In a basement in Asker, Frøder and Jesper Jenset, among others, are now sitting and writing songs. The third edition of the songwriting camp Bysongs is underway, and this time TONO is participating as a partner.
/ 21/02/2017 / codexIn a basement in Asker, Frøder and Jesper Jenset, among others, are now sitting and writing songs. The third edition of the songwriting camp Bysongs is underway, and this time TONO is participating as a partner.
Photo above: front row Sivert Hagtvet, Jesper Jenset, Katrin Frøder and Viljar Losnegård (Photo: TONO)
The Bysongs songwriter camp is being held for the third time this year, and this time with TONO as a partner and supporter. The camp is divided into two, one Norwegian and one international. The Norwegian one started on Monday, February 20th and runs over three days at Whiteroom in Asker. Here, 24 producers, songwriters and topliners work together across six studios. The international camp is being held from Monday to Thursday next week, and will be attended by people who have written songs for artists such as Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, One Direction, Beyonce and so on. Norwegian hitmakers will also participate here, including Fred Ball, Andreas "Axident" Schuller, Ina Wroldsen and Jesper Borgen.
"The Norwegian Sound"
– The background for Bysongs was that we in Whiteroom and Tanken found that we wanted to collaborate on something, and then the Bysongs idea emerged, says Hans Petter Aaserud, who runs Whiteroom together with Bernt Rune Stray and Bjørn Erik Pedersen. It was Vegard Waske, who is both manager of Cashmere Cat and involved in by:Larm, who connected the songwriting camp with by:Larm.
– By:Larm has an artist focus, but the term artist has been expanded in recent years. Now it is often the producers and songwriters who are often the main names on a release, and where the traditional artist, or singer, is "featuring". At Bysongs, the focus is on the producers and songwriters, says Bjørn Erik Pedersen. He and Aaserud talk about "the Norwegian sound".
– We wanted to address the Norwegian distinctiveness, which is very popular, and which is driven by talented people who are not "copycats", but who create their own things that sound quite unique. We wanted to bring together these producers and songwriters, and bring in help where needed, typically "topliners" from the USA and England, says Aaserud.
– We have been frustrated by the Norwegian model, where people have sat on their own turf, looking after their own. There is a lot to be gained from collaboration. For us, who run this studio, it is also important to bring in these young people, and create the sound for the future from here, says Pedersen.
– There is talk that it is in Norway that “it is happening” at the moment, and that is true. With the right network, which we have built up over many years together with, among others, Martin Schilde at Tanken in Sandvika, it is possible to get the world's best top-liners and producers here to us. And it gets easier every year. It has become a “talkative thing” that it is nice to come here, says Aaserud.
– You have to dare to do something
– Even though we are the ones who initiated it, it is actually a national initiative. We are doing this to lift this entire field. We also have a talent competition ahead of Bysongs, where people can submit songs, and where we select someone to participate, says Aaserud. – If you are going to lift the Norwegian music industry and cultural industry, you can't just sit and wait for things to happen. You have to dare to do something.
– And it must be mentioned that we are in a special position in Norway when it comes to support. We collaborate with, among others, Music Norway, Musikkforleggerne, Asker and Bærum municipalities, and now TONO, and that makes it possible to do this here, says Bjørn Erik Pedersen.
Hunting for hits in the basement
Whiteroom producers Viljar Losnegård and Sivert Hagtvet as well as artists and topliners Katrin Frøder and Jesper Jenset work in one of the studios in the basement.
– It's always exciting to work in new constellations and to see what comes out of it, says producer Viljar. – And it's important for Viljar and me not to get in the way of the top liners, says producer Sivert, who is manoeuvring the machine they are working on.
Jesper Jenset has never been to a songwriting camp before, but prefers collaboration over writing on his own:
– If I write alone, I often end up with the same thing I've written before. You're good at different things, and it's good to get input as long as the song is the best possible. But it should be a joy, and no one should resist. That's when the best songs come out, he says.
– You can work with producers and top-level people, but at camp you find even more people who are good. I think you develop when you work with new people. And then you get training in writing fast, says Frøder.
– And this song you're just starting out with, how did it start?
– With a track that Sivert and Viljar already had, and then Frøder and I “freestyled” over it. We go straight to the mic, and sing in gibberish, and then things come along that make sense, says Jesper.
They are not entirely sure who will get the song in the end – Jesper or Frøder.
– It may well go to other artists as well, says Jesper.
Finished on Wednesday
They will be finished on Wednesday evening. Then all the participants and representatives from the major record companies will gather to listen to everything that has been created during these three days. Along the way, TONO has been involved in providing information about rights in general, the importance of early agreement on distribution of works, assured the members that TONO receives income from both Norway and abroad, and that we will provide a separate representative from member services who will help get the songs registered quickly and correctly in our web service Mitt TONO.