Since the release of her stunning debut single 'I Don't Wanna Be Your Friend', Danish frontwoman Ida Just has found herself various Spotify playlists such as 'New Music Friday' in Denmark, Norway and Iceland, as well as 'New Indie & Alt', 'Brand New Artists' & 'De Nye'(Danish for 'The New'), and is soon to treat us to her forthcoming debut EP in the coming months.
With its warm and wistful aesthetic, 'I Don't Wanna Be Your Friend' introduces her as a bright and euphoric addition to the growing Scandinavian alt-pop scene. Accompanied by a captivating new video, directed by Dolcerocca and shot in the outskirts of hometown Copenhagen, it gives us a glimpse of the smooth and soaring universe she has crafted for herself.
So with her name firmly on the rise right now, we sat down with Ida to find out more about her influences and what started this pursuit into the world of music.
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What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
The first instrument I picked up was guitar, for my birthday when I turned 13 I begged my dad to take me to a music shop, and I picked this beautiful acoustic black guitar, which to this day is still my favourite guitar that I’ve ever owned.
What has been the most prominent inspiration behind your music so far?
Real life experiences.
What kind of music did you love as a teenager?
Anything that would evoke ‘big’ and euphoric emotions or make me want to dance. I had some real phases of listening to stuff like Robyn, Miley Cyrus, Paramore, Coldplay - artists with some really strong personalities and whom to me had a message behind their music. I was never really into a ‘single’ based artist, and always longed after the idea of being part of a community within music. Most of the stuff I listened to as a teenager has stayed with me until now. A couple of years ago when Robyn released her first album in 10 years, I was on cloud nine for a good two months. And Miley Cyrus’ latest single ‘Slide Away’ gets right in feels every time I listen to it.
When you wake up in the morning, what kind of music do you like to listen to?
Anything uplifting and soothing from Maggie Rogers, Honne to Easy Life. Recently I’ve been playing a lot of Olivia Dean’s EP ‘Ok Love You Bye’ and Azure Ryder’s EP ‘Running With The Wolves’ in the shower.
How many of your songs have you written about people in your life?
Rather it’s about myself or other people in my life – all my songs are about people and real human behaviour. The human brain and the psyche to me is so interesting, and if I wasn’t a musician I would most likely be studying psychology.
What has been the most memorable moment in your career so far?
Since I’ve only recently started my ‘official’ career in music with my debut release ‘I Don’t Wanna Be Your Friend’, the most memorable moment was waking up the morning of my release to the most overwhelming feeling that the first piece of my musical heart was out in the world, that it was no longer ‘mine’ but everyone else’s. After so many years of perfecting my craft, It was such an intense emotion of feeling free for the first time. Like the biggest lift had been taken of my shoulders.
If you weren’t a musician, what other path do you think you might have taken?
If I wasn’t doing anything musical at all, I would probably be studying psychology or sociology. What exactly I would do with it I’m not sure, but definitely something to do with the human condition and behaviour.
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Ida Just's debut single 'I Don't Wanna Be Your Friend' is available to stream and download now, with a new single arriving later this month and her debut EP 'If I'm Being Honest' expected later this year. Check out the new video for it in the player below.