Einar Solberg: Just Be Chill
EINAR SOLBERG, a name which has become a household figure in the world of progressive metal over the last decade. Whether it is fronting the innovative visionaries in LEPROUS or lending his wealth of talents to guest features there seems to be no end to his skills. He is also a man who very rarely stays still for too long and when he came home from tour in 2018 he encountered something which feels like a rarity in his career, spare time.
“My schedule was completely empty for the first time in a long time so I needed to find something to do in this quiet period. I love working with LEPROUS but I felt that for many years I’ve been playing in the same band my whole life without doing anything else creatively so it was the right time to do something else and collaborate with different people. I’m already a composer so it felt natural to do it under my own name and I’ve loved every second of it so far and it’s definitely something I’ll continue to do.”
The project he is speaking of is his newly released solo album. A collection of tracks entitled 16 that includes multiple collaborators including his brother-in-law IHSAHN, BENT KNEE‘s Ben Levin and VOLA‘s Asger Mygind to name but a few. “I only chose people who have their own strong identity and who could have their own clear stamp on the songs,” explains Einar. “I only approached people who I respect or already kind of knew so it was mostly friends or family that I know who are in the business. I’ve met so many interesting people along the way and I thought it was time to work with them. It was super exciting and I’m very open when it comes to compositions and would only finish the songs when they felt finished. I got to learn a lot about other people and how they function. I wasn’t very protective over the ideas unless I felt like it was going to be a strong song as it was, there were a handful of songs I did just by myself. As much as I’d love to make this a regular thing, as it was one of the most liberating things I’ve ever done, I have to be realistic as LEPROUS is my main source of income and needs more of my attention. In an ideal scenario I would have loved to do a full tour with this album but hopefully, I will have more opportunities.”
The album title and the content held within focus on narrating an important period in Einar‘s life growing up, tackling some difficult moments as well as key experiences on his journey. “The lyrics focus on actual stories and experiences from my past in the early years and I’ve never really done that before. Those years of my life were where the most life-defining moments occurred, good and bad, and even though some songs deal with anxiety and depression there are also some subjects which are really positive. The only thing you can do as an artist is to stay true to whatever you feel is right. If someone likes it that can be a bonus. I probably cared more about this one than I did the last two LEPROUS records. With those I had other people in the band to share the burden with, with this it was all on me.”
EINAR SOLBERG has frequented numerous studios throughout his extensive tenure, this enabled him to navigate the opportunities for collaboration with relative ease. “David at Ghostward Studios is a really close friend of mine and I’ve worked with him that many times he gives me a bit of discount,” chuckles Einar. “It can actually be cheaper to book multiple different studios as I didn’t have to be there when the other people recorded. I could attend virtually. It’s also something we did during COVID with LEPROUS. I wanted to make sure I got everything right and the drums are the most complicated instrument to record so I wanted to use studios I trusted and where I feel most comfortable. Due to the nature of the music and it being quite orchestral and cinematic it was something I was not willing to compromise on so it was quite expensive in places. I know the piano in Ocean Sound is amazing as I’ve already recorded there with LEPROUS and it also is one of the most beautiful places in the world, out by the sea and fjords in Norway so I didn’t need an excuse to visit there!”
Whilst the intention of this interview was to lift the lid on Einar‘s new solo venture we couldn’t resist on extracting some information about his vocal routine. Given his thorough explanation, it is little wonder why he always sounds phenomenal in any living setting he enters. “I feel like a lot of vocalists overthink and are a bit dramatic about protecting their voice, like not talking for the rest of the day and it can be counterproductive as it just means you’re adding a lot of stress. The best thing I can do from a mental perspective is just be chill about it and be okay with the fact that I’m not going to be perfect for an entire tour and just make peace with it.”
“You live in a close environment with people and are playing in front of crowds of people, it’s not something you can avoid. You have to listen to your body and adapt to the situation. I would rather perform a show at 80% knowing it will help me to get through the remainder of the tour than push myself and potentially risk only being at 50% for the other dates. I do a lot of preparation and stamina building prior to a tour, I perform the setlist for multiple weeks beforehand and by then my voice is already used to taking a beating. It’s just like anything, if you’re performing on a competitive level you wouldn’t go straight into it without any preparation. Physical preparation is almost as important as mental preparation. I work out regularly, don’t drink, smoke or do drugs. I’ve heard all sorts of crazy methods like eating ginger, drinking honey, throat pastilles and they make zero difference. Whatever works for you but don’t be so uptight about it!”
16 is out now via InsideOut Music.
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