Sondre Lerche

by Faith Bennett
Sondre Lerche is a Norwegian singer songwriter living in America with a knack for heartfelt pop songs. Lerche recently took the time out of his busy touring schedule to speak with EU on Florida, his latest release, and the inaccuracy of his Wikipedia page.
“When I was ten years old… they were my favorite,” Lerche says of 80’s pop band, A-ha, who despite what the internet may tell you, do not influence his music. Other bands like the Beach Boys who Lerche “listened to lots of” have influenced previous work, but not his most recent self titled release which was influenced more by his own experiences. He says, “This one was a strange one. I wasn’t influenced by bands or anyone. Usually I’ll be influenced by a band I’m excited about, on this it wasn’t really like that.. The songs feel more candid than before.” He continued to talk about the “stripped down” aesthetic of this release, as can be heard on such simple well crafted ballads as “Coliseum Town” and “Domino.” Previously his work may have felt more at home on playlists with Elvis Costello and even early Of Montreal but this time around he could easily fit in on a tracklist next such balladeers as John Lennon and Ryan Adams. “I wasn’t interested in stylistic things, genres, albums. I just let the song do it’s thing,” he says describing a tactic that may not work for everyone but certainly proved effective for him.
Sondre wasn’t trying to prove anything with his last release. He said it “wasn’t “I’m gonna show the world this” and further emphasized how organically the songs came together by repeating the terms “candid” and “stripped down.” His music videos prove him unpretentious. They feature simple concepts without being overcomplicated by complex storylines. Glitter, confetti, leotards, facepaint, and fire all find their place in these videos making Sondre Lerche even more of a “fun” listen.
While this is his first foray into Jacksonville, Lerche has played in Florida before and with a good reception. He came to the sunshine state for the first time two years ago, his reason being that “I had been touring all over the world, all over the US..and I had never been to Florida.” The audience received Lerche well and he was pleased with the turnout. When asked why Jacksonville he said “Why do you get up in the morning? Why do we do anything?” He did continue to say Jacksonville seemed “natural.” And he concluded by saying “It’s my first time in Jacksonville, so there is a lot of pressure on me. There is also a lot of pressure on Jacksonville.”
Hopefully the crowd at Jackrabbits will do Lerche justice, because as he said, “It could be the start of a great friendship.”