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19 March 1999
Lene interview @ Wiese
Source : NRK1
(Transcript from video with kind courtesy of Tor-Atle Kindsbekken)


Wiese: She was last year's pop comet in Norway. A few weeks ago, she received the Spellemann prize for 'Song of the Year'. In many ways, she has become an established artist, even though she still hasn't released her debut album. She is 18 years of age, comes from Tromsų, please welcome Lene Marlin.

Wiese: Welcome!

Lene: Thousand thanks!

Wiese: Are you okay?

Lene: I'm very fine!

Wiese: If you were to describe your latter week, how would that look?

Lene: Ah...about fourty interviews, and some TV shows...

Wiese: Fourty interviews?

Lene: Yeah! And then...it has been fun! Much to do, but things have gone nicely.

Wiese: Is there a big difference between journalists and friends?

Lene: (Chuckles) Yes, luckily!

Wiese: If we go back, to 3rd day of Christmas, 1997. Was that a strange day? Before and after, sort of...?

Lene: It was a very special day. I will always remember that day, it was the day I signed the record deal. In Tromsų.

Wiese: What did you think would happen at the time?

Lene: At least not what has happen up until now. Not at all.

Wiese: We talked a bit earlier, and you said that there's one thing you're afraid of, and that is becoming burnt out at the age of 18?

Lene: (Chuckles)

Wiese: Are you very afraid then, or...?

Lene: No, but it is possible. To manage both the graduate year of high school, and a music career, it's not just simple.

Wiese: In what ways?

Lene: I need to be away from school a lot. Now, I carry with me a homework schedule, so I need to do a bit.

Wiese: You're bringing the school books along?

Lene: I'm bringing them along...

Wiese: And you're reading much?

Lene: (Chuckles) Yes, I do that, a little...

Wiese: Some tests next week?

Lene: Yeah...

Wiese: How many then?

Lene: I think there are three, and an essay handing in...

Wiese: You could get the record company to write the essay? Does anybody notice that?

Lene: (Chuckles) Yes, they...I should probably make a suggestion to them...

Wiese: What kind of tests are there that you're having?

Lene: A test in law, a postponed test in gymnastics, and dialect knowledge in Norwegian.

Wiese: What is the worst?

Lene: Dialects!

Wiese: Dialects?

Lene: Yes, I'm hoping the teacher has forgotten that I wasn't there!

Wiese: Yes, I'm sure of it after this, he won't remember this...but you have been in London recording an album?

Lene: Uh-uhm...

Wiese: Then everybody imagine there is some glamour, there are some limousines, and then there are a lot of pubs and such...

Lene: Not where we were. We were living an hour outside of London, in a 500-year old mansion, where it was dark, no people, and a dog that didn't like me very much!

Wiese: Would you say that it has become a depressed album?

Lene: No, that it hasn't!

Wiese: No. The dog?

Lene: (Shaking her head) Ah, she discovered I was afraid of her the first day, so then she decided to bother me for fourteen days, something she really managed to do!

Wiese: Following you around? There are two things you didn't like, the first was dogs, and the other one was fish? As a northerner, isn't that a bit...?

Lene: It was my parents who fed me up with fish when I was little, so I'm taking a smaller revenge by stopping to eat it. Don't like it.

Wiese: Not at all?

Lene: No.

Wiese: Not even turbot and such?

Lene: That could do, in smaller, nicer delicacies, but not more.

Wiese: If you were to make an attempt at describing Lene Marlin, what would you say?

Lene: Very absent-minded, that's not that nice, thoughtful, and...probably lots of other things I can't remember.

Wiese: 'Unforgivable Sinner', how long did it take to write that song?

Lene: It probably took an hour, perhaps...

Wiese: An hour, and the song was finished, kind of?

Lene: Yes.

Wiese: It's not a long time?

Lene: No, but I took both the lyrics and the melody simultanously, so it went quicker!

