One of the most beautiful voices on the latest season of Idol Norge, Maria Mohn was initally positioned as one of the frontrunners but somehow, she starting fading away and was ultimately eliminated in the 6th place. Known for her unique arrengments of popular tunes, Maria was one of my favourites of the season and she left a lasting impression on me with her hearfelt performances. There's no doubt the girl has a lot of talent and with the right songs, she can be a hit in Norway. Below, you'll find an interview we did over a month ago and I thought it was about time I posted it! ... Enjoy!

Interview after the JUMP ...


*Who is Maria by Maria?
Hmm, I guess I would describe myself as a passionate, creative, emotional and loving person.

*How would you define yourself as an artist?
Much like the answer above! I focus on the lyrics and on creating a melody one will remember, I want to speak to the hearts of the audience through my music.

*How did you get started with music?
I've been singing since I was 3 years old. It has always been a part of me.

*What is the best advice someone has ever given to you?
Hmm... Don't waste your time being nervous, Alexander With, Idol-winner (2004, I think) told me that. I didn't manage to take the advice, but it was a good one.


*What made you audition for Idol in the first place?
I realised that I had to do something drastic if I could be able to sing for a living.

*What can you tell us about your first audition and the song you sang?
I wanted to sing a song "everyone" knows and make it even more beautiful. I hope I managed to do that!

*Was it hard to remain true to yourself as an artist during the show?
Well, it was REALLY hard to do my best under those conditions... I got really nervous and scared... I'm looking forward to sing again where I can relax and talk to the audience between the songs, I like to tell stories and get to know the audience during a concert, that kind of communication is unique.

*Why did you pick "Flashdance" as your semifinal performance?
Pretty much the same reason as my first audition And the lyrics was perfect for that performance, I think . "Take your passion and make it happen".


*Were you happy with your rendition of "Take On Me"? Why did you pick that song?
Again - I was not satisfied with my performance, but I really liked the arrangement, the lyrics got a new meaning; "So needless to say, I'm odds and ends. But that's me, I'm stumbling away, and I'm slowly learning that life is OK. Say after me: It's no better to be safe than sorry" I really felt that it described some of the feelings I had during the competition.


*Your performance of "Viva la vida" got a lot of critiques from the judges, do you regret that performance? Why did you initally picked it?
I remember the good critiques! Hank said I had the best voice It's just stupid to regret choices I made, that's just a waste of time and energy. But if I got to do it all over again, I'd probably choose different song for each friday.




*Your final performance was "Gabriellas Sång", what does that song mean to you? Were you expecting your elimination that night?
In a way, I did. I guess Idols viewers are too young for an artist like me. And since I never managed to do my best, I guess I did expect it. The song is very important to me, the lyrics described so much my Idol-experience!


*You were known for your unique arrengments, where did the ideas for it came from?
From deep within, I guess..!

*How would you describe the overall experience?
Emotional. Scary. Fantastic.

*Do you think that being a woman was a disadvantage in the competition?
Hmm... Maybe. If I was a 16 year old cute boy everything would be different But I would rather be me.

*To finish with Idol questions, who do you think will take the title?
Jenny  (this would've been my answer weeks ago I'm really glad she won.)


*Before entering Idol, you released an album, "Bli Med Meg", what's the title meaning?
I think It's a nice title, welcoming the listener into my world Come with me to the garden of serenity - that was the english title .

*What can you tell me about "Et bedre sted"?
It's a song about everyone, we could all contribute to making the world a better place by looking at ourselves differently, kinda my version of Michael Jacksons "Man in the mirror".


*You also appeared on the show "Beat for Beat", how did that happen? How different was it from Idol?
We asked to appear on it several times and got a yes after a while It was a fantastic experience. It's different from Idol because there aren't any judges and no risk of having to leave the show before it's over. It's not live and that makes you relax even more. It's JUST fun, not scary at all. I loved it.

*Are you already working on new material?
Yes! Looking forward to show everyone.

*Are you planning on touring Norway now? Releasing a single? A new album?
Yes, yes and yes.

*Has Idol opened any doors for you? Are you expecting to get a record deal?
I hope so. First I need to write a lot of good songs.

*What are your plans from now on?
Write, write, write. Then a single, an album, a summer-tour, a Christmas-album and a Christmas-tour Ambitious? Yes