VOFF is a songwriter and producer from Norway. He has just released his debut album “Know You”, which contains 17 songs in a wide spectrum of styles. The album is created to motivate people and inspire them to live out their potential through telling his own story of changing his mindset after a traumatizing childhood. VOFF’s intention for the future is to continue to make music with like-minded people, travel the world and experience different cultures to expand his knowledge so he can be more creative with his music production and songwriting.

  1. Can you tell us a bit about where you come from and how you got started?

VOFF: Right now, I live in Norway. In 2016 I started studying Sport Science since I’ve always loved sports, but I wasn’t happy with the school part and I felt kind of trapped where I was. After two years I decided that I wanted to make music instead, so I built a home studio with my brother and started doing everything I could to learn about music production.

  1. Have you had any formal training or are you self-taught?

VOFF: I have played the piano from time to time when there was a piano available, but I didn’t have any lessons or anything. I’ve trained my ears to catch the notes I’m hearing and play songs I like. After I started with music production I started to use my skills more on improvising and making my own tunes. I’ve learned music production mainly through watching YouTube tutorials and by trying different things out to expand my knowledge. I’ve just started though, so I still have a ton to learn and I believe that there’s always something to learn. The more I know, the more I’m able to also expand my way of creative thinking.

  1. Who inspires you?

VOFF: I do not get inspired by any specific person. I get inspired by all kinds of music, sounds in general and things I experience on my life that can help me grow as a person and as an artist.

  1. What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners?

VOFF: Probably the dynamics and that I don’t attach to any genre.

  1. For most artists, originality is first preceded by a phase of learning and, often, emulating others. What was this like for you? How would you describe your own development as an artist and music maker, and the transition towards your own style?

VOFF: I don’t know if I have my own style and I’m not striving towards that either. I’m just making whatever I feel like in the moment. Every artist has their own story, so I think every artist also eventually gets their own style. My way of making music is a result of my emotions, my knowledge and my experiences in life in general so the music always tells something about me, to the listener.

  1. What’s your view on the role and function of music as political, cultural, spiritual, and/or social vehicles – and do you try and affront any of these themes in your work, or are you purely interested in music as an expression of technical artistry, personal narrative and entertainment?

VOFF: I’m interested in everything that affects us as human beings. I also want to experience as much as I can through this lifetime so I’m going to make music about everything I feel like. That includes political, cultural and spiritual things since that’s a huge part of people’s life.

  1. Do you ever write a song with current musical trends, formulas or listener satisfaction in mind, or do you simply focus on your own personal vision and hope it catches on with the crowds?

VOFF: I never do that. I started improving a lot more when I stopped caring about what everybody else said about my music and stopped asking people about what I should implement and what to remove. I think music should be all about expressing the artist(s).

  1. Could you describe your creative processes? How do start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song? Do you usually start with a beat, or a story-line in your head?

VOFF: There’s unlimited ways of starting a track and I don’t follow any specific code. I can start with a beat, a melody, a chord progression, a story I wrote, it doesn’t really matter as long as I get inspired by it and have fun with it.

  1. What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your career or life so far, and how did you overcome the event?

VOFF: That has to be my childhood. Without going into any details, there was a lot of traumatizing things I experienced as a child. I did overcome it by changing my mindset through meditation after I discovered the teachings of a man named “Neville Goddard”. I’ve learned how to use my past as a strength to become a better person and today I’m really thankful for everything I’ve gone through, because it made me the person I am today and I’m happy with that person.

  1. What would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your career so far?

VOFF: Well, my journey has just begun so I haven’t been able to make any career out of it just yet, but my proudest moment until now have to be the fact that I was able to release a huge album in that short amount of time. I worked really hard on it and I consider that as my biggest accomplishment so far.

  1. If someone has never heard your music, which 5 keywords would you personally use to describe what you and your music is all about?

VOFF: Think I only need two words for this one ha-ha… Life and creativity. I think that involves about everything.

  1. With social media having a heavy impact on our lives and the music business in general, how do you handle criticism, haters and/or naysayers in general? Is it something you pay attention to, or simply ignore?

VOFF: I haven’t received any hate or negative comments yet. But when I do, I honestly don’t care. I can’t do anything but laugh about people that hate on others. I’m not going to get hurt or broken by some random people on the internet. While they use their time to hate, I use my time to improve.

  1. Are you into any relationship? How is that affecting you as an artist?

VOFF: I’m not and I’m totally ok with it. Music is my priority at the moment so I really don’t make time to even meet new people.

  1. If you had a choice to go on tour with any acclaimed international artist in the near future, who would you choose, and why?

VOFF: QUEEN. No doubt.

  1. Could you tell us something about your latest project and what fans can expect to hear?

VOFF: I’m currently working with three songs. I don’t want to say much about them other than that they’re very different from each other and the tracks on my album.

  1. Do you have a personal favorite track amongst your compositions that has a specific backstory and/or message and meaning very special to you?

VOFF: I don’t have any favorite amongst the compositions, but my favorite backstory until now is from “Millions”. That’s because it reflects a positive change in my life that also made me a better person.

  1. Creative work in studio environment, or interaction with a live audience? Which of these two options excite you most?

VOFF: Impossible to say since one thing leads to the other. I love to be creative in the studio and I would love to interact with a live audience to just create good vibes, but for now I’m focusing on improving my skills and just make a lot of music.

  1. What’s your favorite motto, phrase or piece of advice, you try to live or inspire yourself by?

VOFF: “Do what you love and love what you do”. I think everyone have something they really love doing that they can look forward to do every day.

  1. How essential do you think video is in relation to your music? Do you have a video you would suggest fans see, to get a better understanding of your craft?

VOFF: I don’t have any video at the moment, but I’m currently doing a thing on Instagram where I tell the backstory to every track on my recent album “Know You”. I think that’s necessary for people to understand it.

  1. What do you find most rewarding about what you do? And do you have a specific vision or goal set in your mind that you would like to achieve in the near future?

VOFF: The most rewarding thing has to be when people tell me they find happiness and motivation through my music. I really love making it and it makes me appreciate it even more when I can give something positive back to the listener. My goals for the future is to travel the world, collaborate with other artists and just spread good vibes out to the world through music.

OFFICIAL LINKS: SPOTIFY – SOUNDCLOUD – INSTAGRAM – FACEBOOK – TIKTOK