Synje Norland

"That a person, who explores the two sides of herself, which sometimes lead from light to dark, doesn't necessarily have to act overly sophisticated and closed, was proven by the young musician Synje Norland last Friday night at Nikolaisaal Potsdam.

The petite blonde singer songwriter, born originally in northern Germany, looks back on a resumé that is marked by rebellion and the love of freedom.
Born into a family of musicians, she teaches herself the guitar at the age of 10. At 16 she leaves school and decides only to play music from now on in. She is drawn out into the world. Most recently she lost her heart to Canada, where she incorporated a lifestyle, that is characterized by itchy feet and looking for the right ways.
In 2007 she joins forces with her father and sets up her label Norland Music to release her first Album: "Skipping Stones".
Her pragmatism and the right contacts help her music being chosen for film and TV soundtracks.

Her Band, which usually accompanies her to her shows, stays at home for the evening in Potsdam - only Michael Becker and his cello accompany her that night, on which she introduces her new album "To The Other Side".
A stroke of luck Incidentally, this Michael Becker!
The musician, who had already played on Synje Norlands first album "Skipping stones" is also busy playing with other projects, performing a musical spectrum from classic, Jazz masters to pop. The Potsdam audience was impressed with his play, so surprisingly diverse, that they got the impression Synje Norland had arrived with a full band. The cellist tugged and knocked sounds out of his instrument, that it reminded one of a musical saw or a bass or also a violin and ensured as much Timbre, as the voice of the young singer, which dominated this evening beyond dispute.

Pure and undisguised, the guitar hanging from her shoulders, in comfortable pants and otherwise completely without any Jewelry, but with an open smile and a lot of feeling, Synje Norland sang about love, the Yes to life, about the conflict between desire and ability and her encounter with a former child soldiers, who at the same age as her, had experienced things of such an appalling gloom, that the young woman could't turn them into lyrics til six months after their meeting.

Dark and angry she let her voice tell the story of these so unequal resumés of death and escape, in stark contrast to her own sheltered childhood, that opend all doors and promoted a career, that certainly still has a lot of momentum.

As she stood there on the stage of Nikolaisaal foyers with closed eyes, denouncing the injustice, she reminded us of the lead singer of the Cranberries, Dolores O'Riordan, who, with her song "Zombie" had achieved similar effects. Also a comparison with Alanis Morisette Synje Norland would withstand safely. Sounds like velvet, smoky and dark, sometimes fading away, almost spoken, only to be re-pointed as pinpricks."

Translated from German! - Andrea Schneider, Potsdamer Neueste Nachrichten, 09.17.2012

"The appearance of Synje Norland at 'Hamburg Sounds' on Monday night was incredible. The rhythm of her splendid band goes far beyond the addition of other singer songwriters’ backups, especially true for her admirable cello player Michael Becker, to name just one constant source of imaginative application. Sometimes he uses his instrument as a metronome, other times he complements Norland with a second voice. One can't shake of the feeling of having experienced the singer for the last time in front of such a manageable auditorium." - Die Welt

"With a variable sound on the guitar and a voice that wonderfully defined and yet powerful, especially in its higher range, she immediately grabs your attention. Her songs: a lovely selection of poetry, very personal songs from her debut album "Skipping Stones", innocent, romantic songs, which touch both ear and heart like wonderful, warm sunrays." - Donaukurier

"The complex compositions of the singer and guitarist Synje Norland didn't keep the emotions of the audience in a calm state for too long. Again and again she changed her tone, her cellist, switching from angry to vulnerable, from folk to chamber music accents. Her voice like a tree: first one looked fascinated at the heights, but her voice also reached deep into the depths of the earth.“ - Translated from German - Hamburger Abendblatt