60 second interview with Ida Maria

May 11 2008 Avril Cadden

Wild Child Ida Was Born To Rock'n'roll Ida Maria

How's your debut album Fortress Round My Heart doing?

It's finished and ready. It's about everything.

It's about life and death, God and religion, hate and love, good times and bad times and everything really - it's all in there.

Was your single Stella based on anyone?

It is about a hooker but it's not anyone in particular. Songwriting is one of my favourite things to do. I just love it - you can make something out of nothing.

What made you change from playing piano to the guitar?

I had piano lessons when I was young but they didn't go very well - it just wasn't for me.

When I was four years old my parents put this piano on my room and it was painted black and I hated black so I s*** on it and my parents had to take it out and paint it blue. They cleaned it up and it's still in my living room. Then I found the guitar

What did you listen to growing up?

I listened to Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan and all the classics. My parents are quite musical - my dad plays in a reggae guitar band and my mum is a classical singer. I think they think my music is all right. My mum doesn't really like my songs very much but she kind of likes them after a while.

Didn't you used to get records from your doctor?

Yes, growing up in Nesna in Norway there was no record store and the only guy that had any records was our family doctor. He had thousands of records. I used to clean their house and I took a couple of records while I was there. He had some really good records.

Have you been to Scotland much?

We've been a few times to Glasgow now - I love it there. It's one of the best places to play. I like the people in Glasgow. It's always a good night. There must be something in the water, they know how to enjoy themselves. I am playing T in the Park this year and looking forward to that, I've never been before.

What made you move from Norway to Sweden?

A lot of reasons but I really just wanted to move and try something else. Swedish people are so well behaved - Norwegians aren't the same.

What's the music scene like just now in Norway and Sweden?

It's very eclectic. Sweden is like the indie pop ruler of all places but look out for Turbo Negro, they are very good.

Don't you love fishing?

I love it. If you know any good places to fish in Glasgow let me know. We might go fishing during the summer in Scotland. It's very important to be able to hunt for your living. I do it as often as a can. A big cod is the best fish to go for - the biggest one I've caught was 50 kilos. It was pretty hard to get out of the water.

You have synesthesia, how does that affect what you do?

Basically you experience sensations together and not separately. I see my songs in colour. It doesn't really make any difference to what I do.

I don't really think too much about it.

What's a good colour for a song?

Yellow! I'd pick yellow or orange. Bright and happy colours.

You're very energetic on stage - what's been your worst injury?

I've had quite a few injuries. I've had broken ribs, that was quite bad. But I'm a tough girl. I can look after myself.

Avril Cadden

Norwegian singer Ida Maria has always been a wild child since she defaced her piano aged four. But she prefers fishing.

She plays Aberdeen Tunnel tonight, King Tut's in Glasgow on June 1 and her single Queen Of The World is out tomorrow.