Diandra Interviews Oh Land: Observing Your Family Tree As Artistic Motivation

If there is one thing most artists agree, it is that music is their salvation. It is a necessity for their soul, which might explain why a song speaks to so many’s spirit. For Oh Land, her upcoming album, Family Tree, out May 3, was vital to helping her through a divorce, observing herself as a new mom, and settling her confidence as an accomplished, varied artist. Oh Land can compose anything from a ballet to a Netflix series, but she can only do that by seeing how her heart is composed in a moment. In our interview, we discuss the illogic of creativity and the transformation of family, as a term, throughout life. 

Diandra: You have said your next album, Family Tree, will be deeply personal. What about this record, from its creative process to its final print, made it so personal? 

Oh Land: It was written and recorded at the same time as I was going through a divorce. I experienced emotions and events that I haven’t ever before and in my music I was able to express myself freely. I really wrote out of necessity.

Diandra: When you look back unto your family tree, what are the qualities you most note in your family that have influenced you as a person? 

Oh Land: Passion and ambition. I have a family of highly passionate people. They are very loud and ambitious in whatever they decide to do. they dont ever do anything half ways. That is something that has influenced me since I was little. In the same sense there was never anything that was “impossible”. the mentality always being ” if thats what you want then go for it” . its both a blessing and a curse. cause the level of discipline amd responsibility that comes with being passionate and ambitious is also sometimes draining. As a teenager I “trained myself” in being unambitious. I intentionally slacked on homework or stayed home from  school. Caue I knew that otherwise I would get tunnel vision and ultimately crash (:

Diandra: Name a moment in your life when you felt the importance of family? 

Oh Land: I think the word “family” changes with age and when you become a parent yourself. Now I am my son’s family, and I will do anything in the world for him. Being his mother also teaches me a lot about being my mother’s and father’s daughter. I suddenly understand my own parents better. 

Diandra: What is one way you have grown, as a person/ creative, that has surprised you? 

Oh Land: That there is no logic to creativity. Things that seems unimportant at a certain time later turns out to shape a whole album. And things that used to be important suddenly seem ridiculous. I sometimes feel like my creativity is like the weather. I’m completely under the mercy of it and I can’t really control it. I can just learn to dress appropriate for it (-:

Diandra: Having worked in various projects, like soundtracking the series The Rain, how do you feel such projects influence your style and sound in the upcoming album? 

Oh Land: I definitely think that mý songwriting is becoming freer. I don’t care so much about format. I really just let the music lead me and do not evaluate in the process. Its not until I am done that I can say “maybe this is more of a ballet piece than a song…..” I feel very lucky to have different scenes for which I can compose and create music.  

Diandra: When you look at your previous records and your newest one, how do you feel each record has journaled who you are as a person? 

Oh Land: Gosh, thats a heavy question. I guess I don’t analyze myself like that. If I was that self aware I don’t think I could ever create anything again  haha 

Diandra: From being a disciplined ballet dancer to becoming a professional composer, how do you feel your history as a dancer helps you to see and construct music?  

Oh Land: I don’t think I would be able to write ballet music. if I didn’t have the background as a dancer. I really see and envision the movements as I record and score. I know exactly what would be too slow for a series of pirouettes or what would feel too tight for a romantic duet …i can feel it in my legs. Sometimes, I will actually improvise dancing and narrate over the music to see if it works……thats when I hope the neighbours aren’t looking in….

Diandra: Now living in Denmark, again, what are the things you most miss about being a New Yorker?

Oh Land: IT ALL! In some way, I still feel like a New Yorker: just living in Denmark. I miss the blue skies in the winter. The way the sun is strong and high up on the sky. In Denmark ,the sun is so low it barely peeks over the buildings before setting again , in the winter time. I love the way new York feels in the summer: the humidity and the feeling of the air almost having a sound. like a buzz….And the delis! The little pre-cut grapefruits ! Man I love them! I hate peeling grapefruit! 

Diandra: If you could sum up the biggest piece of wisdom you gained from creating Family Tree what would it be? 

Oh Land: I’m gonna quote the song Family Tree:  Sometimes, you hurt others and, sometimes, yourself along the way. Sometimes you love others, sometimes yourself along the way. 

For More Information On Oh Land Click Here.  See Her Live at LPR on April 25