The rain taps softly against the terrace window. The trees seem to drink it in, and a gentle haze settles over the landscape. It is somehow how I imagine the place where Martine Haaland — better known as MAIH — comes from. The west coast of Norway, with its fjords, mountains and endless rain, feels like the kind of landscape that quietly finds its way into a person’s art.
Her new single August was born from a time marked by uncertainty and the fear of opening your heart again after years of heartbreak. Yet despite its melancholy, it became something surprisingly beautiful. Cinematic and deeply emotional, the track captures that strange moment when hope returns just when you thought it was gone. “I had lost my faith in love, but then suddenly it was there right in front of me,” MAIH tells us.
Growing up in a musical family, songwriting became her way of making sense of the world from an early age. Today, the Norwegian alt-pop artist creates songs that blend raw storytelling with atmospheric production, exploring themes of vulnerability, healing, identity and self-discovery.
We caught up with MAIH to talk about August, growing up on the Norwegian west coast, overcoming bullying, stage fright, and why learning to slow down might be one of life’s most important lessons.
photography by Aleksandra Suchkova
Hey MAIH, happy to have you with us! (smiles) Let’s start with your beautiful new single “August.” You described it as the perfect soundtrack for a “sad girl summer.” What was happening in your life when this song first came into existence?
Hi! Thank you for having me. (smiles)
I wrote “August” last spring after what felt like being chronically heartbroken for about three years. I had lost my faith in love, but then suddenly it was there right in front of me – a feeling that I had forgotten was possible to feel and a person who made me feel incredibly calm.
After trying to push it away a couple of times, I decided to give it the summer and let myself feel all the feelings. And that’s when I wrote August.
There is something very cinematic about the atmosphere of the track — it feels very multi-layered, which I love. Are there any images, scenes, or moments that best describe the song for you?
That’s right, my music does tend to lean a bit cinematic! Interesting question. I think that this song feels like a summer evening right after it has rained, when the air is still a bit damp, but electric at the same time. It makes me want to run barefoot through an open field.
The song explores the fear of letting someone get too close. Why do you think we are so afraid of vulnerability?
Personally, I think it comes from having been really hurt before. I’ve always been very emotionally open, vulnerable and a bit of a hopeless romantic.
I used to dive headfirst into relationships without really thinking about the consequences, until I experienced how much being with the wrong person can shake the foundation of who you are, who you want to become, and how easy it is to lose yourself in someone else’s world.
After that, I spent years building a shell around myself. Being vulnerable with someone just didn’t feel natural, and sometimes I’d even cringe at myself for trying to open up.
Luckily, I’ve gotten a lot better now.
“Other people’s opinions only hold as much power as you allow them to.”
You grew up surrounded by music and even joined your father’s tours before you could walk. Looking back now, what is one memory from those early years that still lives inside you today?
Yes – my father, aunts, and grandparents are/were all musicians so it’s safe to say I grew up with music all around. Every family gathering, there was always some kind of musical performance from somebody or a jam session.
I think a core memory from when my father played in a band is the first time I got to sing into a microphone at soundcheck. I remember singing “Idas Sommervise” – a Swedish children’s song – and I felt like such a star (laughs).
Writing became a way of processing years of bullying. It’s beautiful how you transformed those experiences into something that can resonate with and help other people, too. When you listen to your younger self now, what would you tell her?
Thank you – I really hope my music can connect with and be a voice to the people who don’t have the energy or outlet to speak up themselves.
Being bullied from such a young age affects you during such a defining stage of life, and honestly, I still struggle with parts of it today. I don’t think you ever fully heal from being bullied, but I do think you learn how to live with it, and over time your skin grows thicker.
The most important thing I know today that I didn’t know when I was younger was that hurt people hurt people, so to my younger self I think I would tell her that other people’s opinions only hold as much power as you allow them to. And I’d remind her to always choose kindness, because being a genuinely good person is the biggest flex anyone can have.
Growing up on the west coast of Norway, how has the landscape around you influenced the way you write and create? I’ve never been to Norway, but I’ve always imagined it as a rather moody place, full of dramatic skies and changing weather. (smiles)
Your imagination about Norway is spot on – especially when it comes to the west coast where I’m from. I’ve grown up around fjords, mountains and rain…..A LOT OF RAIN! And also in a very quiet little town (Dale i Sunnfjord <3).
Honestly, I think growing up there is a huge reason why I ended up making music in the first place. There wasn’t always a lot happening, so I had to learn how to entertain myself creatively. I also think it gave me the space to really find my own writing voice.
From the ages of 13 to 18, I spent countless hours alone in my room with the piano, stereo, and microphone turned all the way up, writing what were basically “rip-off Adele songs.” But somewhere in the middle of all that, I slowly started finding my own sound and voice.
Growing up in a small place also taught me patience in a way I don’t think a busy city ever could. There’s a certain stillness to it that really shapes you.
And I definitely think the rawness and moodiness of the Norwegian west coast has influenced my sound too. I love when it’s a little imperfect, synths that are glitching, vocals that are slightly too raw, drums that are a little too distorted. To me, that’s what creates the nerve and makes me feel something when listening to music.
“I’m trying to create music from inspiration rather than pressure.”
You recently played your first headline show in Oslo to an almost sold-out crowd. That feeling must have been incredible. Are you nervous before a show?
And yes, I get extremely nervous. Like, full-spectrum stage fright nervous. There’s something so unnatural about having that many eyes on you at once, while at the same time there’s something incredibly natural about sharing my music with people. It’s a very strange balance.
I actually cry both before and after shows – before because I’m scared, and after because I’m relieved. But I do think it’ll get easier with time.
At the end of the day, performing is also the thing that makes me feel the most alive. Going forward, I really want to focus more on live shows, because it’s such a beautiful and genuine way to connect with the people who listen to my music.
And finally, what is one thing you’re currently learning about yourself — not as an artist, but simply as Martine? (smiles)
If I have to pick one thing, it has to be learning to take time off and enjoy life more. It sounds a little silly, but I think as a creative person it’s so easy to get so caught up in your art and ambitions that you forget to see your friends or travel to new places or even go home to your parents and do nothing for a weekend.
I think finding that balance is really important. It’s also about discovering what I enjoy outside of music. Right now I’m really into Hyrox, knitting, books, and yoga, and I’m trying to slow down and breathe more so I can create music from inspiration rather than pressure.
Listen to MAIH’s new single August here:
playgroundmusic.ffm.to/august
Follow MAIH for more:
www.instagram.com/maihmusic
www.facebook.com/maihmusic
