HOW IT WAS ALLOWED:
A song about finding peace in being who you are.
/ 12/11/2025 / Kristian DugstadWith her new album Wildflower, Malin Pettersen has truly found her expression as a songwriter, vocalist and producer. The title track is also a personal statement. It is a song about accepting yourself, with all that that entails.
– I think a lot about the human need for self-examination. The desire to understand oneself and others, and the feeling that perhaps one should have been different than one is. Wildflower is about landing on the idea that it is not necessary, she says.
The inspiration behind the song came from a simple but powerful observation.
– I like to look at things from different perspectives, and often try to boil down ideas to the simplest. I thought: what else but people is different, yet part of the same group? Then the image of flowers appeared. They grow differently, are different, but are all an important part of the ecosystem, she says.
The wildflower became a symbol that inequality is a strength.
– I recognized myself in that. It became easier to accept myself when I thought that way. I don't need to be different than who I am, because there are already others who are.
Wildflower was created through a combination of home work and live studio recordings.
– I had a feeling for the production already while I was writing the song. I knew where the bass would come in and what role it would have. The harmonies were the key, that's when the song found itself, she says.
All the vocal harmonies were recorded at home in Malin's own cave, where she could test and build the soundscape at her own pace. But the song and album itself were recorded live in Amps Tone in Oslo, together with a band consisting of some of the country's leading musicians.
– I love recording that way. There's something special about being in the room at the same time, feeling the dynamics and energy. For me, it was important to keep it simple, and not be tempted to add too much too early in the song. I'm really happy that we were able to keep that build-up.
As both a songwriter and producer, Malin describes herself as concerned with the whole, while at the same time ensuring that each song has its own space.
– I always think of each song as its own universe. Even though everything should be connected on an album, each lyric and melody needs to have its own world built around it. Wildflower is a good example of that. It is simple, but complex in feeling, she says.
The song represents much of what characterizes Malin's music: honest observations, wonder, and a desire to understand human mechanisms.
Following the release of Wildflower on September 19th, both the song and the album have been met with rave reviews. Malin is currently on tour, and describes the experience of playing the song live as a confirmation of what it is about.
– It feels strong to sing it together with the audience, because many people recognize that feeling of searching, but also landing.
And where the title song began as a picture of personal acceptance, the wildflower has been given new life in Malin's further projects.
– I really identify with it. It's about finding motivation from within and doing what you really want to do. I think that's where the good songs lie, she says.