POP STAR: Emelie Hollow has 2.4 million monthly listeners on Spotify. Here at P3 Gull in Oslo last November. Photo: Mattis Sandblad / VG
Emelie Hollow (25) likes to sing about feelings better than to talk about them. As a guest of honor in “Hver gang vi metes” on Saturday, she did not escape.
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– I’m a little afraid to see myself talking, even though it sometimes felt good in the safe environment, says Hollow to VG.
When the artist was first asked to participate, she thought she had nothing to talk about.
– That I simply had not taken hold of my life. I find it easier to carry the feelings with me and suppress them. But here I was almost forced to dig in life, she says and smiles.
The 25-year-old has had a real upswing with “Hver gang vi metes”. At the time of writing, four of her interpretations are on Spotify’s list of the 50 most played songs in Norway.
– It really feels like having gone from zero to a hundred. Being on the top list has somehow not been part of the discussion before. Now there are suddenly several songs there at the same time.
GUEST OF HONOR: Emelie Hollow surrounded by (former) Matoma, Mari Boine, Ramón, Ingrid Håvik, Odin Staveland and William Kristoffersen. Photo: Pinakkel Studio // Vegard Breie
Hollow has been passionate about singing, music and songwriting all his life. She made her debut as a 12-year-old and six years later she came fourth in “The Stream” (TV 2).
She co-wrote Alan Walker’s hit “Lily”, on which she is also a vocalist. The song has around 4.5 billion streams globally and close to 400 million plays on Spotify.
Of course, music was what Hollow chose to immerse himself in at high school, together with fellow student and “HGVM” friend Ramón (26).
Didn’t get a diploma
But the fact that Hollow would end up failing in music last year was a huge disappointment.
Hollow was so busy with his own music projects that the then new absence limit of 10 per cent, stuck in the wheels. She simply failed two music subjects, because she had too many absences – on superficial of music.
TV CURRENT: Emelie Hollow. Photo: Pinakkel Studio // Vegard Breie
– It was a setback for me, who has always been a “good girl”, and wants to be the best in everything I do, says Hollow on TV.
– The fact that I was not able to finish high school was a real bummer for me. Everyone left for closing. They dressed up, but I didn’t want to go. I was so embarrassed that I hadn’t got a diploma, she confides to the others around the table.
For VG, Hollow elaborates:
– It was so crushingly devastating when I realized that I wasn’t going to get that diploma. I struggled to accept it, because it didn’t match the image I had of myself.
PROUD: – I have to pinch myself that the others are singing my songs, says Emelie Hollow to VG about “HGVM”. Photo: Pinakkel Studio // Vegard Breie
The absence limit in upper secondary school works so that if a pupil has more than 10 per cent undocumented absence in a subject, the pupil does not get a grade in the subject. Today, the student can have an approved absence with valid documentation.
– When I was a student, the scheme was completely new. It probably looks a little different today, says Hollow.
In retrospect, she has obtained a diploma, and is happy about it. She took one subject as a private student right away, and the other a few years later.
– But I still get a lump in my stomach from talking about this, even though it worked out in the end.
Last week, Hollow sang “I know you’re gone” for a tearful William Kristoffersen (72). Afterwards, there has been an influx of messages from viewers, who have experienced losing someone.
See the performance here (arthe tickle continues below):
– I was not prepared for the response, so I am completely overwhelmed, she says.
It was a difficult song to do. The text hit Hollow hard.
– You are really not alone in such grief. Almost everyone has lost someone they love, and I relate it very much to those I have lost. But it was nice to cry a little.
And there is a lot of crying in “Every time we meet”. On Saturday, Hollow opens the floodgates more than once.
– I was afraid I would be embarrassed, but now I really just think it’s nice. We got so close to each other and twisted our souls. It was impossible not to collapse, she says, laughing.
WET: William Kristoffersen opens the floodgates to Hollow, as Emelie Hollow did for him last week. Photo: SCREEN DUMP/TV 2
The pop star sings a lot about heartbreak, based on her own experience. But for the past three years Hollow has been happily in love.
On TV, she says she has “the world’s finest boyfriend”. But she does not reveal who he is – not even to VG.
– We are without a trace in social media, she jokes.
– It is certainly no secret that we are lovers, but we have simply made a choice to keep it private. I am a public figure and he is not. But friends and family know that, she chuckles.
VG’s reviewer gave Hollow a roll of the dice last Saturday: “So brilliant that this could turn out to be her highlight in the winter “HGVM” season».
She has not realized that herself.
– I try to steer clear of the dice, because it is so easy that it hits one, she confides.
– When we were in the bubble, we cheered and digged each other. And then suddenly we will be reported. The I had forgotten. I’d rather just enjoy the experience, because this doesn’t happen every day.
PROUD: Emelie Hollow with Matoma (tv), and his guest artist Ruben. Photo: Pinakkel Studio / Vegard Breie
Corrected: VG first wrote that Alan Walker’s “Lily” has over two billion streams globally. It turned out to be old numbers. The correct number is about 4.5 billion streams. The error was corrected on 3 February at 10.15am.
More of Emelie Hollow on VGTV:
Published:
Published: 03.02.24 at 08:36
Updated: 03.02.24 at 10:15