Gen Z alt-pop icon Girl in Red (aka Marie Ulven) has reached dizzying heights of musical success in her 25 years. From playing Glastonbury to opening for Taylor Swift on the Eras Tour, she’s come a long way from growing up in the quiet Norwegian town of Horten and writing songs in her bedroom.
If you’re yet to encounter Girl in Red’s refreshing brand of vulnerable yet incredibly catchy queer pop, the first thing to know is that her song ‘we fell in love in October’ surpassed 1 billion Spotify streams earlier this year. The second thing to note is that her sapphic icon status is so thoroughly cemented, that asking “Do you listen to Girl in Red?” has become a subtle way for young women to suss out queer peers.
Aside from becoming part of the Gen Z lexicon, Girl in Red’s laundry list of recent massive achievements also includes the release of her sophomore album, titled I’m Doing It Again, Baby! After selling out an Australian headline tour just last year, the artist will be a girl in Oz once again next month. On the eve of her upcoming national tour, we asked Girl in Red about her impression of our nation and the vibe she wants to bring to this tour.
When international artists talk about their impressions of our nation, they usually stick to the common themes of sandy beaches and cute koalas. Girl in Red, on the other hand, says the thing that stands out most from her last trip Down Under is the time she “almost fucking died in Sydney”. Like many oceanic mishaps, it all started out quite innocently. The sun was shining, she’d gotten her boat licence when she was 16, and renting a “tiny, weird little fishing boat” seemed like a fantastic idea.
However, she forgot one crucial factor: wind. “The waves were so fucking big, I was soaked,” she says. “I was drenched in water and I literally almost fucking sunk the whole boat.”
So that’s my impression of Australia – gigantic fucking waves.
This time around, less risky nature-based plans are on the agenda. Perhaps meeting a koala after all, but only at an ethically run institution. Because really, it’s nice to check out the natural wonders when you’re so far from home. So, how does it feel to be back again so soon, with audiences on the other side of the world ready to sing Girl in Red’s lyrics back to her?
“That’s the coolest thing in the whole world”, she says.
“When you put it like that, it’s really fucking cool and really, really rare.” She’s not sure whether it’s part of getting older, but every time Girl in Red gets to play a show now and people are having a good time, she’s “very grateful”.
“It’s really magical,” she says.
As for songs she’s particularly excited to play for rowdy Aussie crowds, ‘Phantom Pain’ is number one on the list. “I think that’s going to be really fun to play… that’s a song that’s really grown on me.”
Girl in Red is as well known for her melancholy melodies exploring queer angst and mental health struggles as she is for her higher-energy tracks. In light of the huge emotional breadth of her songwriting, how does she want punters to feel when they leave her upcoming shows? “I love when crowds go crazy,” she says.
“I want people to feel like holy shit, that was a really good fucking show,” she laughs. “My songs have all kinds of emotions in there – some sad, some really happy, upbeat stuff.
“I want to take anyone who comes to the show on the whole journey. Sometimes I give my little spiel: ‘I want all you motherfuckers to fucking dance like animals.’”
Somehow, we’ve got a feeling that’s exactly what she’ll get.
Girl in Red is playing at Melbourne’s Margaret Court Arena on Wednesday, July 17, alongside stops in Perth, Sydney and Brisbane. She’s also booked in a headline set at Adelaide’s Spin Off Festival. Read more about her Melbourne show here.
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