[Behind the K-pop scene] Norwegian Okay-pop songwriter Eline Noelia Myreng

Norwegian singer-songwriter Eline Noelia Myreng was working part-time as a bartender in Oslo, Norway, when she co-wrote Okay-pop woman group Ive’s hit single, “I Am,” for his or her 2023 studio album, “I’ve Ive.” That success reworked her dream of changing into a full-time music producer into actuality — at simply 25 years previous.

“I co-produced this monitor (‘I Am’) with Audun (Agnar Guldbrandsen) and Kristin (Marie Skolem). We wrote it in a basement underneath an oyster bar in Oslo, proper earlier than I had an evening shift as a bartender. I used to be hustling, writing songs with the hope of doing it full-time,” Myreng stated in an interview with The Korea Herald on Oct. 8. “Now, I’m lucky sufficient to be doing songwriting full-time.”

Myreng has already labored with a wide range of Okay-pop artists, together with Kiss of Life, Hyo from Ladies’ Era and Miyeon of (G)I-dle. Nonetheless, her profession didn’t begin in Okay-pop. Earlier than diving into songwriting, she carried out as an occasion vocalist at over 500 concert events. It wasn’t till she determined to deal with writing music and studied at Limpi, a Norwegian college affiliated with the Los Angeles Academy of Artists and Music Manufacturing, that she discovered her area of interest in Okay-pop.

“I didn’t initially plan to write down for Okay-pop, however a mentor at Limpi informed me that the music I used to be making for myself had quite a lot of similarities with Okay-pop. They inspired me to offer it a strive, and that’s how it began,” she defined.

Myreng didn’t consciously got down to write Okay-pop music; she simply wrote what she beloved — huge sounds, cool manufacturing and high-energy tracks. Her type, rooted in dance-pop and synth-pop widespread within the 2010s, naturally aligned with the Okay-pop sound.

“I grew up listening to quite a lot of dance-pop within the 2010s — huge vocals, inventive ideas and daring kinds. My favourite pop stars have been Beyonce, Rihanna, Katy Perry and Christina Aguilera. They have been daring and colourful, which is analogous to what Okay-pop stars are doing now,” she stated.

Myreng stated she’s all the time admired Okay-pop from afar, appreciating its complexity, and was fascinated by the mix of components in every music.

“It’s a complete new world in music. Okay-pop all the time retains you entertained, and that impressed me to dive deeper into it,” she stated.

One of many issues she loves most about producing Okay-pop is the collaborative, team-driven course of — very similar to being in a Okay-pop group itself. When writing songs, the staff typically data the demo as a gaggle to imitate the texture of a multimember Okay-pop act.

“The enjoyable half about writing for Okay-pop is capturing all of the totally different voices and attitudes of their music. After I’m within the studio, I get to rap and sing with totally different methods to make every half sound distinct. It’s essential that each member of the group has their second to shine,” she stated.

Myreng additionally emphasised that Okay-pop songwriting isn’t nearly creating catchy tunes — it’s about crafting songs that pair nicely with choreography. She typically dances across the studio to make sure the tracks really feel proper for a efficiency.

“After I recorded the demo for ‘I Am,’ I didn’t know the way (Ive) would handle to bop whereas singing it. It’s actually spectacular how a lot work Okay-pop idols put into their performances,” she stated.

As Okay-pop evolves and incorporates extra mainstream pop components, Myreng believes the style nonetheless stands out due to its distinctive mix of kinds and cultural influences.

“There are such a lot of nice Okay-pop writers and producers from Scandinavia, and I positively hear quite a lot of Scandipop, ABBA and Eurovision components in some Okay-pop tracks. However it’s nonetheless so versatile. I like how Okay-pop songs can incorporate so many alternative genres in a single monitor,” she stated.

“Okay-pop breaks the principles of conventional pop. Even when it strikes nearer to mainstream pop, it is going to all the time stand out due to the tradition and the followers.”

Trying forward, Myreng hopes to proceed constructing her profession as a hitmaker within the Okay-pop world. She’s desirous to work with extra teams, mentioning Nmixx, Le Sserafim and aespa as her dream collaborations.

“I additionally need to focus alone artistry. I like writing for others, however I additionally love singing. I hope the longer term holds a mixture of each,” she stated.

This text is the primary in a particular interview collection exploring the journeys of key Okay-pop trade professionals: a songwriter, coach, producer and newly debuted Okay-pop idol. They focus on their roles, the aggressive nature of the trade and the enterprise mechanics behind Okay-pop’s world success. — Ed.