Photo: Julianne Leikanger
This is how the song came about:
A new honest ballad from one of the country's greatest artists.
/ 11/04/2025 / Kristian DugstadOn Friday, April 11, Ramón will release his new single "I hold my breath until you leave" - a painful and honest ballad that points forward, but also nods back to where it all began.
The song is his first release since the album. TORRES TIVOLI and marks the beginning of the end of the musical chapter he has been in since his breakthrough.
– I feel like it's a classic ballad from me, but at the same time it feels more adult and a new chapter, says Ramón.
Watch the music video at the bottom of the article.
The song came about one day when he had an unexpected break in his schedule.
– I teach a little singing, and when a student had to cancel, I suddenly had some downtime. I got a little bored and started writing, says Ramón.
Verses and choruses came quickly, and he took the draft to Svenning Veiseth, who produced and co-wrote the song. Veiseth is also part of Ramón's live band, but this is the first time the two have collaborated in the studio.
– It was a very nice and natural process, says Ramón.
"I'll Hold My Breath Until You Go" stands out in his catalog with its bare production. Vocals and piano are recorded with plenty of reverb to enhance the sense of intimacy and vulnerability.
– We wanted to preserve the feeling from the voice recording I made when I wrote it. It gave the song a presence that we didn't want to lose. I love singing, and it's been great to have a song that's just meant to be sung and communicated, he says.
It is also the first time he has used other people's voices in the choir on one of his releases, which he describes as both unusual and exciting.
Ramón's big breakthrough came with "ok jeg lover" in 2022, a song that beat all previous streaming charts on its release day and achieved platinum status in less than a month. Since then, he has solidified his position as one of the country's most popular and trendsetting artists, known for his soulful voice and unfiltered honesty in his lyrics.
The debut album SO CLEARLY IT HURT resonated widely with its painful and easily recognizable stories about love, insecurity and self-reflection. TORRES TIVOLI, the sequel from 2024, continued the theme from the debut album, and marked a new highlight with a sold-out Spektrum concert and the award for Artist of the Year under P3 Gull the same year.
– This song is a nod to a younger me. It's not a feeling I feel now, but it was very real in my early 20s. I hope it can mean a lot to others too.
Ramón describes "I'll hold my breath until you leave" as both a flashback and a continuation.
– I feel like this song builds on my catalog in the best way. It's honest and vulnerable, but also more mature and clearer in its expression.
It also signals a coming full stop, when Ramón will soon close the over two-year chapter that began with the breakthrough.
– I'm going to end my era with a project this fall, and this song is the beginning of the end.
"I'll Hold My Breath Until You Go" is out on Friday, April 11th – and shows that there is still room for low-key, honest pop songs in a time where the pace is often faster than the pulse allows.