INTRODUCING: Storm
Music is a universal language. It is a cliché saying; however, it is true. No matter where you come from in life, no matter what your background, you can find a haven of people who are fans of the same music. Many fans have formed life-long friendships from being fans; some have even got into relationships thanks to music. However, music does not just transcend relationships; it also transcends countries. This is the case for Norwegian singer STORM – real name Leo Davadi Sundli – who sat down to discuss the recording process behind his debut EP, Invincible, with Distorted Sound, whilst also juggling schoolwork, his upcoming projects, and getting his name out there.
“STORM is a pretty strong word. When we go on stage, or when you listen to one of our songs, it will hit you like a storm,” he says, explaining his stage name. “This name really fits what we are doing.”
Sundli is just thirteen years old, so doing an interview might seem nerve-wracking for someone so young; however, he takes it like a duck to water. He is incredibly polite, sitting in his home studio in Norway, wearing a FALLING IN REVERSE t-shirt, who were one of the main inspirations behind his debut EP, Invincible. “The way they blend hip-hop, pop and metal in one song, [especially] their newer songs. I always liked them, but when they started with this new era, I thought it was so cool. I didn’t blend genres at first, I did plain metal. However, it gave me inspiration to try new things.”
However, FALLING IN REVERSE was not the only inspiration. “YUNGBLUD, as well. A lot of the time, you may think that an artist who does hip-hop/pop/rock isn’t that good live. But when I saw him live, he was crazy.” That same energy that YUNGBLUD has playing live can be clearly seen in the videos that Sundli releases as STORM, especially the one for his song, Invincible. The EP of the same name is a high-energy, polished and utterly brilliant debut.
“I always make my songs at home,” Sundli explains when asked about the recording process of the EP. “In one week, I can make four songs. The producer [Martin Stenstad Selen] and I chose four songs. He lives in a town seven hours away [from me], so we were sending the songs to each other, and sometimes I went over there and he came over to me. I think it took four months to make.” He pauses, and then corrects himself. “It took six months to make. I recorded my vocals in [my home studio], and it was really fun. I enjoyed the process.”
His home studio helps when balancing schoolwork as well as singing. “It’s so nice to have it at home because after school, and when I wake up, I can just go to the studio and record all of the ideas I have.” The story of how the home studio was created is a special one.
“Five years ago when I started music, my dad had this studio because of his old band. He hadn’t used it in a long time, but when I started learning how to produce music, I learnt it there. When we moved, our new house had a big cinema [room], and we thought, ‘why not turn it into a studio?’, and we did. My guitarist helped us make this whole studio.”
Sundli then turns the camera to show us the vocal booth next to his desk, which contains a computer screen that has the recording of the vocals on it. “It turned out pretty good. I really love the studio, and when I’m recoding my vocals, I also have my guitarist that is sitting at the computer and recording it.”
However, as he is still in school, it must be hard to balance the musician-student lifestyle, even if he has the home studio. For most people, this would be a nightmare; however, for Sundli “it goes pretty well!”
“At school, all the ideas pop into my head, and I often take my phone and just record it. Then I go home, and record [professionally], and then it’s homework. So my routine is: school; studio; homework. It’s worked out pretty well, and there hasn’t been a problem. It’s never like, ‘I have to have this song done tomorrow.’ A few times, it has been like that, but not often. I set out my week. It works out pretty well.”
Sundli is proof that music is a universal language. His songs as STORM are in English, although he is from Norway. He explains why he sings in English, and not Norwegian. “It’s all thanks to my record label, Indie Records. In my old band [SNØSTORM], I sang in Norwegian. The record label said from the start, ‘you gotta sing in English’, and I said, ‘no, I can’t. I’m not good enough.’ But it turned out well. It was a bit weird at the start because I had to learn how to write lyrics in English. Break Yourself was the first song we made for the EP, and that was in Norwegian. My step-mum translated it into English. At first it was hard saying certain words right, but I also learnt by singing the songs in the studio.”
He has high ambitions for what is next for STORM. “I’d love to come to the UK,” Sundli explains, after completing a successful run of shows in Germany, which is the only other country he has played in so far. “But I’d also love to visit Japan,” he says with a grin. With a clear passion for music, who is to stop him?
Invincible is out now via Indie Recordings.
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