Aurora Artistfacts

June 15, 1996
Aurora Aksnes was born in Stavanger, Norway, in 1996. She began playing the piano aged 6, and three years later, Aurora was composing her own songs, often drawing inspiration from nature, folklore, and her inner world. Her first original composition was titled "I Had A Dream."

"I wrote my first lyrics at 9. I could speak English quite well but the only songs I knew were Leonard Cohen and Bob Dylan and those needed to be played on guitar," she told The Forty-Five. "So then I started writing on guitar in my room, in secret. At first, music was only for me."
Her music blends various genres, including art pop, alternative pop, synth-pop, Nordic folk, and folktronica. Aurora's distinctive, ethereal vocals have been compared to artists like Björk and Kate Bush. Her lyrics often explore themes of love, loss, self-discovery, mental health and political issues.
Aurora's style is as unique as her sound, often incorporating flowing, whimsical, and occasionally fantastical elements. It is often described as "fairycore," reflecting her ethereal persona.
She garnered international attention with "Runaway" which Aurora wrote when she was 12. Released on her 2015 debut EP of the same title, it charted worldwide six years later when a live version went viral on TikTok.
Aurora experiences synaesthesia, a condition where she sees music in colors, shapes, and textures. This means when she writes a song, she isn't just thinking about melody and lyrics but also about what color the music feels like - sometimes describing a song as "blue and sharp" or "soft and orange."
She has a whimsical and philosophical view of everyday experiences, often contemplating unusual thoughts that reveal her unique perspective on life. For example, Aurora once mused about the impossibility of ever being truly untouched, noting how the body is always in contact with something - be it clothing, a bed, or even just the air. This constant awareness of touch, she says, sometimes feels overwhelming, reflecting her deeply sensory and introspective nature.
Aurora has a strong connection to her home and childhood that shows up in unexpected places - like her bookshelf. She once bought a bookshelf made from wood native to her childhood area, which she describes as very gray, soft on the eyes, and incredibly comforting. Aurora even named it "Shelf," a testament to her whimsical and creative nature. She cherishes this simple piece of furniture, saying it makes her happy and can't wait to get home to be with it, highlighting how deeply she values small, personal touches that remind her of her roots.
She is known for environmental advocacy and uses her platform to speak about the climate crisis, often weaving these themes into her music and public appearances. Aurora dedicated her third album, A Different Kind of Human (Step 2), to themes related to climate change and global warming.
Aurora rarely listens to music, which she says is "really embarrassing."

"I can't stand listening to music, 'cos it becomes noise," she explained. "I love it when it's quiet."

She attributes this largely to the intensity of her working life - spending up to 18 hours a day in the studio means she is immersed in music constantly, so in her downtime she craves silence rather than more sound.

There are a couple of exceptions when Aurora does listen to music: She listens to Enya on flights because she hates flying and finds it calming, and she tolerates Christmas music at home during the festive season. "Christmas music is always welcome in my crib," she says.

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