Ida Maria

Ida Maria shot to prominence in Sweden through an unexpected collection of exceptional pop tracks that blended punk-fueled drive with vocal prowess comparable to Björk or Polly Jane Harvey, earning rapid attention via a string of favorably received concerts and standout demo recordings. Born Ida Maria Sivertsen in the tiny Norwegian town of Nesna, home to fewer than 2,000 residents, she grew up there under parents who urged piano lessons yet saw her choose guitar instead. She mastered the instrument on her own and began performing at local venues by age 14. At 16 she left home for Bergen in southwest Norway, where she started shaping material alongside several area players after her mother and father dismissed an initial idea to relocate to South Africa. Finding the persistent rainfall there unsuitable, she continued onward to Sweden and connected with several like-minded players in Stockholm. Linking with guitarist Stefan Tornby, bassist Johannes Lindberg, and drummer Olle Lundin, she began circulating through the city’s rock venues, where her high-octane material and clever words swiftly established her as a crowd favorite. Her first full-length release, Fortress Round My Heart, appeared in late 2008.