Ida Oestergaard - 2009 International Award Winner - Q & A
Get to know the 2009 NYSC Songwriting Contest International Award Winner – Danish beauty Ida Oestergaard. She spoke with us recently about her writing process, the state of the music industry, and what it was like to win this amazing award.
Q: Tell us bit about yourself - where you grew up, upbringing, first musical memory....
A: I grew up in Northern Jutland, Denmark. I was the third child with two older sisters and one little brother. When I was eight my parents got divorced and my father moved out. There was loads of estrogen in our house which probably explains the slightly feminist vibe that my songs often have. I can’t imagine what it must have been like for my brother. Poor thing. The piano moved in when my father moved out. We’d always been singing a lot but with the chaos of the divorce and four children on very little space I found peace in playing the piano and later on the guitar. My siblings found it annoying but my mother loved it when I played and it often got me off the hook when there were dishes to be done and stuff like that. I would play for them while they cleaned.
Q: Who are your biggest musical influences?
A: That would be Alanis Morrisette. She taught me to sing high notes very loud and to play barréchords on the guitar. Her Jagged Little Pill album was my first repertoire. I’m especially drawn to strong female voices. In any genre really. From Zap Mama to Carole King to Shakira.
Q: When did you know you wanted to be a recording artist? How has the journey been so far?
A: I started writing songs by myself for my own project two and a half years ago. I had been writing songs with my friends earlier but it was always with a joking distance. I had known for a long time that I wanted to be a musician and also had a feeling that I could write my own songs. But I hadn’t had the guts to be honest in my songs until then. I signed up for a songwriting course and when I played my first actually heartfelt song I knew that I had to keep doing it. This is what I do best. In 2008 I entered a Danish contest for original music in any genre. The prize was massive airplay on the largest Danish radio-station. And I won. That was when I realized that now there is no way back. I still haven’t released as much as a single but I know that this is the right way for me. The feedback I’ve been given and the people interested in working with me and now this international award shows me that I’m on the right track.
Getting where I am now has been a long learning process. I knew from an early age that I was talented and that I loved music. But I was always the quiet girl. Shy and very hard on myself if I didn’t rise to my own expectations. From my first on stage performance when I was 11 and until I was about 19 I suffered from severe stage fright. I still feel my legs shake now and then. But I have found some comfort in the nerves. I know that they are there. I’m no longer fighting against them. Actually I think I need them. It also took me a while to find out and accept that I am a soloist. I’ve been playing with different bands and for different projects but I always found that my ambitions and ideas for how we could get noticed (submitting songs to competitions - who’s laughing now?) weren’t welcome. It’s scary and wonderful at once to be the one who’s in charge. I feel like I’ve grown a whole lot the past year and hopefully I will continue to overcome new challenges in the future. It’s like a very long rebirth of me as a professional songwriter and artist.
Q: If you could cowrite with anyone who would it be?
A: I’m not much of a cowriter. I’ve tried it a couple of times and I find it really hard. Probably because I’m used to writing for my own voice and my own project and nothing else. If I could cowrite for my own project I would love to work with Fiona Apple, KT Tunstall, Regina Spektor or of course Alanis Morrisette. Just to meet them would be awesome. In the future when I’m less self absorbed I would however like to write for other artists as well. I imagine that there’s something liberating in writing songs that are not necessarily your own expression.
Q: What is your writing process like?
A: I write lyrics and melody at the same time. Sometimes I write the last lyric bits later. In times when I feel inspired I have five to ten unfinished songs in my head. Some of them get finished and some don’t. I don’t write a lot of songs. It’s very different for me to compose on piano and guitar. With piano it’s more detailed and the guitar is more direct. Sometimes I like to play piano-songs on guitar and vice versa to get them finished. Mess it up! And now I’ve bought a home-recording setup. Hopefully it will give me more of an overview instead of keeping all the pearls inside my head.
Q: What excites you about where the music industry is going right now? What frustrates you with it?
A: I really like what the internet does for upcoming music. On YouTube and MySpace it is possible to build a fan base and have your music reach across the globe. It’s anyone’s game. I believe that it guarantees high quality music. And I’m a huge fan of networks like the NYSC where a lot of soloists meet and support each other. Being part of a group while still being free to do your own thing is very inspiring and comforting.
Q: How did you hear about the NYSC contest?
A: I’ve been drawn to New York for a couple of years. And had planned a trip in March (which is still on). I think I found the contest using Google.
Q: Tell us about when you found out you won the international award...
A: It was a bit weird. They had extended the submission period and I sent my songs last minute. So very shortly after I got the e-mail saying I won. I’ve noticed before that when something happens that is too good to be true and I’m overwhelmed I react by not understanding anything. I get stupid. So I wrote an e-mail saying “What? Have I won anything?” I also immediately wrote that I wouldn’t be able to make it for the finals. I guess I got a bit scared. But I am going to be there on the 19th. Calming down and letting it sink in helped me change my mind.
Q: Do you think it's important for artists to widen their net and get their music recognized abroad? If so, how does one do this?
A: That depends on the artist’s ambitions and the circumstances. If you sing in Danish it would take a miracle to get recognized anywhere outside Denmark. If your ambition is to work in the music industry and have a lifelong career you might as well get started. In your own country or abroad or wherever you find that people pick up your music. But I don’t necessarily think that worldwide recognition is the ultimate goal.
Q: Any closing comments?
A: None other than thanks to the NYSC. I’m really looking forward to meeting the people I’ve been e-mailing. And I am so exited that I will get to play at The Bitter End soon.
So are we, Ida!
