What often starts in a quiet corner of his home or alone in a hotel room just with a guitar at hand, finally unfurls to a little piece of art that takes you away on a journey of various emotions. From atmospheric melancholy over experimental electronic sounds up to powerful rock riffs – Petter’s music has many facets.
His lyrics tell little stories of life, its small and big challenges and the memories it creates. His sound is settled somewhere between Indie, Rock and Pop. Petter himself describes it as alternative pop music. But, in fact, he feels at home in a wide range of genres.
Born in 1979 in Alta, far up in the north of Norway, Petter’s career started when he was 15 years old. Fascinated by Metallica and their song »Fade to Black«, he begged his mum to buy him a guitar. He has played ever since. He played in several rock bands – starting with a school band called Burger Heads (best band name ever) – before in 2005 he decided to go solo.
However, Petter Carlsen was never really a solo project. All along Petter has collaboratedwith many talented artists, musicians and producers, such as Anathema, Long Distance Calling, Unni Willemsen, Julie Alapnes and Christer-André Cederberg, and was influenced by their different views and ideas.
In 2006 Petter published his first EP »A Taste of What’s to Come«, and two years later had the courage to hand it out to Daniel Cavanagh (Anathema) who played a solo gig in Oslo. Daniel was impressed by his »incredible voice and his beautiful songwriting« and they became good friends. When Petter released his first album »You Go Bird« in 2010 Daniel invited him to be Anathema’s opening act on their extensive tour through Europe. 77 shows in 17 countries. The key to a much bigger audience that would welcome him with open arms.
After two more albums »Clocks don’t count« (2011) and »Sirens« (2014) and a long time living in Oslo, Petter missed his roots and moved back to his hometown Alta to release his first and (by now) only album with Norwegian lyrics. »Glimt« (2017) received great reviews and helped him receive the »Arctic Talent Stipend«, the biggest scholarship in Northern Norway.
But good is never enough for Petter, there’s always a way to evolve and improve, and this attitude is visible through all his work. Every album brings something new and sometimes a bit more experimental. About his last album »The Sum of Every Shade« (2020) he says: »This is my best work to date. Maybe a tie with Clocks Don’t Count«.
The years 2020 and 2021 had been tough ones, not only for musicians. Petter took a little break from his solo project to focus on other projects. After becoming a dad just before the pandemic, he used his unintended free time not only for his family, but for pushing forward his alternative rock band Pil & Bue. The wish to get on the road again is always there. The glue in Petter’s career is always to perform his music live on a stage with an audience. Let yourself get carried away into his surprising world of sound, in which you will simply feel good.
