What are your thoughts behind the song?
I’ve actually always wanted to write a Christmas song. It’s a fun genre where you can do something quite atypical compared to what you usually do. It’s a “Christmas genre”, so there aren’t many rules, but rather a kind of dogma you can work from.
Our idea was to include as many of the classic Christmas elements that make a good Christmas song, such as bells, chimes, snow, elves, holiday hustle and bustle, lights, December, a bit of love, a little self-irony, a bit of longing, some nostalgia, a sense of memories, something comforting and familiar. And, of course, the word “Christmas” has to be mentioned in the chorus. The song should be able to stand on its own but still refer to Nørgaard’s stripes. I think we’ve included many of the classic Christmas elements in our song.
The Christmas song was written in the summer. How did you get into the right mood to write a Christmas song?
My brother, who produced the track, and I put on Santa hats and listened a lot to Last Christmas by Wham. It’s an amazing song, and it sounds much cooler in the summer. I also watched an episode of Pyrus’ Alletiders Jul, which is the TV Christmas calendar I watched during my childhood. I was a big fan of the character Freja, who in the series is a Christmas goddess with amnesia, so she doesn’t know who she is. Relatable. She’s played and sung by Karen Gardelli. I was very inspired by her voice and the way she sings. So soft, warm, kind, and vulnerable. I became a bit enchanted, and it was actually really nice to be able to feel the Christmas vibe, without all the craziness that comes with the real holiday.
What is the sound of Mads Nørgaard – Copenhagen?
Something that is both classic and modern, something familiar, yet new.
How did you incorporate a touch of Mads Nørgaard – Copenhagen into the song?
The song is called Stribet Jul (Striped Christmas). Everyone knows Nørgaard for the stripes. I really like the line “Jeg vil være lige så tæt på dig, som striberne på din trøj” (I want to be as close to you as the stripes on your sweater). I imagined that if you’re in love with someone, you’d want to be the stripes on their sweater. You’re almost jealous of the stripes for being so close to the person.
Also, the line “Skal vi flette vores striber i år“ (Should we braid our stripes this year) I thought was fun. I imagined all the stripes in Nørgaard’s universe braiding together when they fall in love.
Who is Nurse? And how does the character present itself in the song?
Nurse is my solo project and alter-ego that I’ve had since 2018. Genre-wise, I define the music as Art Pop, R&B, and Dream Pop, but I’m not locked into a specific genre. It’s kind of chill pop music, but with a little twist of spirituality. I chose the name to honor feminine values like care and motherhood. Nurse is a more caring “Space Angel” version of me. Longing and melancholy are themes I often work with in my music. In this song, it’s a memory or longing for a Christmas flirt from last year.
Christmas is also a season of magic and miracles, which is something I like. So I think the Nurse character fits well for a holiday song.
