mahabis interviews // marie dahlstrøm

We catch up with Danish singer-songwriter, Marie Dahlstrøm. From performing on stage, to recording at her home in London, we find out what it is that makes Marie feel relaxed and comfortable. Influenced by her experiences in both Copenhagen and London, Marie's music is a mixture of singer songwriter style, and soulful R&B sound. Read on to find out how, in between all the recording and performing, Marie finds her own way to switch off, and unwind.

Check out the video below to hear more from Marie herself...

When did your interest in music begin?

I first started doing music when I was in singing in the choir at primary school. I hadn't really planned to release music, I just started putting it out there and then thought this is actually quite fun, I’m gonna do it some more! It was just natural for me to just make more music, not really thinking about it in a strategic way, and I like that about it. Figuring out the industry by myself, how to release songs and how to work out the software has all been a nice, natural process.

Describe a typical day...

I try to wake up early. It doesn't always work out this way, but I try to wake up around 7am. The first thing I always do is make some coffee! The evening is better for recording emotional stuff, for example, I'm much better at singing in the evening. When it's dark I find it easier get into the zone, and generally perform better.

How do you find the difference between recording and performing?

Recording at home is really great, as you're in an environment that you're used to. You're used to your own instrument, to your computer, to your own set-up... you just feel like you’re in your own space. Performing on stage is completely different to making music at home and being in your creative zone.

When you’re on stage you always have to be switched on. There has to be some kind of moment when you can just stop, and switch it all off.

How do you like to switch off after a busy day?

If I’ve been out all day I just like silence. I like to just go into a room, close the door, and just be quiet. To just sit and not really do much, just zone out. When you work with music all the time, being quiet means a lot. So for me, having a break from music is really good. Time to reset your ears, reset your creativity, and just, zone out a little bit.

marie's choice of mahabis: larvik light grey x rjukan red

Is finding a work-life balance when working at home difficult?

I guess everyone's different, it's about finding out how you work best. It's often difficult when you work at home, as the boundaries are blurred. For example, when I go to bed I look at my keyboard and when I wake up the keyboard looks at me! It takes time to find that balance.

If you had an extra hour in the day, how would you spend it?

If I had an extra hour during my day, I’d definitely spend it on practicing.

Check out some of Marie's music here...

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