Hakan Foss

Song Premiere: Embla and the Karidotters Tribute Their Hometown on 'Bergen Blues'

Norwegian country-folk band Embla and the Karidotters explore wanderlust and hometown pride on the old-school country shuffle "Bergen Blues."

"I don't want to leave, don't want to stay/ Wanna be home and far away at the same time," lead singer Embla Karidotter sings. "My hometown is my favorite town/ So why does it bring it me down?"

Karidotter says the song was inspired by coming to a crossroads in her life.

'Bergen Blues' is about my hometown: how much I love it, but at the same time want to leave it. To live where you grew up can be comforting, but also suffocating," Karidotter tells Wide Open Country. "I wrote the song when I understood that Razika was coming to an end, and that now I could finally move out of Bergen... but where to? I wanted to get out of my comfort zone, but suddenly I didn't know where to go or what I wanted to do. 'Bergen Blues' is a kind of state where you're always searching for something else, even if you're content. Maybe that's from the gypsy part of my family. Or maybe you just want what you don't have. Growing up in Norway's second largest (but still small) city, I always wanted to live in the country. As this song is released I'm happy to announce that I'll be moving out of Bergen for the first time. My dog, my boyfriend and I are moving far up north in Norway to a place called Bodø. Remember 'Northern Exposure'? That's what we're going for. And when I get the blues again, I can always come back home."

Listen to "Bergen Blues" below.

Jansen Records · Embla and the Karidotters - Bergen Blues

 

Hakan Foss

 

The Karidotters are made up of  Marie Moe (Razika, Slomosa) on bass, Nils Jørgen Nilsen (Honningbarna, The Needs, Sløtface) on drums, Tor-Arne Vikingstad (Sløtface) on guitar and Simen Følstad Nilsen (Aiming for Enrike) on lap steel.

The band will release their new EP Howling later this year via Die With Your Boots on Records.

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