Hailing from Odense, Karen Marie Ørsted (aka MØ) first made her foray into the industry in early 2013 when she lent her vocals to ‘Dear Boy’, a song by the Swedish producer Avicii.
Since then, MØ has emerged as something of a world ambassador for contemporary Scandinavian culture in all aspects: from her trademark sporty attire through to the intriguing nature of her sound.
MØ’s initial interest in music began with a fanatical obsession with the Spice Girls – her ponytail is something of a reference to her childhood idol, Sporty Spice.
Taking influence from heavier, more punk-based bands during her formative years – the likes of Nirvana, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Sonic Youth – had a profound impact on the direction of her vocal style: a powerful voice that is equalled by few female pop vocalists though she is often compared to the likes of London Grammar, Banks and her fellow Dane, Oh Land, although let’s hope she has the wisdom to not follow her onto Voice Junior.
Making moves on both sides of the Atlantic, MØ has worked with a variety of similar-minded musicians and producers, including Australian rapper Iggy Azelea.
Meanwhile, her appearance on Roskilde’s prestigious Orange Stage in 2013 only further consolidated her support and made what were originally referred to as songs – the likes of ‘Don’t Wanna Dance’, ‘Say You’ll Be There’, and ‘Fire Rides’ – into anthems.
