Maren Davidsen is a Norwegian singer and songwriter who blends Nordic Americana with country influences to tell stories of growth and change both in her relationship with others and her relationship with herself. She discusses her latest single releases, how she balances existing in so many places at once and what her debut album means to her. She is passionate about encouraging empathy and aid for the homeless in her country and beyond.

Where are you from?
I’m originally from Stavanger on the west coast of Norway. I spent eight years living in London throughout most of my twenties before moving to Oslo in 2023. These days I live slightly outside the city (Oslo), on what I jokingly call “the moon” — a small mountaintop where I’m surrounded by silence, birdsong and nature. It’s been the perfect place to write and reconnect with myself.

How has your hometown influenced yourself and your art?
Growing up in Stavanger shaped me in ways I probably didn’t fully understand until I got older. As a teenager, I experienced quite a bit of bullying, and I think that made me dream bigger from an early age. It gave me a strong desire to see the world beyond what felt familiar and expected.

I don't mean that negatively towards Norway at all, but I always felt drawn to a life that looked a little different from the traditional path. Those experiences taught me not to define myself through other people's opinions or expectations. They encouraged me to trust my own instincts, take risks, and pursue something that felt authentic to me.

That mentality still influences me today. A lot of my songwriting is about identity, self-worth and finding the courage to choose your own direction, even when it's not the easiest one.

I was reminded of Kacey Musgraves and Maren Morris when I listened to your music. Who are some of your biggest inspirations for your sound and storytelling?
That’s a huge compliment. Kacey Musgraves is definitely one of my inspirations, along with artists/duos like First Aid Kit, Joni Mitchell, Laura Marling, Brandi Carlile, Ella Langley and Lainey Wilson. Lately, I listen a lot to new artists on the scene such as Joshua Slone, Anna Graves and Sydney Ross Mitchell. Also!! Annabelle Dinda.

I’m drawn to writers who aren’t afraid of details. The more specific a story becomes, the more universal it often feels. I love artists who can capture an entire relationship or a turning point in life through one small moment or image. That's something I constantly strive for in my own writing.

Your latest song “Cleveland Street” joins “Tennessee On My Mind” and “Love Of The Century” as singles off of your upcoming album “This Is Where I Leave You.” What can we expect from this project? What does it mean to you and what do you want fans’ biggest takeaway from it to be?
“This Is Where I Leave You” is my debut album and without question the most personal thing I’ve ever created. It’s really a collection of an entire decade of experiences, relationships, mistakes, heartbreaks, lessons and personal growth.

Some of the songs are about relationships with other people, while others explore the relationship I had with myself during different periods of my life. The album follows a journey through love, heartbreak, power dynamics, self-worth and ultimately learning when it's time to walk away from something that no longer serves you.

The title itself refers not only to leaving another person behind, but also leaving behind the version of yourself that accepted less than she deserved.

More than anything, I hope listeners come away feeling empowered. If these songs can help someone recognize their own worth and find the courage to choose themselves, then I’ve accomplished something meaningful.

How does the idea of “home” drive your storytelling? How do you balance having your heart in so many places at once?
Home is probably the biggest theme on the album. For years I thought home was a location, but now I think it's something much more fluid. Part of my heart will always belong to Stavanger. London shaped who I became as an adult. Nashville has had a huge influence on me creatively. It is like the song “Wherever I Leave My Hat” by Marvin Gaye. That is my home.

But Oslo became the place where everything finally made sense. Moving back to Norway gave me the distance I needed from certain experiences. I think I had to grow up a little more before I could properly understand what I'd been through and how to write about it honestly. Oslo became the place where I found the clarity to tell those stories.

I don't really try to choose between these places anymore. Instead, I let them all exist inside the songs.

You donated 7000 NOK in profits from your Christmas song “When She Travels To Her World” to the homeless through Norwegian organization Kirkens Bymisjon. Why is homelessness a cause that speaks so much to you?
The song was inspired partly by the stories I grew up reading as a child, particularly Hans Christian Andersen's “The Little Match Girl,” which always stayed with me. When I moved to Oslo, I experienced my first truly brutal winter. Temperatures dropped as low as -27 degrees Celsius, and I remember seeing people sleeping rough near metro stations and around the city. I was shocked. Norway is often viewed as one of the wealthiest countries in the world, and yet this was the reality for many people living here.

The song became my attempt to tell one of those stories through music. I wanted to create something that encouraged empathy and reminded people of those who are often overlooked. Creating the fundraiser alongside the release felt like a natural extension of that message, and seeing people contribute to the campaign meant a lot to me personally.

What can we expect next from you short term? When will “This Is Where I Leave You” be released?
The biggest focus right now is the release of my debut album, “This Is Where I Leave You,” which arrives in October 2026.

Beyond that, I’ll be releasing more music, performing live and bringing these songs to audiences in both the UK and Norway. I'm especially excited to return to London to play The Troubadour later this year. London played such a huge role in shaping both me and this album, so returning there with these songs feels incredibly special.

What is your motto in life?
Know your worth—and don't be afraid to walk away from anything that makes you forget it (the value of yourself).

It’s a lesson that took me years to learn (and still very much in the process of) and one that sits at the heart of both my life and my music. So many of us stay in situations, relationships, jobs or versions of ourselves long after we've outgrown them because we're afraid of change or because we think we need to prove something.

The older I've become, the more I've realized that walking away is essential. Sometimes it's the bravest and healthiest decision you can make. Most of the positive changes in my life happened when I finally found the courage to leave something behind and trust that something better was waiting on the other side. I have had to just be clinical about it and at one point even geographically remove myself. I didn't have the willpower to be able to leave that situation with just my mentality, so I was never strong in that sense. But I was strong enough to pack my bag and leave. Otherwise it wouldn't have worked.

In many ways, that's also the central message of “This Is Where I Leave You.”

To learn more about Maren, please check out the links below:
Instagram: @maren.davidsen
Tiktok: @marendavidsen
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/01uVLcwaQWu2VM4aUiQvyg?si=4W51lIblR1C0hXH-lhxcZQ

Photo credit: Elena Lastivka

Maren Davidsen Knows Her Worth and Isn’t Afraid to State It