Words: Gery Hristova

Being a female producer has never been an easy task, however there are some out there like BIMM artist Andrea who are not afraid of the challenges. The Norwegian musician – who blends pop with a Latin twist – tells her side of the story, from what difficulties she faced at the beginning of her music career to what’s kept her inspired to keep dreaming.

Tell us a bit about yourself?

“I’m a producer and artist, and I love to make my music for other people. I was born in Norway and I moved to Spain a few years later. Eventually, I ended up in London to study Music Production [here at BIMM].”

How would you describe your music to someone who have never heard it?

“I would describe it as Latin-pop that it’s kind of 90s-inspired with a 2020s twist, and it covers a range of emotions. Simply, everyone can relate to it on some level.”

Do you remember the first song that you ever wrote?

I think I was 15 when I wrote it and I had just started playing the guitar. The song was called ‘Famous’. It was inspired by my encounter with a [male] producer, who claimed that he could help me become famous. But I knew there was something off about his offer, because there were so many strings attached to that whole concept. So I decided that if someone has the power to make me a massive star – that was me. That’s why I got into production, because I didn’t want to have anything to do with those kind of producers.

What’s the first thing that pops up into your mind when you hear the words ‘female producer’?

One word – power. I’m so inspired by all the females, especially those who work within the music industry and if I can be part of those small per cent of women that are producers then I will be incredibly happy and I’ll feel like I did something.

From your perspective, what is like being a female producer?

For example, when I first came to BIMM, I saw that there were mainly guys in my class and some of them would act a little bit superior from time to time. You can find this kind of attitude in many industries, but I felt [a little] bit intimidated at first and then I noticed that the ones who were the loudest had the least to say. Once I was confident in my own skills, I’ve never doubted myself.

“I’m inspired by all music legends. If other people can achieve such greatness then I feel why shouldn’t you and I.”

Did you notice any discrimination when you were applying for job as a producer or did you notice any difference in the way they were treating your job application?

One time it was almost the opposite effect, when I got the advantage. There was this opportunity from Universal. They were seeking only female producers. Even then, some guys from my class were frustrated instead of being happy for me. But not everyone is like that, you just have to find the people that will support you and will be happy for your achievements. The younger generation producers I think are way more open-minded, informed and opinionated and don’t think about whether you’re female or male, which makes me so happy. So I definitely see a change when I work with older versus younger producers.

What is it like producing your own music?

I used a different approach for each of my songs. One called ‘Dumb’, which was released in November 2020, I produced myself. The last one, ‘Tell Her That Too’ I co-produced with my uncle [Andre Lindal-  Kelly Clarkson, Maroon 5, Justin Bieber].

How long did it take you to record ‘Tell Her That Too’ and what makes it different from your other songs?

This song is the most fictional, it’s one of the most emotional songs that I have. It took me a few months to create it. At first I record a very raw guitar version, which I played to my uncle during the 2020 Christmas break. He saw the potential in the song and then we found ourselves working on the track for the next few months. I didn’t want to create a standard ballad. I wanted to surprise the listener, because the original song was only a piano at the beginning, which was beautiful, but we knew we had to do something else. So we added more vocals at the beginning.

“Don’t doubt that you’re not good at music just because you don’t fit in. Build your own crowd and never stop dreaming.”

What inspires your music and lyrics?

I would say all of the [music] legends inspire my music. If people can achieve such greatness then I feel why you and I shouldn’t. When it comes to my lyrics – it’s a mix of real events and fictional one. For example, the song ‘Tell Her That Too’ is inspired by the stories of my friends. It’s about a relationship that really didn’t worked out because the girl got cheated on – happily that never happened to me.

What’s the most remarkable thing that ever happened to you during a gig?

I had a release party for ‘Tell Her That Too’ on September 24. I was performing at a bar that was filled with all of my friends and everybody that I knew. My brother and I were playing and everybody had learned the lyrics, without me knowing. So once I started singing, everybody was already shouting it. At some point, I couldn’t hear my voice at the speaker. That’s the best feeling I’ve ever experienced.

What should we expect from you new single ‘Body Talk’?

It’s a happy, very energising song inspired by 80s music, which is perfect for parties.

What advice would you give to artists who are the very beginning of their music career?

Don’t doubt that you’re not good at music just because you don’t fit in. Build your own crowd and never stop dreaming.

Check out the lyric video for ‘Tell Her That Too’ here:

Instagram: andrea.tnl