Ida Maria started out as an ‘arty punk singer.’ The producer that first gave her this label told her that she couldn’t write pop music. She told him to fuck off. The result of that little informal challenge is Fortress Around My Heart, the Norwegian singer’s debut album that expertly blends her throaty punk vocals with an infectious pop sensibility. From the lead single and opening track of the album, ‘Oh My God,’ you can immediately tell that this chick has got something special. She doesn’t sing, she pours her words out onto the track with a style that is as threatening as it is sexy – dare I say- a modern day Janis Joplin? Some artists are defined by their production. Ida manages to take hers by the reigns, turning songs that would otherwise be radio friendly pop-rock into something with an avant garde edge. Imagine a coked up Kelly Clarkson smoking a joint and swigging a bottle of Jack Daniels. That’s Ida for you. Aside from her powerful voice, her brutally honest just-don’t-give-a-fuck lyrics make her a thrill to listen to. On ‘Louie’ she unabashedly cries for help, ‘I know I’m always drunk, as drunk as can be/ but I wonder, Louie. Have you got room for me?’ She’s got all the dimensions that make for a compelling artist. It seems like Ida Maria will only get better with time.

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