INTRODUCING: IBEN

With her debut album HULDER arriving on 14 August, rising Norwegian alternative artist Iben is stepping into a world where folklore, identity and raw emotion collide. Inspired by the enigmatic Hulder figure of Nordic mythology, the album reimagines the misunderstood forest spirit through a contemporary lens, exploring gender roles, conformity, power and the universal desire to belong.

Blending emo-inspired pop, electronica, Norwegian folk influences and heavier alternative textures, HULDER is a bold and immersive body of work that showcases Iben's fearless approach to storytelling and sound design. Having already shared stages with the likes of Sigrid and built a reputation as one of Norway's most exciting emerging talents, Iben is poised for a breakthrough moment.

Ahead of the album's release, we caught up with Iben to discuss new single The Herd, the mythology behind HULDER, and why breaking the rules has become central to her creative process.

‘The Herd’ explores themes of conformity and “sheep mentality” in Scandinavian culture — what made you want to tackle those ideas through this track?

Growing up in Norway, you are constantly reminded of what I call “the invisible rulebook”. It doesn’t take a lot to stick out and when you do (especially when you’re younger) people LOVE to point it out. I’m definitely generalizing, but I never understood why so many Norwegians become so easily bothered by people not acting or conforming in the same way they do. So I felt like I had to write about it, from the perspective of those people. Hopefully to make them realize how stupid they sound when they expect people to behave just like them, without even speaking to each other.

Your upcoming album HULDER is inspired by Nordic folklore — what drew you to the Hulder myth specifically, and how did it shape the emotional direction of the record?

The mythical creature of Huldra, to me, has always felt more like a shunned character than this siren-like being. She is basically a scapegoat for all of the grief in a village. If a child is born sick, it’s because they have been swapped for one of Huldra’s troll children, and must be left out to die in the woods. If a man gets lost in the woods to die, it is because Huldra has seduced him into her trap. I got very curious about the perspective of this haunted figure, and started to play around with the idea of her being this misunderstood figure. This is what inspired the concept of the album and in the writing process I started adding my personal experiences to the mix.

Sonically, ‘The Herd’ leans further into synths, trip-hop textures and drum & bass influences — how has your sound evolved while making this album?

Being a “late-in-life-baby” I have four older siblings who all have, from when I was very little, exposed me to a lot of different genres. From dancy electronica to bubblegum pop to experimental jazz to black metal, I became influenced by it all. I guess the common thread throughout the music I enjoy is noise and nerve, which now bleeds into my own writing and production. More is more, and through making this album, I feel like I have furthered my own authentic sound by not allowing any constraints. In my next project I might challenge myself to make something that sounds more cohesive... unless I get bored.

Across HULDER, you explore identity, gender roles, power and validation — did writing the album change the way you understand yourself or your experiences?

Definitely. I think I have realized that I have been way more sensitive and insecure about past experiences than I initially thought. In the end, we all just want to belong somewhere, and in that search we become very fragile. Even though I have always had women around me who have encouraged me to stay strong willed and use my voice, it is a scary thing to feel like you are a constant nuisance to others. It also builds this wall between yourself and others which makes it even harder to connect with people. So yeah, I have definitely had to process some stuff and write from the gut, in order to let my guard down a bit more.

You’ve cited artists like Ethel Cain, Paramore and Chelsea Wolfe as inspirations — how have those influences helped shape your approach to blending alternative pop with heavier textures?

I really aspire to become even just a fraction of what these musicians are able to convey through their art. What makes them special to me is how their creative choices really reflect their sense of authenticity, whatever direction the music might take. I strive to recreate this feeling of “what the fuck did I just listen to” that I always get from their projects. The intro can be 5 minutes long, the lyrics terribly heartbreaking and the chorus the most catchy thing you have ever heard- it just never gets boring. To me, this is what’s at the very core of alternative music, something you felt so fulfilled making that you forgot all the rules.