COLORSxSTUDIOS

What is your first musical memory?

One of the strongest memories I have is of me and my two siblings sitting in the back of the car listening to an American children’s songs cassette. We played it over and over again and sang along very loudly. It felt euphoric to be totally free with the music and to really connect with each other through singing.

Would you say you come from a musical family? 

I’m the only one pursuing music professionally, but we all play piano and used to sing in the same choir. There were always a lot of instruments at home—violins, trumpets, clarinets. There was always a lot of sound in my house.

I guess this is what inspired you to start writing your own music, right?

Yes! I don’t think I had any choice. Music was the only thing to do in our family. I really enjoyed it and filled all my spare time with it.

You moved to Oslo to study music performance arts when you were 20. Can you tell us about the music scene there?

My university class was a really inspiring bunch of people. They were all really great musicians who were so connected to music, inspired, and really wanted to go for it. So my first reaction to moving to Oslo was getting really inspired by my classmates. I started a band with some of them, which turned out to be Beharie. Two of my classmates still play in my band.

Where did the name Beharie come from?

It’s my last name—it comes from my dad’s side, which is Jamaican. My family are the only people with this surname in the whole of Norway!

Was your Jamaican heritage a big part of your childhood? 

Definitely. My dad played a lot of old school Jamaican reggae records when we were growing up, so I’ve definitely been influenced by his music taste. I wish I could know more about the culture though. I really want to go to Jamaica, stay there for a while, and really connect with it.

Montreux Jazz Festival describe you as a young old soul. Does this description resonate with you? 

I feel like I’ve lived a long life in a way. I have a calmness in just being a human and being here. I feel really connected with myself and the world. I’m am a slow-paced, self-aware person and am not really chasing anything… I guess I am chasing something, because I’m an artist, but what’s most important to me is being being a good person, being part of this life, and making it a good experience for myself and others. So yeah, in a way I feel like a really old soul.

You released your debut album ‘Are You There, Boy?’ last October. Can you tell me about the story behind this album and how you approached creating your first full length project? 

I started without a plan. I just wanted to make music without restraining myself. When I’d tried to make an album before, I thought I had to have a strong concept and it killed the whole process. I thought so much that I didn’t make any music. So, my strategy this time was to let go of everything, not think, to make music for a year and then look at what I’d created. It was a really inspiring way to work. I had to throw away so much! I’m kind of trying to connect with like making a lot of bad stuff. It’s an important part of the process. The bad songs are just as important as the good ones.

Even though you didn’t start off with a set concept, narratives of identity, loneliness, and queer love emerged in the album. Why are these important themes for you to explore through your music? 

These are themes I think about a lot. I feel them really intensely. While I wanted to be vulnerable on this record, I also wanted to try and be more playful. I can be quite a serious way, kind of calm and serious. I can be fun as well, but I need someone to drag me out of my shell. I felt like this project was a chance for me to explore the edgier side of my personality—the funniness and the weirdness.

Were you working with any collaborators on your project that helped drag you out of your comfort zone?

Yes! My producers, who are good friends of mine, are really good at it. They know me so well.