Widely known for possessing one of Norway’s greatest country voices as the lead singer of Lucky Lips, Malin Pettersen’s career has been a whirlwind since the release of her debut solo album, References Pt.1 in the spring of 2018. Critically lauded in Norway and recent winner of a Spellemann award (Norwegian Grammy), as well as nominated for an Ameripolitan award, the record launched Pettersen’s immensely promising solo career with widespread touring as a result.
Profoundly inspired by a trip to Nashville, which included a slot at The Station Inn with Lucky Lips for Americanafest, Pettersen returned to Norway with several songs ready to record. Wanting to do something wholly different from the band sound of her debut, she recorded a mini-album all-alone in the studio. Alonesome showcases Pettersen’s compelling – and at the same time fragile – voice and unique musicianship.
The Ameripolitan nomination brought Pettersen back to Tennessee, and after the awards, she found time to record an entirely new album along with a handful of young Nashville cats, scheduled for 2020. But first up is the 6-song collection Alonesome. Previously, Malin has enjoyed support slots for artists such as Sam Outlaw, Whitney Rose and Joshua Hedley, as well as playing shows with JP Harris and performing at Nashville’s famed Honky Tonk Tuesdays at the American Legion. Having both made waves and new friends in Nashville, Malin’s momentum is still building. Look out for new tour dates, but first of all Alonesome.
Glide is thrilled to premiere “Get You Back Again,” a delicate charmer timeless country that places Pettersen’s exquisite vocals in a league of Jenny Lewis and Lydia Loveless
“This was the first song I wrote after coming back home from Americanafest last year. Andrew Combs and Charlie Whitten’s duo show at Station Inn had made a lasting impression on me and Combs’ song “Hazel” definitely left me inspired and sent me into writing mode. I wanted to try to capture that desperate feeling of when someone you want doesn’t want you back. How you go looking for reasons and try to find solutions because you want to fix it and hope for a second chance. How maybe you gave them the part of you you thought would win them over, but then it turned out they actually wanted to connect on a deeper level than you assumed – one that you just didn’t give them in fear it wasn’t what they were looking for,” says Pettersen.
“Songwriters and performers who can translate feelings into songs and who don’t need anything other than their voice and instrument to convey those feelings, have been hugely influential on this whole mini-album. People like Iris Dement, Stacey Earle, Joni Mitchell, and Willie Nelson.”
Photo by Solveig Bergli Selj