, and a lot going on all the time. Do you ever want to just dissociate and look at a wall? How do you unwind?
I literally am in a bunk right now, in a dark room, plus I can’t see anything since I’m literally staring into the darkness of this bus.
I brought a bunch of books with me on this tour. So my new thing is drawing, writing in my journal, and trying to scroll through books and not my phone.
Who have you been reading lately?
This is going to sound super dorky. I’ve been reading about Swiss typography, so it’s not a fiction book, but it’s about the history of Swiss design and how it has changed the world. I’m in a weird Swiss design era now. I have a bunch of books on grid design systems and typography, World War II and reading about other people’s lives as creators and designers.
I went to this really cute book store in New York and I bought a book about chairs. I’m trying to take a step away from my phone and the endless scrolling that has made my brain so bad. That’s why I’m trying to take it back with my typography era, apparently.
The scrolling brain rot pipeline is a real thing.
I feel that so heavily that my brain is rotting. All my friends feel the same too.
Are you one of those people with an internal monologue in your head when you think? Or are you more visual? Because some people don’t have internal monologues, but I’m assuming you do because you write songs…
I definitely have an internal monologue and it keeps chatting and yapping all the fucking time. I saw a video of some person and they can’t hear their thoughts in their head, and I was like they are probably living their best life.
How does it feel to be gay code for something that’s all encapsulating?
It’s insane. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime rarity and super special. Especially on this tour, I’ve been getting so many letters. People will hand letters to security and I’ve been reading them backstage and then I send them a message like Hey! I got your letter. You’re amazing.
It’s so rare. I’m so grateful that my coming-out experience and coming to terms with my sexuality, which was really hard for me, has impacted so many people’s lives. It’s beyond. To say that’s nothing, that would be brain rot completely.
Talking about this idea of gay music or gay pop….
You’re talking about JoJo Siwa [laughs]. Personally, I don’t know shit about genres like that, but I do know some of the best music I’ve ever heard is made by queer artists.
On this album, what was the easiest song to write? And what was the hardest?
They all were really hard to write, but "I’m back" is probably the easiest one.
You have that great line about taking a shower in that song.
It’s a funny line, tongue and cheek. I was so depressed I didn’t shower for two weeks in my bed. Not now, obviously, but then sort of being out of depression and see showering as a win. Like cleaning your room and a shower, that’s a win when you’re depressed.
Back to this idea of really pursuing music…. Have you already started new songs?
I was backstage the other day and I had a musical epiphany. I believe a lot of music and art happens in your subconsciousness and I had this really beautiful idea backstage the other day, I think it was last night. I don’t even fucking know anymore. I don’t even know what day it is.
It’s the rot.
Actually, that's tour life. Being on tour is not like the real world. It’s a fantasy life.
We have to talk about having Sabrina [Carpenter] on one of your songs..
I’m such a Sabrina girl…. I’m a siiiinnnngeerrr [singing that iconic line from Sabrina’s recent hit, Espresso]. I’m such a big fan of her and she was my first ever feature on anything.
When you write lyrics, do you have a notebook or do you use Notes App?
I’m a religious Moleskin user. I’m obsessed with stationary and Moleskin, and it’s all in my Moleskin and I have a whole archival system from 2019 until now with the exact same notebook from Moleskin. And I am not sponsored.
