After rising to fame in Norway’s version of Pop Idol, and supporting names such as Zara Larsson and Troye Sivan on tour, Astrid S has stepped out on her own with debut album Leave It Beautiful.
This is made-for-the-charts pop, but with unique hooks and quirky little beats that elevate it.
The slightly robotic tones that engulf the singles Hits Different and Dance Dance Dance add power to her no-nonsense vibe: “Got my hands on my body / No one can stop me / When you don’t need nobody / It hits different”.
It’s not all sassiness though — Astrid S has managed to weave in some vulnerability too. Her endearing vibrato backs up the more balladic songs on the album, such as the post-break-up reflection It’s OK if You Forget Me: “I’ll tell you what the worst is / It’s the way it doesn’t hurt / When I wish it did”.
Having entered the music industry in her teens, the singer also touches on the idea of being a young woman who has got herself a platform. On Marilyn Monroe, she sings: “I don’t need permission to be who I want to be” — a perfect encapsulation of a fierce album that is setting Astrid S up for stardom.
