Interview: 2019 Must-Know - girl in red

Marie Ulven, aka girl in red, has only been officially releasing music for a few years, but has quickly proven herself as one of the most exciting young artists. Her ‘chapter 1’ EP opens with ‘i wanna be your girlfriend’, a story of unrequited gay love - something that has been fondly embraced by the LGBTQ+ community around the world. And equally as candid, in ‘girls’ she openly declares, “They're so pretty it hurts / I'm not talkin' bout boys, I'm talkin' bout girls."

This year marks a year of big things for girl in red - from touring with Conan Gray (a fellow CDM Must-Know for 2019!) across America throughout March and April, to her upcoming ‘chapter 2’ release, the follow-up to the first EP.

MUST-LISTEN: ‘Summer Depression’, ‘We Fell In Love In October’, ‘Watch You Sleep.’, ‘Girls’.
YOU WILL LIKE, IF YOU LIKE: Angel Olsen, King Princess, Clairo, Dodie, Mitski, Best Coast, Wolf Alice, Phoebe Bridgers… and writing love letters to your crush in the dark.

COUP DE MAIN: What can you tell us about what you have planned for 2019 so far?
GIRL IN RED: Ohhh there’s so much stuff happening in 2019!! I'M SO EXCITED. I’m gonna release new music and support Conan Gray on his US tour!!!

CDM: What was it like opening for Clairo in Paris in September?
GIRL IN RED: It was really dope!! They knew the lyrics to my songs and the crowd was amazing!! It was really nice of Claire to let me join her!

CDM: Are you looking forward to touring with Conan Gray this year?
GIRL IN RED: AM I?! I’m so excited. I’m already searching up 'tour tips' videos on youtube and planning what I should pack.

CDM: You use female pronouns really openly in your music, especially in the new song! What’s it been like, seeing LGBTQ people all over the world relating to and supporting your music?
GIRL IN RED: I’ve had a massive response from the LGBTQ community. Many people say that I’ve helped them accept their sexuality or that they came out using my songs etc, and that feels amazing! Coming to terms with your sexuality can be quite tricky, so if my music helps anyone feel less shit that's all I can ask for :D

CDM: Do you think that diversity in pop music is getting better?
GIRL IN RED: I think there’s always a great amount of diversity in pop music, but you just have to look for it.

CDM: What’s it been like, transferring your music from recordings into a live setting?
GIRL IN RED: It was quite weird in the beginning because it didn’t sound exactly like the recordings. But then I realised it didn’t need to sound like the recordings because it’s live! Also, I’ve gotten a lot of help from my guitarist Martin to try and make the songs the best as possible, so now I’m super happy with the result!

CDM: How does your songwriting process work?
GIRL IN RED: It’s different every time. Sometimes I get a melody idea, or a lyric idea. Then I just try a bunch of different things and see where it gets me!

CDM: Do you write your lyrics specifically for the songs, or do you write poems or prose and then evolve them into song-form?
GIRL IN RED: It depends, sometimes the melody gives me a certain vibe and then I write for the song. But I have written stuff that didn’t have a song, and then later added!

CDM: Lyrically, what's your favourite song that you’ve written?
GIRL IN RED: Probably ‘girls’. That song came to me in like a day, and often when I don’t have to strive to make the lyrics good, that’s usually when they turn out the best.

CDM: What do you hope for people to take away from listening to your music?
GIRL IN RED: This is such a hard question 'cause it’s totally up to each individual and their current live situation what they get out of it. So I don’t really like to say what I want people to take away from it if that makes sense?

CDM: If G.I.R.L. I.N. R.E.D. was an acronym, what would each letter stand for?
GIRL IN RED:
Girl
In
Red
Likes
Nuts
Roasted
Eaten
Daily.

CDM: You’re one of our 'must-know’ artist picks for 2019… who are yours?
GIRL IN RED: (Thank you!!) King Princess!! I’m obsessed with her music.

CDM: If you could steal one thing without consequence what would it be?
GIRL IN RED: A red lambo lol.

CDM: If you were a country, what would be your national anthem?
GIRL IN RED: ‘Pussy Is God’ by King Princess. :D

Watch Girl In Red’s ‘We Fell In Love In October’ music video below…