Haddy N'jie

I was born on one of those rear tropical Norwegian summer nights when Oslo is buzzing with people who actually are warm enough to look each other in the eye. And maybe even smile. In 1979 Norway was still a very white country (it still is, but we’ve managed to blend in some pigment during the last 20 years) and all the other mothers thought I was born with hepatitis. They had never seen such a yellow baby. But when my dad finally, and proudly, entered the room, they understood that there was no hepatitis, just Gambian genes. Before getting hooked on making music, I wrote short stories and poetry, and started working as a journalist as soon as I finished school. Christmas Eve 2000 I was living in Granada, Spain and my boyfriend bought me my first guitar. Songs that had been lingering in my head for years, just waiting for the right moment to pop out, suddenly sprang to life. One thing led to another. I started writing songs. Moved back to Norway and held my first concerts. In 2005 I released my first album; White lies on the one man label Via Music. White lies are the lies the majority tells about the minority. Although well-intended, they are still lies. “White lies” is a song about every person’s right to name themselves, define themselves. My band, in good company known as The White Liars, consists of 5 pale but resolute young men with blood types ranging from country via blues and jazz to prog rock and pure pop.