Artist To Watch: Aurora

Norwegian import, Aurora Aksnes, continues the Viking invasion to UK shores.

2015 has been a good year for the shy 19-year-old. Her second single, ‘Runaway’ released in February achieved one million streams on Spotify in just six weeks and quite understandably so; her Florence Welch-like vocals and catchy hooks are sprinkled with eccentricity resembling the creative genius of both Bjork and Sia.

Her sound, influenced by Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen, is rooted in folk yet given an electronic arrangement to satisfy the mainstream audiences. ‘Runaway’s euphoric chorus is set to ignite a wave of lighters at festivals following the release of her debut album, ‘Winter Bird’, next spring.

Aurora has increased her profile by becoming this year’s Ellie Golding. Turning an Oasis classic, ‘Half The World Away’, into a complete rework by stripping it back to a haunting acoustic version. Sure to give her notoriety, the track features on this year’s much hyped John Lewis Christmas advert, which is hammering her name home as a household familiar; or at least a dinner table topic of “how do you pronounce her name again?”

If her EP ‘Running With The Wolves’ is any indication to the quality of her anticipated album we are in for a summer of Aurora, just like northern lights – a bright spectacle on the horizon.

By Jo Gerrard