Q&A with MØ – Coachella 2015 Edition! The Danish Singer Talks Working with MAJOR LAZER for Single, “Lean On” and More!

Karen Marie Ørsted, better known by her stage name MØ , is a Danish singer and songwriter signed to Sony Music Entertainment. Born in Odense, , MØ has been compared to electropop artists such as Grimes and Twin Shadow.

Besides being an acronym for her middle and last initials, the word mø means “maiden” or “virgin” in Danish. In November 2014, she won four awards at Danish Music Awards: “Breakthrough Artist of the Year“, “Record of the Year“, “Solo Artist of the Year” and “Music Video of the Year“.

Her debut album, No Mythologies to Follow was released in 2014. She is featured on Iggy Azalea‘s song “Beg For It” which peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 27.

All Access Music writer, Nicole DeRosa got to catch up with MØ at Coachella. Check out their interview below!

How are you doing today MØ ? First off, how was Coachella?

Coachella was fantastic!! You know, we had this slot at 2:25pm Sunday both weekends, and I had seriously not thought that we would have a packed tent at both performances – but we did and for that I’m SUPER grateful!

My team and I had such a good time – also as a guest – it was so exciting to experience the legendary festival and I really really hope to go there again soon!

For those not as familiar with you and your music, how did you get your start in music? Who or what was the catalyst for you?

I started making music when I was 7 or 8. I started because I got so obsessed with The Spice Girls. I wanted to be like them. Simple as that. Then when I became a teenager – Sonic Youth became my new heroes, and I wanted to be Kim Gordon, have a band and be the coolest girl in the universe, then Santigold, MIA etc…

‘Having idols is a beautiful thing – it helps you develop yourself emotionally and creatively and makes you feel strong when the world sucks – however, the reason why I love making music, and have continued to do so since I first stumbled upon Spice Girls, is because it makes me reflect upon myself and the world surrounding me. Makes me understand it and myself better…. And it makes me fucking happy.”

Music is my way to communicate my feelings – and we all need to do that – to let out steam, and when I do that, it makes me feel stronger (…I know this might sound like a quote from a Disney movie, but I guess we’ll just have to live with that).

You recently collaborated with Major Lazer and released the new video for the track, “Lean On,” a collaboration with Parisian producer DJ Snake. How did that collaboration come about?

Working with Diplo and his team is always fun ‘cause it’s such an open and creative process! I got an early regga’ish beat from Wes (Diplo) back in December 2013, and that was when I wrote the first scratches for lyrics and melody – a lot of them are actually still sounding pretty much as they did back then, but then the beat changed at bit when DJ Snake got in to the pix and it got more uptempo. So, I hooked up with Diplo in Las Vegas and changed some of the lines so it would fit this new vibe. We went back and forth and suddenly the track was done. I love that song and I’m so proud of this collaboration.

I heard the video was shot on location in Mumbai, India. What was the inspiration for the video and song?

Major Lazer was touring India and wanted to do a video there because the atmosphere, the people and the country is amazing and inspiring. I was so happy we were gonna shoot in India. I’ve been there before and loved being there, so to go there to shoot a video for a song you love and feel very connected to was a far out fantasy!

The song is called ‘Lean On’ and as the title indicates, for me it’s about how you, no matter where you are in your life, mentally and physically, you need someone to lean on from time to time.

Who are your musical influences?

There are a lot. As I talked about before – a lot of different genres, women figures (as well as male figures), sounds and feelings has helped me form my personal taste in music and art today.

It’s not only music that inspires me – it can almost be everything…. But of course always something which has to do with some kind of emotional connection. But to name drop a few inspirations in music: Sam Cooke, Ace Of Base, Spice Girls, Sonic Youth, Sex Pistols, Velvet Underground, J Dilla, MF Doom, Santigold, MIA, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs etc.

Do you remember the first album you bought for yourself?

Aaaaah. Well, my first album to ever have for my own was Spice Girls with ‘Spice’, but that one I got as a present. So, I think the first one I ever bought on my own must have been Spice Girls 2nd release ‘Spice World’.

What was the first song you fell in love with and why?

“As you all should know by know, Spice Girls was my first big love, but actually my strongest memory of me falling in love with a song, was Xmas eve (1998 I guess?) where I got this compilation album with Cher’s “Believe” on it. I remember myself sitting by the gettoblaster (radio) crying like a baby because I thought the chorus of that song was the most beautiful thing I had ever heard.”

Who would your dream collaboration be with, living or dead?

Kim Gordon, Grimes or Karen O…

Who is in your current playlist? Any artists, musicians or genres we might be surprised to find in there?

I don’t really have a playlist. Wish I did though, cuz I totally feel let out!

What’s on tap next for you? What are you most excited about in 2015?

New music to make and new places to go and of course new people to meet!

 To learn more about MØ , visit here HERE .