(Audience laughing and cheering)

Wiese: You must be good at school, because you're singing in English?

Lene: I'm not having English anymore, finished it last year.

Wiese: What did you so now?

Lene: I'm not having English anymore, finished it last year.

Wiese: Okay, so now you're just using it when you're making music?

Lene: Yes.

Wiese: Just as good! You said you were poor at dialects, I'm having a bit of a problem with your dialect! There's nothing wrong with it, though!

Lene: (Nods)

Wiese: I heard, except from music, you wished for Playstation for Christmas. This you didn't get, you've sold so many records now that you can afford buying a Playstation?

Lene: Yes...no, Playstation, I didn't get that, my mom wouldn't get me that for Christmas present.

Wiese: Is that because you're hooked on 'Tekken 3'?

Lene: (Chuckles) That's fun, yes...no that's fun!

Wiese: That is a bit of jumping and kicking, and a bit of 'tjo-og-hei'?

Lene: Relieving some aggression!

Wiese: Yes, what is it with this 'Lohen' in Tekken 3 that you think is alright?

Lene: High kicks!

Wiese: High kicks? Is that because you've been doing Tae-Kwon-Do yourself? You think that is exciting?

Lene: Yes, perhaps!

Wiese: How long did you do Tae-Kwon-Do?

Lene: I think I did it for a bit over a year, and then I stopped, and this I regret a little.

Wiese: You did? Do you start up and finish things all the time?

Lene: (Chuckles)

Wiese: Are you good at the recorder, sort of?

Lene: No, really...the music is what I've been doing the longer time.

Wiese: Uh-uhm...but you've only been playing for three years?

Lene: Yes, but I've been singing since I was two, my mom and the folks tell me.

Wiese: Okay, what did you sing at the age of two?

Lene: I don't think there were much sensible stuff coming out of my mouth, but I probably tried my best!

Wiese: Does Lene Marlin have a temperament?

Lene: Yeah, a little!

Wiese: What gets to suffer when you get angry?

Lene: The music stands in my studio, 'my' studio; the studio we were in.

Wiese: You crushed a studio?

Lene: (Wide laugh) No, that I didn't do, I beat strongly into a music stand when things went a little poorly.

Wiese: Beat it a little hard? You banged it into the wall!?

Lene: Yeah...(looks embarrassed)

Wiese: Shall we continue?

Lene: Let's continue!

Wiese: How do your friends react to this; as you stated; suddenly there are 40 interviews in a week, and you're in every newspaper, in every magazine, on television. How do they react to this?

Lene: They think it's very strange. They certainly haven't gotten used to it, and neither have I.

Wiese: What is the biggest change for you? This about going from being totally anonymous to suddenly being recognized by everyone?

Lene: Uh-uhm...

Wiese: What is the biggest change?

Lene: No...I have a bit more to do now than I had earlier, at least, a bit more...

Wiese: Is there something that scares you with this?

Lene: No, scares me...I'm just trying to set some limits; I can't do everything I get asked about, at least.

Wiese: Tomorrow, the reviews on your album is coming. Do you sleep well tonight?

Lene: (Chuckles) I don't think so.

Wiese: The stage is yours, you'll be allowed to play! Thanks for coming! As Lene Marlin prepares on stage, I can inform about that there are no concerts planned yet, first the record is coming out, and then she will be finishing school...school...(troubles with dialect).


(Lene starts 'Sitting Down Here' - playback).


Transcripted by Tef Johs

Lene-marlin.no editor's note: It is important to recognize the historic context and significance of this early Lene interview. This interview was conducted on Friday, March 19, 1999 on the NRK1 show 'Wiese'. Three days later, on Monday, March 22, 'Playing My Game' was released in Norway. On Saturday, March 20, the day after this interview was broadcasted, the newspaper VG awarded Lene a dice roll of '6' for her debut album in their classic review entitled 'The Norwegian beginner of the 90-ies'.

 
 


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