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Aurora performs in The Current studio

Norwegian singer-songwriter Aurora performs in The Current studio. L to R: Magnus Skylstad, percussion; Fredrik Vogsborg, guitar; Aurora; Silja Sol, backing vocals and guitar.
Norwegian singer-songwriter Aurora performs in The Current studio. L to R: Magnus Skylstad, percussion; Fredrik Vogsborg, guitar; Aurora; Silja Sol, backing vocals and guitar.Minju Kim | MPR
  Play Now [21:39]

by Mac Wilson

March 01, 2019

Aurora - Animal (Live at The Current)
by MPR
Aurora - Churchyard (Live at The Current)
by MPR
Aurora - It Happened Quiet (Live at The Current)
by MPR

Norwegian singer-songwriter Aurora Aksnes — known professionally as Aurora — had first imagined the songs she was working on would comprise three albums, then one, before she firmly decided on two. "I realized that with time, with a lot of thinking, I did realize that I have been writing about two very different parts, but of the same process I would say," she says. "So it makes very much sense spiritually and musically to split it into two parts, so it makes sense now."

That first part, Infections of a Different Kind - step 1, released in September 2018. The second part is anticipated for release later this year. While in town for a show in the First Avenue Mainroom, Aurora — along with bandmates Silja Sol, Fredrik Vogsborg and Magnus Skylstad — stopped at The Current for a session hosted by Mac Wilson.

Aurora is based in Bergen, a city on Norway's west coast that Aurora says is home to a thriving artistic community. "It is a very good place to become a musician or a producer or artist," she explains. "We're all very close; we all know each other and support each other. … There's a lot of indie music coming out from Bergen. It's a very good community; we're very lucky."

Beyond Norway, Aurora is gaining a following worldwide, and after March 29, that reach may expand even further. Aurora was asked to contribute "a very tender version" of the song "Baby Mine" for Disney's upcoming Dumbo release. "I kind of rediscovered the beauty of the song when I was asked very secretively to make a demo of it whilst being on tour in Brazil," Aurora says. "I had to rent a studio over there and record it with some guy in the studio. … [It was] very secretive. It always is. But Disney is kind of magical, isn't it?"

Use the audio player above to listen to the complete session with Aurora as well as more of her interview with Mac Wilson, including their shared fondness for Arrested Development.

More Video

Songs Performed


"Animal"
"Churchyard"
"It Happened Quiet"
The second and third songs is from Aurora's 2018 album, Infections of a Different Kind - step 1; the first song is from Aurora's next album, Infections of a Different Kind - step 2, anticipated later this year. Both are released on Decca Records and distributed in the U.S. on Glassnote Records.

Hosted by Mac Wilson
Produced by Derrick Stevens
Engineered by Cameron Wiley
Visuals by Minju Kim
Web feature by Luke Taylor

Aurora - official site