Uber-collaborator MØ, born Karen Marie Aagaard Ørsted Anderson, is likely featured on many of your favorite hits. But as a solo act on some of music’s biggest stages, from Lollapalooza to Coachella, her energy is front and center.
With an electro-pop voice and a punk attitude that has attracted hitmakers like Diplo, Charli XCX, Iggy Azalea and Cashmere Cat, the 29-year-old singer has never limited herself musically. Now, she’s released a song seemingly inspired by life on the festival circuit called “9 (After Coachella)” ft. herself and Sophie. The “Lean On” and “Cold Water” singer says that collaborating on songs has helped her to continuously develop her writing style. “One of the things I love about collaborating is that it’s always exciting and different,” she says. “You never really know what’s going to happen and I love that.”
When I Was Young
Following her 2014 debut No Mythologies to Follow and several singles like “Kamikaze,” “Final Song” and “Drum,” MØ released her EP When I Was Young late 2017, which allowed her to explore her own unique sound. “It was nice to create this little universe – visually and musically– and put it out into the world. It was really refreshing,” she says. Although the singer admits she loves putting out singles with other artists, she notes the importance of maintaining a balance between collaborating and working on her own music. “It’s nice to be able to dedicate yourself fully to your own music but it’s also good to be shaken out of that and get into other people’s creative bubble,” she says.
The dreamy world of haunting harmonies and catchy choruses on When I Was Young show MØ’s artistic range and her power as a solo vocalist. But, she says, she’s sure to give credit where it is due. “It’s important to learn from other artists and support each other,” she says. “You want to make sure to keep your roots grounded and maintain the innocence that you had when you first came into the industry.”
MØ
With a supportive outlook on her musical comrades, MØ offers good vibes and a collaborative spirit. Her most recent collaboration, co-headlining a North American tour with Cashmere Cat called the “Meøw Tour,” will run through February in support of her EP.
