SONDRE LERCHE:
artist interview
REPORTING BY
DANIELLE LIMON
Norwegian born artist Sondre Lerche has been quickly working his way to the top with his eight albums and indie-pop/jazz style. His music has explored completely different genres in each album and created a wave of popularity after composing the majority of the music for the film Dan in Real Life. His newest album, Pleasure, recently dropped and he’s here to talk about the album and his exciting new tour! Let’s see what he has to say...
Danielle Limon: First, let’s talk about you! Would you mind telling our readers a little bit about yourself and how you came across your love for music?
SL: Music has been my only passion since I was four. Certain chords and melodies would just give me a certain intoxicating feeling, that I quickly became obsessed with trying to recreate.
DL: Eight studio albums later, what made Pleasure stand out from all the rest?
SL: Pleasure is quite careless, bombastic and erotic, which may separate it from most of my previous stuff, but it's still some kind of pop music.
DL: If you could pick two absolute favorites from the album, what would they be and why?
SL: Soft Feelings was the last song I wrote for the album, I really hoped that might be the opener, so I was thrilled when the recording came out so well, and it felt like the opener I had been looking for. It's the mission statement of Pleasure. I wanted the album to end on a soft pillow, with some hope of transitioning onwards from this limbo-like existence, all of which Baby Come To Me seemed to offer. That one's cool.
DL: What made you want to explore so many different genres in your music?
SL: It's no big deal, it's just like appetite - if you eat a lot of spinach, you're gonna want something different after a while. And different needs and new vocabularies develop for the music, it just happens naturally, it's not some decision really. I like a lot of stuff, and it seeps into my process after a while.
DL: How was writing music for such an amazing film like Dan In Real Life?
SL: Great experience, learnt a lot and got to work with so many talented, resourceful people. The director was a fan and brought me in, so it was really very lucky for me.
DL: Can you give us a little hint as to what this album is all about and the story it tells?
SL: It's a record that's both carless and confused. It lives on the surface, in the moment, and can't quite transition.
DL: How is tour life been so far? Any exciting secrets you can give us?
SL: Well, the other night I almost twisted my ankle dancing with the audience during the encore. Most nights end in a communal techno party. The tour has been fun and intense - my two Norwegian musicians we denied work visas by the US government four days before the tour was set to starts, so I came very close to canceling. But my drummer Dave Heilman saved the day, and found two last minute replacements who learned the set in a day and dove into the Pleasure.
DL: What is something you want your fans to take away after every show?
SL: Pure joy and excitement. I'd like people to walk away thinking "what was THAT".
DL: Who would you absolutely love to tour with if given the chance?
SL: Anderson Paak
DL: Who are some of the biggest people who have influenced your sound and writing style?
SL: Cole Porter, Fiona Apple and George Michael.
DL: You’ve toured all over; what are some of your favorite places to tour and experience your
fans?
SL: My fans bring me scented candles cause my band and I made a 38 episode instagram series about scented candles on tour recently, that's on YouTube. That's always cool. It's always great coming to the west coast. LA is fast becoming my favorite place to hang. Hoping to spend more time there in the future.
DL: Finally, what is something you would like to say to your fans before you go?!
SL: Thanks for listening and keeping an open mind. I love what we have.
Lerche is currently on his U.S. tour, singing, and enchanting his fans with his music. Don’t miss out on a chance to see Lerche on tour and completely blow your mind!
REMAINING
US TOUR DATES:
05/04 Los Angeles CA - Troubadour
05/05 Anaheim CA - The Parish at House of Blues
05/06 Phoenix AZ - The Crescent Ballroom
05/10 Austin TX - Antone’s
05/11 Houston TX - White Oak Music Hall
05/12 Dallas TX - Club Dada
05/13 New Orleans LA - One Eyed Jacks