Interview: On Cloud 9 with 7 Days In Alaska

As the summer is almost here, in addition to warmer weather, brighter nights and new winds, it also brings some new music. This time I had a chance to satisfy my curiosity in advance and ask a thing or two from Martin, Chris and Lars – also known as pop/rock band 7 Days In Alaska from Norway – about their new track Cloud 9.

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Cloud  9  is  recorded  in  the  legendary Castle Recording Studio – the somewhat universal feeling is evident; yet the band keeps their style, personality, emotion and mood. How do they do this? Trying to think of questions that are somewhat different but would help to capture the feeling of Cloud 9, here are some of the thoughts by the guys.

The track Cloud 9 is very airy and freeing – if 7 Days in Alaska was a season, which season would they be? Which season would Cloud 9 be?

  • First of all, thank you! And that is a question we’ve never gotten before, so thanks for that as well, haha! We have actually talked a little about this before. In a song called “Marielle” we talk about „the season of changing air“. I think that is the season we would be. A season of change – always moving forward. So for 7 Days In Alaska it would have to be either fall or spring, and for Cloud 9, I think it would have to be spring.

Do you find it easy to stand out with the rock vibe in Norwegian music scene?

  • It’s funny, because people who are into rock, seem to label us as a pop band. And for people who are into top 10 stuff, they usually label us as a rock band. And in many ways we like that. We want to be something that stands out, follow our own path. Whether we are doing a good job standing out or not, is not really up to us to decide.

Your music is perfect for live shows, however – for exposure, would you like your song to be played on the radio, used as a movie soundtrack or be picked up by a DJ in a far off country? Why this?

  • We want to make something that really comes to life when played live. Well, both radio and movies are interesting things for an artist; they give you an opportunity to share something with an audience you usually wouldn’t be able to reach. We also love that radio stations are playing 7 Days in Alaska. However, we would love if movies (both major and indie ones) used our music.

The new song Cloud 9 seems to be a lot more positive than some of the previous pieces, yet the style is the same, loved already by many. What made the change this time?

  • First of all, 7 Days in Alaska has recorded a lot of music over the years. We just haven’t released all of it yet. Our music always reflects where we are at personally. So, in many ways, I don’t really think a lot has changed when it comes to being either negative or positive. It was just a time to share something that was a little more positive and motivational. I also think that Cloud 9 has a lot in common with our debut single “Us Against The World”, which may be a favorite amongst our followers.

The track „Marielle“ has a hard-hitting personal background to it. How much of „you“ do you put in your songs in general? If you would have to rate Cloud 9, is it personal or is there still some/a lot of act behind it?

  • All the songs we write are very personal. Whether that is a specific thing that has happened, or something that we are thinking about. We put everything we have into 7 Days in Alaska.  So it is important for us to share something that is honest to how we feel, whether positive or not. Cloud 9 is very personal, it’s just a little more general than specific. We have all been lost and a little broken at times – it’s just how life works, I guess – and therefore we wanted to share our thoughts and experiences with those feelings.

Do you think this is the best song to get into your music or would you recommend something else from your repertoire for the first-time- listener?

  • I think Cloud 9 is a good choice to show what 7 Days in Alaska is. But 7 Days in Alaska has a lot of aspects. It may happen that you like one song, but not necessarily all of them. As the album is yet to be released, there is a lot people haven’t heard yet. Our sound and upcoming album touches a lot of ground. Therefore, it’s hard to say what people like about us and don’t like about us – yet.

If you would have to pick one place of the world/Norway, which place pops up in your mind listening or playing Cloud 9? Do you think of a certain place, emotion or completely of something different when creating a new something, how has it been in the past?

  • Cloud 9 was recorded in Nashville: that comes easily to mind when listening to it.  Cloud 9 is a motivational song – we also need to motivate ourselves to keep going, it is a reminder for us as well. Working hard towards something and achieving things along the way, gives a happiness that we really can’t explain if you haven’t experienced it yourself. You tend to become stronger when life gets rough and difficult, a better version of yourself. That is what we felt and thought about when we wrote it, or think about when we play it. It’s usually how it always is with us, a subject we feel passionate about, or something that is haunting us. We talk about it first and then we write about it. And in many ways, let go of it.

What is the best way to share, promote and show love for your music?

  • Just sharing our music, our thoughts, our lives. Everything is special; whether it is shown live or just people listening to it at home. So it’s really hard to say what’s the best way – all of them are unique. If we have touched at least one person with our music, then that is very special to us. Of course we love to play live and love to share our music directly with an audience, but if someone is sitting at home and listening to our music, and gets some kind of happiness from it, then we are happy.

So here you go, new and old listeners of 7 Days In Alaska. They are down to earth people, they care about their fans and their emotions, they seem to put their mind and soul into every piece of sound the track consists of. Please do give their new song, Cloud 9, a good listen; maybe you will indeed find a slight solitude, happiness and/or motivation to go on and achieve something like they have, but in your own way, in your own life.

Cloud 9 is available on Spotify, Tidal, Apple and Deezer, we also recommend you to check out their homepage, get in contact with them via Instagram, Facebook and Twitter and of course – share their work!

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